It was a warm autumn weekend and I brought the family to Southern California to enjoy the sun and get away from the house. We saw a lot of sights and enjoyed a lot of take-out. Santa Monica was warm during the day, foggy in the mornings, and utterly deserted. I threw the bike on the truck and drove 20 minutes up the coast to Pacific Palasades and Topanga Canyon.
Like nearby Laurel Canyon, this area has roots in the world of folk art and music. There’s a lot of history in this dirt. There was a good, hard climb up to the ridge. The dusty dirt was fun and the dirty air didn’t look so bad from far away.
I climbed into the neighborhood on Arteique Road and along a fire road named Dirt Mulholland. I turned off on Temescal Fire Road and took a side-trail called Tasty Treats (a VERY tough segment!!) At the top, I descended on Cheney Ranch Road and took the roads back to the 4Runner. Ten miles, lots of breathing.
Overall, the day was a great one. I got to ride trails that I had always wondered about. I can’t wait to return.
