Angeles Crest Highway... uh, guess what...

latest news from Wrightwood...



wouldn't have believed it unless I read it myself...

 

was it supposed to stay closed?

 

The Angeles Crest Highway is normally closed in the wintertime from Islip Saddle to Vincent Gap due to rockfall and avalanche hazards. However, the winter storms of 2004-05 caused several landslides and significant damage to the highway. Thus, the highway never reopened in the summer of 2005. Damage to the highway was estimated to be over 4 million dollars as of November 2005. Terri Kasinga, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Transportation, stated in November 2005 "It is definitely not going to open until next spring (of 2006)". However, a March 2006 storm caused even more extensive damage to the highway including a complete washout of a large section of roadway, further delaying the reopening of the highway. Total construction costs now exceed 10 million dollars. Pending the availability of construction funds to repair this new damage, construction is anticipated to begin spring of 2008. As of now this portion of the highway has been closed since October 2004. CalTrans' closure of the highway has caused concern for the United States Forest Service and other emergency services agencies because it hinders access, particularly with firefighting efforts.

gonna be a squid-fest for at least the first month...

 

Angeles Crest Squidfest

Shayne...I used to ride Angeles Crest highway all the time. We lived in Running Springs off of Highway 330 out of Highland. Man, I miss So Cal mountain roads. My favorites were the stretch between Snow Valley east of Running Springs to Big Bear...mostly 4 lanes of some of the most insane cork-screw, perfectly cambered and radiused turns that you could see 3-4-5 turns ahead. Riding two abreast, each in his own lane, cranked over with knees draggin' like synchronized swimmers was truly a two-wheeled, crotch-rocket ballet. I'm getting excited just reminiscing! Me on my '82 CB900F or '86 FZ750 and my buddies on their '85 RZ350, '83 VF750 and 750 Katana. We would ride to Big Bear, down the back side to the dessert into Apple Valley at the base of the north side of the San Bernardino Mountains, over to Hesperia and down the Cajon Pass, and back up either highway 18 (Waterman Canyon - another awesome 4-lane experience) and across the Rim of the World Drive to Running Springs.

Google Maps

Or, we'd go to Cajon Pass, to 138 near Phelan and take Highway 2 (Angeles Crest) over to La Canada/Flintridge, then into LA to ride the freeways at night. Man, we were crazy in those days! Before leathers and knee pads even, we cut up old leather boots and duct taped them to our knees...I think we'd be considered squids now, but back in the day, we were pretty ahead of our time. We'd all been through the Keith Code California Superbike School at Riverside Raceway and eventually all raced at Willow Springs. We used to crack up at the guys on their GPZ 550/750/1100's with swim trunks, flip flops and sunglasses on and no helmets who wanted to race. (No offense to those bikes, but those were truly the squids back then.

Google Maps

Then one day, this chubby black dude on his XN85 Suzuki Turbo truly humbled me. He didn't get away, but I could not for the life of me pass him. He never hung off the bike, but he was throwin' down a flame thrower of sparks as he flicked his bike from extreme lean to extreme lean...I swear, he never hit the brakes. That experience made me always want an XN85...I loved Suzuki's bold styling back then...truly cutting edge. http://www.fasterandfaster.net/2007/05/may-force-feed-you-1983-suzuki-xn85.html

One last circuit: Take 79/74 from Hemet, or 243 out of Banning up to Idylwild near San Jacinto back down into Palm Dessert. That stretch from Idylwild to Palm Dessert is in the movie, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, World" with Spencer Tracy (hilarious, must see film).

Google Maps

Google Maps

Someday, I'd like to take a 4-5 day trip back down to So Cal and do one of each of these routes a day. Some of my fondest motorcycle memories. Thanks Shayne, for the trip down memory lane. Enjoy Angelest Crest for me until I get there.

PS. Any chance you can join us June 19-21...See the thread "Eastern Cali... Drewl posted

 

So does that mean we aren't going to hit it any time soon??

 

I've driven those in my old work truck.......made me want to throw up.. course that was before the closure.would definately be more fun on a bike