Tour De Los Padres 2019

[ec_duz_it]

The crazy weather continues!  I think it snowed more last weekend on Mt. Pinos too

[Ljefe00]

There’s heavy thunderstorms and flash flood warnings right now, centered on Big Pine Mountain.  2 inches per hour!  Not gonna do that road any favors.

[greggd]

I heard the flash flood warnings on the radio today. Specifically Lockwood valley and Big Pine. Crazy!

[WolfMode]

Hey Erin,

I'm really stoked to do this ride with my father in law for 2020! Any idea on when a route will be up? Do you think it will be close to the 2018 route? Much appreciated!

Cole

[ec_duz_it]

Here are the 2019 routes if you want to need them for planning purposes.

full route:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29471886

short route:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29471878

The 2020 routes might be similar or different, not sure yet.  Looking at two possible longer routes.  Option 1 would be a big loop starting and ending in Santa Barbara.  Option 2 would be a point to point starting up north near Carmel or Salinas and ending in Santa Barbara or Ojai.  But I don't know if I will have the time to scout out these options, so the 2020 routes might stay similar to 2019. 

[greggd]

Here are the 2019 routes if you want to need them for planning purposes.

full route:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29471886

short route:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29471878

The 2020 routes might be similar or different, not sure yet.  Looking at two possible longer routes.  Option 1 would be a big loop starting and ending in Santa Barbara.  Option 2 would be a point to point starting up north near Carmel or Salinas and ending in Santa Barbara or Ojai.  But I don't know if I will have the time to scout out these options, so the 2020 routes might stay similar to 2019. 

Very nice! I'm up for some potential scouting...

[WolfMode]

Awesome! Really appreciate it! All options sound great.

[RollingOn29's]

Looking forward to going this year (I have had to miss it for the last 3-years ).

I really like the idea of a start/finish in SB!

[Braden]

Hello All,
I'm in for 2020!  I'm not out to win, but definitely look forward to the test and promise to push.  I have backpacked The Los Padres a bunch and look forward to seeing the southern end by bike.  I also look forward to meeting some new people and spending more time under the stars.  I will most likely skip the social event due to the temptation to drink 3 too many beers before a big push up Mt Pinos!  I'll be happy to drink my fare share upon completion!
Two questions:  1.  Anybody interested in car-polling from SLO County?   2.  Recommended navigation devise?  I recently had the Wahoo freeze on me, couldn't get it to turn off or do anything.  I used ride with GPS to get me in, It took me through some gnarly 'Hike a Bike', however I liked it! 
Thanks in advance! -Braden

[ec_duz_it]

Beer is good the night before to load up on carbs.  I always get a beer in Ventucopa to stay hydrated and to keep my carb count high. 

Lynn S. or Art D.  might be able to carpool from SLO area. Not sure if they are riding next year though. 

My Etrex 20 has lasted me almost 10 full years now. Its pretty darn reliable.

Looking at the potential for a full loop next year, below are trails that need scouting in order of priority.  You can download the .kml file from the hikelospadres website and then to covert it to a .gpx file.  I then open the .kml in GPS Trackmaker (free software) and then do a "save as" to .gpx to load it into my gps. Please post here if anyone rides or hikes these trails in the next few months and provide a quick summary of what the conditions currently are like. I am not sure that the full loop will be as fun than the current route, but it might be cool to have as an option in 2020 for the more hardcore riders. 

http://www.hikelospadres.com/howard-creek-trail.html#.XbhlnOhKiUk

http://www.hikelospadres.com/lion-canyon-trail.html#.XbhlwOhKiUk

http://www.hikelospadres.com/boulder-canyon-trail.html#.Xbhl_ehKiUk

http://www.hikelospadres.com/middle-sespe-trail.html#.XbhnjuhKiUk

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31388445

http://www.hikelospadres.com/ortega-ohv-trail.html#.XbhnW-hKiUk

[ec_duz_it]

I took a look at Middle Sespe Trail this weekend.  No bueno.  Completely overgrown with Chamise.  Maybe someday this trail will get some love. 

Howard Creek Trail however was a win and is looking pretty nice!

[JasonHoorn]

Howdy,
A little off topic, but I'm doing my third annual Thanksgiving week ride from Sonoma County down to Los Olivos. This year I'm rolling through the Carrizo Plain with the intention of going over Caliente Mtn from Selby Cow Camp to 166, popping out at the galvinized gate across from Rancho Chakeetah, where the highway crosses the Cuyama River, about 13.5 miles west of New Cuyama. I see that the TDLP did a similar route, but kept heading west through range and the Chimineas Ranch to near Rock Front OHV area. Is this an open route, or does it require special permissions?
Thanks,
Jason

[ec_duz_it]

I am not 100% sure.  You could check google streetview along highway 166 to see if there are no trespassing signs posted where you want to come out. 

I am somewhat certain there is no legal north-south route from Rock Front Ranch to Pozo. I believe all of the OHV trails and Roads in Rock Front Ranch either loop back on each other or are dead ends, and do not allow for a legal connection to the north.  I could be wrong though, I have not explored all of the trails in Rock Front Ranch.

[JasonHoorn]

Thanks, I will check street view again. Also, looking forward to TDLP 2020. At this early date, I am planning to make it.
Cheers,
Jason

[ec_duz_it]

Nice set up Jason, Sonoma to SB should be quite a ride! Curious what your route is?

Gregg made a recent attempt to ride an abbreviated version of the TDLP loop but he encountered fire, wind, ice and rain conditions. Crazy weather for Thanksgiving!

[JasonHoorn]

Howdy, Well here's a brief ride report and route description. It's all on the Strava too.
Day 1 Thursday 11/21: I rode from Sebastopol to Petaluma, caught the commuter rail to San Rafael, rode to the Larkspur Ferry, took the boat to the City and stayed at a friends on Protrero Hill.
Day 2: Friday 11/22: Five of us headed out from SF, through GG Park, out the Great Highway, bike paths through Pacifica, single track up to Devil's slide, multi-use pathways from Moss Beach around the coast side of Half Moon Bay, and eventually popping out on Hwy1 at Cowell-Purisma Coastal Trailhead. We then stuck to 1 down to Waddell Creek and camped at Twin Redwood Primitive campground in Big Basin.
Day 3 Saturday 11/23: Pretty much surface streets and back roads from Big Basin through Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Aromas, ending in San Juan Bautista. Original plan was to make it to the primitive camp sites at Hollister State OHV area, but we ran into or rather over a ton of goatheads along a farm road outside of San Juan Bautista that had us fixing flats for nearly an hour at sunset. Rather than ride the rest of the way that night, we camped in San Juan instead.
Day 4 Sunday 11/24: Two of us continued south, while the rest of the gang rode north to Fremont to catch BART back to the city. We rode Airline Hwy past the Pinnacles to Bitterwater, then cut west to King City, where my buddy was getting picked up by his family. I continued south to Bradley and stayed at Jim Rader's Rustamongus hot rod shop.
Day 5 Monday 11/25: My original plan was to head out Hare Canyon from Bradley, take Indian Valley Road to Big Sandy Road to Slack's Canyon Road to Vineyard Canyon to Parkfield, then continue south to Cholame and hobo camp off of Bitterwater Road somewhere at nightfall. The following day would have me continue to Selby Cow Camp for the night. Then on Wednesday, I planned to ride up and over Caliente Mountain, and pop out on Hwy 166 on the west side of the Cuyama River bridge near Mile Marker 51.00. I would then ride to Tepusquet Road, to Foxen Canyon, and end up in Los Olivos, which was my final destination. However, having been watching the weather, I weanied out, as it seemed that it might snow on Caliente Mountain on Tuesday night, and the thought of being out there solo with likely no cell service in bad weather seemed like not such a good idea. Instead, I rode to SLO, stayed with a friend, then pushed on to Solvang on Tuesday and got a motel room.

[evdog]

Please post here if anyone rides or hikes these trails in the next few months and provide a quick summary of what the conditions currently are like.

Not current info, but I rode Chorro Grande and Ortega OHV trails down to Wheeler Gorge about 10 yrs ago.  Interesting ride.  Chorro Grande was a fun backcountry descent, seldom used trail but in decent shape.  I think it burned a few years ago.  Ortega started off as a dirt road ride for a number of miles then the OHV trail split off.  The upper trail then split off from the road and dropped down fairly steeply, the trail was rutted and strewn with loose basketball sized rocks.  Lower down contoured along the side of a canyon.  I think there had been a landslide as there had been a mini excavator on that whole bottom stretch re-benching the trail.  Haven't ever heard of any MTBers riding that since. 

I'd like to check out some of those other trails at some point.  I've done some exploring further east toward Frazier Park. 

[Julie K.]

Hello all, I am planning to make the 2020 edition, however won't be able to make the grand depart date. So I am considering an ITT March 21 or 28th if the weather is ok. I have done Stagecoach 400 and Bones to Blue in 2018 and and 8 day tour on part of the Oregon Timber Trail this past Sept. I'm just starting to obsess over the route, and it looks challenging and beautiful! Carrizo plain, Chumash paintings, Romero Canyon trail... drool. The two drops from the mountains at the beginning look rad as well.

I hope you all have a great winter. Cheers,
Julie

[ec_duz_it]

Chorro Grande is looking pretty good at the top, but needs work at the bottom.  Several feet of snow up there now!  Its looking like another "real" winter is on tap. 

[ec_duz_it]

Lets retire this thread.  Starting a fresh thread for 2020...