Slow Pokes: Kanan Road to PCH

So here you are...  lunch is over, you are rested, from the past 29 1/2 miles  ( Part 1 is here, for late comers. ), and ready roll.

And damned if you don't have another choice to make!

Ain't life a, ah never mind, here's the deal:

Back at the Rock Store you saw several cyclists pass by, after obviously coming from where Mulholland Highway met Kanan Dume, and you have my original story, from all those years ago, in which I reported the following encounter at the Rustic, where you now sit:

I talked to a mtn. biker with a flat, and a couple of motorcyclists, and came to the conclusion that I might be better off ignoring a portion of the route slip once I started out again.

You see, the slip called for returning to Mulholland, and heading right on a winding road , similar to the climb from Pepperdine, to reach Kanan Dume Rd.. But, by staying on Kanan Rd. I would supposedly take a little longer, but easier, direct route to the same spot.

Well, like then, I exited the parking lot, and turned left on Kanan Rd. ;-D

What choice you make in the same situation will, I'm sure, be partially based on what you see next in the pictures  I took, and a bit of new info I learned upon reaching Kanan Dume. ;-D

So off I go again, up, up, and away!

Don't let that wide space between the white line, and the curbside, fool ya...

it ain't like that way, all the way to PCH, and you have 3 tunnels to deal with, too. ;-D

In the years since my 1st ride, the amount of traffic, on this stretch, has increased, thus requiring cyclists to pay extra attention to their surroundings as they struggle up the several climbs they have to make to reach the 1st tunnel, on Kanan Dume, past the connection with Mulholland.

A mile up, and I do mean up Kanan Rd., well, let's just say that if you are a cyclist, used to handling hills, then you will be able to handle your gears accordingly, and not do like people such as myself, and walk a few times. ;-D

I did not see another cyclist until I had returned to PCH.

There's an old saying about how walking does a body good.

Well, I walked the next miles or so, past 2 tunnels.

Unlike the last time I found not money, and apparently, the wedding gig, that was announced with a sign, finally ended, too, because there was no sign. ;-D

Along the way I got honked at several times, especially along stretches such as this one, and I wasn't even in the way of traffic.

I think they were just jealous that they weren't in my place, enjoying a nice leisurely pedal, and stroll, in the mountains. ;-D

The views up here are quite something to behold, and you find yourself close to nature despite the traffic.

After taking in this particular view ( Finally! A Dale, after all them hills! ) I continued on my way until I approached the intersection where Kanan Rd. becomes Kanan Dume, at Mulholland.

This time around I encounter a Highway Patrolman, and an ambulance dealing with some guy in an SUV, while a couple of Park Rangers stood nearby.

I approached the Rangers, and asked for their opinions about riding Mulholland as opposed to where I'd just been.

From where we stood to the Rock Cafe, its a winding downhill, they said, but the reverse is actually a tougher climb than what I went through.

Ok, fine, I'm a genius, for apparantly making the better of 2 hard choices. ;-D

As I continued on I encountered a man parked on the side of the road taking his own pictures, and got him to take one of me.

A couple of more climbs, and winding roads, plus 1 more tunnel, were ahead before the payoff for putting oneself through this begins.

Finally I reached the last tunnel, Tunnel 1, and just before it is the parking lot for The Backbone Trail:

The Trail roughly follows the crest of the Santa Monica Mountains for ~70 miles from Point Mugu State Park to Will Rogers Historical State Park near the city of Santa Monica.

As one website says: "It is so named, in part, for the resemblance of the knobby appearance of the volcanic ridges to the projections (vertebrae) on a spinal column."

This particular spot connects you with that portion of the trail that goes 13 miles to PCH.

The National Park Service website is the best place to learn about the trail, and see maps, and pictures.

They also have an informative  section on Mountain Biking info, and tips ( Y'all, remember to yield to them there Horses, now, ya hear? ;-D )

This is all part of the Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area, and as I collected a few fliers I learned this spot was Bus Stop, too.

I had seen some Shuttle Busses with bike racks, up there, all day, and was wondering about them, because they were not there before.

It is called the ParkLink Shuttle:

Take the ParkLink Shuttle to National Park, California State Park, and Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Sites in the heart of the recreation area.

The Shuttle is free, weekend, service, and  you can take it for a tour, or take it to beach, and mountain locations.

The bike rack is one of the 3 space variety.

The website has more details such as stop locations, Route Map, and Schedule.

Knowing this can come in handy if you have a problem with your bike, so check out the site.

When I was at the Backbone stop,there were 9 cars in the parking lot, which meant that hikers, and bikers would be returning at some point, so I left the last of the books I was doing BookCrossing Releasing of in the mountains, there, and pedaled on my way. ;-D

It was 215pm. ;-D

Your reward for reaching Kanan Dume Rd., and having endured the 1st 35 miles of your ride is the 8% grade that is the final 4 miles of heaven that is the road down, down to PCH.

At one point you can pull off the road at a View Stop with a spectacular view of the coast that is even more so, on a clearer day than this one.

 

No pedaling, and careful brake management allows one to enjoy the scenery of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, and the gorgeous, clear and unobstructed view of the ocean off Point Dume, and the coastal islands between Malibu and Santa Monica.

So finally, there you are whizzing down the last stretch to PCH, wind in your hair, what parts of it are sticking out from under your helmet...

Hey, wait a minute!

Um, you ARE wearing your helmet right?

The reason I ask, is because of that sign on the right... something about a "Runaway Vehicle Escape Median - 500 Ft. - Merge Left".

They ain't just talking about them 4 wheel boxes with doors, ya know. ;-D

It was nice of the city to put a bench on the corner at PCH, all those years ago, and I was more than glad to see it still there so I could sit, and rest a bit.

Proceed to the next chapter, as I begin to head south on Pacific Coast Highway, and civilization beckons. ;-D