Saturday May 15 - Lake trio: Big Bear, Arrowhead, Silverwood

[Jerome Daoust]

WHEN: Saturday, May 15 at 10:00 am (KSU time, so arrive before fueled and fed)
MEET: Chevron, at corner of Red Hill & MacArthur (see map link below)
ROUTE: See map link below
SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate, Expert*

Map of the route:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Red+Hill+Ave&daddr=E+40th+St+to:41196+Big+Bear+Boulevard,+Big+Bear+Lake,+CA+92315+(Denny's)+to:CA-38+E+to:Mentone+Blvd+to:34.070009,-117.196999+to:CA-330+N+to:Live+Oak+Dr+to:Village+Rd+to:Loch+Leven+Rd+to:CA-189+W+to:CA-138+E+to:S+Main+St&geocode=FTIeAgId4qr5-A%3BFcxQCQIds3YC-Q%3BFeeECgIdEjMI-Slp7A78kbPEgDEOKs4wAZrZtg%3BFbwQCQIdFgMH-Q%3BFVLdBwIdwtwE-Q%3B%3BFemJCQIdV0AE-Q%3BFQ_8CQIdPacE-Q%3BFSShCgIdWdUD-Q%3BFRqXCgIddMgD-Q%3BFahvCgIdpR8D-Q%3BFTxVCwIdKZEB-Q%3BFaI2AgIdYnn5-A&hl=en&mra=dpe&mrcr=4&mrsp=5&sz=13&via=5,6,7,9,10&sll=34.112657,-117.178459&sspn=0.127201,0.250282&ie=UTF8&ll=34.107256,-117.239227&spn=0.997197,1.669922&z=10

Point A: Start and gas station: Chevron at corner of Red Hill and MacArthur.
Point B: Gas station: At the corner of N Waterman and E 40th in San Bernardino. Point B is also a 2nd start point: Be there before 11am and wait for me (Red Honda CBR1000RR).
Point C: Denny's in Big Bear.
Point D: Country Store in Angelus Oaks.
Point E: Gas station: Circle K in Mentone. If you want a shorter ride, return home from here.
Point F: Lake Arrowhead Village Shopping Center
Point G: Silverwood Lake rest area, overlooking lake.
Point H: End of ride and Gas station: Mobil (close to, but not same place as the start)

What's good about this route is that:
a) It minimizes repeating the same roads, yet puts us on all the cool roads.
b) Notice how we ride UP both the steep part of the 18 and 330.
c) Allows us to have lunch not too late (our 2nd stop).
d) We visit 3 lakes.
e) Breaks every hour of riding or so.

Expect 5+ hours of riding time, and we should be back around 5 pm.
Weather: 10-day forecast for Big Bear Lake.

IMPORTANT: Leaving at 10:00 am sharp.

This is a nostalgic area for me, since I have flown much over the foothills of San Bernardino. I used to ride up the 18 every Saturday for going to Marshall and Crestline launches.

************* Skill Levels Defined: Noobie - You have been riding your motorcycle for at least 3 months (hopefully more) and have confidence that you can ride around streets without any issues eg. stopping at stop lights, not stalling the bike, not falling over etc, making u-turns, etc. Intermediate - You have been riding for at least 6 months (hopefully more) and feel comfortable enough to handle twisty roads as found in local canyons. You are mature enough to understand going slow is okay and not to try and keep up with riders that are faster than you as it will result in a crash. Expert - You have been riding for years and hopefully been riding with the members going on the ride long enough to know how they ride.

[Dee Dub]

Is that section of 173 open?

[Dee Dub]

check this out...
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=33.693299,+-117.855156&daddr=34.164552,-117.27901+to:34.29687,-117.33768+to:CA-173+E&geocode=FXMeAgIdTKz5-A%3B%3BFSZUCwIdsJEB-Q%3BFdTwCwIdROgC-Q&hl=en&mra=dme&mrcr=0,1&mrsp=1&sz=15&sll=34.168316,-117.274032&sspn=0.034158,0.052228&ie=UTF8&ll=34.336881,-117.244645&spn=0.000757,0.003192&z=18&layer=c&cbll=34.336698,-117.245849&panoid=anTIoTfa74OlabB8D5UEAA&cbp=11,130.63,,0,5

[Dee Dub]

BTW,
Thundercat would probably know...it's her neighborhood

[Thundercat]

I would just turn around at the stop sign and head back around the lake.

[deadhand]

I grew up in lake arrowhead. Some great riding but beware the gravel on the roads and the decreasing radius cliffside corners. No mercy.

[Coreybearr]

this sounds amazing!
id love to go. but ive already got something planned earlier in the day =(

[Jerome Daoust]

Is that section of 173 open?

The route has been revised, avoiding the missing section of the 173.

Looking forward to this ride and temperature forecast is great: Not too hot or too cold.

-- Jerome

[Thundercat]

So I just did a sighting lap of part of the original intended route. The 173 is not paved all the way up the mountain. There is partial pavement, but it's not leanable.




Also if you do head up the back side of Arrowhead, the road is pretty nice for the most part. It's very tight and technical, so it'd be fun on motards. But there are spots where the snow has eaten away at the road and it's pretty bumpy. There is one decreasing radius right uphill turn just before the road straightens out at the top that has a thick coat of gravel throughout, so be careful there if you're taking that way.



If you guys get the chance to go out the 138 to the 15, that is my favorite section. I pulled over to take a picture and there was a motor cop right behind me. I have no idea where he came from, but when I climbed to the top of the hill to take the picture, I saw him waiting for me in one of the turn outs below. Fooker.

You can't really see him in the picture, that sneaky b-tard.

[Jerome Daoust]

Wow, you are a great scout.
That section of the 173 will simply be avoided fro this trip. Hopefully it will get paved soon.

If you guys get the chance to go out the 138 to the 15, that is my favorite section

Indeed, we will be exiting that way. 

[Comp720]

any body want to stay in a cabin up there on Sat night?  it's a pretty bitchen cabin and it sleeps 12 let me know i was thinking about going up there any ways.

[stormy]

what time will you be at or leaving B: ? 

[Jerome Daoust]

Point B...

what time will you be at or leaving B: ? 

Estimated drive time from point A to B (where we stop for gas at the corner of N Waterman and E 40th in San Bernardino) is about an hour, so I will be there around 11 am (if traffic is not a problem).
What I can do is not leave there before 11 am (even if I arrive a little before), so if someone wants to join from there, just be there before 11am and wait for me (Red Honda CBR1000RR). How about that?

Point E...
An option is for riders to return home after this point if they want a shorter ride.
I will do the full ride myself.

[stormy]

11 works for me to meet you guys there I can just ride over on the 210 from my place

[Jerome Daoust]

Made a few tweaks to the map near Lake Arrowhead to ride the 189 and pass through Twin Peaks, instead of doubling back on the 173. The GPS is programmed with all the detours, now I can just enjoy the roads.

Forecast is ideal for tomorrow, with 0% chance of rain in Big Bear and temperatures reaching 67 F in mid-afternoon.

[Jerome Daoust]

If someone who has not stated he is coming to point A by 10 am, but is expecting me to be there, let me know otherwise I will skip that meeting point and go straight to point B where I meet with "stormy". I just want to avoid waiting somewhere if nobody is to be expected, otherwise passersby will think I'm a hooker or something.

Update, Saturday 9:15 am: Nobody expected at meetup point A, so proceeding straight to meetup point B for 11am.

[stormy]

great ride!!!

[Jerome Daoust]

I had a blast doing this ride with you Alex.

Picture of the motorcycle private parking at Arrowhead Village...