RR: Caballero Rogers Sullivan - J-drop SURPRISE!

[Abui]

Saturday's ride was a loop from Reseda (Caballero), down Rogers, down J-drop into Rustic Canyon, up Sullivan FR, down goat-trail to Sullivan Canyon, up the canyon to Mulholland, then Farmer's ST to Caballero.

The usual suspects were there including a dozen yahoos out of control in Sullivan.

The biggest surprise was at the bottom of J-drop. There was something wrong with the area. Weird - all the overgrown vegetation was gone. It was looking like I had landed in a park.



I munched on my Clif bar and scanned the area. A lot of work had been done. Even the road was now usable by a car. When I turned around there was another surprise.

I had sinned!



A really stupid place for a sign. Did they think the trail is called J-UP? Who would want to ride up the trail? ( next two pictures taken on the way down)





I started the climb up to Sullivan FR and saw the changes.


The jungle was gone. (on the climb out of Rustic to Sullivan FR)



Right down to the old pavement.



The logs were gone, no more rollovers.



Everything else was normal on this ride. Even the view of the valley.

[Koke]

Did you see a "No Bikes" sign at the top of J-Drop where it splits from Backbone? If it is only signed at the bottom maybe it is a downhill traffic only bike trail? Here is a pic of the top from over a year ago...

[Burner]

musta missed you... I started at 11 from Amalfi/Sunset.

[Nagaredama]

I rode that yesterday (10/06) and noticed the sign about a month ago. As long as the sign is at the bottom I'll continue to ride it.

It weird seeing the road cleared and the vegetation gone. Of course whoever was there with a chainsaw left an empty bottle of 2 stroke oil so I took it home with me.

I was the guy you watched fall on that techy climb at Cheseboro today (10/07).

[Nagaredama]

Originally Posted by Koke

Did you see a "No Bikes" sign at the top of J-Drop where it splits from Backbone? If it is only signed at the bottom maybe it is a downhill traffic only bike trail? Here is a pic of the top from over a year ago...

As of Saturday there was not a "No Bikes" sign at the top.

[RacinJason]

I think it must mean one way traffic. Its down hill only.
It's like the wrong way sign on the fwy off ramps.

I think I need to see for myself. Let me know if anyone is going to ride there again soon.

[Waldo]

Originally Posted by ChumbaJason

I think it must mean one way traffic. Its down hill only.
.

Sure hope so. Wouldn't seem to make much sense if it was off-limits for bikes but A-OK for chainsaws!

[Abui]

Originally Posted by Nagaredama

I was the guy you watched fall on that techy climb at Cheseboro today (10/07).

I'd call it a stall, not a fall. Did your companion try the climb? We figured she was waiting for us to leave.

[Nagaredama]

Originally Posted by Caveman

I'd call it a stall, not a fall. Did your companion try the climb? We figured she was waiting for us to leave.

The wife tried the very first part. She likes riding on dirt but not the techy kind of stuff. The audience made her a little nervous.

Super nice day out there. Can't wait to get back out that way.

[FONT=Arial]Just road by there today. Did Sullivan up, over to the Hub, and down Backbone. As has been the case for years (at one time, I don’t know, 5 or 6 years ago, there was a “No Bikes” sign on the telephone pole), no sign at the top.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Speaking of signs, since I was looking really hard today, and was riding solo, so was at a casual pace. When you exit Backbone, like it did today, in the upper part of Will Rodgers, I have been crossing the wide fire road, and continuing on a short piece of single track that drops you onto the fire road just above the polo field. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Well, at this entrance to the ST, there is nothing, not even a post that might be missing a sign. Where you exit, there is a post with a sign. I’ve never looked, as it is behind me, and I’m happy to shoot down the fire road and finish my 20 mile ride. Well, it seems this single track is, “No Bikes”... All this time, breaking the law... They need to post this at the TOP of the single track, where most bikes would enter it. [/FONT]

[Nagaredama]

Originally Posted by El Salt

[FONT=Arial]Just road by there today. Did Sullivan up, over to the Hub, and down Backbone. As has been the case for years (at one time, I don’t know, 5 or 6 years ago, there was a “No Bikes” sign on the telephone pole), no sign at the top.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Speaking of signs, since I was looking really hard today, and was riding solo, so was at a casual pace. When you exit Backbone, like it did today, in the upper part of Will Rodgers, I have been crossing the wide fire road, and continuing on a short piece of single track that drops you onto the fire road just above the polo field. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Well, at this entrance to the ST, there is nothing, not even a post that might be missing a sign. Where you exit, there is a post with a sign. I’ve never looked, as it is behind me, and I’m happy to shoot down the fire road and finish my 20 mile ride. Well, it seems this single track is, “No Bikes”... All this time, breaking the law... They need to post this at the TOP of the single track, where most bikes would enter it. [/FONT]

Maybe all of us should keep this logic on the down low in hopes the Rangers don't post a sign.

[Impy]

Originally Posted by Nagaredama

As of Saturday there was not a "No Bikes" sign at the top.

Nor sunday

[Dusty Bottoms]

Now that we finally all agree that J-drop is, and always has been illegal, we can move on to more pressing issues. (there was a sign in that very same spot about 6 years ago and it mysteriously disappeared! )

There is only ONE reason why they would re-post that signage AND clear the old roadbed up to Sulli ridge...so the ranger can drive his ass down to the bottom of trail and start making money. We need to keep each other posted if you get a ticket...what day of the week, and what time of day it was. Start charting the trends.

[shudder]

WARNING: Ugly pics of my leg below.

My son Willie and I ran into some Team Ape riders on Sunday as we were heading down to Will Rogers from the Hub. They took J Drop (yep, no signage), so we followed them down it to Rustic then back up past the gates to Sully FR and on home. That damn trail is hardly worth riding it is so washed out (make sure to drop your seat!). Might be better if it didn't have the wood steppies as well since those become fences in the trail due to the washout (as in Caveman's pic of his bike, above -- many are much worse than that one that almost looks ridable).

I bit it big on a hard left at the bottom where my front caught a root and twisted my bike up and over me. I endo'ed but the bike caught hard and fast on a knot in the tree and I landed hard on the upturned end of my handlebars. Ouchie. Got me a nice purple baby head on my leg now.

Hadda take a pic of the bike, caught in suspended animation (after I flipped, it took me a good 30 seconds to figure out why I was still upside down)...



Now, this is my leg right after the ride.



And now a few hours later... the baby head begins to take form!



And it just keeps getting better (after two days):



I did notice as we climbed back up Sully FR that the tractors have been at work on the side trails. They are now way too loose and mushy to ride up, but look like a lot of fun to come down (we didn't have time).



best,

shud

[allison]

Holy carp, shudder!!!

That's insane!

[Nagaredama]

Originally Posted by shudder

That damn trail is hardly worth riding it is so washed out (make sure to drop your seat!). Might be better if it didn't have the wood steppies as well since those become fences in the trail due to the washout (as in Caveman's pic of his bike, above -- many are much worse than that one that almost looks ridable).

I bit it big on a hard left at the bottom where my front caught a root and twisted my bike up and over me.

That is why we ride the trail!

Bummer about your fall. I've almost blown threw that turn numerous times.

[shudder]

Originally Posted by Nagaredama

That is why we ride the trail!

Bummer about your fall. I've almost blown threw that turn numerous times.

Dang me. I had to walk a bunch of it as I was close to lurching OTB at several points (which, as indicated above, happened anyways...). Youse be a better man than me, Nag!

Lookin' into a Maverick Speedball now...

[Nagaredama]

Originally Posted by shudder

Dang me. I had to walk a bunch of it as I was close to lurching OTB at several points (which, as indicated above, happened anyways...). Youse be a better man than me, Nag!

Lookin' into a Maverick Speedball now...

There are parts I'm still trying to figure out. Pedaling a 40 pound bike to that trail from Sully kinda takes it out of you.

Maybe I'll run into you sometime.

[Abstrakt77]

[quote=Nagaredama;116529]That is why we ride the trail!quote]

Werd.

[Pain Freak]

That little trail of paradise has brought me to the Santa Monicas more then any other feature. But now that I know it's illegal.......