RR: La Tuna Canyon Loop (no pics, sorry)...

[JoeTruth]

Just a quick update on La Tuna Canyon. I haven't ridden there since last year (?) and not since they bulldozed the top section of the La Tuna single track. I wanted to go check it out and see how the Tuna is fairing. I parked a little bit east of the common parking area for La Tuna. Too many cars get broken into so I always park down the road and across the street from Verdugo Golf Course. Easy little 1.25 mile warm-up to the lot. The paved grind at the get go always sucks and today was no different. Once on dirt, it lets-up considerably. Nice easy pace to the towers just above the intersection. Total climb from car was 5 miles.

Great day to be out with just enough sun to keep you warm but not uncomfortable. Started heading to the west. I hit all the side action along the way. I forgot how fun and steep a couple of those were. Once at the trail head, I started descending. I was having a little too much fun and missed the single track turn-off on the right (easily done now). I managed to ride down the steep and loose fire break until I was almost back on La Tuna Canyon Highway. I kept thinking to myself ,"wow, La Tuna has really changed and man, it's gotten techie and steep." Well, not exactly, I just had a little brain-fart so rather then keep going down, I hiked back up the steeps and rejoined the trail. Trail is overgrown with brush but the trail itself is in fair to good shape. Once in the canyon, lots of Poison Oak to deal with but it's very short lived. Again, fun tight little sections.

Climbed back out and finished the last fun fast section of the trail and back on La Tuna Canyon Highway.

I can't stress enough how nervous I feel climbing the asphalt with no shoulder with cars whizzing by doing 70. I HATE IT and I'm just waiting for a car to plow into me and take me out. Such an unnerving feeling!

Anyways, all in all, a pretty uneventful fun solo ride on a relatively cool day. Total ride time was about 2.5 hours. Total miles = 14 and I'm guessing about 2500 feet.

[TKCastle]

Yeah I hate that road ride back to the car. Effing cars think it's funny to honk when they fly by you at 100. I jump out of my skin every time. That experience always comes to me whenever I start to think about buying a road bike.

[speckledtrout]

Sorry I couldn't join you today, Joe! But at least you didn't have me bitching at ya after your brain fart!

When I get back in town after my vacation, we'll do Chilao, okay?

[pollu_sean]

I like to park at the end of the singletrack, thus making the beginning of the ride SUCK even worse, but at least you don't have to climb that last part at the end of the ride...i feel it ends the ride on a good note instead of a bad one.

BTW, has anyone cleared that big downed tree after you come out of the big steep drop into the canyon? it was there the last time i rode this trail (a few months ago) and it really interrupted the flow of that middle section... i was gonna do it myself, but i couldn't scrounge up a chainsaw...

i need to ride this again soon!

anyone ever park even further down tuna canyon road and somehow climb up to the single track? i know that fireroad keeps going somewhere...i bet there is a much better loop to be had here, one day i will find it!

[JoeTruth]

Talk about leaving your vehicle in a remote area. That's flirting with disaster. I personally wouldn't do it.

Originally Posted by pollu_sean

I like to park at the end of the singletrack.

I remember a tree but it was a little low lying but the opening was large enough to ride through. Nothing in the canyon (aside from PO) interrupted the flow of that section. Not until you get to that steep-ass left HAB.

Originally Posted by pollu_sean

BTW, has anyone cleared that big downed tree after you come out of the big steep drop into the canyon? it was there the last time i rode this trail (a few months ago) and it really interrupted the flow of that middle section... i was gonna do it myself, but i couldn't scrounge up a chainsaw...

[jeffj]

Next time you'd like some slow moving company, let me know. I've been wanting to check that ride out.

[Piranha]

jeffj, you're in luck! Hope to meet/see you there.

[JoeTruth]

Jeff, if you're available during the week, let me know. I usually try to sneak in 1-2 weekday rides and you're more then welcome. Don't worry about being slow as you'll be in perfect company.

Originally Posted by jeffj

Next time you'd like some slow moving company, let me know. I've been wanting to check that ride out.

[VTVic]

Originally Posted by TKCastle

Yeah I hate that road ride back to the car. Effing cars think it's funny to honk when they fly by you at 100. I jump out of my skin every time...

Thanks for the update on La Tuna Joe. I drive on La Tuna to and from work in Sun Valley quite often. I always give cyclists enough space as I'm passing them, but drivers do fly through there all the time at very high speeds. I've climbed back to the car on La Tuna about twice (once as it was getting dark without lights) and I don't really have any desire to do that again anytime soon...very scary...