Riders gearing up for the ride

A sight sure to make the forest tremble

I had not been off-road on a motorcycle for approximately five months, ever since I tore the meniscus in my knee while in my backyard, and then foolishly decided to ride the Alpine Trails Dual Sport Ride. Afterward, I had arthroscopic knee surgery, and after what seemed like an interminable period of recovery and rehabilitation, I had finally gotten the green light from my doctor; so long as I agreed to take it easy and save the long rides for when I get a knee brace. With that in mind, I figured the best way to ease my way back into the saddle was to lead a scenic ride on a trail that I was familiar with. Since I had been after Neil and the rest of the group to do San Sevaine for some time, I proposed the ride and was pleasantly surprised with the enthusiastic response that I received. Saturday morning, ten riders showed up in Upland at McDonalds near Foothill and Euclid, and we were soon on our way to a staging area that was suggested by Julie. It turns our that her aunt's house was very close to the trailhead, and she pointed out that our vehicles and gear would be safer under her aunt's watchful eye.

After about half an hour of pleasantries and preparing for the ride, we mounted up and hit the trail. There were surprisingly few people on the trail, and even one of the favorite camping areas along the way, the Cucamonga Creek crossing, was deserted. There are usually a handful of people camped here enjoying the shade and cool water of this year-round stream. Surprisingly, the abandoned vehicle that I had seen on a 4x4 ride several months ago was still there. Normally, the forest service is very prompt about having this sort of trash removed from such a popular spot.

Cucamonga Creek flows year-round

An abandoned vehicle mars the beauty

After we poked around a little bit by the creek, we started the long climb up San Sevaine Trail (on some maps it is known as the Big Tree Truck Trail). Under Santa Ana wind conditions the views can be breathtaking, with much of the Los Angeles Basin visible. From certain overlooks it is possible to see all the way from Mt. San Jacinto to Mt. Palomar, from Saddleback Peak to Catalina Island, and from Palos Verdes to the skyscrapers of Downtown L.A. Such was not the case today, but we did get some mountain vistas to the north with craggy Cucamonga Peak towering over us for the entire ride.

Cucamonga Peak dominates the scenery

San Sevaine Trail snakes its way upward

Most of the trail is little more challenging than a bladed dirt road, but there is one section that crosses the drainage off the peak that offers some rocky going. While certainly not as challenging to the bikes as it was when I did a 4x4 run a few months ago, it did keep the run from being a total yawner for the younger and more spirited riders. There are trails that parallel the road that offer some more challenging routes. I was encouraged that my knee seemed to be doing pretty well, and that I hadn't forgotten where the throttle and brakes were.

Challenging side trails and rocky sections kept the ride interesting for most

As we motored on the trail, everyone began to relax and the speed crept up, but the rocky sections kept us all on our toes. I let the spirited riders go ahead while Neil and I hung back and made sure that everyone was doing okay. I don't think we had more than one or two falls during the entire ride and no injuries. The other riders seemed to be enjoying themselves and I was feeling great and very happy with how I was riding after such a long layoff.

Group takes a break after rock section

Ralph and Julie discuss rock-riding techniques

We motored on toward Joe Elliot Campground, which marked the highest point in our ride, and found it to be a convenient place to stop for lunch. The campground and the very large pine tree that stood guard over the campsites got their name from a forest ranger that did much to open this beautiful area to the public. About ten years ago, an enormous bolt of lightening felled the pine tree. Apparently, the pass where this camping area is located is in is a natural channel for the clouds passing between the ocean and desert and tends to receive many lightening strokes in the rainy season. Since the Elliot Pine was the tallest tree in the area, it probably received more than its share of lightening strokes, until one finally laid it low. The campground itself was deserted, except for our group, and we took the opportunity to have some good-natured banter and kidding. We all teased Julie about her new "mud-pack" makeup, sure to attract the attention of the male riders, with her famous brownies being the coup-de-grace for our collective hearts (stomachs?).

Lisa and Julie in the latest riding fashions

Jeremy, Lisa, Martin, and Eric listen to Ralph

After our refreshing lunch stop we continued on the trail, which now began to reveal vistas of the High Desert area. Buck's Point affords an incredible view of Victorville, Hesperia, and the whole Cajon Pass area. Fortunately, the desert side of the mountains still has much clearer air and we were able to stop and drink in some of the vistas that were denied us on the L.A. Basin side. Now, the trail was dropping rapidly toward Lytle Creek Road, and we were treated to the changing terrain and transition zones that characterize the change from mountaintop to High Desert environments. There were several meadows with distinct changes in the type of greenery along the trail as we continued. Fortunately, the bark beetle infestation, which has decimated the trees in the Lake Arrowhead region, does not seem to be nearly as prevalent on this side of the pass.

View from Buck Point on San Sevaine Trail

Cajon Pass, I-15, and Cleghorn Road

After we finished the trail, we decided to follow Lytle Creek Road out to the intersection with I-15 and get some cold drinks and top off the fuel tanks. As we were rolling up, car after car exited the freeway and turned toward Glen Helen Park, where a concert was being held. We discussed what we should do next, and all of us felt like we wanted to do a little more riding before heading for home. Julie suggested that we ride over to the Mormon Rocks area of Cajon Pass for some sightseeing and pictures of the sandstone formations in that area. Everyone agreed that seemed like a great idea, and since the knee wasn't giving me any problems, I agreed to continue leading the way. In order to get to the Rocks, we had to take several forest trails (which I have shown on the attached map) to get to Swarthout Road and then follow it up to Lone Pine Canyon Road. I had originally planned on more trails and less road, but the area devastated by the Blue Cut Fire was still closed for rehabilitation, so we pretty much stuck to bladed dirt roads for this part of the trip. No one seemed to mind, and I set out at a good pace, mindful that we were about 30 miles from the trucks and had gotten a relatively late start in the morning.

Cajon Pass, Blue Cut, and Historic Route 66

Group photo in front of Mormon Rocks

Mormon Rocks received its name from the original Mormon settlers that drove wagons and livestock from Salt Lake City, across the desert, and descended into the L.A. Basin by this pass. They chose to stop in the shelter of these sandstone formations before moving on and settling in the San Bernardino area. After starting a number of successful logging, farming, and ranching operations, the settlers were recalled by Joseph Smith back to Salt Lake City, and abandoned or sold the fruits of all their hard labor to venture once again across the desert by wagon. A recent reenactment was staged to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of that trip, and the caravan came down Cajon Pass and camped where the original pioneers had.

We only stopped briefly for a few pictures due to the heat and then were on our way back to our starting point. I decided to deviate from our original route and take a different forest road back to Lytle Canyon. This route took us by Apple White Campground and above a membership camping area that looked pretty inviting to our weary and dusty group.

Private recreation area in Lytle Creek

Group prepares for return ride on San Sevaine

We finally jumped on Lytle Creek Road and made our way back to the start of the San Sevaine Trail. After debating whether we should return to the staging area via surface streets or ride the trail back to our starting point, I made the command decision that we would take the trail. By this time is was a little after 5pm and I knew we had to make it off the trail by 7pm or risk coming up behind a locked gate at the other end. I decided that the safer course was to return the way we had come, but to step up the pace to insure we made it out in time.

Koli blazes through rocks on return trip

Julie turns the lights on as it begins to darken

The riders were delighted with that decision, and I led off at a considerably increased pace compared to our morning leisurely jaunt. I think it was actually easier to do the trail at the new pace with faster momentum to carry us over the rocks, instead of the bikes being deflected and having to fight the bars to maintain our line. It's interesting how different the forest and the trail can look when the lighting is different and you are headed in the opposite direction.

At any rate, we made our way back across the mountains and through the forest gate with a comfortable time margin. After loading up the bikes, a bunch of us stood around and talked about what we had seen, and agreed that we would have to reconvene the group of ten and do this again very soon.