9hr ride thru Ojai Backcountry to Pine mountain and back

[TallRob]

Yep 9 hrs and 450 hrs later.Just finished tioday. What a kick ass ride. So many twisties. very little traffic at all. I also did about 30 miles of desert and mountain dirt roads. In a few of the places I was pray, dont geta flat dont get a flat DONT GET A FLAT and DONT FALL OFF THAT 100ft CLIFF!I also had several looooong straights for well into triple digits. Lets just say that one time I was able to get top speed and hit the rev limiter. I never was so scared.She is so amazingly stable at high speed. Im not going to say what I got her too, but She didnt have anything left. Im sure if I had the short wind shield and did have the panneirs I could have gone faster. Also the stretch of road i was on was brand new asphalt,. the planets were aligned!

So I started in Agoura. Took the 101 north to the 23 to Fillmore. then left on the 126 and right on the 150 which took me thru Ojai. then right on th3 glorious 33 thru Wheeler Gorge. I could have taken billions of amazing photos but I had roads to carve! Then the crazyness started. I saw Quatal Road on Google earth. However, It looked Paved to me. Well, It started out paved, then paved and gravelly, then gravel and dirt. Which turned to dirt and small rods with sericous ruts and whoopty doos (i caught air! once!) the ruts were so bad that the bike's shifter bounced and went out of gear. However, i think my foot might have nudged it. The road went from straight desert to mountain pine filled goodness. Lots of cool dry camping up there. I came up on  about 5 jeeps. Everyone was surprized to see me up there. The photos I took were on the easier parts. It did get hairy in a few parts. I wish I had knobbies and let the panneirs at home and softened up the suspension. Its really an awsome road.Then Quatal rd merged into a freshly paved road leading to Pine mountain. Pine Mountain is a community of log homes. Its very nice up there. they were having their Octoberfest (i know, its september) Then I went down thru Pine mountain towards Frazier park. Turned right onto Lockwood valley Rd. Insane straits and twisties. then I Turned left and back onto the 33 back to Ojai. I had a killer tri tip at the Deer Lodge on the 33. I great little biker hangout. Today was epic. My bike is thoughly dirty. I noticed I had a little coolent leak from a vertcal pipe that is just above the shifter. It wasnt wet. What I saw was all dry residue. I am going to keep an eye on it. the following are photos I took in order of the trip. I acidently had the camera on Sepia. Dont ask me why. Looks kinda funky. Enjoy.Ah screw it I hit 131 mph

[macgart]

Nice.  I lived in Ventura for nearly 10 years.  I know those roads well.  Sounds like you had a really great trip.

The canyons going up to Pine Mountain are fantastic.  I've bicycled up there and back as well as ridden my old Ninja up there countless times and have never been unimpressed.

The tri-tip at Deer Lodge is great.  If you ever get up to San Marcos Pass out of SB, stop in at Cold Springs Tavern, they also have great tri-tip. (provided it's still there)

[TallRob]

Nice.  I lived in Ventura for nearly 10 years.  I know those roads well.  Sounds like you had a really great trip.

The canyons going up to Pine Mountain are fantastic.  I've bicycled up there and back as well as ridden my old Ninja up there countless times and have never been unimpressed.

The tri-tip at Deer Lodge is great.  If you ever get up to San Marcos Pass out of SB, stop in at Cold Springs Tavern, they also have great tri-tip. (provided it's still there)

I rode up there last month. Unfortunatly, It was closed when I was up there.