Trigger warning: Three image limit to be ignored. Skip to next post if necessary!
As threatened, I went up and checked out the South Fork section of the SART today with friend Allan. Closure signs all over the place, but cross-checking with the
updated orders, we felt pretty good about riding.
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We parked at where the SART crosses Glass Rd, prepared for closures. The down canyon section heading west toward Middle Control had a sign saying closed. I believe that is trail 2E03.4 which is listed as closed. Even though it's not in the closure area map, I figured they don't want people to ride it, get to MCR, and then choose to ride that instead of going out and back. Makes sense if you know humans.
As intended, we rode down Glass and planned to ride up 1N45 Seven Oaks Rd. But there was a huge road closed sign. I think it was from flooding as the Santa Ana had some huge debris flows up the river.
So up Radford to 1N04 Front Line Rd. Made a boneheaded wrong turn and climbed 3/4 of a mile up Radford before figuring that out. Sigh. Turned around and hit Front Line and WOW, what a great road!
I had never been on it, as by the time I get that far, I'm usually done. So it was a treat! Rode that all the way to the Santa Ana crossing at Hwy 38, and chose to just cross the river under the bridge.
Pretty fun choice. Rolled up to the SART trailhead, and confronted by closure signs. We knew it was a possibility, and were 100% fine with going back on Front Line as it was such a beautiful ride. But looking closely showed they were the closures that were dated through 11/30, so no longer in effect. At least we told ourselves that. This is trail section 2E03.5 which is not listed as closed.
This part of the SART had another mile and a half of climbing, so has never been my favorite. But thee trail was in great condition, the temps were perfect, and the flow was good! I mentally froze twice on off camber DG sections and ended up walking them. We maaaaaay have seen a bear across the valley. Or it was a black trash bag. One or the other. Perfect loop finishing with burritos in Yucaipa and a sore neck and hands (I'm only using 80mm of my 120mm fork, maybe should take out one of the two volume spacers, or is that just the way it should be???)
Stopped at a pull out on the drive back to take a picture of the Line Fire devastation. It is really bad.
16/1,600/3
