A tour of the San Gabriel mountains

Our week-end rides from Pasadena frequently include riding on the Angeles Crest Highway. I've probably been 30 or 40 times up to Mt Wilson by now, but I've never seen what's on the other side of Dawson saddle. It's already tough enough to go to the saddle, at almost 8000ft, let alone go further than that ! So this week-end, I planned to go all the way on highway 2 until it ends, continue to Lake Silverwood and Lake Arrowhead. Since I would surely be very tired after all that climbing, the return trip would be on urban and flat roads. So, I packed sleeping bag and sleeping pad and took off. The ride went good, cold in the mountains, plenty of difficult climbing (9300ft in 62 miles !). Well, good until it rained. The rain lasted all night, which transformed my comfortable outdoors sleep into a loser's adventure. Fortunately I had enough gear so that even wet, I stayed warm. Highway 18-east was closed, I couldn't go until Lake Arrowhead as planned, and finally covered 170 miles with about 13,500ft of climbing.

A map of the ride.	With Paul at Clear Creek ranger station	I thought the Trek carbon was a light bike ???	Caltech people ar Red Box
Fall colors on the side of the road	Ben is a strong climber.	At Newcomb ranch, the usual number of bikers.	Ben comes with me up to Mt Waterman
First snow I see this winter.	I meet Dennis, who has a $5000 mountain bike	I always hate going through tunnels on a bike	Afternoon landscape close to Jarvi
Some blue sky, cool.	Is it the altitude ? Am I getting tired ?	Plenty of snow here.	At the saddle, it's cold and very windy.
Looking past the mountain range	Damn, the road is going up again	I'm fed up of climbing, when does it stop ??	Another pass.
This trail goes from California to Washington.	Mountain High, small ski resort	I refuel at Wrightwood	My (wet) sleeping setup near Silverwood lake
Morning view on the wet and steep highway 138	In Crestline, I don't see anything.	Going down on the 18	Remember the fires in California ?
Plenty of trucks working in the area	What's this green stuff ? Carbonic snow ?	The mountains are hiding behind the fog.	Rancho Cucamonga, where the largest fire started
After 50 miles of boring urban riding...	I'm finally home under some heavy rain.