Baldy Mesa Ride

530ktm

530ktm

Well my son, since he had no school, and I went to the Baldy Mesa area yesterday for the first time. Actually I used to ride up in that area over 30 years ago before all the houses went in. We went back to the big sandy hill climb that I used to go up and down way back when and it does not look any different now than it used to. I rode a lot of the by pass sections which are fun but some of them have ruts as deep as my bike and as wide as the trail itself. :shocked: My big concern is the bozos on quads and Rhinos that think they are the only ones on the trails and come screaming around blind turns taking the entire width of the road as a couple did to me yesterday. Then as they go by me they look at me and are not watching the road in front of them and one of them almost hit my son head on. That is my big fear factor, dummies not thinking and driving or riding like morons. I guess the best time to go is on a week day. Anyway, it was a 25 mile loop for our first time and we had a good time for a local spot to ride.
 
timoyz

timoyz

Sounds like a good time.:thumb: I must admit though, I'm not a big fan of the Mesa. Stay on the 15 for another 30 minutes, and you could be at Copper City. :banana: Have some Roost.:devil:
 
Sun

Sun

Glad you had fun and wernt taken out by a quad or rhino! Weekdays rule and are worth calling in sick sometimes.
 
530ktm

530ktm

What is this copper city you speak of? Is this the same area as Stoddard?
timoyz:
Sounds like a good time.:thumb: I must admit though, I'm not a big fan of the Mesa. Stay on the 15 for another 30 minutes, and you could be at Copper City. :banana: Have some Roost.:devil:
Click to expand...
 
Buckrun

Buckrun

530ktm:
Well my son, since he had no school, and I went to the Baldy Mesa area yesterday for the first time. Actually I used to ride up in that area over 30 years ago before all the houses went in. We went back to the big sandy hill climb that I used to go up and down way back when and it does not look any different now than it used to. I rode a lot of the by pass sections which are fun but some of them have ruts as deep as my bike and as wide as the trail itself. :shocked: My big concern is the bozos on quads and Rhinos that think they are the only ones on the trails and come screaming around blind turns taking the entire width of the road as a couple did to me yesterday. Then as they go by me they look at me and are not watching the road in front of them and one of them almost hit my son head on. That is my big fear factor, dummies not thinking and driving or riding like morons. I guess the best time to go is on a week day. Anyway, it was a 25 mile loop for our first time and we had a good time for a local spot to ride.
Click to expand...

:thumb: Socal and Cali in general is just the polar opposite from us mid-westerners! It's hard for "us" to wrap our heads around what is California riding! I've ridden Socal, (most of the big venues) and the pressure on the areas that are good can be high at times, and the possibility of something bad happening can be high! (i.e., Glamis, OW at spots) It flips me out that CA continues to close down good riding areas! You have so much land that nobody lives on or uses, but you can't ride it. I remember riding Hesperia, many moons ago, which was cool, but no more! What are they doing with that land now? That's crazy!

The polar opposite: At least where I am at in Ohio, trails disappear because nobody rides them! I spend entire weekends clearing overgrown brush and deadfalls just to keep lanes open on my own property! You get onto the trails off property, and there is enough ATV traffic to at least barely make out the trails. The thing that ticks me off is that all of my friends have some grey whiskers sneaking in on their prison beards, and they want nothing more to do with 2 wheels! They want SxS's and ATV's! You know as well as I that a bike can't ride with these things unless the bike rider is heavily sedated! If I ride by myself, which is 98% of the time, you have to be cool, because if you have a bad spill, you can be there for days or weeks until someone finds you! The trails are good! The terrain is awesome and challenging every foot you go, and it is fun as hell!

I guess I have to leave the old folks at the cabin and find some new 2 wheel partners to ride with! It's crazy good, because I ride all day without seeing another person, without hitting the same trail twice, but have to turn around, even when I see some awesome new trails, because a slip up that far away from camp could be, well, fatal! The county my cabin is in is one of the LEAST populous counties in the state, which is what I want! Just need to find someone of a like mind on 2 wheels that can ride open woods, trails, and negotiate some big hills and obstacles with some skill!

I think I just ranted! And/or hi-jacked. Sorry! Nice ride report....I'll excuse myself now....:redface:
 
530ktm

530ktm

You are right, California has it's head lodged deep in many areas. Hesperia is pretty much where Baldy Mesa is and it is now a bunch of homes out in the desert. I too used to go camping and riding there 30 years ago and it was great. I am envious of your lack of population on bikes. Ride safe out there as I ride alone too on many occasions.
Buckrun:
:thumb: Socal and Cali in general is just the polar opposite from us mid-westerners! It's hard for "us" to wrap our heads around what is California riding! I've ridden Socal, (most of the big venues) and the pressure on the areas that are good can be high at times, and the possibility of something bad happening can be high! (i.e., Glamis, OW at spots) It flips me out that CA continues to close down good riding areas! You have so much land that nobody lives on or uses, but you can't ride it. I remember riding Hesperia, many moons ago, which was cool, but no more! What are they doing with that land now? That's crazy!

The polar opposite: At least where I am at in Ohio, trails disappear because nobody rides them! I spend entire weekends clearing overgrown brush and deadfalls just to keep lanes open on my own property! You get onto the trails off property, and there is enough ATV traffic to at least barely make out the trails. The thing that ticks me off is that all of my friends have some grey whiskers sneaking in on their prison beards, and they want nothing more to do with 2 wheels! They want SxS's and ATV's! You know as well as I that a bike can't ride with these things unless the bike rider is heavily sedated! If I ride by myself, which is 98% of the time, you have to be cool, because if you have a bad spill, you can be there for days or weeks until someone finds you! The trails are good! The terrain is awesome and challenging every foot you go, and it is fun as hell!

I guess I have to leave the old folks at the cabin and find some new 2 wheel partners to ride with! It's crazy good, because I ride all day without seeing another person, without hitting the same trail twice, but have to turn around, even when I see some awesome new trails, because a slip up that far away from camp could be, well, fatal! The county my cabin is in is one of the LEAST populous counties in the state, which is what I want! Just need to find someone of a like mind on 2 wheels that can ride open woods, trails, and negotiate some big hills and obstacles with some skill!

I think I just ranted! And/or hi-jacked. Sorry! Nice ride report....I'll excuse myself now....:redface:
Click to expand...
 
timoyz

timoyz

530ktm:
I would like to go riding here as well. I am all into riding with less traffic. If possible, some directions as to where to get off of the 15 or other freeway would be great. Tis the season. :ride:
Click to expand...


PM sent. If my job, and pay situation gets worked out, and I get up there, I'll let you know. :thumb:
 
D

desert rat 2

Damn Tim, don't know how I missed that old Superior RR, but nice work. That white area looks like the stripe on Opal Mountain, but there are a bunch of those white outcroppings out there. That shot where you say nice valley is the backside of the American Opel Mine. If you go around the hill, just about opposite that crumbly area that you show in the photo, there is an old miner's dugout. At one time they actually had a full blown door with false front walls leading in. It was flanked by another really nice tent cabin. I have a photo in a book around here somewhere that shows it back in the day, which was the 1930's.

I'm heading out there this weekend with the GF and her nephew. Hoping to get out to the Husky, but not sure this group is ready for a ride that long. We may end up turning back at Inscription Canyon.....we'll see.
 
Top