Riding Mulholland

October 20, 2012

MCB Twentynine Palms, USMC

Last night I decided to also complete Joshua and Mojave NP’s before heading home.  So today’s first stop would be in Thousand Oaks where I will visit the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (NRA).  What seemed to be an easy stop turned into a frustrating hunt but rewarded me with a ride down the Mulholland Hwy twisties.

Arriving at the NP in Thousand Oaks I was

confronted with this notice on the door.

Putting the Calabasas address into the Garmin I headed off to its location.  Garmin directed me to exit Kanan Rd and took me way up into the mountains, turned me left on Troutdale Drive, then left on Mulholland, the went blank!

I rode down the hill, enjoying the twisties, got my photo taken in a turn,

stopped at a park asking folks if they knew where the Park Center was and got blank stares from people.  Seems like the locals come here to ride their mountain bikes and don’t know a thing about the National Parks system.  I came upon a road named Las Virgenes and crossed it noticing a entry way on the other side.  It was a ranch of some sorts so I turned around to Las Virgenes and turned right.  I rode only a couple hundred yards when I noticed a huge sign on the other side of Virgenes designating entry into the SM NRA.  I continued north on Virgenes hoping to find the Park Center but after 3 miles turned back.

I rode up on the dirt/gravel next to the Large sign set in stone and positioned Sophia for a photo.  My thoughts were that this would be the only evidence I would have of visiting this NP. 

While setting the camera for the shot a car pulled in with a mom and her teenagers.  Perfect!  I got them to take the photo for me and of course, Snoopy got into the act and had to pose with them!

Leaving the sign I returned to Mulholland Hwy and made a left.  Noticing the entryway once again to King Gillette Ranch Park I decided to go check it out.  Son of a gun!  Off to the right of the road, before the Ranch, was the Recreation Area Center!  What luck! 

I visited inside, then got some pics with two of the Rangers.

From here it was off to Mission San Fernando Rey in Mission Hills.  This was an easy jaunt across the Valley by taking 101 to 23 which became 118 then into the Mission where it is located in the triangle made by the joining of 405 and 5 freeways.  A wedding was in progress and things were blocked off but the Security Officer Ray, of the KofC, allowed me to park Sophia at the entrance and also posed with Snoopy. 

Ray is also a Marine and we got to chat a little about our service time.  Inside, Snoop got a photo with Gift Shop volunteers Vickie and Noemi. 

Then the ladies were kind enough to take a photo of me inside the grounds with the fountain in the background similar to the passport photo.

Then it was back onto 5 south to I-10 east into San Gabriel to visit the Mission there.  In the gift shop Snoopy posed with Magda and Shauna then took some shots on the outside.

It was getting late now and I had a 2.5 hour ride ahead of me to MCB Twentynine Palms where a room was waiting for me.  So I motored over to I-10 east and rode to CA-62 north to the Base.  About the time I got onto 62 it was already dark so I didn’t get to see any of the surrounding area.

Tomorrow its Joshua Tree and Mojave and then home!

C ya mañana,

Gonzo

Twitter: @GonzoCrossUSA

Email: GonzoCrossUSA@gmail.com

Cell: 949-433-0761