Roads report for Crestline

[Gonzo]

Saturday, Feb 16 we took a drive up to crestline to check out the roads and scenery.

From our house to the junction of the 15 Fwy and the 138 is 33 miles. Hwy 138 starts out as a red asphalt 2 lane, very twisty road. Later the surface turns black and gets quite straight, then into the hills it gets very twisty again. It's a 2 lane road, and in the straight sections is wide and with a shoulder. In the twisties, NO shoulder and very narrow.

Passed Silverwood Lake.

Travel from the 15 Fwy to Crestline and junction with Hwy 18 is about 67 miles and takes about 45 minutes. Considering that this is a secondary road, I would give its surface condition a 9. Only a couple of potholes, and rough in the tight switchbacks which are 5MPH.

We saw only 2 motorcycles, going the opposite direction.

Thru Crestline without a stop, continued on 18 to the junction of 18, 30, and Rim of the World Drive. Still narrow 2 lane road. Here there are some magnificent views of San Bernardino.

Hwy 30 is a 4-lane primary road. Very wide and smooth, yet for its type I would give it a surface condition of only 7.5. Some big cracks in the concrete surface. Saw only one motorycle, going in the opposite direction.


Future plans include a drive on Rim of the World over to Running Springs.

gonzo

[dteel]

Thanks for the report Gonzo! I'm looking forward to CreSTOC this year and so is the lovely wife Vicki. I remember the early morning sights I took in last year when we were on the Rim of the World, they were spectacular! The temps can vary greatly over a days ride and it's best to be prepared for anything.

[Pat Thompson]

Once you're up on top ride east towards Big Bear. Take the north shore. It's less traffic and more scenic. Then ride down Hwy 38. One of my faves in either direction. :D

[dmulk]

HWY 38 will be on the list again for this year's main ride.

We might actually do the same route that we did last year as it covered about 250 miles, most of the good roads and gave plenty of meeting points for people along the way.

BBQ will again be at the end of the day's ride on Saturday.

I'll post the rest of the details this weekend as I watch the rain fall from my office window. :/

<D>

[Gonzo]

I used to come up the front way for years to Big Bear until I discovered the north shore and the back way. Living in the San Fernando Valley, it was very easy to go toward Palmdale, do the Pearblossom cutoff and take 138. Same thing for skiing in Wrightwood.

Tomorrow's plan is to do Rim of the World Drive. I will report.

gonzo

[Gonzo]

Another update on roads:

Yesterday, Feb 23 we took the 210 Fwy and went up the 330. I remember it well, except the roads on the flatlands are vastly improved. From the 210, there is a mile of 4-lane concrete before it starts uphill in earnest. That part has a lot of tar snakes, but smooth enough. Then it gets twisty and steep and is all 2-lane blacktop. It gradually descends in surface quality from about 9 to 7.

Hwy 330 is about 15 miles and took about 22 min.

From the junction at Running Springs we took Rim of the World Drive over the Crestline. An excellent road in good repair. It was totally wet from the previous night's rain but the surface quality was about 9.5. Tremendous views of the back side of Mt Baldy to what I think is Mt San Gorgonio. We stopped and played in the snow for a while.

Rim of the World is about 14 miles and took 45 min including a snow-play stop.

In crestline we drove around Lake Gregory and found a nice clean small resaurant called Billy Bear's. Price$ were reasonable considering it's a resort town. It's a family place with american food. We were looking for Pizza, but no luck.

We were going to leave then but decided to extend the trip to Big Bear. So back over Rim of the World, during which we started to encounter snow, rain, and sleet in a sort of rotating alternation. But we kept on keeping on until we got just past Arrowbear and played in the snow some more.

Lots of potholes here. Surface quality about a 6, but didn't do the whole road to Big Bear.

By that time, the snow was blowing and the skies were darkening and decided to abandon our quest to go through Big Bear and go out the back side. Discretion being the better part of valor, and observing there was now a continuous line of cages descending the hill, and some of them using chains, we came back down.

On the way down at about 3000 feet elevation, we saw the ONLY motorcycle of the day on his way up the hill.

We plan to go again in 2 weeks for more fun in the snow. Hopefully we can get through Big Bear.

gonzo

[dmulk]

Thanks for the report Gonzo!!

We should be seeing sunny skies by the time CreSTOC weekend rolls around!

I can't wait!! BBQ, Buds, Bikes and Beer! (of course, we won't mix the last two at the same time!! ;)....)

Hope to see you all there!
<D>

[Gonzo]

Here are some coordinates should you want to use Google Earth the look around or to program your GPS:

Intersections

Fwy 15 and Hwy 138
N 34º 18' 42.87"
W 117º 28' 23.49"

Hwy 138 and Hwy 18
N 34º 13' 40.57"
W 117º 17' 22.70"

Hwy 18 and Hwy 30
N 34º 08' 44.15"
W 117º 17' 08.15"

Hwy 30 and Fwy 210
N 34º 08' 10.92"
W 117º 26' 09.90"

Hwy 30 and Hwy 330
N 34º 07' 47.19"
W 117º 12' 12.53"

Hwy 330 and Hwy 18
N 34º 12' 18.11"
W 117º 06' 26.16"

Rim of the World and North Shore/South Shore at Big Bear
N 34º 14' 32.49"
W 116º 58' 39.56"

North Shore Drive and West North Shore Drive (near Airport, Big Bear)
N 34º 15' 54.73"
W 116º 51' 58.15"

Hwy 18 and Fwy 15
N 34º 30' 28.35"
W 117º 19' 22.43"

Hope this helps.

gonzo

[Gonzo]

Final section: Yesterday, 3-9-08, we took another trip up to the high country. From Running Springs to Big Bear is only about 12 miles, but we stopped for snow play so we spent around 1 hour to get that far. Road quality varies from about a 6 to an 8. Big holes and ruts.

Took a clockwise loop around the lake (shortest way) which is maybe 15 miles. Stopped again for a picnic lunch, so it was another 2 hours. Surface quality again varies from 6 to 7. Slow speeds in that area.

Continued on from the dam out the back way on Hwy 18 to the Fwy 15 near Victorville, and the surface quality is some places is a 10, because it seems to have been recently repaved. However, most of it is about a 7. Twisty at the top. Once you get down the hill, the desert is mostly straight and fast and total miles to the Freeway is about 54 miles. Didn't take the Bear Valley cutoff.

Not counting freeway traffic, saw about 21 motorcycles. One Sport bike, one Sport-Touring bike, one Dirt bike. All the rest were Cruisers.