|
|
Dirt Rag Articles
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
According to Santa Barbara locals, groups of cyclists have been crossing the Santa Ynez
Mountain Range on a weekend ride known as The Corridor since the late 1970s. The name Corridor comes from the route itself—a dirt road that creates the only corridor between two designated wilderness areas, so narrow it is tough to make out on a map. Last fall I completed my first Corridor ride and became part of this tradition.
Friday Night (5 miles)
Night falls before we arrive at our drop-off point, McPherson Peak (elev. 5749'). After pictures and final gear adjustments, seven of us set out under the moonlight. It is a gorgeous night—crisp and clear, made even better knowing we are in the middle of nowhere with everything we need for the next two days strapped to our bikes. I have always loved riding at night. There's something supernatural about drifting through the blackness relying only on instinct and luck to avoid large, buzz-killing rocks that may have fallen into the road.
Just a few miles later, we reach the ceremonial Chumash Indian site known as "Painted Rock," and make camp. As we find our places around the flickering campfire, the Indian paintings adorning nearby caves and an imposing, dead crag of an oak tree provide the perfect backdrop for our first night in the backcountry.
Saturday (20 miles)
After sunrise we scamper among the miles of amorphous rocks that make up Lion's Canyon, home to the legendary and endangered California condor and its 9-foot wingspan. Wishing we had more time to explore, we gear up and roll out for our first full day of riding.
We roll through a diverse panorama of grassy meadows, bushy chaparral, fall-tinged sycamores and towering pines. The toughest stretch is the climb to Madulce Peak (elev. 6536'). The dirt road is layered with thousands of acorns and a tough climb turns brutal with the absence of traction and steering control. A few lung-wrenching miles later and a truce is made with Madulce Peak as we ride the downhill all-out, the weight of our gear turning from foe to friend.
Finally into Bear Camp for our second night, and we are all blown away that we are only a 40-mile ride from downtown Santa Barbara. A waterfall spills loudly nearby, pines staking their claim—thick, tall and numerous—and millions of ladybugs digest the shaded undergrowth around our campsite. Has this been here all this time?!
Sunday (25 miles)
The best riding comes at the end of our weekend journey; a spirited charge down the technical, fast and exposed Little Pine Mountain singletrack. A couple of days on loaded bikes has given us the confidence to scorch down this special "nine-miles-of-heaven." We find ourselves riding with wreckless abandon, grinning all the way and not stopping until we reach the parking lot. There, our good friends greet us with cold beers and welcome us home.
More Information
For more info on "The Corridor" contact these fine folks and establishments:
For gear, transport to McPherson Peak, maps and general info., contact Old Man Mountain, 23 S. Fairview, Suite C, Santa Barbara, CA 93117; 888.439.6445; www.oldmanmountain.com
Hazard's Bike Shop (Ask for Sergio), 735 Chapala St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101; 805.966.3787
|
|
 |
