Southern California - Modified Mulholland Century

I posted this in the CAM thread but I think it deserves a thread of its own...

I'm visiting in-laws for t-day and wanted to do some different climbs around the Santa Monicas than usual. I decided to look up the Mulholland Century route for ideas. It started in Agoura and was 110 miles; I was starting in Westlake, so I modified the route slightly by putting Stunt/Piuma up first and then looping around to Old Topanga/Malibu Canyon. I also cut out Pacific View/Deer Creek, mostly because I didn't want to be out as long, but also because I missed the turn. I was looking for Pacific View and forgot there was a connector road. Oops. I did the whole ride nearly non-stop, the only time I put my foot down was to stop at the Rock Store for about 3 minutes to get more drinks, and there was another 2 minutes of trackstanding at lights :p

Weather started chilly, and was foggy or warm depending on where I was.

Entire workout (139 watts):
Duration: 6:29:41 (6:34:01)
Work: 3249 kJ
TSS: 257.8 (intensity factor 0.63)
Norm Power: 170
VI: 1.22
Pw:HR: 7.74%
Pa:HR: 15.29%
Distance: 100.066 mi
Elevation Gain: 12379 ft
Elevation Loss: 12536 ft
Grade: -0.0 % (-157 ft)
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 566 139 watts
Heart Rate: 68 169 137 bpm
Cadence: 1 117 77 rpm
Speed: 0 60.1 15.4 mph
Pace 0:60 0:00 3:53 min/mi
Altitude: 19 2374 1070 ft
Crank Torque: 0 760 160 lb-in

http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/4359.jpg

Wow, A century with 12K climbing and still just 6-1/2 hrs? Nice numbers!

Wow, A century with 12K climbing and still just 6-1/2 hrs? Nice numbers!

I was dead tired from yesterday's ride too. I had to yell at myself to get up the last bit of Decker. I could not get my HR up at all, my MAX HR (167) was barely over LT (165).

I should probably buy the photo...

http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/4360.jpg

Excellent ride.

That's a tough ride. Especially solo... I'm just not wired to be able to push myself like that unless I'm chasing someone. This was an easy off-season jaunt? :)

That's a tough ride. Especially solo... I'm just not wired to be able to push myself like that unless I'm chasing someone. This was an easy off-season jaunt? :)

IF of .63 is recovery ride territory, except for that it was 6 hours long... It was a very low key ride, I only had to push hard up the end I cold canyon and the first mile of decker. I actually pushed through my LT the only time in the ride at the very end of decker, just to see what I had left...

Deer creek is a good climb. I think you would have enjoyed it.

I should probably buy the photo...

http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/4360.jpg

Nice shot. I've seen this photog out there taking his shots, mostly motorcycles. Although his website implores riders to slow down and share the road with cyclists, my concern is that some of the lamebrain drivers out there will now get more careless and try to zoom through the section at higher speeds or in unsafe positions just for a picture.

Deer creek is a good climb. I think you would have enjoyed it.

doesn't it go down deer creek?

doesn't it go down deer creek?Yes.

doesn't it go down deer creek?

Yes and that's where most of the crashes occur.

Not if you come up it ! I have only climbed it from the PCH. Its pretty viscous.

Not if you come up it ! I have only climbed it from the PCH. Its pretty viscous.

Ah, but I was following the Mulholland Century route, so I would have been going down it. I went up Decker to get back to Westlake.

Next time I'm in the area I'll try Deer Creek. What are some other good ones not part of the Mulholland Century that are out closer to Topanga? I've done pretty much everything else on the Thousand Oaks end of the range... Tuna? Las Flores?

Next time I'm in the area I'll try Deer Creek. What are some other good ones not part of the Mulholland Century that are out closer to Topanga? I've done pretty much everything else on the Thousand Oaks end of the range... Tuna? Las Flores?

Tuna and Las Flores are only fun going down. It's pretty much just a terrible, terrible grind going up. Besides, Tuna is one way.

Fernwood/Saddle Peak is a good climb.

Next time I'm in the area I'll try Deer Creek. What are some other good ones not part of the Mulholland Century that are out closer to Topanga? I've done pretty much everything else on the Thousand Oaks end of the range... Tuna? Las Flores?

So I guess you've done Yerba Buena, Mulholland, Encinal, and Latigo? A lot of people really like Latigo.
Las Flores is short but has 20%+ sections. Tuna has 16%.

So I guess you've done Yerba Buena, Mulholland, Encinal, and Latigo? A lot of people really like Latigo.
Las Flores is short but has 20%+ sections. Tuna has 16%.

I've done the entire length of Mulholland in both directions, Decker in both directions, Encinal only down, Yerba Buena only from Mulholland to PCH. Latigo I haven't done, where is it?

It's just south of Decker on PCH. Many consider it the best in the Santa Monicas.

Latigo is between Kanan and Las Virgines. It's twisty and pretty quiet, has a false summit, but nothing too steep. It ends at Kanan about 1/4 mile from Mulholland, just above the Rock Store.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u308/bigjohn53/latigo.jpg

For a good rest stop, go to the Sierra Creek store. It's on Kanan at Sierra Creek road a couple hundred yards off of Mulholland, the first street east of the Rock Store. They have everything, fountain drinks, bars, chili, chicken with rice, you name it. Clean restrooms, too.

Latigo is good
you would like Las Flores cos you like a bit os a challenge...better bring your climbing gears for that one. How about Piuma\ stunt they are good to.

Nice shot. I've seen this photog out there taking his shots, mostly motorcycles. Although his website implores riders to slow down and share the road with cyclists, my concern is that some of the lamebrain drivers out there will now get more careless and try to zoom through the section at higher speeds or in unsafe positions just for a picture.

What does this guy do, just sit on the side of the road taking pics, in front of a banner that shows his URL, hoping people will buy from him?

What does this guy do, just sit on the side of the road taking pics, in front of a banner that shows his URL, hoping people will buy from him?

Yes... actually the banner is around the corner. But it is a very popular motorcycle hangout area and I think it is pretty well known among "them"

Yes... actually the banner is around the corner. But it is a very popular motorcycle hangout area and I think it is pretty well known among "them"

Wow. That fascinates me...I wonder how much time he spends there every week, and how much he makes off of photo sales. BTW - yes, you should buy that one, it's a great pic. I'd love to have a pic of myself like that.

Wow. That fascinates me...I wonder how much time he spends there every week, and how much he makes off of photo sales. BTW - yes, you should buy that one, it's a great pic. I'd love to have a pic of myself like that.

I probably will buy it, but I have lots of pictures like that... I'm fortunate that my wife comes with me to races and takes pics. For example, this (similar pic) is from Everest Challege

http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/3816.jpg

I probably will buy it, but I have lots of pictures like that... I'm fortunate that my wife comes with me to races and takes pics. For example, this (similar pic) is from Everest Challege

http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/3816.jpg

Yeah, that's great. Good composition in both, one of the many parts of photography that I'm no good at.

Steve, I like your route more than the standard one... same amount of climbing, less boring flat part.

The descent down Deer Creek is a lot of fun if there's no cars on it to slow you down. I like the way it's right over the ocean so it looks like if you miss a turn you are going to go swimming.

I just wanted to update everyone, I did Deer Creek and Latigo today, as well Piuma (I had gone up Stunt and down Piuma) last time. Had planned down Tuna and up Las Flores but ride was long enough already, as well as I didn't want to descent Tuna on my cross bike. I started a thread in the road forum (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=497322) about the ride.

Sweet! Thanks for posting that, ***. I'm moving to the westside of LA next month (start new job in Feb). I can't wait to get into those hills. I drove in the hills above Glendora and around Mt. Baldy on my interview trip to LA. I'm looking forward to those rides as well.