Yes, doctor j, very few cars in the hills. Down in the valleys is a different story. The bike path pic is in the Santa Clarita Valley, an area notorious for it's maniac drivers and heavy traffic.
The air out there is usually more clear than the L.A. basin or the San Fernando Valley, (where I live).
I didn't take any pics of the traffic, figured you all know what that looks like and besides I was kinda busy.