Diamond Back was based in Newbury Park, CA, about an hour north of Los Angeles. A well-known Southern Californian road about halfway between LA and Newbury Park is Topanga Canyon--no doubt the inspiration for this model name--which connects The (San Fernando) Valley to Santa Monica and the coast. Along this route are many enclaves of ex-hippies, actors, yuppies, and artists--not to mention some fantastic MTB trails. Do an image search for the Backbone Trail, visualize yourself flying down the top of the coastal ridge, a series of hazy mountain ridges on one side and an eternity of blue on the other, our shared Pacific Ocean air in your face, and channel those thoughts when go bombing around on your Topanga.
