Going through old threads and need to share some sad news. This beautiful rustic burg has come down with a terminal case of bulldozers. RIP Harmony Grove.

rip indeed. used to be a beautiful backcountry road. lucky to have ridden it about a dozen times in both directions
before the dairy farm came down and the bulldozers commenced dozing.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...pspfaqvkjh.jpg

Damnation Alley, on a particularly traffic-light Wednesday afternoon.

^so much love/hate along damnation alley

Agree. SO pretty, but appreciating it is damn near impossible as even that stretch right there is about 6%. I had some patchy clouds breaking up the sun, so I didn't get roasted the entire time. Just most of the time.

78 below Banner Grade?

yah, by the spot you have pictured, second-guessing my decision to ride that interminable stretch and mentally
flogging myself to at least make it to forest falls before bailing/wimping out. i'll get about 3 miles past the ranger station when the "bleep this road" sentiments start to take hold.

ca hwy 38 above the yucaipa rd junction and below the forest falls turnoff enroute to big bear lake/onyx summit
in the san bernardino mountains.

I've still never done Angelus Oaks. When I get to the cutoff, I just keep going straight up Valley of the Falls. Yeah, so what if it's steeper. I usually buy a criminally overpriced ice cream sandwich at the general store to make myself not feel so awful about having done that climb... again.

up to angelus oaks has some decent views but is exposed and without shade. valley of the falls is prettier but definitely harder.
kind of a dangerous descent along valley of the falls as it is easy to pick up speed even riding the brakes hard. the canopy
running nearly the entire length of the road tends to obscure descending bikes. i've had a few cars pull out uncomfortably close
in front of me in the past. in the future, i will run a front blinky light or two if i'm gonna ride that part. maybe it'll help.

Somewhere in the suburban wilds of the Wasatch Front's east bench (Utah). If you're going to hurt, you might as well look at stuff like this while you do it. :thumb:
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V
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https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5564/3...f34bf2f7_h.jpg

I did a month of mountaineering in those parts back in my youth with NOLS - almost 40 years ago. I later returned to the area and lead geology field trips along that highway - and my girlfriend (now wife) did her Ph.D. on the rocks along the road.

But all before I was a cyclist. I would dearly love to return and ride it- say from Newhalem up to Washington Pass- though my recollection is that the shoulders are narrow and that there are many RVs?

OMG, this thread so makes me want to retire....

for reals

I'd go from Mazama to Diablo, personally. And I'd do it mid week. :)

If you ever decide to, send me a PM for hotel recommendations in the area. Maybe a hiking trail too.

Some empty roads ahead during my June tour in Montana.

Where's the first one, indy?

Florida
http://i.imgur.com/nEDgsIs.jpg

Here is our weekend place in the Central Hudson Valley, NY. We own both barns. I call them Stereo Barns. You see our blue house peeking from behind the left barn. I shot this while on foot, walking my dog.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/eb...w1776-h1332-no

Where in Florida is that?

Parkland Florida "winter" riding
http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...1DDE3D1FB7.jpg

We got a little rain here in Houston last week. NBD.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/476/32...2693d9_b_d.jpg

so it doesn't have to be a sunny day with a clean clear road?

http://i.imgur.com/OOrcVrk.jpg

Ha ha. This is the John Wayne Pioneer / Iron Horse Trail. It goes from North Bend to Idaho. In the winter, they groom the section from Crystal Springs to Hyak for Nordic skiing. This is from a 17 mile ski tour. Flat as a pancake, which turns out to be a lot harder than hilly terrain.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/333/3...26e6a2_o_d.jpg

Lost River Road, Mazama

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/519/3...2f9d03_o_d.jpg

Goat Creek Road, Mazama

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/521/3...547f6b_o_d.jpg