Hillbasher

I guess I should say early evening rather than late afternnon. Placed my bike over the gate sometime after 4 pm, and wished it had been warmer than it was. By the time I got to the top, 8 miles later, it was already past the point of cold. Being of the old and out of shape group, I wasn't moving fast enough on the ride up to stay warm. By the time the top came into view, I was more than ready to get into the jacket and pants that I had brought along. Next time I need to start earlier or bring more clothes for the ride down, but the sunset and having the road all to myself made the entire time more than worth while.

Mr. Beanz

The conditions on GMR sure can change rather quickly can't they! I've been up there late once or twice. Sure is lonesome. I quit riding at those lonesome times after I saw three guys dressed in camouflage with weapons. Must have been hunters, but me against 3 of them "Deliverance" looking dudes? No thanx!

Hillbasher

Have seen hunters up that road more than once myself. They usually seem to just be out to enjoy themselves like everyone else, but having weapons on them does make me feel uneasy. Most of the ones I have seen had bow and arrow setups, which is still a weapon. Easy enough to find out when hunting season is and stay down until it's over. What has been on my mind more when up that road late afternoon or early evening is being watched by a big cat. I am sure they are up there, as they seem to be where there are lots of deer (reason for the hunters I would suspect). I usually sing (at least I like to think of it as singing) quite loudly on the ride down when it is late and I am by myself. Hopefuly being as bad as I am, the noise would scare any sensible mountain lion away.

Mr. Beanz

Yeah, I think about the cats too. And, I actually sing pretty good when I'm alone!

Drew12

If a tree falls in the woods, and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?

summoner12

I take it you guys ride the road section? have you guys ever taken the off road trail? and if so, how is it?

Mr. Beanz

A much sweeter sound than if someone did hear it!

Summoner, I've never done the offroad. Nothing other than Claremont Hills Wilderness Trail up to Potato Mtn.

I've heard taht thee is a group that drives up to Mt Baldy on Thanksgiving day. They ride down the mtn. Heard it is a blast but never tried it.

summoner12

I'll have to look into that.

Hillbasher

I hiked the dirt road up to the top about 10 or 12 years ago, but I understand it is in much different condition now, and a lot worse from what I hear. Once you get up the canyon to where the dirt road now takes off from, it should be rideable. It is almost the exact same distance as riding up the pavement to where the dirt road hits the paved one.

Hillbasher

The memory is fading fast in old age. Now that I think about it, I road up the pavement to where the dirt road comes up from the right side, then went down the dirt road from that same area to the left, that heads down to the East Fork, came up the pavement,(what I have seen here called "Little GMR by some) and then down the dirt road that comes out down by the gate where people park their cars. Great all around ride that does all the uphill on pavement and all the downhill on dirt. 32 miles if I remember correctly, which I more than likely don't. But the ride goes through the Honor Farm down by the East Fork. Ride quickly through there if you do it.

roadfix

Back in 1993 & 94 we used to ride our mtb's up the main road up GMR and at the top where the big dirt lot is on the far right as you came up we hopped the gate and rode the trail down to the bottom. Conditions were very good back then with a small stream crossing near the bottom, before reaching the picnic area where we used to park our vehicles. This is when GMR was open to traffic. That picnic area at the bottom of GMR where we used to park (at the very first hairpin turn) is now overgrown.
I have no idea what the trail conditions are today, but I would assume it's still rideable as you can see the trail as you're nearing the top of GMR. But some of the singletrack approaching the bottom can be overgrown.....I don't really know.

summoner12

Sounds like I should start up a thread in the MTB forum.... I know this might make some of you hate me... But my friends and I used to drive up GMR at night in our little rice burners..... ya might call it street racing. but we never crashed or did it around other people (some might say we weren't going fast enough)we stopped goin up there before it ever hit the news and became the next big race scene. I must say if I was ever up there in daylight hours I was always respectful of bicycle riders! Needless to say I know that road VERY well.... do you guys have any idea why it is closed? Some say it's because of that kid who died some say because of the street racers others because the road washed out... since you guys ride it on bike... whats the real story?

(oh and I stopped "racing")

Psydotek

GMR is haunted... Or at least that's what they say on my local car forum. I've driven GRR and East Fork a bunch of times but GMR was always closed.

I really need to hit up GMR on my bike soon though...

summoner12

Sure is haunted! Ever heard of the Pig Man? and the trench coat gang?

HRC-Rascal

Funny you say that. Years back (about 15) I was messing around with some girl that lived in Glendora. One night I wanted to drive up it since I never had but she was apprehensive. I didn't understand why but after some prodding, I found out that she was afraid because of supposed stories of it being haunted.

After laughing about this with her friends and family, I was surprised to find that they all believed the same thing!

Turns out lot's of neighborhood cats would disappear and there was some people who did rituals involving the killings/sacrifice of cats. So they say...

Hillbasher

The county has been trying to decide if they want to close the road down or keep it open for years. As luck would have it, (especially for us road bike riders anyway), the weather has co-operated for quite a few years of late to keep the road closed to cars and motorcycles. It is not permanent, It is scheduled to open back up in a few months, though I can see no reason why it is still closed as of the last time I rode it. (Last Saturday afternoon). The road seems to be in excellant shape. Every now and then some kid will go up it in a gasoline powered chariot and get himself killed or at least seriously maimed, and the local parents try to get the road closed yet again. If they had any sense, they would leave it to the hikers and bikers, and let the car racers go up 39 and up the East Fork to GRR and up. For an opening date, one should look at the Los Angeles Count Public Works web site. It has a link to road repair in the county, and quite often, our favorite road (GMR), is on that list.

Hillbasher

And as far as being haunted, I belive the only thing that haunts that road is drunkass teenagers who are stupid enough to believe they are better drivers than they really are. I remember leaving a friends house in Glendora at 3 am in September of 2003 to ride up GMR,down to the East Fork, up 39 to the Crest, and then up to Dawson Saddle, only to be stopped just before GRR at 4 am by about 15 to 20 various rescue vehicles.
Local cops, highway patrol,ambulances, and at the end, LA County coroner wagons. Some kids had gone over the side, just before where the two roads meet, and they wouldn't even let us get by on bikes. We waited over 2 hours before getting the ok to procede, and it sort of ruined the intended ride. We watched as they winched the bodies up the side of the hill, and as you can imagine, it put a damper on what would have been a great ride. Too many kids have been killed on that road. It is probably better off left closed to cars. To bad they don't have the money to patrol it the way it should be, as that might keep things in check. Hate to sound like a jerk, but the heck with them anyway. Give us riders just one road without cars that want to run us over, there are plenty of others for racers and motorcyclists.As far as I am concerned, you can't find a better ride in all of Southern California when you take into account the lack of traffic, the steepness of the ride and its workout worthiness, the view of Baldy and the peaks above Crystal Lake, the closeness and availability of the ride, and to me the most important aspect, of feeling like you are somehwere other than where you really are, in So Cal with about 15 million other people. OKAY. Someone knock me off my high horse now. Don't know why I all the sudden got off on a tangent, but I love that ride, and always will.

summoner12

I've never been up that road on a bike.. but i agree with you in the general idea of the view and the escape from everyone. That road is just amazing to me. the view and the feelings envoked as you climb above Glendora. I hope the company i works for moves to Industry so I can move to Glendora. It reminds me of home. Parts of glendora remind me of the all american dream.... Small town feel? I don't know im drunk.... 6 Fat Tires down the hatch...... time for bed i think..... need to be up at 4am.......

I just feel emotional about that road. i hope to ride up it one of these days..... anyone have the specs on the elevation change? rate of change? distance?

summoner12

Yeah the racers can go up 39 i don't care.... Although from a racer stand point "the front side" as we called it... is a lot more fun... mainly because its longer than "the back side". we devided it up into four parts... 39, front side (the closed section), back side(closed section down to the "u turn" or "triangle") and eastfork (triangle to 39). the front side is GREAT for getting your groove on. I remember honking at steamed up cars

(I wrote this before the above message.... just drunk and forgot to hit "submit reply")