I was out and about in the mountains around Julian on Saturday and came across Wynola Road - which was a very fun drive. I think I knew the name from my dad mentioning it. He's in the SD Miata Club, and has spent many weekend afternoons running around that area.

Anyway, got me thinking that we should start a Great Roads Directory - if there isn't one already. I didn't do a search because I figure this could be a sticky at the top of the forum.

What does everything think? I have a couple of roads that I think are obvious, but maybe others haven't discovered, and I'm sure there are lots more.

 

Yes, Wynola is a great road. We (westcoastminiclub.org) drive that area a lot. Check out our site and give us a call.

Earl

 

Sure, great idea! I'll sticky this one! And I'll change the name to Great SoCal Roads, while I'm at it!


Clover

 

Mt. Wilson Road off Angeles Crest is a favorite of mine. Very tight just like MINI's like it and you have to be precise so that you don't kiss a granite wall, or take a header down 500 feet.

The turns are mostly blind, but there is one spot where you can see about 4 esses in a row - hit it - sweet Good uphill and downhill unless it's icy

 

pashnit.com has some incredible roads and adventures.

 

Azusa canyon was always one of my favorite drives, only 26 miles but very little mid week traffic. I used to run it several times a week on my ducati.

 

Here's link to Wynola Road map. It's just off of Banner Grade (78 - also a great road): http://tinyurl.com/4zzj3

Here's a map to Engineers Road, off of Hwy 79 just north of Lake Cuyamaca. Ignore the star on the map! (Sorry, I can't get it in the right place) You can get to Engineers Road from 79. On the map, Engineers is the 2nd left after the 79 label. Just after the big hairpin. I've only been on it once, with someone else driving. I don't think it even had a stripe painted down the center of the road at that point, but it was a few years ago. http://tinyurl.com/5jovf

EDIT: I went back to this road a couple weeks ago, and it is not a safe place to play. There is still no center line, and there are many unmarked, blind, sharp turns. Leave this one to the firemen and local residents unless you really know what you're doing.

And because motoring is where you find it, I will share this. I often eat lunch by the beach at Cardiff-by-the-Sea, the big parking lot on 101 just north of Solana Beach. On most days there are very few people, and I'll slalom through the palm tree planters at the edge of the lot, on my way to the little chicane at the exit. Sweet little end to a lunch hour!

Happy motoring! I hope to find my way to as many of the roads posted on this thread as I can!

 

If y'all head up that way, you might also take a spin on East Fork Road on to Glendora Mountain road. When you get to a summit, you'll get to decide whether to continue Glendora Mountain or take Glendora Ridge over to Mt.Baldy. Any of these are pretty cool.

Of course, you can find most of these on the aforementioned Pashnit index.

 

Juan -

You beat me to it. Yes, Glendora Mountain Road - Glendora Ridge Road is an "undiscovered" gem. About 20 miles of tight twisties with very little traffic - highly recommended.

Check this site first http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/angeles/cond...ons-road.shtml to see if both roads are open.

 

Finding great roads is like finding great hole-in-the-wall restaurants. Once word gets out, they're ruined (bikers, car clubs, CHP). My favorite roads are state secrets...

:smile:

 

There are no good roads in the mailbu hills or mulhulland / santamonica mountain range. Don't even bother comming up here Randy

 

Yeah, Randy! It's JUST like Florida: 11 turns in 318 miles, tee hee! Nobody should waste their time driving to the Rock Store, especially.

Clover

 

Best local road for me: Highway 74 through Hemet and over the mountain to Palm Springs. It is not a good road on weekends however. Too many, and I mean too many, cars do the drive on Sats and Suns to make it enjoyable. Got to do it Tues, Wed, Thurs about 10 am to avoid the guys going to work. It drops you off at Monterey St in Palm Desert. El paseo to the right, (neat little shopping area) and a mall across Highway 111. :smile: :smile: Then if you don't want to go back the same way, just take Monterey out to the 10 FWY and head back home.

 

Its a well known fact in the togue and canyon driving community that one of the unwritten rules is that you NEVER, under any circumstances, give away the names of the roads you run. This seems to be the exact opposite . You dont want any attention from either law enforcement or the young canyon wannabe at your spot all of a sudden.

It's just one of the unwritten rules, figured i should point this out to you guys

 

yeah .. but now, you have gone , and written it down..


so no longer an "unwritten rule"..

by the way.. Randy is right.. all those roads you hear about in the Santa Monica Mountains suck..dont bother to drive all the way up there..

74 is good so is the Ortega Highway...


I understand at certain times of the day I-5 is fun too!!

 

I like to share! I apologize for starting a thread that breaks an unwritten rule.

 

[QUOTE=CFMINI]Juan -

You beat me to it. Yes, Glendora Mountain Road - Glendora Ridge Road is an "undiscovered" gem. About 20 miles of tight twisties with very little traffic - highly recommended.

QUOTE]

East Fork and Azusa Canyon up to Crystal Lake. Not much traffic, but LOTS OF CYCLISTS!! (including me!) I love my MINI but I really don't want to be a hood ornament for one.

 

too easy to give up the touge if your group doesn't drive to begin with.

GMR is not a good road to be on because of the cyclists. Too many close calls happened there already. it's like recomending to run on the 30 to the 330 during winter.

 

Of course I only "gave" you Highway 74 to throw you to the wolves. All the other good roads are reserved for members only. If you want to be a member we'll send you the secret handshake. To notify a member, be in a discreet car along mulholland some morning and we'll wave you down to get an address to mail you. (She says toungue in cheek, knowing a group of MINIs headed into a canyon never gets noticed by ANYONE.)

 

So that's where all of the extra cars have come from?!? I swear I haven't had a run faster than 40mph in more than a month!

Just so long as they stay away from *** (^%$*@ road I'll be ok :D

(must have super duper secret decoder ring to read the name)

 

Bad news. There's people out there selling MAPS to the twisties. www.madmaps.com

Fortunately, doesn't have ALL the best roads (at least the Central/Southern California map) - yet.

Actually, I may have to buy that "Sierra Nevada/Gold Country" map...

 

southbound I-5 on ramp from Valencia Blvd. is nice....

 

I love the eastbound I-8 on-ramp from Texas Street. And there's a real nice chicane from I-8 east to Fairmont as well.

I think those have both been discovered, though - traffic is always heavy around them for some reason!

 

Don't forget the I-15 South on-ramp from Murphy Canyon Road. You know, the way to get on southbound I-15 after picking up the latest goodies from Fry's. A nice fast uphill left-right jink. Short but fun.

Except for the moms in their minivans departing Wallmart that clog it up on a regular basis...

 

i know about that one