No-No Car GMR...
Well, to be quite frank, that just sucks.
I was unable to make it over to Glendora Mountain Road (GMR) on either the 3rd, 4th, or 5th to ride the mountain road during the closure. When I discovered that a decision was made to keep it closed both Saturday and Sunday as well, I sprang into action, ushered the family out the door, loaded the bikes on the car, and drove on over. Neither the wife, nor son have ever ridden GMR, so I decided it was best to leave it at that rather than tack on the preliminary miles required to ride over there. It would make an easy day for me, but giving them their first taste of the heights was satisfaction enough for me. As we were pulling into the little dirt lot above the Forest Service station at the base of the mountain, a Highway Patrol car sped by, lights flashing. Hmmm, I think, that doesn't bode well. As I am pulling the bikes off the rack, a Glendora PD car flashed past. Double hmmm, and why are we hearing motors from up on the mountainside?
I make a brief introduction and greeting of a fellow Coates rider who was on his way out after riding Monroe Truck Trail, and then we were on our way. We had barely made the first bend in the road when a descending rider informs us that the road ahead is closed, and everyone is being turned back. WTH! This can't be! Naturally, we continued on to see what was what. Sure enough, as we reach the gate, two law enforcement officers are manning it and inform us that no one is getting past them. One of them, standing atop the gate (I will let you guess as to whether it was the CHP or GPD), seemed a bit belligerent about the whole thing but the wife, who was looking forward to the ride even more than me, decided to press for an answer as to why they were no longer letting bicyclists up. He was adamant that the road was closed to all vehicles and since he considered bicycles to be vehicles, no one was going past. Oh, no. That wasn't a reasonable answer, and the wife let him know, wanting something better than that. Quite frankly, so did I.
Finally, the same officer, admitted that someone had broken through the gate (which gate, I don't know), thus the sound of motors from up the mountain. Sure enough, as we were discussing this, a pickup trucks comes rolling down the road, Both officers were quite perturbed that he was on a closed road and informed the driver that he could just sit in his vehicle. Meanwhile the clear sound of a motorcycle rumbled from up above. Back to us. The first officer continued, saying that due to safety concerns no cyclists were going up until the situation could be resolved - riders were on the road assuming it to be closed when in fact motor vehicles were up there as well; legally or otherwise was beside the point, he plain did not like writing up collision reports. End of story. No GMR, thanks to some idiot and his motor vehicle who thought he was above the law. We were not thrilled by our alternative - SGRT - but at least we got to ride.
I understand there were a couple crashes up there during the initial three closed days; other than those I hope that everyone who got to ride the road had a good time, and that those two riders recover quickly, and fully, from their injuries.
I was unable to make it over to Glendora Mountain Road (GMR) on either the 3rd, 4th, or 5th to ride the mountain road during the closure. When I discovered that a decision was made to keep it closed both Saturday and Sunday as well, I sprang into action, ushered the family out the door, loaded the bikes on the car, and drove on over. Neither the wife, nor son have ever ridden GMR, so I decided it was best to leave it at that rather than tack on the preliminary miles required to ride over there. It would make an easy day for me, but giving them their first taste of the heights was satisfaction enough for me. As we were pulling into the little dirt lot above the Forest Service station at the base of the mountain, a Highway Patrol car sped by, lights flashing. Hmmm, I think, that doesn't bode well. As I am pulling the bikes off the rack, a Glendora PD car flashed past. Double hmmm, and why are we hearing motors from up on the mountainside?
I make a brief introduction and greeting of a fellow Coates rider who was on his way out after riding Monroe Truck Trail, and then we were on our way. We had barely made the first bend in the road when a descending rider informs us that the road ahead is closed, and everyone is being turned back. WTH! This can't be! Naturally, we continued on to see what was what. Sure enough, as we reach the gate, two law enforcement officers are manning it and inform us that no one is getting past them. One of them, standing atop the gate (I will let you guess as to whether it was the CHP or GPD), seemed a bit belligerent about the whole thing but the wife, who was looking forward to the ride even more than me, decided to press for an answer as to why they were no longer letting bicyclists up. He was adamant that the road was closed to all vehicles and since he considered bicycles to be vehicles, no one was going past. Oh, no. That wasn't a reasonable answer, and the wife let him know, wanting something better than that. Quite frankly, so did I.
Finally, the same officer, admitted that someone had broken through the gate (which gate, I don't know), thus the sound of motors from up the mountain. Sure enough, as we were discussing this, a pickup trucks comes rolling down the road, Both officers were quite perturbed that he was on a closed road and informed the driver that he could just sit in his vehicle. Meanwhile the clear sound of a motorcycle rumbled from up above. Back to us. The first officer continued, saying that due to safety concerns no cyclists were going up until the situation could be resolved - riders were on the road assuming it to be closed when in fact motor vehicles were up there as well; legally or otherwise was beside the point, he plain did not like writing up collision reports. End of story. No GMR, thanks to some idiot and his motor vehicle who thought he was above the law. We were not thrilled by our alternative - SGRT - but at least we got to ride.
I understand there were a couple crashes up there during the initial three closed days; other than those I hope that everyone who got to ride the road had a good time, and that those two riders recover quickly, and fully, from their injuries.
Great story. Sorry to hear GMR was CLOSED to everyone today. I made it up there yesterday morning and it was great.
ReplyDeleteSan Gabriel is a good alternate, but by all the blog communication about GMR being closed one can't help but get excited about going up the mountain.