The Four Wreck Ride: Bike and Hike

 I don't know what takes place up there on the Mt. Baldy Road at this point along its climb out of the valley, but the wrecks of four motors lie decomposing and rotting within seventy-five yards of one another here at San Antonio Canyons' rocky bottom. The "discovery" came late in the day's adventure, where telling myself "i'll just go a little further" happened so often it almost became a kind of mantra, and took me further up the canyon than I had been before, and much further than I had ever expected to go today. It was going to be a short loop - over the dam, cross country to the maw of Evey Canyon, up the West Side Road, and then back down Mountain. Problem is, when I got to Shinn, there were only two cars parked where, normally, there is a crowd. "Good day go up canyon, I guess," I told myself, eyeing the trailhead signage all the while.

up the West Side Road, Mount Baldy in the distance

I had been up canyon before, as far as the local "bridge to nowhere" which is also a "bridge from nowhere," lacking a road on either side, but never beyond. The bridge, today, seems to be a graffiti magnet and it is kind of difficult to find a decent photo along the stream. So... "maybe I'll to a little further." That little further turned into another, and then another. Since leaving the West Side Road the adventure had turned into a hike-a-bike - over boulders, through berry brambles, and alder thickets. It was slow moving stuff. Eventually, deciding a route away from the stream would be better I headed toward the open center of the canyon. That was better for a while, but I still wanted a good shot of the stream, so I delved back into the thicket. While I stood there, beside the water, a breeze came up and the serrated-edged leaves began to rain down all around. Maybe this was a good place to call it a day?

But, as I came back to my bike I glanced up canyon, and that is when I spotted it. I have known that sections of old road exist down here, they can be seen on Google Earth, and I have always suspected that they might make traversing this rocky landscape easier, if not also quicker. From this point my route alternated between solid asphalt to well-worn trail, moving from high above the stream to down in the wash, through groves wooded with oaks and sycamores, to winding around the pointed leaves of yuccas. Eventually I reached some massive concrete walls, I assume intended to divert rushing water away from the roadway, and decided that would be the day's turn-around point.

A long time goal has been to reach the mine, right around the tunnels of Baldy Road; I was close today, and now know that it is entirely possible from the canyon bottom. I also now know that the best route lies along the west side of the canyon rather than on the east side where the trail begins.

You know, mountain biking is different things to different people - to me it is all about the adventure, discovering new places and things, finding out where the bike can take you. Speed just does not factor into it, nor big air, nor gnarly downhill adrenaline-fueled runs. If I can ride out the front door and find places I have never been, see things I have never seen, I will call it a win, even if it involves a bit of hike-a-bike.