Date: Oct 4, 2008 – 1 day
Departure: 0800 Return time: 1330 Miles: 55
Riders: Greg Vincent and two others
Route: Ridgecrest - 14 - 395 - Garlock - 14 - 58 - Cameron - Tehachapi-Willows - Highland - Tehachapi-Keene - 58 - Caliente-Bodfish - 178 - 14 - Inyokern - Ridgecrest
I got invited to a ride that happened to be on my birthday October 4. Birthdays are another great reason for a ride. I jumped at the chance. We’ll be going to Keene Café which is halfway between Bakersfield and Tehachapi, and afterward taking the Caliente-Bodfish cutoff from 58 to 178 and back to Ridgecrest.
There’s two ways to get from Caliente to Bodfish and I’m not talking north to south and vice-versa. There is the quicker and shorter Caliente-Bodfish Rd that goes up some fairly steep twisties and there’s the longer, gentler, more scenic Caliente Creek route that winds slowly through the canyon and the quiet little community of Loraine. We’re going the latter this time.
Four of us met up in Ridgecrest and headed for Keene café. A little cool, but the sun is shining and the wind is calm. Calm winds are a real blessing and welcome anytime, since strong winds are something we learn to live with in Ridgecrest. From 395 headed south, we take the Garlock cutoff west to I-14 and headed south toward I-58. We took the California City cut-off which only appears on recent maps since the I-14 and I-58 intersections have been completely redone. It’s too bad it took such a long time. Many people lost their lives and loved-ones at the interchange of Cal City Road and I-14. Now there’s an overpass and the transition is easier and far less dangerous.
From I-58 west, we exit Cameron Rd. This road winds a little through ranch country and intersects Tehachapi-Willows Rd. near where the windmill farm is located. Willow Springs is off to the south a few miles, where many go to test their control at high speeds on several different race tracks. Here’s a link to Willow Springs. http://www.willowspringsraceway.com/mediainformation/mediainformation.asp
From Tehachapi-Willows, we turn left on Highland, which heads toward Tehachapi from the back side. We pass several ranches and farm lands and turn north on Tehachapi-Keene. This road takes us through the southwest part of town, past several big homes nestled in the hills. The road quickly becomes windy with several 20 mph corners. In a couple miles, we make a stop at the Tehachapi Loop. There is a couple of historical markers worth stopping here to read. The loop was completed in 1876 and helps trains eastbound make the steep climb over the pass, by looping around counter-clockwise. The front part of the train typically passes over the tail part about 70 feet below. On top of the hill, in the center of the loop is a large cross. The cross and monument erected nearby with a bench are a memorial to those that died during a train derailment and subsequent gas line eruption that killed 4 people and destroyed several homes in San Bernardino in May 1989. Here’s a link for more information http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tehachapi_Loop. I haven’t seen the memorial with the bench, but I intend to find it on a subsequent ride.
A few miles more and we arrive at the Keene Café. This is a favorite motorcycle destination for the location and the food, but today there are only a couple other bikes here besides ours. After a great breakfast, we head North on I-58 for the Caliente-Bodfish cutoff.
The Caliente-Bodfish Rd if only about 5 miles from the Keene exit. Caliente is a very small town, barely a dot on the map. The Southern Pacific railway that includes the Tehachapi Loop also makes a loop around Caliente. There’s two sets of railroad tracks to cross here. We have to wait at both of them for the same train.
While we’re waiting, I was reminded of an incident that occurred near here in the summer of last year. A woman, walking her two dogs in the morning was attacked and mauled pretty badly by a black bear. She survived the attack and was able to drive herself to a fire station to get help and was expected to fully recover. A large search party was organized intending to locate and exterminate the bear, but the bear was never found. There was speculation at the time that the bear was forced out of its habitat during the Piute fire, which burned roughly 37,000 acres north east of Caliente and south east of Lake Isabella.
The short route through the mountains on the Caliente-Bodfish Rd is only a few miles from Caliente and it intersects Caliente Creek at a blind corner. We stay to the right and follow the creek road. This creek crosses the road in several places and in the spring there’s usually water in it, but this time of year the road crossings are dry. This is open range area however and we have to keep an eye peeled for cattle all along the way to Loraine. There are several blind corners on this road, including a few that are 10 mph. A friend of mine had a collision at one of these while following me a little too closely. As I braked going into the corner, he avoided me but crossed the line into the path of an oncoming car and grazed the side of the car, knocking the driver’s mirror off with his shoulder. The bike’s left side crash bar impacted the car and caused the driver’s side rear tire to blowout. Despite the seriousness of the accident, my friend although a little shaken up was okay, no broken bones. His bike also a little banged up, was okay to ride home. Someone was watching out for him that day.
Other than a few tight curves through the canyon, the twistiest along the Caliente Creek Rd are mild and scenic. We come to the little town of Loraine which isn’t much more than a grouping of a few homes and a general store. We pass through several miles of expansive ranch lands where the road makes a couple of 10 mph, 90 degree corners going around a couple of ranches and then one additional right turn onto the Caliente Bodfish Rd.
From here, the road begins to get fairly twisty again and climbs up a thousand feet or so, before beginning a steep decent to Bodfish. At the summit is a little town called Havilah. There an old country store to the left if refreshments are necessary. Also at the summit is the first glimpse of Lake Isabella. The view from here of the lake and the surrounding mountains is breathtaking, a highlight of the trip. Unfortunately, there is no scenic view turnout and the shoulder areas are not easily negotiable (I would not recommend stopping). The road begins to twist and turn tightly down to Bodfish and then to Lake Isabella.
After topping off, we head onto I-178 east, passing Lake Isabella on the right. We pass through Paradise Cove, a great spot for camping, fishing, water craft and prime rib. The lodge at Paradise Cove has been serving prime rib on the weekends for more than 50 years and it’s still great dinner stop. They serve lunch and breakfast on the weekends as well. Although they take reservations, they are usually not required, unless you want a table by the window. The view of the lake from the lodge is spectacular, so make sure to get a table by the window. We pass through Mountain Mesa, Weldon and Onyx on the way to Walker Pass. I-178 is one of my favorite roads. The smell of the alfalfa fields, the giant cotton wood trees, the mountains, the Joshua trees and the twisting road are memories not soon forgotten.
We make the summit of Walker Pass and get our first look at the Mojave Desert below through a forest of Joshua Trees. From here, you can see a hundred miles to the east on a clear day and it’s nearly always clear. We head back down the mountain to I-14, Inyokern and finally Ridgecrest, home again.
The ride today was so good, I nearly forgot it was my birthday. Only one thing could top today’s ride, the smell of home-baked birthday cake and the hug of a loving wife that baked it. Perfect!
Tom Lystrup
Departure: 0800 Return time: 1330 Miles: 55
Riders: Greg Vincent and two others
Route: Ridgecrest - 14 - 395 - Garlock - 14 - 58 - Cameron - Tehachapi-Willows - Highland - Tehachapi-Keene - 58 - Caliente-Bodfish - 178 - 14 - Inyokern - Ridgecrest
I got invited to a ride that happened to be on my birthday October 4. Birthdays are another great reason for a ride. I jumped at the chance. We’ll be going to Keene Café which is halfway between Bakersfield and Tehachapi, and afterward taking the Caliente-Bodfish cutoff from 58 to 178 and back to Ridgecrest.
There’s two ways to get from Caliente to Bodfish and I’m not talking north to south and vice-versa. There is the quicker and shorter Caliente-Bodfish Rd that goes up some fairly steep twisties and there’s the longer, gentler, more scenic Caliente Creek route that winds slowly through the canyon and the quiet little community of Loraine. We’re going the latter this time.
Four of us met up in Ridgecrest and headed for Keene café. A little cool, but the sun is shining and the wind is calm. Calm winds are a real blessing and welcome anytime, since strong winds are something we learn to live with in Ridgecrest. From 395 headed south, we take the Garlock cutoff west to I-14 and headed south toward I-58. We took the California City cut-off which only appears on recent maps since the I-14 and I-58 intersections have been completely redone. It’s too bad it took such a long time. Many people lost their lives and loved-ones at the interchange of Cal City Road and I-14. Now there’s an overpass and the transition is easier and far less dangerous.
From I-58 west, we exit Cameron Rd. This road winds a little through ranch country and intersects Tehachapi-Willows Rd. near where the windmill farm is located. Willow Springs is off to the south a few miles, where many go to test their control at high speeds on several different race tracks. Here’s a link to Willow Springs. http://www.willowspringsraceway.com/mediainformation/mediainformation.asp
From Tehachapi-Willows, we turn left on Highland, which heads toward Tehachapi from the back side. We pass several ranches and farm lands and turn north on Tehachapi-Keene. This road takes us through the southwest part of town, past several big homes nestled in the hills. The road quickly becomes windy with several 20 mph corners. In a couple miles, we make a stop at the Tehachapi Loop. There is a couple of historical markers worth stopping here to read. The loop was completed in 1876 and helps trains eastbound make the steep climb over the pass, by looping around counter-clockwise. The front part of the train typically passes over the tail part about 70 feet below. On top of the hill, in the center of the loop is a large cross. The cross and monument erected nearby with a bench are a memorial to those that died during a train derailment and subsequent gas line eruption that killed 4 people and destroyed several homes in San Bernardino in May 1989. Here’s a link for more information http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tehachapi_Loop. I haven’t seen the memorial with the bench, but I intend to find it on a subsequent ride.
A few miles more and we arrive at the Keene Café. This is a favorite motorcycle destination for the location and the food, but today there are only a couple other bikes here besides ours. After a great breakfast, we head North on I-58 for the Caliente-Bodfish cutoff.
The Caliente-Bodfish Rd if only about 5 miles from the Keene exit. Caliente is a very small town, barely a dot on the map. The Southern Pacific railway that includes the Tehachapi Loop also makes a loop around Caliente. There’s two sets of railroad tracks to cross here. We have to wait at both of them for the same train.
While we’re waiting, I was reminded of an incident that occurred near here in the summer of last year. A woman, walking her two dogs in the morning was attacked and mauled pretty badly by a black bear. She survived the attack and was able to drive herself to a fire station to get help and was expected to fully recover. A large search party was organized intending to locate and exterminate the bear, but the bear was never found. There was speculation at the time that the bear was forced out of its habitat during the Piute fire, which burned roughly 37,000 acres north east of Caliente and south east of Lake Isabella.
The short route through the mountains on the Caliente-Bodfish Rd is only a few miles from Caliente and it intersects Caliente Creek at a blind corner. We stay to the right and follow the creek road. This creek crosses the road in several places and in the spring there’s usually water in it, but this time of year the road crossings are dry. This is open range area however and we have to keep an eye peeled for cattle all along the way to Loraine. There are several blind corners on this road, including a few that are 10 mph. A friend of mine had a collision at one of these while following me a little too closely. As I braked going into the corner, he avoided me but crossed the line into the path of an oncoming car and grazed the side of the car, knocking the driver’s mirror off with his shoulder. The bike’s left side crash bar impacted the car and caused the driver’s side rear tire to blowout. Despite the seriousness of the accident, my friend although a little shaken up was okay, no broken bones. His bike also a little banged up, was okay to ride home. Someone was watching out for him that day.
Other than a few tight curves through the canyon, the twistiest along the Caliente Creek Rd are mild and scenic. We come to the little town of Loraine which isn’t much more than a grouping of a few homes and a general store. We pass through several miles of expansive ranch lands where the road makes a couple of 10 mph, 90 degree corners going around a couple of ranches and then one additional right turn onto the Caliente Bodfish Rd.
From here, the road begins to get fairly twisty again and climbs up a thousand feet or so, before beginning a steep decent to Bodfish. At the summit is a little town called Havilah. There an old country store to the left if refreshments are necessary. Also at the summit is the first glimpse of Lake Isabella. The view from here of the lake and the surrounding mountains is breathtaking, a highlight of the trip. Unfortunately, there is no scenic view turnout and the shoulder areas are not easily negotiable (I would not recommend stopping). The road begins to twist and turn tightly down to Bodfish and then to Lake Isabella.
After topping off, we head onto I-178 east, passing Lake Isabella on the right. We pass through Paradise Cove, a great spot for camping, fishing, water craft and prime rib. The lodge at Paradise Cove has been serving prime rib on the weekends for more than 50 years and it’s still great dinner stop. They serve lunch and breakfast on the weekends as well. Although they take reservations, they are usually not required, unless you want a table by the window. The view of the lake from the lodge is spectacular, so make sure to get a table by the window. We pass through Mountain Mesa, Weldon and Onyx on the way to Walker Pass. I-178 is one of my favorite roads. The smell of the alfalfa fields, the giant cotton wood trees, the mountains, the Joshua trees and the twisting road are memories not soon forgotten.
We make the summit of Walker Pass and get our first look at the Mojave Desert below through a forest of Joshua Trees. From here, you can see a hundred miles to the east on a clear day and it’s nearly always clear. We head back down the mountain to I-14, Inyokern and finally Ridgecrest, home again.
The ride today was so good, I nearly forgot it was my birthday. Only one thing could top today’s ride, the smell of home-baked birthday cake and the hug of a loving wife that baked it. Perfect!
Tom Lystrup
