Riding Out to and Up "Lone Tree Road"

Santa Ana Mountain and Three Sisters Peaks

I decided to go for a bicycle ride up towards the peaks on Lone Tree Road.

It was a nice mentally relaxing and exploring ride taking in all the views.

It was a steady climb with the road becoming steadily worse.  The downhill return will need to be very careful.

I knew I wasn't quite ready to do a climb like this. But, I thought, "What the heck".

I took plenty of water and two apples (I didn't have any bananas).

Dos Picachos Ranch

When I came to this fancy ranch gate with the initials DP on it I briefly thought that I came upon a long lost rich twin brother.  But, on closer inspection it was Spanish for the two big peaks in the background.

Two Peak Ranch

The driveway or road from the gates to the large estate ranch house complex in the distance was all paved.  I would guesstimate it to be about 2 miles.

I came upon this other cattle ranch entrance with a sign on it that said, "Smile you're on camera".  I walked up took a bow and smiled.

The eleven mile climb to the end of the road was beginning to give my "not yet ready" legs some problems.
 

Shady areas were far apart and few on this road.

Reaching a point where I thought I was at the top gave me hope that I was nearing the end of the road and the end of the climb.

It was a false hope.  The road started to descend into a little valley between the hills and then it started to climb up again.  There are some very steep short inclines in the road that began to turn my legs into jelly.

"Las Cimas" ranch.  The summit or Top

I came upon this other ranch sign whose name in Spanish meant the summit.  I thought I was at the end of the road.  The sign lied.  There were a few more steep bends in the road.  I had to get off the bike and walk the last couple of bends.  Walking wasn't much easier at this point, but it was better than losing control of the bike and falling off.  I must admit that I was beginning to think of turning back.  But, I felt that I must be close to the end and would hate myself if I didn't finish the task at hand.

Around the last bend I saw a valley and a 10 mile road marker.  I could see the road in the distance and what appeared to be a barn.  I thought that the end of the road must be there one mile away.

The end of the road

It was.  The road ended at someones ranch.  I sat down and ate my last apple.

The ride back was for the most part downhill.  I met two PGE trucks on the way back.
It was a nice day.