Mono Creek, Big Caliente, and Divide Peak

A track of the ride, taken with my GPS. It starts at the lower left and zig-zags to the upper left; then we retrace our route, with a spur to the upper right and another spur to the lower right.

This shows the entire elevation chart for the ride; there is symmetry because all parts of the ride involve retracing the route. As you can see, it involves going mostly down into the river valley; towards the end there’s a steep climb up towards Divide Peak.

Loading up the bikes onto the trailer.

Well, we haven’t even reached the end of Camino Cielo Road, but we just had to pull off and take a picture. This is absolutely the clearest I’ve ever seen this view out to sea. Unfortunately things are a little obscured because the iPhone doesn’t like looking towards the sun, but you can see how clearly the islands show at the horizon on the right. The panorama also gives a nice sense of how Camino Cielo Road is carved into the side of the ridge.

In the same spot. By keeping the camera down, I prevent the sun from blowing out the highlights, and you can see the islands clearly - Anacapa at the far left (sort of divided into three), and then Santa Cruz island.

Same spot, looking further to the right (west). Santa Rosa and San Miguel islands visible in the distance.

Way down at the bottom, paused in a place where the road is very straight. Looking back.

Same spot, looking forward. To the right is the Pendola road to Big Caliente, which we’ll take later on.

Same spot: here comes John in a cloud of dust.

This is Mono Creek Campground. A gorgeous spot; the river is basically dry at the moment, but there must be water underground here, since these are largely cottonwoods.

Same spot as the previous photo, looking a little more to the left.

Same spot; the bikes, and John eating lunch.

Walking across the little meadow towards the actual campground.

Just beyond the campground, something really unexpected: a huge dam!

Now we’ve started back along the road, and I paused at a high bend in the road to show the surrounding valley.

At Big Caliente hot spring, showing the bikes, and the toilet beyond. Hey, when you gotta go, you gotta go.

At Big Caliente hot spring; there’s a trail heading on up the creek from here.

Climbing back out the of the valley, and looking back. If you look carefully you can see the road we’ve just been on, crossing down in the valley.

The road goes ever on and on, etc. The sharp contrast late in the day between the bright sunny spots and dark shaded spots makes riding difficult.

We had to pause to let a dust-raising car get further ahead of us.

Up Divide Peak Road, looking back down the road.

The same spot as the previous photo, but turned around and looking out to sea. The panorama sort of distorts things; the two roads at the left and right are actually the same road and are straight.

Same spot; a little artificial, but I’ve managed to get the iPhone to close down its exposure so some detail is visible. The square green patch at the lower left is the Polo Grounds. Notice the pretentious houses on the near ridge below us.

A panoramic view from the ridge a little further up the trail, taken a year later, facing inland.

A panoramic view on the same spot as the preceding photo, facing the opposite way, towards the sea.