Old Country Tour Time?

[elfman69]

With apologies, Tom, I'm going to "scoop" you this time and be the first one to ask: is there going to be an Old Country Tour this month? If so, Steve, do you already have a route in mind? If not, would you mind if I "horned in" with some suggestions (that happen to include all my favorite roads)?

How about Saturday, April 22? That's Earth Day, and we can celebrate by combusting some of those pesky fossil fuels!

It looks like Vasquez Canyon Rd was reopened late last year, but the section of Sand Canyon Rd that connects with Little Tujunga Canyon appears to be indefinitely closed due to recent fire, according to http://dpw.lacounty.gov/roadclosures/. Skirting around the closure means omitting Little Tujunga this year, so how about the following:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Wt3wy ... sp=sharing?

We start at Ranch Side Cafe, as usual, and have some fun charging up nearby Kegel Canyon Rd and back down Lopez Canyon Rd to the freeway. Since there's no fun way to get to the next part of the route, we may as well get there fast: About 10 miles worth of 210 to 5 to the 14, and off on Placerita Canyon Rd to Sand Canyon Rd north of the damaged section.

Then Soledad Canyon Rd to the fun part of Agua Dulce Canyon north, across on Davenport Rd and back down Sierra Hwy a short jog to Vasquez Canyon, Bouquet Canyon, Spunky Canyon, San Francisquito Canyon, and Elizabeth Lake Rd to the Rock Inn for lunch.

After lunch we take Tanny's favorite, Lake Hughes Rd, back down to Castaic and, for those who'd like a little bonus before ending the run, up the southern end of the Old Ridge Route to I-5 and home.

Does that float anyone's boat? Let me know and I'll do up a route sheet.

-- Doug

[Steve Simmons]

I was just thinking about this run. I'm up for it if I'm not working. So your route cuts out the Acton loop and adds Old Ridge Route. I'm ok with that but not too keen on freeway driving. We could meet somewhere more along the main route, skip breakfast and do lunch instead. Green Valley Cafe closed down but there's another place around the corner that opened up. Burgers, sandwiches, etc and breakfast also since it would be brunch time. Just some food for thought. Doesn't really matter to me, I'll go with whatever y'all want to do. Just make a route official and we're good!

[elfman69]

So your route cuts out the Acton loop and adds Old Ridge Route.

This is just the route I prefer to include favorite roads of mine, like Agua Dulce and Spunky Canyon, that I don't get to drive very often. It also includes a shortcut between Agua Dulce and Sierra Hwy I haven't tried before: Davenport Road, leading to Summit Knoll Rd, which looks like a bit of fun (and avoids long, boring stretches of Sierra Hwy to get to the bottom of Bouquet Canyon, assuming we want to go that way).

I'm ok with that but not too keen on freeway driving.

I don't think any of us are, but I wanted to include Lopez Canyon and Kegel Canyon Roads at the start of the run. Ordinarily I'd start up Lopez, come down Kegel, and pick up Little Tujunga. But without being able to get through on Sand Canyon, there's no fun way to get anywhere from Lopez/Kegel right now. It's a short freeway hop, and will at least be quick. What do the rest of you think about that?

We could meet somewhere more along the main route.

Again, I'd like to include Kegel and Lopez Canyons, but I could be persuaded otherwise. Any specific suggestions for a good meeting spot further along the route?

Green Valley Cafe closed down but there's another place around the corner that opened up.

Is that the Heart N Soul Coffee Shop in Green Valley? Would that be a better choice for lunch than the Rock Inn in Lake Hughes? Either one would be right on our route.

Any feedback is appreciated,
-- Doug

[Steve Simmons]

Good point, it's five minutes from Rock Inn. Guess what I'm saying is we don't have to worry too much about breakfast when we're eating lunch an hour into the run.

[elfman69]

Actually, now I'm leaning toward Heart N Soul Cafe myself. Lots of very positive reviews online, and walls supposedly festooned with local history. Sounds like an interesting place; I'd like to try it. Small place, though; hope they won't be too busy for us on a Saturday.

And with Rock Inn no longer our lunch destination, our post-lunch route could be open to re-interpretation. Maybe we go east on Elizabeth Lake Rd toward Leona Valley? I'm not familiar with what's over that way (no twisty roads, so I've never been). Poppies, maybe? (I see there's a poppy festival in Lancaster the weekend of the 22nd). I know some folks like some scenery mixed in with their technical roads on a run.

Alternately, we could continue west on Pine Canyon Rd for some wicked twisties and poppy sightings in Gorman? Much longer drive home for most of us from there, though.

Just throwing out some ideas. Love to hear from the rest of you.

-- Doug

[tannyo]

I'm interested, is anyone else interested?

We need to know. Are you coming?

[elfman69]

Looks like we've completely failed to ignite anyone's passion for driving this coming weekend!

Also looks like Tanny will be out of town this weekend, and Steve, you might be working?

So it seems as if the Old Country Tour is not going to come together this year. Maybe too close to Queen's English?