The fire has been out for a while now. The San Bernardino forest is mostly open again. Just a couple of routes that have been impacted by fire damage are still closed, and they are near Forest Home Village. The weather has been awesome up on the mountain, and all the crowds are gone at the lake and in town...at least on weekdays. I decided to go up there yesterday morning, and find a different route to the staging area. Last time I went up with my friends, Lawrence was lamenting about how unappealing the drive was through all the heavy traffic congestion and smoggy air. It is especially bad on the return trip home in the evenings, and one of the things I have been enduring all these years, just to get to some really great riding and scenery. I mapped out another route that is maybe a few miles longer and much more relaxing which utilizes the 79 for a major portion of the trip. Another trip or two and I will have the route fine tuned.
Anyway, it was nice to get up there and see that my parking area was completely empty, and the campground across the way had just a few campers there. Nobody was out on the back roads and trails either. The forest, where there were deciduous trees, was starting to look like fall time as the leaves turned golden and brown. I made a stop in town to eat lunch at BLTs. They make a great chicken salad sandwich, by the way. The afternoon air had a little bite to it, and the shadows began to get long far earlier than when I am used to. On the way back to the car, I took a side trail and saw the largest coyote I have ever laid eyes on. He was standing in the trail as I came around the bend, and didn't seem to pay too much attention to me until I revved the engine and honked the horn at him. Then he ambled off into the brush and trees. Sometimes I think my 501 is a little too quiet when it comes to things like this.



Anyway, it was nice to get up there and see that my parking area was completely empty, and the campground across the way had just a few campers there. Nobody was out on the back roads and trails either. The forest, where there were deciduous trees, was starting to look like fall time as the leaves turned golden and brown. I made a stop in town to eat lunch at BLTs. They make a great chicken salad sandwich, by the way. The afternoon air had a little bite to it, and the shadows began to get long far earlier than when I am used to. On the way back to the car, I took a side trail and saw the largest coyote I have ever laid eyes on. He was standing in the trail as I came around the bend, and didn't seem to pay too much attention to me until I revved the engine and honked the horn at him. Then he ambled off into the brush and trees. Sometimes I think my 501 is a little too quiet when it comes to things like this.
