Pasadena (~55 miles; ~3,000 feet elevation gain)

One of my buddies, Mike, just bought a new road bike from Performance Bike and he was going to pick it up at the Pasadena store. So, I asked him for a ride back, he said sure, so I did this ride on 03/29/2008. It was a beautiful day for a ride, so I hopped on my bike around 9 am and I was in Pasadena by 1:30 pm in time for lunch. First, the overview map.

This ride is really weighted towards the front part of the ride. The climb up to Mill Creek on the Angeles Forest Highway is old hat by now, and there is a long and cold descent into Tujunga canyon. Then there is a short section of climbing up to the intersection between the Forest Highway and the Crest. But the really payoff is the 3,000 foot descent down Hwy 2. Shockingly, there was almost no traffic, so I had a BLAST! (Seriously, though, these mountain roads are no more dangerous than riding around the Antelope Valley. When people are touring in their cars, they are a lot more chill about giving you space.) Anyways, it's really not that hard a ride to do (if someone is giving you a ride back home.) And now, a bunch of pics on the ride down there.

Yep...I'm going to cross the San Gabriels today

Foothills of the San Gabriels - right before the infamous section on Pearblosson Hwy

Wildflowers right next to the train tracks (and CA-14) just after the Angeles Forest Highway cutoff

Halfway down descent from Mill Creek summit to Tujunga canyon

Looking north on Angeles Forest Hwy across Tujunga canyon bridge

Clouds rolling in over the LA side of the mountains - Cloudy day in Pasadena, sunny day in the Antelope Valley

Conclusion: Impress your friends...tell them you biked to Pasadena.