 Deer at Ahmanson. |  A horse & rider. |
I recalled that after a few hills it leveled off into wide flat fire roads that would be great for biking. In fact I saw a family doing just that. So this year we planned to do the same.
What I didn't count on was the amount of growth and change that took place as a result of the heavy rains we had this year.
The grass had gone from dry patches to overgrown bushes. The ground had split into large sinkholes in several parts of the trail. Some parts were under water (even now, a couple months after the rainy seasons has subsided).
The dry grassy hills-- before the rains turned them into lush green hills.
And the uphill sections were cratered with horse footprints, making biking a very bumpy experience. We went in one direction until there was just too much water to cross, then we turned around and took another fork. With the overgrowth and rough ground, it was pretty challenging.
But we didn't give up and kept pushing onward, hoping to find a flat area we could actually enjoy riding on. Ultimately we did decide to leave, but instead of turning back, we took another offshoot that lead to surface roads (Vanowen and Valley Circle) and took Valley Circle back towards Calabasas. The entire trip lasted 3 grueling hours, so we relaxed and had a nice leisurely brunch at Marmalade Cafe.
We did pass some other bikers, which was reassuring that we weren't trying something too crazy. But I would have preferred to explore this area on foot. It was and still is a great place for hiking.
