Midway along the Angeles Crest Highway there is a roadside restaurant that has been serving riders and cyclists for generations, and it has become the unofficial parking lot of Southern California motorcycling. On a sunny weekend morning, rows of bikes line the verge, from sport machines to old Harleys, and riders stand about with coffee, comparing routes and telling stories. It is a social place, and a good one for getting a sense of what the road is like that day. Check that it is open before you count on it, because fire and road closures have affected the area, and hours vary.
The setting is a clearing in the forest at about 1,400 metres, with pine and oak around and the mountains rising on each side. The air is cooler than the city, and in the shade it can be cold in the morning. The nearby slopes are chaparral and scrub oak, which burn easily, and the scars of past fires show in places, with blackened trunks and fresh green growth. The mountains here are rugged and steep, cut by deep canyons, and it is not hard to feel far from the city, even though Los Angeles is within an hour's ride.
The food is classic American roadside fare. Burgers, eggs, pancakes and pie are the kind of thing you expect, served in generous portions, with strong coffee. It is a place for a proper breakfast after the climb, and a good spot to fill up on calories before the next section. Prices are fair, and the staff are used to riders in boots and leathers.
On the road itself, the stretch around the ranch has long, sweeping bends, good visibility and moderate gradients, and it is a joy when the surface is clean. Traffic, however, can be heavy at weekends, with groups of bikes and sports cars, and speeds can be high. Keep to your lane, stay aware of overtaking vehicles and do not follow the person in front too closely. Gravel and sand wash onto corners after rain, so pay attention to the surface.
Monrovia, about twenty-two kilometres away on the southern side, is the nearest large town for fuel and supplies, and Littlerock and Palmdale lie on the desert side. Fill up before you climb, and bring water.
The best time is a clear morning in spring or autumn, when the air is crisp and the traffic is lighter.