I charted my course to Santa Cruz via San Bernardino. First because I wanted to avoid Los Angeles. Second because I wanted to drive a scenic loop through the San Bernardino mountains that was shown on my Mad Map.  I ran into a nice couple, Don and Jeanne, on Harleys (one each) at a gas station on the way.  I wanted to take pictures and they were just leaving so I said would catch up with them.  Don told me I was in for a beautiful ride and wished me warmth.  I found out later why.  I think I got lost because I didn’t see them again.

So I started up Route 18 from San Bernardino.  It was indeed a beautiful ride with very, very tight curves and quite a few switchbacks.  It was a steady climb to about 5,000 feet altitude.  I arrived about half way through the ride at a small town called Running Springs and stopped at a small café that served simple but good food.

As I moved on, I connected to Route 38.  I noticed yellow caution signs that showed a car skidding out of control.  Snow became visible on either side of the road.  The road surface was still dry.  At about 8,400 feet, pockets of ice appeared in the shade in the ruts that car tires leave on the road surface whenever water collected in them.

The winding roads continued so I slowed to a crawl because of the blind curves.  I hit ice a couple of times and the rear tire broke loose but I was going slow enough to keep control.

The inhospitable driving conditions cost a lot of time.  So, sure, soon it got dark.

The temperature dropped about 25 degrees (to 40 degrees)

I put my warm stuff on and continued my crawl down what had become a terrifying twisty mountain road.  Imagine my surprise when I discovered there is not a single rest spot on the way down the mountain.  I almost wet myself.  I reached San Bernardino mentally and physically exhausted.  I need to do more homework before I ride in the mountains in February.