 |
Re: [RC] Bakersfield, CA - Diane TrefethenHi Karen,I lived in Hart Flat (some maps show only Keene) for two years. I moved to the area because I liked it, the warm summers, possibility of snow in Winter, and the almost endless expanses of rangeland. Well, it didn't work out. Not Bakersfield, Hart Flat. All the ranch land around there was fenced off and I am usually pretty respectful of No Trespassing signs. That meant riding on roads (yech!). Up the road (CA Route 58) is Tehachapi. I don't know the trail situation there but if you go west from there, you will deadend in Bear Valley Springs. Most of BVS was bought by one company (back in the 1980's I think) and developed as a residential enclave catering to the Country Club/Horsey set. It is gated. Much of the housing is CA modern but there is huge variety, not rows of "ticky tacky little boxes". Also some apartments. If I remember correctly, most of the "lots" are in the 2-10A range. AND it has trails. Not fantastic trails but good enough to condition on and good enough that Cherie Briscoe used to put on a ride in BVS (a 50/55). Last time was in 2008 with Carol Miller RM. I think it consisted of 2 similar (identical?) loops. Cherie (DR Thunder Bask) lives just outside BVS (not gated). I did a lot of driving around when I was there and I'm sure there are good places to ride, possibly in the mountains south/southwest of Bakersfield and also to the east. North is just flat and if I remember correctly, the mountains to the west are too far away for a reasonable commute. I looked at just the first few columns of the PS Region in our Membership Directory and saw Sandy Adams is in BVS and Fred Beasom, Peggy Bergman-Smith and Lori Bertolucci in Tehachapi, a few in Bakersfield and one in Caliente, aka Agua Caliente, which is up 58 about half way to Tehachapi and then east. Hope this helps :) Diane PS: Hyway 58 is like a freeway. The windy, curvy, cow littered road is the Caliente-Bodfish road and it IS windy and curvy! Splits in two at one point and it doesn't matter which fork you take - still windy and curvy :) But some awesome views on the upper fork! PPS: No one mentioned the Tehachapi Loop. If you or anyone in your family likes trains, it is NEAT to watch the freight trains winding around as they climb from the valley floor in Bakersfield to the top of the mountain pass in Tehachapi. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|