The Olivenhain Reservoir is not far away, next to the Elfin Forest preserve on Harmony Grove road. There are a bunch of trails around this area, many of them too steep or rocky to bike. But the views are stunning and there’s some decent riding in there if you approach from the right direction.

This is a compilation of the many times that I’ve ended up in weird places, awkward situations, or impossible to ride trails.

I took a trip to Idyllwild CA. The trails were wild, spent some time blazing in the forest.

I spent a few days with the family exploring Joshua Tree national park, cactus groves, rock formations, hikes, and other fun things there.

I’ve never really been a fan of doing the tourist thing. Before I moved to LA I lived in NYC for 15 years and never visited the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State building. But, there are trails in the Hollywood hills, so I got it in my head to visit the sign. Of course, I had to do it my way.

This was a magical moment caught as the morning fog was flowing through the low point on the ridge between two mountains.

I probably should have prepped more on these early rides. I researched the routes well enough to get myself in just the right amount of trouble, but I didn’t bring much more than my water.

Instead of hitting the snooze on my off days, I would pedal out the trails and get lost for a while before I had to land back at my desk for work at 9am.

Climbing up to the mountains and exploring the trails became my outlet. A whole new world opened up.