Took some time away from all the smoke and ash pouring down from the north country today to revisit the Old Ridge Route from CA 138 southward. I actually ran (yes ran, not hiked or drove...which in retrospect wasn't saving me time for the other things I wanted to do today) from the Sandberg Lodge south to the ruins of the Tumble Inn and back. Suffice to say I have way more pictures this time around of the Old Ridge Route than my previous visit in 2016. There was actually a surprising assortment of vehicles attempting the Old Ridge Route from the expected four-wheelers all the way to cruiser bikes. My photos new photos of the Old Ridge Route can be found here:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmmJuQvE
After I returned to my car I headed south to CA 126 and turned around to head north back over I-5 to CA 99 through Grapevine Canyon. Given the I-5 Grapevine (should be called the Ridge Route freeway IMO) Route is among one of the best in the Interstate system in terms of scenery I took a rare freeway album:
https://flic.kr/s/aHskHPpeax
Of course back in 2016 I took the alignment of Ridge Route Alternate from Templin Highway north to Pyramid Dam. Those photos can be viewed here:
https://flic.kr/s/aHskPc4ak3
So with that in mind I'm working on a new blog entry regarding the history of the Ridge Route. I plan on hitting on all the crossing that led up to I-5 which would include; El Camino Viejo, the Stockton-Los Angeles Road, Old Ridge Route, and Ridge Route alternate. To that end I'm in the preliminary stages of my maps but here is what I have completed so far:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4887/30880960247_17e2314ea4_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/P3QZB6)X0 (https://flic.kr/p/P3QZB6) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4918/45771505142_de0af9833d_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2cJEVPL)X1 (https://flic.kr/p/2cJEVPL) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
Heading south on I-5 in June 1974, which was my first time to drive this route, the night time view of an endless stream of truck headlights going north as they headed down the Grapevine is what caught my eye. That was a real "Wow!" moment. Megacities can certainly generate the traffic!
Thank you Max for another outstanding collection of pix.
Rick
My next six Ridge Route alignment maps:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4841/31980021948_a1023eec85_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/QHXYmL)X2 (https://flic.kr/p/QHXYmL) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4885/45851032331_52b99463d2_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2cRGwuc)X3 (https://flic.kr/p/2cRGwuc) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1949/31980021748_25c234d02b_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/QHXYij)X4 (https://flic.kr/p/QHXYij) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4844/45851032111_1810690d8b_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2cRGwqp)X5 (https://flic.kr/p/2cRGwqp) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4861/31980021468_ce8ecba58d_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/QHXYdu)X6 (https://flic.kr/p/QHXYdu) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4912/31980021288_98ab281e58_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/QHXYao)X7 (https://flic.kr/p/QHXYao) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
Below is the rest of the historical alignment maps:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4809/45805508642_14cfd2d329_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2cMFcT1)X8 (https://flic.kr/p/2cMFcT1) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1942/31983679748_042a47134a_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/QJhHGh)X9 (https://flic.kr/p/QJhHGh) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4886/45805508522_5b86b5d5ee_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2cMFcQW)X10 (https://flic.kr/p/2cMFcQW) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1902/31983679628_01f4cfc573_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/QJhHEd)X11 (https://flic.kr/p/QJhHEd) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4863/45805508282_7ffb2ea4ae_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2cMFcLN)X12 (https://flic.kr/p/2cMFcLN) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
I also added some snips from State Highway Maps:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4892/45855265151_45b669a8c9_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2cS5dKR)X13 (https://flic.kr/p/2cS5dKR) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4893/45855264971_9e0c06899f.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2cS5dGK)X14 (https://flic.kr/p/2cS5dGK) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4879/45855264891_08cbde2f30.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2cS5dFn)X15 (https://flic.kr/p/2cS5dFn) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4819/44038673430_fa8344f018_m.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2a6xHjW)X16 (https://flic.kr/p/2a6xHjW) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4911/45855264781_b66e79267e_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2cS5dDt)X17 (https://flic.kr/p/2cS5dDt) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4867/45855264701_f4618dc4dc.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2cS5dC6)X18 (https://flic.kr/p/2cS5dC6) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1923/45855264561_ca49b79a01.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2cS5dzF)X19 (https://flic.kr/p/2cS5dzF) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
Made heavy revisions to the 1857 Map showing the initial route of the Stockton-Los Angeles Road over Old Tejon Pass. I sketched in the previous path of the El Camino Viejo through Cuddy Canyon and Buena Vista Lake to the CA 33 corridor. The Castac Pass Route wasn't shown so I drew it in as well, this would become the modern Tejon Pass that the Ridge Route and I-5 took through Grapevine Canyon. Really this shows in relief why the later Ridge Route alignment was so critical in shortening the passage from San Fernando Valley to San Joaquin Valley.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1959/45822566052_e99584c011_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2cPbCsh)X13 (https://flic.kr/p/2cPbCsh) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
I just finished my blog entry on the history of the Ridge Route. I went way further than the convention and actually included historical context dating back to the El Camino Viejo. This entry is eight chapters long which includes a brief history of each highway alignment along the Ridge Route corridor and maps detailing each of them. I included photo logs for; the Old Ridge Route, Ridge Route Alternate, and Interstate 5 over what many call "The Grapevine."
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2018/11/legend-of-ridge-route-history-of.html
When the original iteration of the Legend of the Ridge Route blog was published it did not include the 1912-1916 California Highway Bulletins and 1924-1967 California Highways & Public Works. That now has changed and the relevant articles and maps have been added to Chapters 1-3. While the title of this blog cites the Old Ridge Route it is just part of a much larger story of transportation between Los Angeles and San Joaquin Valley. Contained within said blog below is the history of; El Camino Viejo, The Stockton-Los Angeles Road, Old Ridge Route/US Route 99, Ridge Route Alternate/US Route 99 and the Grapevine Grade/Interstate 5 between the Los Angeles-San Joaquin Valley corridor.
https://www.gribblenation.org/2018/11/legend-of-ridge-route-history-of.html?m=1
The 8N04 webpage is starting a web series regarding the history Ridge Route. I did a couple sound bites in the first episode regarding the Stockton-Los Angeles Road and the 1909 First State Highway Bond Act. As the other episodes come out I'll link them below:
https://fb.watch/9fN_wptlXx/
Despite your thoroughness, I'm surprised you missed this view:
(https://a4.pbase.com/o4/73/234373/1/56637042.0602190712RidgeRouteRoad.jpg)
You can get to it (in a car, no less) by turning left just past the gas pipeline substation in your IMG_1946 shot along Grapevine Rd. I shot that 15 years ago, so I suppose it's possible they've gated it off. As each year passes, there are more and more places you can't go any more. I've driven the Ridge Route from Castaic to Sandberg twice, but it doesn't look like that's going to be possible again.
Quote from: pderocco on November 15, 2021, 03:01:51 AM
Despite your thoroughness, I'm surprised you missed this view:
(https://a4.pbase.com/o4/73/234373/1/56637042.0602190712RidgeRouteRoad.jpg)
You can get to it (in a car, no less) by turning left just past the gas pipeline substation in your IMG_1946 shot along Grapevine Rd. I shot that 15 years ago, so I suppose it's possible they've gated it off. As each year passes, there are more and more places you can't go any more. I've driven the Ridge Route from Castaic to Sandberg twice, but it doesn't look like that's going to be possible again.
I mentioned it in the blog, during 2016 when I took the majority of the photos above I wasn't aware of it. I haven't had much reason really to stop in Grapevine, I did get some Deadman's Curve photos on the way to a Rams game though.
I checked out the fragmented segment of the Old Ridge Route yesterday between I-5 in Grapevine.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51889959186_aa5ac8dd75_4k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2n4kB3J)0 (https://flic.kr/p/2n4kB3J) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzCTFA