The Santa Monica Mountains lie between the Pacific Ocean and the San Fernado Valley hard against the western sprawl of Los Angeles.
I started my ride from the city of Calabasas which lies on Highway 101 ... the Ventura Highway ... just north of the Mountains.
In early 2006 Calabasas banned smoking in nearly all public places, including parking lots and sidewalks ... leading the way in introducing the most strict anti-smoking legislation in the States.
I left the city on the bike lane on Valmar Road and passed numerous gated communities.
The road becomes Old Topanga Canyon Road ... and crosses Mulholland Highway.
At this point the climbing starts in earnest ... initially ascending past banks of gnarled oaks ... the views soon open out.
The road snakes this way and that and ... after stopping to take photographs ... you sometimes wonder if you are heading off in the right direction.
After negotiating the bends the road crosses a watershed at around 460 m altitude before beginning a (welcome) descent into Old Topanga Canyon itself.
Topanga Creek is one of the few remaining undammed waterways in the area and is noted as a spawning ground of the endangered steelhead trout.
Rocks towers rise above me ... as I descended towards the town of Topanga.
The first thing that caught my eye when I reached Topanga was the Waterlilly Café.
There's no telling when next you might find a refreshment stop ... so it was worth pausing for a bite and a drink.
The proprietress was originally from Norway and was puzzled as to why someone from England should cycle to Topanga ...
... mind you not nearly so puzzling as why someone from Europe should open a café in the Santa Monica Mountains.
Topanga has something of a reputation as a bohemian enclave attracting artists, musicians, and others (er ... do they mean cyclists?).
Woody Guthrie was one of the first musicians who settled in the town to be followed by dozens of others in the 60s and 70s such as Neil Young, Billy Preston, Joni Mitchell, Steven Stills, Jim Morrison and Alice Cooper.
Leaving Topanga it was reassuring to see the well equipped Fire Station.
Just over a decade ago, in 1993, a devastating fire burned here for ten days and destroyed around 16,500 acres (67 sq km) of vegetation and nearly 400 buildings.
After turning into Fernwood Pacific Road alongside the Fire Station the route kicks-up and begins a serpentine ascent to the ridge of the Santa Monica Mountains.
The road passes numerous houses .. many of which seemed to be balanced precariously on ridges and knolls to get the best views.
Tucked away on one corner was a classic Airstream caravan ... sorry trailer.
When Neil Armstrong and his the crew returned from the Moon in 1969 they were quarantined in an airtight Airstream trailer while checks were made to ensure that they hadn't brought back any toxic bugs.
The road climbs to around 750 m altitude, changes its name to Tuna Canyon Road and meanders along the ridge of the Santa Monica Mountains.
Views open up in all directions ... to the south you can see out over the Pacific to the Catalina Islands ... they seem to be floating over a layer of sea fog.
To the east you can (just) see back through the haze and murk to the distinctive skyline of Los Angeles.
Northward lies the San Fernando Valley and the Santa Susana and Gabriel Mountains beyond.
Much of the Santa Monica Mountains are classified as a US National Recreation Area ... although significant portions remain in private hands.
The ridge was littered with dwellings of all sorts ... from simple shacks to designer mansions ... some of futuristic designs.
From the top I turned to descend Stunt Road.
This road descends for 6 kilometres at an almost constant slope of 7% ... not quite as steep as the hill I'd just come up!
In the other direction numbers of motorcyclists and sports car drivers were enjoying the curvy ascent.
Ahead was a dark grey mountain which contained vertical streaks of white ... like a giant liquorice allsort.
After reaching Mulholland Highway all I had to do was complete the final descent into Calabasas ... time for a cigarette ... er no ... better make that a coffee.
Kirby James
