[KDOG]

Allright, everybody and anybody around the LA area who wants to take a drive..

If anyone wants to take a run thru the canyons on Saturday 1/17 speak up.
Plugot and I are trying to get some people together on that Saturday and would like to see who can make it. How about a start time of around 10am and meeting on the PCH at Topanga Cyn.

Let's give this thread till next Thursday to get a head count and see what happens.

who's in?

[KDOG]

What do ya think Plugot..should we put this on the Calendar? I dont know if anyone ever looks at that. I'm gonna drive the route this weekend and map out the time and milage.

I'll post it afterwards so everyone can know what to expect.

proposed route..

starting @ PCH and Topanga Cyn,
north on Topanga
west on Mulhaolland
south on Latigo Cyn
east on PCH

stop for lunch

[plugot]

Quote: Originally Posted by KDOG

What do ya think Plugot..should we put this on the Calendar?
I dont know if anyone ever looks at that. I'm gonna drive the route this weekend and map out the time and milage.

I'll post it afterwards so everyone can know what to expect.

Great. Post it on the Calendar. I'll also put a notice on the LA BMW club for MINI owners. There are some (besides me) who are MINI drivers but in the club. Look forward to meeting you.

[Zeede]

A printed route for every car would be required for me before I come. Last time I went to a casual Mini meet I wasn't given one, and nobody bothered to wait for me after I got stuck at a traffic signal.

Needless to say, I was pretty irritated to have driven out for nothing, not even an apology from the organizer, for having been left behind.

KDOG: If, after doing the route again, you'd like to post a detailed route on here, I and others can just grab it and print it at home.

[KDOG]

Hey Zeede,

I intend to do so after I check the run. That sucks that you got left behind. Mini's should stick together =-)

I'll post the exact milage and time on Saturday evening. I'll even print out a few maps for gameday just so everyone is on the same page.

Hope you can make it. Latigo Cyn is a very fun road..

[Zeede]

Cool. Is this open just to Minis or anyone who enjoys some spirited motoring? I have a rather skilled friend who drives a black Subaru Impreza WRX, I could see if he's interested in coming along

[KDOG]

oooh those WRX's are fast! I'm fine with that.. I'd like to see one upclose anyway.

[KDOG]

Hey Plugot..

11am sounds fine to me. I posted a link to this thread on the "roll call" forum..so hopefully anyone that catches it there will pop there head in this new thread.

I'm taking a dry run about 11am tomorrow..so I'll have all the details posted here by the late afternoon.

Looks like this will be a "go"...I like it

[nulltty]

I'd be interested if I make the trip down to LA that weekend, but unfortunately I won't be in LA until after lunch that day [coming from N.Cal] :-( I'd be interested for a route / map anyways, I'll just grab it off a link or something and do the run myself that weekend if I'm in town. Thanks!

I remember driving the Mullholland/Topanga area in Oct, this Mustang 5.0 was tailing me most of the way up (heading towards PCH Malibu), this one switchback turn, he fishtailed it but kept it going... imagine seeing that in your rearview mirror.

[iDiaz]

The roll-call thread mentions this same run on 1/10. Anybody up for a run then?

[iDiaz]

Nevermind, checked my PMs.

[KDOG]

OK guys..here we go.

I drove close to 100 miles today to find the best route..and I had to make some changes.
I started about 11am and took Topanga west from the 101 Frwy..that was a joke..road construction, CHP, traffic and slow pokes..so I decided we need to take a less traveled road. After some trail and error..I came up with the following..

meet at Malibu Seafood on PCH (they have a pretty good size parking lot that's empty in the morning) we can wait for everyone to arrive and talk shop for a minute before we go.

North on PCH 1.1 miles to Latigo Cyn..there is a 76 gas station between Malibu Seafood and Latigo Cyn on the right side.. =-)

Take Latigo Cyn East (right) for 9.9 miles..Latigo Cyn is a monster..narrow w/ lots of hairpin turns and the road condition was great. I think I saw 1 other car the entire 9.9 miles..we just gotta watch out for cyclist who use that road also.

Latigo ends at Kanan Dune..and we go right on Kanan Dune for 0.6 miles to intersect..Mulholland Hwy

Go Right on Mulholland Hwy for 12.4 miles..there was plenty of bikers (motorcycles..Hogs, etc) on the road but that's about it.

Right on Stunt Road for 3.9 miles..you gotta keep your eyes peeled for Stunt Road..if your not paying attention you might miss it.

At 3.8 miles on Stunt Road you come to a Stop sign..wich is Saddle Rd.
Go LEFT on Saddle Road for another 3.1 miles. There was almost nobody up there but more bikers and cyclist.

At 3.1 miles on Saddle you get to Tuna Cyn. Go RIGHT. They must have repaved Tuna cause it seems brand new. @ 1.3 miles on Tuna you come to a Stop sign and the road becomes one-way all the way down to the coast. The total milage on Tuna is 4.5 Miles. Tuna was great fun also..althogh I didnt see any..it looks like people ride horses in that area. So keep your eyes open. But again.I was the only one out there. Oh yes..there are about 3 stop signs after the road becomes one-way! The stop signs kinda come out of nowhere and seemed unexpected to me. If there had been someone following me too closely it would have been awkward.

The drive is fanstastic and after I got back down to PCH..I just turned right and went back to Malibu Seafood for some lunch. (I assume you all know about this place..It's a Malibu landmark with great food and outdoor bench seats..and BTW..you can bring you own beer if you are so inclined..as they dont serve any) The parking lot was pretty crowded by the time I got back, but people come and go pretty fast there..so I found a spot quick.

It's hard for me to say exactly how long the whole thing took.. I had to stop a few times to write down milage and take pics..so maybe 1.5 hours of total driving time..I'd say if we met at 10:30am..left at 11am..we would be ordering lunch by 12:30pm or 1pm at the latest.

I'll post some pictures tomorrow..Ive gotta go now to get ready for Sat night.

See ya.

[KDOG]

PS..I'll organize this a little better..post some pics of the landmarks and post a map tomorrow afternoon.

[plugot]

Quote: Originally Posted by KDOG

PS..I'll organize this a little better..post some pics of the landmarks and post a map tomorrow afternoon.

Great work KDOG. Thanks for the thorough scout. I did part of that route last summer with a rental MINI, great drives. Latigo really keeps a driver on his toes. 11 AM is our start time. I haven't received any replies from the BMW Club LA MINI drivers re: our drive but there may be one or two who will join us. My litle "Tonka" is anxious to meet other MINIs. This should be fun.

[iDiaz]

I couldn't resist and went up there yesterday. Took Las Flores Canyon and went from there. Spike pulled admirably with two other passengers in the car, and cornered like a champ. I can't wait to go up there unladen! DSC really is a strict nanny, though. It keeps you from accelerating out of a corner, where a liiittle bit of wheelspin should be present to accelerate as fast as possible. Makes me wish I had a limited-slip differential!

[Zeede]

Great scouting, I look forward to the drive.

I would suggest that we stop for those stop signs, and try and keep within the neighborhood of the posted speed limits. Call me a party pooper, but my idea of fun isn't blowing through stop signs or doing 2x the speed limit, especially not around blind hairpins and with horses, cyclists and bikers around.

So yes, I vote that we at least slow down to 0 mph for those stop signs, hehe

[KDOG]

I'm back..heres a map of the route and I'll follow with some pics..


map

[KDOG]

pics..

starting point..

[KDOG]

Latigo Cyn comes up on you fast after you leave Malibu Seafood...it is easy to miss if your driving too fast..

pic of street as you come up on it after leaving start point..



:: PAGE JUMP


what latigo Canyon looks like if you pass it and have to turn around and approach it from the other direction

[KDOG]

this is the 76 Station you pass after leaving the start point..