All my weekday bike workouts combined with the weekend rides around Sullivan Canyon have gotten me to the point where I think I am prepared to handle a long ride out and back from the Westridge Fire Road to Topanga State Park. This Reseda Backbone Area and Topanga State Park map gives a good general idea of the the route we’ll be taking; I think we will aim for Eagle Rock and then see how far we feel like pedaling after that.

The great thing about my CamelBak backpack is that it is roomy enough to carry a nice sized lunch for two people (or even a six pack of beer if you really wanted ), in addition to a 70 oz. hydration bladder, so I have yet to run out of fuel on a ride. The down side is that it weighs a little bit more when it is all loaded up, and sometimes heavy items get lost at the bottom of that roominess–like the bike lock I rode around Sullivan Canyon with a few weeks ago. Grrrr. But I guess the extra weight helps make my legs stronger…hopefully strong enough for the ride to Topanga and back!

At any rate, Topanga State Park is a great destination for hiking and biking, so here are some links for more information:

• Bike Map Dude: Topanga State Park Featured Rides
• Modern Hiker: Hiking Eagle Rock and Temescal Peak
• Topanga Nature/Wildlife
• GORP: Sullivan Ridge/Backbone Trail