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Ridge Route Highway

 
 
Reply Sun 23 May, 2004 03:49 pm
Is anyone intimately familiar with this stretch of highway? Any personal reminiscences or othe information about it? I drove it once in 1965. Now I'm trying to recreate the experience for a fictional story. Any information may or may not be helpful, but it should nevertheless be interesting.

What is the Ridge Route?

The Ridge Route Highway is that section of road that winds over the San Gabriel and Tehachapi Mountains between Castaic Junction on the south (where I-5 junctions with Hwy.126 to Ventura) and extends to the bottom of Grapevine Grade on the north where I-5 enters the great San Joaquin Valley.

The "Grapevine" is the 6 1/2 mile segment of the Ridge Route that extends from Fort Tejon to the bottom of Grapevine Grade. Many people erroneously believe that the "Grapevine" got its name because the original 1915 highway had a series of "switchbacks" which allowed early vehicles to gain elevation as they climbed the grade heading from Bakersfield toward Los Angeles. The serpentine path resembled a giant grapevine. Although this observation was true, the name actually came from the fact that early Wagoner's had to hack their way through thick patches of Cimarron grapevines that inhabited "La Canada de Las Uvas," Canyon of the Grapes. Traveling the grade today, look for patches of what appears to be ivy on both sides of the canyon near the truck run-a-way escape ramps. What you see are descendant vines which date back to the 1800s.

The news media Incorrectly refers to the entire Ridge Route as the Grapevine.

There have been (3) Ridge Route highways. The 1915 highway which is the focus of this web site; the 1933 three-lane Ridge Alternate Highway identified as Highway 99 (in 1947 converted to a 4-lane expressway); and today's 8-lane I-5 freeway completed in 1970. The Ridge Alternate was severed with the construction of Pyramid Dam.
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Type: Discussion • Score: 1 • Views: 1,106 • Replies: 8
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edgarblythe
 
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Reply Sun 23 May, 2004 03:49 pm
http://www.ridgeroute.com/history.asp
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mysteryman
 
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Reply Sun 23 May, 2004 04:09 pm
Edgar,I grew up on that highway,at Ft.Tejon.
I might be able to help you
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edgarblythe
 
  1  
Reply Sun 23 May, 2004 04:12 pm
mysteryman
I'm just fishing. Not even sure what I want until I see it. Any observations will be welcome.
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mysteryman
 
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Reply Sun 23 May, 2004 04:19 pm
I can remember racing motorcycles on the old ridge highway.We would try and run the whole thing at full throttle.I got several cases of road rash on that road.Its also where I lost my virginity.I was 16,she was 18,but I wont bore you with that story.
There used to be some great hunting up there,and some great places to ride horses.
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edgarblythe
 
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Reply Sun 23 May, 2004 04:22 pm
Thanks. Even that little bit might in some way prove helpful.
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edgarblythe
 
  1  
Reply Sat 29 May, 2004 07:22 am
Heck, I'll just write that passage to minimize details.
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mysteryman
 
  1  
Reply Sat 29 May, 2004 05:21 pm
Sorry Edgar,
I had to go out of town and havent been on for a few days.I didnt mean to leave you hanging like that.I will provide you with more info this evening.I was at the hospital,and am not thinking clearly right now.
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edgarblythe
 
  1  
Reply Sat 29 May, 2004 05:32 pm
I wasn't hanging it on you, m man. Nobody else has come up with anything at all.
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