THE LUGE-- O.C.'s ICONIC, DEATH-DEFYING PLUNGE

THE INFAMOUS LUGE

O.C.'s legendary 800-foot plunge out of the Santa Ana Mountains comes after you climb 1394 feet of Santiago Canyon Road, Modjeska grade, and the Santiago Truck Trail. It's a 90-minute, 7.7-mile loop. Start it at Cook's Corner, as Ed Korb, Krampin' Kennedy and I did this morning, and you pit-stop at Flag Hill, take in the ocean view, and blitz down the Luge -- 1.5 miles of pure, unadulterated mountain-bike mayhem. Actually, it's not that dangerous if you keep the adrenaline in check and make sure your brakes work. Then you celebrate not flying off into the canyon a few minutes later at Cooks with all the REAL bikers (i.e. riding Harleys with tattooed women in the back) with a burger, a beer, and a funny, right-wing sticker for your rabid anti-Obama friends.....


1. Krampin Kennedy leads Ed up singletrack above the STT.
The first three-quarters of the ride is climbing.

 Ed tops out at 2500 feet and begins the descent to Flag Hill.

 Krampin Kennedy barrels down to the flags.

Flag Hill is the place to stop, take in the ocean view (see the sliver of blue at the far left), grab a bite and shoot the breeze with other mountain bikers.From left-- Roy, Kennedy, Ed.
It also marks the official start of the fabled Luge,

The Luge is bumpy and steep. Keep your adrenaline in check and your focus pure. That's Doug Weller on the green bike, who we met on Flag Hill. Roy is next in the blue shirt.

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The three of us made it down to Cook's intact and celebrated with brews, burgers, and sticker shopping with the Harley-Davidson crowd, who llve corny slogans ND  have no love for Obama.