Finds from the Grind - Mount Wilson Red Box Descent

The descent of Mount Wilson Red Box Road on Aug. 20th. This is the companion video to the climbing post. Most of the 19 mile climb, where 14 of it is on Angeles Crest Highway, is smooth and generous with its curves. Mount Wilson Red Box Road is not. There's much less traffic on it and has not been repaved recently like the California Route 2. It still has the gentle slope of 5% grades, but it's much more winding and prone to rock falls.

The debris and gravel in the middle of the road is not a problem while climbing, but is a concern on the descent. The main problem is the intermittent shadiness in the morning which makes picking out rocks, cracks or pine needles pretty difficult after you've been staring at brightly lit pavement right before a tight curve. The curviness already made this a technical descent, at least compared to Angeles Crest, but its other pitfalls make a cyclist pay closer attention to detail.