“WOW, what a great season. No way to figure out the finishing order in any race.”- Howard Blau

A Motorcyclist’s Dream

Just west of The Rock Store and Seminole Hot Springs Mulholland Highway snakes through some thrilling curves, but most of Mulholland Highway and Mulholland Drive are ridgeline curves offering panoramic views of San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, and the beautiful valleys and canyons nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Mulholland Drive and Mulholland Highway?

Mulholland Highway starts in Griffith Park as a dirt road branching off from Mt. Hollywood Drive. The only vehicles I’ve ever seen on that section of the Highway had four legs and ran on oats.

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Equestrians on Mulholland Hwy

After squiggling through Griffith Park, the dirt Mulholland Highway ends at Hollywood Reservoir.

Mulholland Drive

An unassuming entrance from Cahuenga Blvd overlooking the 170/101 freeway in Cahuenga Pass leads to one of the most famous roads in Los Angeles. Like Sunset, Sepulveda, Santa Monica, San Fernando and other prominent boulevards and thoroughfares in the area, Mulholland is a best-of sightseeing tour of this extensive city. Spectacular views, luxurious estates, amazing bicycling, hiking and motorcycling all along its length. Some stretches are so buried in the wilderness it’s easy to forget about the surrounding metropolis.

Most of Mulholland Drive’s 13-mile course lies between the 170 and 405. After crossing over the latter, Mulholland becomes a dirt track where it runs into Encino Hills Drive. This 6-mile unpaved section is popular hiking and mountain biking terrain and is closed to motor vehicles. People often bring their kids and dogs. Just before the gate there’s a parking lot and a long stretch of dirt road for overflow.

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Riding The Snake

Mulholland Highway

Around Topanga Canyon Blvd (another great ride) Mulholland Drive decides to become paved again before Mulholland Highway branches off and heads west. From Topanga to its terminus at Pacific Coast Highway west of Malibu it’s an epic 30-mile drive through amazing country. At each new bend in the road a new vista is revealed, often with only a second to enjoy it before extreme maneuvers are required.

My Honda CBR600RR

Road Conditions

While most of Mulholland is well-maintained, some sections have a tattered surface or a layer of dirt and fallen rocks. For riders it is critical to be hypervigilant around every curve and be aware of road conditions. Numerous accidents make Mulholland one of the most dangerous highways in L.A. for bikers, followed by Angeles Crest Highway. Racers also risk getting tagged for speeding or reckless driving.

Geez, what a downer…

Well, if you’ve ever put tires on Mulholland Drive or Highway then you know it’s an amazing journey and a truly unique experience.

Spoiler Alert: 2012 MotoGP Championship results from Estoril, Portugal, listed below

Following a short, one-week break, the 2012 MotoGP Championship continued this weekend at Estoril, Portugal, for Round 3 of 18.

And like it has since joining the MotoGP Championship in 2000, the Portugese circuit just west of Lisbon challenged the 20-rider grid (minus Colin Edwards) with its bumpy straights, long-radius corners and the tricky chicane between turns 8 and 10.

And this challenges shrunk the grid by one rider; the race was minus Edwards due to a hectic crash during Saturday’s qualifying. The NGM Forward Racing CRT rider was involved in a tangle with Power Electronic Aspar’s Randy de Puniet, and broke his left shoulder. Due to the injury, Edwards was forced to miss the round, and will go undergo surgery.

Once things got underway Sunday, though, one rider quickly returned to his normal rhythm -Repsol Honda’s Casey Stoner. The Australian, who also won last week’s round in Jerez, started from the pole, and was in front by the beginning of turn 2.

The two-time MotoGP Champion then went on to lead all 27 laps at Estoril, finishing 1.421 seconds ahead of his rival, the 2010 MotoGP Champion Jorge Lorenzo. Taking the final podium position was Stoner’s teammate, Dani Pedrosa.

The action was intense from the outset; getting off the line first was Pedrosa, followed closely by Lorenzo and Stoner. But Stoner charged to the front at the start of turn 2, rubbing some paint with Pedrosa as he passed. Lorenzo also got pass his fellow compatriot Pedrosa, and these top three remained in their eventual podium finishes for the entire race.

Getting a fourth-place start was Lorenzo’s teammate, Ben Spies. But the Texan ran wide, falling back into seventh where he began a duel with Ducati Team’s Valentino Rossi. As the top three pulled away from the remaining riders, the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 duo of Andrea Dovizioso and Cal Crutchlow began battling for fourth.

By the halfway point, Speed Master rider Mattia Pasini had crashed out after losing the front of his Aprilia-powered CRT, and Avintia Blusen CRT rider IVan Silva retired due to pain from a crash during warm up. With 11 laps remaining, Silva’s teammate also crashed.

The drama continued when Paul Bird Motorsport’s James Ellison (Kawasaki) retired with engine issues with nine laps to go. Cardion AB Racing Ducati’s Karel Abraham then crashed with five laps remaining.

As the top three came to the line, Dovi was able to hold off his teammate for fourth. Taking sixth was San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Alvaro Bautista, followed by Rossi in seventh and Spies in eight. Rounding out the top 10 were LCR hodna’s Stefan Bradl and Pramac Racing Ducati’s Hector Barbera.

Taking the top CRT honors once again was Power Electronic Aspar (Aprilia) rider Aleix Espargaro, who finished 12th ahead of Ducati Team’s Nicky Hayden.

With his win, Stoner has now won a race in the premier class on every single track currently on the MotoGP calendar.

The 2012 Championship now breaks for two weeks before the French Grand Prix at Le Mans May 18-20.

2012 Estoril MotoGP Results:

Pos. Points Num. Rider Nation Team Time/Gap
1 25 1 Casey STONER AUS 154.0 45’37.513
2 20 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA 153.9 +1.421
3 16 26 Dani PEDROSA SPA 153.8 +3.621
4 13 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO 153.2 +13.846
5 11 35 Cal CRUTCHLOW GBR 153.1 +16.690
6 10 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA SPA 152.8 +21.884
7 9 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA 152.5 +26.797
8 8 11 Ben SPIES USA 152.1 +33.262
9 7 6 Stefan BRADL GER 152.0 +35.867
10 6 8 Hector BARBERA SPA 151.0 +53.363
11 5 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA 150.5 +1’02.630
12 4 41 Aleix ESPARGARO SPA 149.6 +1’20.736
13 3 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA 149.4 +1’23.483
14 2 51 Michele PIRRO ITA 148.7 +1’37.905
15 1 9 Danilo PETRUCCI ITA 147.2 1 Lap Not Classified
17 Karel ABRAHAM CZE 144.7 5 Laps
77 James ELLISON GBR 146.4 10 Laps
68 Yonny HERNANDEZ COL 148.7 12 Laps
54 Mattia PASINI ITA 148.8 17 Laps
22 Ivan SILVA SPA 144.0 17 Laps

10am- 4pm

$108 advanced purchase tickets includes:

• World class vintage automobiles & motorcycles on display
• Marketplace of automobilia, books, fine art, jewelry, fashions and antiques
• Gourmet food, beverages & libations
• Friends of Greystone Historic Exhibit & gift shop.
• Access to Mansion and Estate grounds (limited ADA access)
• Commemorative Program book & poster
• Seminars hosted by Donald Osbourne, Carl Bornstead, Margaret Leslie Davis, and Al Satterwhite.
• 2/1 discount on the Petersen Automotive Museum
• Free parking & shuttles to Greystone Estate
• A portion of the proceeds go to the Friends of Greystone for restoration.

Ticket Sales Online!!

www.greystoneconcours.org/tkts

310.285.6850

(day of ticket $133 if available)

“Thank you Earth for all the life you support.”

Artwork by Mark Matthews