Ortega Highway State Route 74
Cleveland National Forest
San Juan Capistrano (Interstate 5) to
Lake Elsinore (Interstate 15)

"I survived Ortega Highway, Again." That's what the bumper sticker says. Yes, it is a treacherous road. One that we would tow a 12' trailer up with a couple of quads to go off-roading at Wildomar OHV Park. Bottom of a box canyon in the heart of the hills high above Ortega Highway. Café bikes and rice burners and noted for racing up and down the road until the County of Orange made it a double penalty zone. Since then the bikes keep relatively calm, although it is not unusual to have your ride slowed by a sherrif guiding traffic around an accident. This late winter day made a great cruise up the hill.

We are on our way to Temecula, a small wine growing region just north of San Diego County off Interstate 15. With a stop at a new biker watering hole; Hells Kitchen 32685 Ortega Hwy, Lake Elsinore, Calif.  (951) 609-3390 Motorsports themed restaurant located near the top of Ortega Highway 74. Cool new place, Great food with a flame painted coffin that opens automatically for your food condiments. Paved parking for 100's of motorcycles only, cars park in the dirt lot! Pool tables, free popcorn, Starbucks coffee, lots of beers on tap! Outside vendors selling biker stuff on weekends. Owners are riders. Roll up to the top of the grade and there is a cool look-out overlooking Lake Elsinore and Riverside County. On the way down the grade is Lookout Restaurant a favorite for the metric cruiser set.

Ortega Highway is a 33 mile ride from San Juan Cap to Lake Elsinore with great bends and a smooth surface to cruise steadily on a weekend afternoon. We saw tons of bikes at one point the caravan that rumbled passed us seemed to go on for miles.

T-Bone