On Monday, May 31st (Memorial Day) 2010, at 9:00 AM, a bunch of nice folks will meet at "Devil's" Punchbowl County Park in the Angeles National Forest for a pot-luck brunch and nature. We do it every Memorial Day. There's a sheltered picnic area, a nature center, and a short (1-mile loop) trail down into the Punchbowl. This event is strictly free. The refreshments are bring-your-own, but we always share. It's a beautiful place, the weather is always grand, and we're usually done by noon. Kids enjoy the trees, rocks & animals. Adults. . . . who's an adult out in the woods?

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NOTE: just for this year, because of my March 30th total knee replacement, I'll be leading the jam session in the picnic area instead of hiking or biking. Bring your axe and let's make those mountains ring!

SPECIAL NOTE TO MOUNTAIN BIKERS!

This event started in 1998 as a chance for a bunch of flatlanders to take our fat-wheel bikes into the mountains, instead of the desert sand we usually grind through. The hikers and brunchers seem to show up more dependably than the bikers, but this year I'm again offering you a short but beautiful ride on the Burkhart Trail, to the "Devil's" chair and back.
The yellow line on the topo map continues past the chair, going all the way down to South Fork camp.
The round trip is a lot shorter.
After leaving the Punchbowl picnic area, the first couple of miles is a fair grunt up a jeep road to the actual trail. After that it's a leisurely spin along an intermediate-level single track, which is mostly shaded and doesn't change altitude much. At the turn-around, the "Devil's Chair" is a vista point which looks out onto a landscape of slanting rocks and lush vegetation. If even 2 bikers contact me at least a week before the event, and say they'll bring their bikes, we can meet at 6:00 at the parking lot and get a head start on the day. Better still, if we can arrange a little car pooling, we can spot a van and trailer at South Fork and ride the switchbacks down to it, cool off in the stream and drive back up to brunch at the Punchbowl.
Sound like your idea oaf a good time? Contact me with the email button or 'phone number above.