Legendary is a label that applies to many roads, none more than the drive we’re taking this week, the route through the Santiago and Trabuco canyons in Orange County.
Generations of bikers have left the beaten track in The OC for these twisty wonders; just minutes from the nearest master-planned community, yet so rural, so natural Southern California.
Our four-wheeled ride for this trip is Hyundai’s sporty Genesis Coupe, which clearly was built for this type of driving.
Jump on I-5 north to SR-55 east, then head east on Chapman Avenue through the city of Orange. After a few minutes, the city and most of the traffic disappears with Chapman and you’re on Santiago Canyon Road, county highway S-18. This runs through a canyon in the Santa Margarita Mountains, giving drivers panoramic views around every corner. It’s the kind of road that the Harley-Davidson set like so much: two lanes, easy cruising and just challenging enough.
Something else here deserves the legendary label: Cook’s Corner, the biker roadhouse where Santiago Canyon Road meets El Toro and Live Oak Canyon roads. I visited on Father’s Day and the place was packed with folks in fine leathers; a gent even sported a beard worthy of ZZ Top band member. The line of bikes parked out front almost all said Harley-Davidson on the gas tank. A band played, the beer flowed and the burgers weren’t bad, either. Live Oak Canyon Road, which continues into Trabuco Canyon Road, is a bit more twisty and requires more attention of drivers, but it’s a bit shorter than Santiago Canyon Road. It rises out of the gorge and after one, last turn, it’s back to another master-planned community. The last treat was the meandering Antonio Parkway, a typical Orange County “collector” street that runs several miles to Ortega Highway. While it’s all developed, it still has views of the mountains and a few spots that are even a bit rural. It crosses the toll road from nowhere, SR-241, which the OC folks would like to join up with I-5 at Trestles beach in San Onofre. But that’s another story. The Genesis Coupe was worthy of the great reviews it’s been getting the last couple of years. V-6 equipped, it had plenty of power when needed and a V-8 like exhaust note. Driving position and interior amenities make it a very pleasant trip. The down side is the stiff suspension, which works great on curves but manages to let the passengers know about every crack, expansion joint and pothole in the road. It’s a rough ride similar to that in my much smaller and older ’91 Miata. With the sunroof, my 6-1 frame was a bit tall and if I forgot to duck, my head would hit the ceiling when we drove over a bump. Paddle shifters allow for driver control of the six-speed automatic but I let the smooth-shifting transmission do the work for me, with the GPS telling me which turns to take and Jimmy Buffett coming through loud and clear through the Sirius-XM satellite radio. The question is not whether you’ll drive Santiago and Trabuco canyons, but when. I’d avoid any hot, Santa Ana wind event; I’d hate to be around when there’s high fire danger. Rain might also produce flash floods and a slick roadway. That only leaves about 90 percent of the year for a delightful drive through a bit of Southern California that hasn’t been lost to the bulldozers. Cruising Santiago Canyon.
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