15 Comments:

• Does anyone remember Saddleback Park? It was a motorcycle off-road park in the foothills outside Orange off Santiago Canyon Rd. Right next to Irvine Park. My mom used to drop me and my freind off there with our motorcycles every Saturday.

  By  Anonymous, at October 26, 2007 10:41 AM  

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• I remember getting my first motorcycle when I was 15, in 1970. We would get my friends dad to take us up there for the day. I still ride dirt bikes, and I'm 51!

  By  David, at October 26, 2007 10:41 AM  

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• I remember Saddleback Park, although this article says that the 241 now runs through the park, which isn't exactly true. The 241 runs southwest of where the park was. You can still see some of the old track on Google Earth at lat=33.7723352636, lon=-117.738940654.
  
  Does anyone remember Escape Country, another motorcycle park that used to be where Robinson Ranch is now?

  By  Steve, at October 26, 2007 4:14 PM  

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• the labor day classic was great the track to tough to tame this track would beat the crap out of you if you werent in shape for it the memories will last forever ken mcLellan, torrance, ca k87

  By  Anonymous, at January 12, 2008 5:33 PM  

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• I just Googled it and came up with your blog. Saddleback was awesome. Back in the day it Saddleback, Barstow to Vegas' Hare and Hound, Hangtown up North and CycleNews. I lived in Irvine (unincorporated) at the time and it was Surfing or motocross. Live up North now in the Sierra Nevada foothills. SoCal was great then. Kind of a really nice cage now what with Rancho Santa Margarita, Coto deCaza etc.etc

  By  Anonymous, at January 23, 2008 4:06 PM  

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• i used to ride/race saddleback, escape country, carlsbad, de anza, rawhide, corona, o.c.i.r. ect. wed camp at escape country the night before, 1n 1968 at age 9, jim robinson, would ride up early in the morning, take me out for a open the race track and ranch tour, at night, hed come back over and hang out for the camp fire, the owner was a very nice guy. when i was 6, my older brother would take me to the market parking lot at monarch bay plaza, we'd ride from the beach, east all the way the the site of the 2 lane 5 freeway, later they had a private security group, called the rat patrol , to control the increasing riders, laguna niguel, aliso viejo, were all non exsistant, those were some great trails, moving from newport, i now reside at cajon summit, with 100 miles of riding north of me, i still enjoy those memories, want to go riding? joe jones

  By  Anonymous, at February 27, 2008 6:31 AM  

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• while on a family vacation as a kid i talked my parents into letting me { and my brother } rent kawasaki 125's at the park and go riding for an hour.i don't remember the cost, but as a kid growing up in cleveland oh this was a highlight of my young life. i will never forget saddleback park. {i still have my bumper sticker! }

  By  Anonymous, at April 02, 2008 12:05 PM  

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• We used to sneak into Saddleback park from Irvine Park when we ditched high school (Orange High School 1976/1977) to go riding.
  
  I had a Suzuki TM400, my friend had a Suzuki TM125, another friend had a Yamaha DT250 and another friend had a IT175.

  By  Anonymous, at April 17, 2008 4:40 PM  

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• I used to go to Saddleback almost every weekend with my family..125 pro Kenny Donelson and 250 pro Danny Klein..we had some great times there..wow those were the days..

  By  Anonymous, at April 17, 2008 8:32 PM  

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• In the early 1970's I saw a movie called "On any Sunday". After seeing it I just had to pack up my motorcycles and drive from Ohio to Southern California to see all those wonderful places to ride. I ended up going to Saddleback for a day while I was out looking for Malcom Smith's place. I also rode the desert course used for the Barstow to Vegas race.
  
  I can never forget that trip. Watching all the great riders at Saddleback inspired me to go back to Ohio and begin racing off road. I even ended up owning a motorcycle shop for a few years. I sold Bultacos and Hodakas, big names for dirt bikes back in the day.
  
  On my fridge there is a picture of me doing a wheelie at Saddleback. My wife loves it as it captures a moment in my youth of pure fun and excitement. I miss Saddleback, it introduced me to a wonderful time in my life.

  By  Anonymous, at April 18, 2008 9:58 PM  

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• I remember going there to ride on a week day in 83 and had the chance to get smoked by Broc Glover, Goat Breker, Jeff Ward and Tommy Benoklen. I loved living down there before all the people moved in.

  By  Anonymous, at June 05, 2008 3:38 PM  

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• Man o Man! These notes bring back wonderful memories of some of the best years of my life. Thanks guys for sharing!
  I'm probably one of the only women writing in, but I grew up riding there and still live about a mile or so (as the crow flys) from where Saddleback was. I was there every weekend with my dad and rented a Kawasaki 90. In 1976, my dad bought me my own Kaw 90 and I still have it to this day. I still ride a lot (now a CRF450), but will always miss Saddleback & its trails and tracks and hill climbs. On Any Sunday was my movie too. Bob Hurricane Hannah was my idol and the Superbowl of Motocross at the Coliseum was the ticket to heaven.
  A previous post from STEVE stated that the 241 does not go through part of Saddleback Park, but YES IT DOES - the 241 runs just South of the Soap Box Derby track (which is still there) and basically where the TT track was.
  Oh, and by the way, Steve at Motowest Sportcycles in Anaheim HAS THE ORIGINAL SADDLEBACK PARK ENTRANCE SIGN. It is a bit cracked, but how cool is that! It is hanging up in his business. Drop by and check it out.
  Thanks guys, I can never reminisce enough with people who remember that place as I do. I love hearing about the stories!
  
  BonnieDoll99@aol.com

  By  Bonnie Boone, Cowen Heights, CA, at July 11, 2008 10:10 AM  

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• Saddleback was great!Remember the Widow Maker?I spent every Sunday there.I could'nt get enough.Escape Country was great too,although I broke my leg there in 1978 on my Can-Am 250.
  Will someone re-open Saddleback Park for us "old timers" who used to ride there!
  Im glad I was part of the sport when there were 2 strokes,places to ride and most of the riders were just normal dudes,not wanna be thugs and full blown knuckleheads.

  By  Anonymous, at July 24, 2008 3:11 PM  

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• Thanks for the great stories.Is the park still accessible ? It would be cool just to walk around and check it out. Pick up this months Motocross Action there's a big article on Saddleback park and some great pics ! Scott O'grady

  By  Scott, at August 05, 2008 10:00 PM  

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• The park is still intact and partly visible from the road but there's a police sub-station across the bridge and they dont want anybody up there.You would have to park down the road a ways and hike up there.I have often wanted to do that for old times sake.

  By  Anonymous, at August 07, 2008 12:59 PM  

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