Struck oil on this Ojai/Ventura gravel route!

I was staying in Ventura for a few days and brought my Black Mountain Cycles Mod Zero with me to do some mixed terrain exploring. Several friends suggested going up to Ojai for the classic Sulphur Mountain loop. Instead of starting in Ojai, I just started at my hotel near the Ventura pier, since there’s a chill bike path you can take nearly the whole way from Ventura to Ojai.

Climbing the gravel section of Sulphur Mtn was pretty mellow in terms of grade and terrain, but the midday heat can be brutal. It felt pretty remote, and there are some epic views up there! I even got to see some oil oozing out of the ground! The paved descent was fast and smooth with some really fun corners. Ojai has great food options (Ojai Rotie – see pic) for a post or mid-ride meal. Most of the route was car-free too, which made this a blissful experience. I’d love to come back and see what else the area has to offer, but this was an incredible introduction!