Revved up for the Crest

GLENDALE — About 200 motorcyclists on Sunday participated in the first of what organizers said would be an annual ride to benefit the restoration of Angeles Crest Highway.

Motorcyclists had to pay a $40 fee to join the ride, which began at Pro Italia Motorcycles in Glendale and ended at Newcomb’s Ranch in La Cañada Flintridge.

The fees went to pay for replanting trees along the highway, said California Highway Patrol Officer Ming Yang Hsu, who’s based at the Altadena Station.

The mountainous highway has been closed since the Station fire, which caused serious damage to the road’s infrastructure, a problem that was compounded when winter rains sent rockslides and mudflows onto the pavement.

The law enforcement agency also partnered with the event’s organizers to ensure the safety of bike riders, he said.

Officers used the ride as an opportunity to talk about motorcycle safety, Hsu said.

The agency conducted an enforcement sting where he said they issued several citations and warnings to riders who either weren’t following rules of the road or wearing proper gear.

“It was about educating the motorcyclists,” Hsu said. “We wanted them to remember that it is difficult for motorists to see them.”

Following the ride event, two motorcycle collisions occurred on the highway, he said.

One rider was taken to Verdugo Hills Hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries, Hsu said. The other riders were not injured, he added.