2010 Rallies & Events
Deer Lodge
Ojai, CA
Story and Photos by Eric Bass
The Deer Lodge claims to be, “World Famous since 1932”, and while the world is a pretty big place, and 1932 predates my birth by 35 years, I’ll vouch for its renown amongst Sunday riders of the serpentine and scenic Route 33. Located in Ojai, CA just north of Los Angeles and south of Santa Barbara, the Deer Lodge is a mandatory pit stop before heading home after a cruise up the 33, a road which originates in Ojai but runs several hundred miles upstate if you’ve got the time.
If it were me doing the naming, I probably would have vetoed “The Deer Lodge” in favor of “The Taxidermy Taj Mahal”. Don’t get me wrong, this roadhouse is all about rustic and cozy chilled-back charm. But if you’re creeped out by the thought of a room full of dead varmints watching you eat other dead varmints, then you’re gonna want to take your pulled pork sandwich outside to the patio. Everything from antelope to ostriches line the walls, and I wouldn’t be surprised if many of them had their obituary posted on the menu at one time. On my last visit, I feasted down on a garlicky wild boar sausage sandwich, and the menu boasts a zoo full of oak BBQed delicacies including venison, quail, antelope, rabbit, kangaroo, alligator, ostrich, buffalo, and frog’s legs, as well as the more traditional chicken, cow, pig, and fish.
Of course there’s a fully stocked drinking hole, and the barmaids all know how to make the beer taste even better with an eyeful of cowgirl chaser. If you’re not a Budweiser kind of guy, the chiller sports a nice selection of microbrews like Arrogant Bastard, Fat Tire, and Humboldt Hemp, and the wild hog wine connoisseur will find plenty of choices beyond red or white.
If you’re too smart to drink and ride, don’t worry, you won’t need alcohol to get your jolly vibe on. The Deer Lodge attracts a real friendly crowd. Last time I rode up there, no sooner had I begun my inspection of a 1950 pan then lo and behold the guy who’s owned it for 30 years strolls right up with a big smile and starts telling me all about its history. Later on a fella who saw me pull in tracked me down at the bar just to chat about the bike I was riding. Nobody was disrespecting the neighbors by gunning their engines or doing burnouts, and while plenty of patrons had carefully groomed themselves to look like a bad ass, none of them were fool enough to ruin everybody’s good time trying to act like one. For chrissakes, Bob Marley was even singing, “One Love” on the sound system!
Speaking of which, there’s live music on a regular basis ranging from bluegrass, to classic rock, to reggae, so if you’re in the dancing mood, grab a gal and go for it. If not, the lineup of bikes overflowing the parking lot and stretching down the road is plenty entertaining by itself. For any Los Angelenos burnt out on cruising the canyons to the Rock Store every Sunday, I highly recommend a quick zip up the coast to Route 33 and the Deer Lodge to shake up your routine. If you don’t hail from these parts, you can even stay at the on-site Rolling Thunder Ranch with room for your whole crew. The place is plushed out to the hilt, but you’ll have to bring your own cowgirl… or forage for one at the Deer Lodge. Who knows, if you’re really desperate for companionship they might even let you borrow a stuffed sheep off of one of the walls!
The World Famous Deer Lodge is located at:
2261 Maricopa Highway
Ojai, CA 93023
Restaurant & Reservations Line: 805.646.4256
www.ojaideerlodge.net
DIRECTIONS
From Santa Barbara – Take the 101 South to the 33 North to Ojai. Travel approximately 13 miles then take a left on Maricopa Highway. We are two miles up on the left hand side. 2261 Maricopa Highway
From Los Angeles – Take the 101 North to the 33 North to Ojai. Travel approximately 13 miles then take a left on Maricopa Highway. We are two miles up on the left hand side.