Great Rides in San Diego, California
Here are some of the great rides in Western San Diego County,
approximately in order of my personal preference if each were
equally distant to my starting point. NOTE: All these rides
can be fiercely hot, especially in the summer.
Take water, drink water. Hydrate to live.
To the best of my knowledge, all these rides permit (and most
actually seem to encourage) mountain bikers, as of summer, 1998):
- Lake Poway/Mt Woodson Trail (Poway. One of the best climbs in the county, and
a great 360 degree view at the top!)
- Lake Hodges (Rancho Santa Fe/Escondido. This can be an easy
ride, but last time we rode there, we discovered a terrific hill
to climb as well. There's a 360 degree view and logbook to sign
at the top. It's definitely a technical, hard hill --
Sharon broke her leg on the way down (June 7th, 1998)! She twisted
her ankle when she fell into a rut down the middle of the trail
and fractured her fibula at the ankle. Don't worry -- her bike's okay.
Mine, on the other hand, died that day, before the ride.
The frame was subjected to an unusual force while preparing it for
transport, which caused a stress crack.
I'll write about it later, when I'm over the immediate grief.)
- Mt. Israel (Elfin Forest, San Marcos)
- Daley Ranch (Escondido. Super-friendly to bikers, and it has a
watering hole in the middle of the park (by the ranch house.) Don't
take the paved road -- take the trail to the right at the main
staging area (near Dixon Lake).
- Sycamore Canyon (Poway or Lakeside. The ridge road starting from
the entrance off Route 67 is incredibly rocky and thus, both tiring and
technical. Wear good elbow and knee pads (not to mention a chest
protector!) for this one!)
- Mission Trails (Santee. Gets especially hot for some reason. Bring
even more water than usual, and drink lots of water well before the ride.)
- A number of canyons near La Jolla (Pensaquitos, San Clemente, Rose,
Tecolote, and Marion Bear Memorial Park.)
- Calaveras (Carlsbad)
- Balboa Park (San Diego. There is a small amount of singletrack on the
Eastern edge.)
Recommended reading:
- Anything by the late Jerry Schad, such as Afoot and Afield
in San Diego, will prove useful.
- Also, try San Diego Mountain
Bike by Daniel Greenstadt, which has all the rides shown in the list
above, and many others. Good, informative maps, and it is extremely
well indexed (what a rarity that is these days!).
Greenstadt's book contains lots of references to
other useful resources -- even to competitor's books! His book is a
class act and Highly Recommended.
| Our software is hand-crafted in the U.S.A. |
First posted MCMXCVI; Last modified MMXIX
Webmaster: Ace Hoffman
Copyright (c) Ace Hoffman
|
|
Mountain Biker's Staging Area
