If you road bike recreationally in San Diego County sooner or later you'll be asked if you have done the Great Western Loop yet. This 42 or so miles mountainous loop is one of the rite of passage rides amongst local cyclists. It is one of the more accessible mountain rides in the area, and very doable even for casual cyclists (though the route tends to be dominated by serious riders and racers).
I would have loved to have a partner riding with me on my first ride of the GWL, but the route is reportedly most bikes-friendly on weekdays and early in the morning (part of the route is subjected to Sycuan casino traffic... think older folks in big trailers and casino buses) and that sort of interferes with most people's work schedule.
At any rate, I got up early a few Wednesdays ago and decided to go explore it on my own. By 6:30am I was on the green line trolley heading east to El Cajon Transit Center east of the city. I had decided on making the Starbuck's coffee at Washington Plaza my official start/finish point, and do the clockwise loop. This is not the same Starbuck's that serves at the GWL meetup spot for most GWL rides, however. I chose this shop further north on Jamacha Rd because it's closer to the trolley station and to avoid traffic going east on Willow Glen past the golf course.
Starbuck's on Jamacha Rd at E Washington in El Cajon.
It was cold out! I had 4 layers of clothing on and it still took a while to warm up, riding east on E Washington Rd. A mile or so east of Jamacha Rd E Washington turns into Dehesa Rd and does a seriously curvy drop down into a valley. I imagine this bit of the road wouldn't be very pleasant to cycle on during heavy traffic hours... very narrow shoulder, precipitous drop off the right side, and lots of view to distract drivers.
Dehesa Rd drops down into Singing Hills
At the bottom of the drop the traffic light at the intersection with Willow Glen Rd doesn't recognize bicycles. If one is willing to pretend to be a pedestrian, however, there is a pedestrian crossing button at the right corner that one can push to get the light to change. I headed straight thru on Dehesa Rd, which starts out level enough before angling up on a gentle climb toward Harbison Canyon Rd turn off. Traffic was mild, and the road shoulder wide and well paved. The golf course on the right hand side used to be known as 'Singing Hills', though it had been purchased by Sycuan a few years back.
Dehesa Rd at Harbison Canyon Rd
Hanging right to continue on Dehesa Rd I soon passed the entrance to Sycuan Casino. I was lucky and traffic was surprisingly light (I had been warned by a few people about this stretch of the road and its casino traffic). After passing Sycuan casino it got even lighter, still, as the road climbs steadily ENE at near constant 5-6% grade for about 5 miles to the Tavern Rd/Japatul Rd turn off. Turning left here would take you to the rustic town of Alpine, CA.
Information post at Loveland Reservoir
Turning right onto Japatul Rd the upslope eases a bit as I rolled past Loveland Reservoir on the right side of the road. This is a favorite local fishing spot, though there was no service off the road aside from a wide unpaved parking lot and two port-a-toilets. Another layer of clothing came off, though the sparse traffic meant that there was no one around to witness my little public striptease...
The steeper bit of Japatual Rd a couple of miles before Lyons Valley Rd turn-off.
There are a couple of short shallow downhill stretches, but most of the time on Japatul Rd is spent climbing. The gradient picks up a bit past the high voltage power lines, this is the famous Japatul 'Wall'. Look out for a metal plate denoting the top of the wall on the road shoulder. When you see it, you are only 1/2 mile or so from being done with Japatul Rd.
Look for this plaque near the top of Japatul Wall.
'Le petit col du Japatul' at the junction with Lyons Valley Rd.
The right turn onto Lyons Valley Rd brings welcomed relief as the road levels out before plunging into a long, twisty and amazingly scenic downhill stretch. Crumbly rock wall lined the right side of the road, and a sheer drop with a panoramic view of the valley and mountains surrounding Barrett Lake to the left. The two lane road is quite narrow and there's no shoulder to speak of. There were enough pebbles small and big-ish on the pavement to necessitate keeping an eye on the road most of the time. This would probably be worse right after some rain. Something to keep in mind riding around here during the winter months.
As scenic Lyons Valley Road curves back east it levels out and more climbing commences. It was a bit disappointing, really. After hours of climbing I had expected the downhill stretch to last quite a bit longer. The couple of miles of climbing back up to Four Corners (the intersection with Honey Springs Rd/Skyline Truck Trail) was grinding without much interesting view to keep one motivated. The narrow road shoulder was in the process of eroding off, and the trees blocked much of the view.
Scenic Lyons Valley Rd between Four Corners and the trading post.
At Four Corners one has the choice of either continuing east on Lyons Valley Rd (scenic twisty valley view, mostly downhill but also with a few more bits of climbing) or taking a right onto Skyline Truck Trail (scenic mountain-top view, big wide shoulder to ride on, not so curvy and, after the mile or so of climbing to start with, is downhill all the way to Jamul). Being on my own with no one to worry about I took the traditional Lyons Valley Rd, partly for a snack stop at Lyons Valley Trading Post, the only general store around for miles. Located on the north side of the road about 1.5 miles east of Four Corners, it is well stocked with cold drinks and pre-packaged snacks and some grocery stuff. There is a restroom (Lyons Valley Relief Post) in the back-west side of the building.
Lyons Valley Trading Post
An acorn woodpecker attempting to quack in tune while flying
The trading post is well frequented by passing cyclists, a chorus of quacking acorn woodpeckers, some flighty blue birds and even occasional visiting red-tailed hawks. Across the road you might spot Black Jack, the valley's friendliest donkey, grazing in a green ranch. He quite enjoys petting and isn't shy about asking for any grub you may have on you, but please feed him nothing sweeter than celery (or better yet, don't feed him at all!). He's a well-nourished beast, whether he himself agrees or not!
The Lyons Valley donkey
Lyons Valley Rd soon drops into a series of s-curves and a really cool switchback which likes to blind-side cyclists not familiar with the road with a rather hideous steep climbing ramp immediately after the sweeping left curve over the ravine. The ramp isn't short enough to sprint it out on the big ring, so you really want to be ready, as you make the sweeping left turn, to shift straight to climbing gear as your momentum rapidly dies on the up-slope. The 18% ramp eases into a long gradual uphill as the road curves right and afford a rather nice view of Lyons Peak's north face (and if you look closely, the twisty paved access road that services the fire lookout towers on top of it).
The little steep climb is followed by a long false flat lined by horse ranches and orchards before kicking up to the junction with Lawson Valley Rd where you can hang a left to stay on Lyons Valley Rd or veer right to join up with Skyline Truck Trail. I stuck with Lyons Valley since both roads are now heading downhill and Lyons Valley Rd has twisty fun curves ahead to offer. If I were taking a group riding there I would descend on Skyline Truck Trail. On my own, I'm a fast descender and can just ride down the middle of the traffic lane since cars aren't going to pass me having to cope with the tight turns on their clumsy 4 wheels.
Lyons Valley Rd and Skyline Truck Trail join up again and descend into Jamul as Lyons Valley Rd. I took Jamul Rd turn off on the right side halfway down, however, and was treated to another bit of really fast descent into Steele Canyon. This descent can be rather hairy when there's a lot of cars on the road. The shoulder is really narrow and there are lots of broken glass debris.
A quick right turn onto Steele Canyon Rd and then left on Willow Glen (nicely paved and wide bike lane there!) takes you to Jamacha Rd. There is another stretch of climbing to take you back to the Starbuck's, but nothing indecently steep and there is good road shoulder (and even bike lane on some stretches) to ride on.
I'm afraid I waited too long to write this up and lost most of the photos from the trip when my hard-drive crashed last week. Luckily I made and posted a youtube video of the route earlier...
It was a good ride! The whole loop took me 3 1/2 hrs at moderate pace. The views were very enjoyable and the climbing not very taxing. There are bits along Japatul Rd that are vulnerable to flooding from mountain run-off and bits on Lyons Valley Rd that tend to get covered with pebbles from the cliff-side after a bout of rain, though, so I wouldn't recommend this ride if it rained in the mountains that morning or the day before. The valley also gets very hot during the summer months, so anyone wanting to ride it from July-November should pack extra bottles of water (remember, there's only one water stop in the mountain).
So, I wrote the previous blog post listing all the notable road cycling climbs around San Diego that serve as stepping stones (or rites of passage, if you will) to gauge where you are as a local rider, and there was one climb on the list that I hadn't managed to ride up yet. That sort of things bugs me... So a few weeks ago I decided to fix it!
39F as the bus rolls into Escondido Transit Ctr. Not ideal cycling temperature!
And, man, was my timing sucky! It seems like every time I resolve to go out riding in the mountains despite of cold weather, the weather would then decide to warm up on the very next day. It did that to me again a couple of Tuesdays ago when I somehow got myself out of bed at 3:30am in order to catch the 4:54am bus from downtown to Escondido (where I would then connect on two more buses that would take me to Harrah's casino in Rincon, my starting point for a long day on the bike). It was 39F in downtown Escondido where I spent 30 minutes jogging and jumping in place to keep from turning into a solid pillar of very colorful ice waiting for bus 388 (back then it does this counter-clockwise loop from Escondido Transit Center thru Valley Center to Pala Rd and back via I-15. This has changed since) to arrive.
I could have gone inside the roofed and walled station restroom until closer to arrival time, of course, but there is only room for 2 bicycles on the bus and there was already another bike in the line with me and I didn't want to take the chance that more bikes would turn up looking to get on the same bus while I was gone. I had 5 layers on my torso, though just a pair of bib short and two layers of leg and arm warmers. They would have worked alright riding on a bike, but just hanging around at the cold bus station I was soon chilled to the bones.
Does that look cold? It was cold riding up Hwy 76. Frost still on the ground near S6 turn-off.
The Harrah's casino bus stop in Rincon wasn't the farthest stop the bus could have taken me before I had to start cycling, but I got out there because of the 7/11 shop and its really nice restroom. Long distance cyclists like me appreciate nice, spacious & clean restrooms so much we're willing to add a couple more hilly miles to the already long route just to indulge our bottoms a bit. It had taken me three hours just to get to Rincon from San Diego by bus. I took off on the bike a few minutes after 8am and shivered my way up Valley Center Rd.
A couple of miles east (and up) on Hwy 76 two of the five layers came off, along with the skull cap and a layer of arm & leg warmers. It's amazing how much heat your body generates with a bit of exercise! Of course, the wind-jacket was put back on 4 miles later as I passed the plateau where Hwy 76 intersects with SR6, Palomar South Grade Rd, and I spotted a downhill stretch diving around the corner. What horrible thing that little downhill bit of the road was! By the time the road leveled out near La Jolla Indian Reservation and started climbing again I was shaking so much that I could hardly hold a straight line. A quick stop at Lake Henshaw Resort store at 9:40am didn't warm me up much. It was 30F outside and windless. The lake was so still it almost looked frozen over.
Lake Henshaw on a frosty morning.
I could hardly resisted lingering a bit to take it the sight. It's a beautiful lake!
Anyhow, a left turn onto Hwy 79 and soon I began to appreciate the usefulness of the rumble strip. A rumble strip is the indentation of the center line along the narrow highways so that it creates mini-bumps when a vehicle veers onto it, creating a rumble noise (and quite a bit of vibration for the vehicle). Hwy 76 had rumble strip on its center lane and gave me a good heads up that I was about to be passed by a car that's veering onto the center line to give me room as it passes. Much of Hwy 79 north of the Hwy 76 intersection doesn't have rumble strip, however, and, with wind in my ears I was taken by surprised by a few really huge vehicles that didn't sound anything until they were right next to me...
Hwy 79 thru Mataguay Reservation
Going north on Hwy 79 is almost like riding into Tolkien's Rohan, green rolling grass plain bordered in the distance by weather-making mountains. The road mowed right through a few little knolls and then surprised me with this mini twist lined by a rock formation as I passed through the Mataguay Indian Reservation.
Warner Ranch with Hot Springs Mtn in background
I turned right (east) onto San Felipe Rd right after the power sub-station just as the wind started to pick up. The road was on a gradual climb, but the wind was on my back, which helped a bit. This road is downright gorgeous! Cattle munching down endless supply of grass on both sides of the road, with gloomy looking Hot Springs Mountain hovering not very far away to the north. The sky was mostly sunny just about everywhere else except for right on top of Hot Springs Mountain. Being the tallest peak in San Diego County apparently comes with the right to make its own weather!
Montezuma Valley Rd (SR22) heading east toward Ranchita.
It was almost past 10am when I turned left onto SR22, Montezuma Valley Rd and was pleasantly surprised by... a bike lane! Not road shoulder, but bike lane, with sign posts and even white bike logo painted on the lane! My piked enthusiasm was well modulated by the next sign on the road, though. Expect strong wind for the next 17 miles up this road... Uggghhh!
Frozen Ranchita. There were even pockets of snow left on shady spots on the side of the road!
The Ranchita yeti. There's a big port-a-toilet next to the tree behind him.
The wind caution sign wasn't kidding. Just as I rolled into frost-covered Ranchita it was blowing a constant 15-20 mph with occasional gust that seemed bent on knocking me off the road. I wondered about that while stopping to admire the giant white yeti that serves as the town's landmark. If the Ranchita Country Store next door was heated, I didn't notice. I paid for another bottle of water and a Snicker bar and went back out into the freezing wind. It was almost 11am now and I really had to get going if I were to bag Montezuma Grade climb and make it back to Rincon to catch the 4pm bus 388 back into Escondido.
A curious trio of yard ornaments in Ranchita.
There really wasn't anything much in Ranchita side from the group of 3
buildings where the white yeti is (there's a museum hiding behind the
little complex, too, and a big-ish port-a-toilet). SR22 was lined with
ranches and their guard dogs. Another mile east and I passed the
Anza-Borrego Desert Park entrance sign before the road commenced its
famous 12 miles downhill drop to Borrego Springs. The Montezuma Grade
isn't nicknamed The Glass Elevator for no good reason!
A breath-taking cycling descent! Pressed for time, though, I didn't go on into Borrego Springs proper but turned right around at the bottom of the grade to start right back up the mountain. It was now 11pm and I needed to make it back to Ranchita within 2 hours or so. This is when it quite sucks to not have a car as there was no practical bus service to San Diego from this area. (There are two buses from San Diego to Borrego Springs, but they only run once a week in each direction!). There wasn't much to look at at the start, heading up the rocky mountain, but after a few S-bends the view started to open up on the far side of the road and the gradient settled into a more or less constant 6% gnaw.
This being a Tuesday I only passed one other cyclist, though a few cars blew past me up the hill from the desert. There are stretches where the uphill side of the road widened into two full lanes plus a shoulder, however. Whoever put that in, thank you!
There were a few turn off scenic overlook spots on the downhill side of the road, but I didn't dare crossing over to them for a pause. The Glass Elevator was so twisty and I was inching up it so slowly that I would likely get nailed by the next car to speed out from the next curve. Besides, it's hard going starting back up after a pause on a climb like this. I shot a few video clips on my way up the hill and finally pulled over onto one of the scenic overlooks when I got within 3 or so miles from the top.
Various views from Montezuma Grade (Hwy SR22) from Borrego Springs to Ranchita
What can I say? It's a marvelously gorgeous road! And as marvelously gorgeous roads often do, Montezuma Grade makes you pay for its view... The last two miles to its crest was some of the most painful miles I've had to cycled up. The rocky banks gave way to bare desert shrubs that gave zero protection from the bone-chilling west wind that now blows directly in my face just as the slope spiked up to a mile long stretch of 8% grade. I was reminded of Anne Mustoe's despair as she cycled against endless headwind in Kansas:
"It Homer had known about bicycles, he would have devised another punishment for the souls of the damned in Hades - cycling for all eternity under a blazing sun along a straight, treeless road into the teeth of a hot, wild wind. I never doubted that I should make the crossing, but why did it have to be so hard?"
- Anne Mustoe, A Bike Ride.
I was up and over the crest in Ranchita at bit past one, and roughly 35 miles laid between me and the bus ride home... Thirty five miles that had taken me a bit over 3 hours to cover on my way out. I had a gusting headwind to contend with for the next 10 miles or so, and it was now past 1pm. To heck with a rest stop at Ranchita, I needed to haul butt!
Can you spot the Palomar Observatory on the saddle-back of Palomar Mountain?
Luckily, I didn't quite realize that most of the way back was now downhill. Quite sooner than I thought I was back under the shadow of Palomar Mountain again, the white dome of its observatory gleaming in the afternoon sun.
After a quick stop to pick up a bottle of 7Up from the Lake Henshaw Resort store, I took off sprinting down Hwy 76 again. It was a bit past two now and there was a one and a half mile stretch of climbing left to do before the hair-raising downhill from South Grade Rd turn off down to Rincon and the bus. I could really hate Palomar Mountain for being in the way anytime I need to ride east from Valley Center in search for awesome country view, but the top of that big chunk of earth had grabbed hold of a low cloud and was in the process of covering itself with another coat of snow. The sight of that was so mesmerizing that I decided to forgive it its location and rode on down into Valley Center, arriving with just 10 minutes to spare before the next bus pulled up... happily with an empty bike rack on its front.
It was another 3 1/2 hrs before I could wearily wheel my bike into my room, wobbled into the shower before dropping into the relatively warm bed, however. I like living without a car most of the time, but the long bus commute to get to big sky biking country really isn't a loveable thing.
Every town has its own set of testy hills that serve as 'rite of passage' hills for its budding local cyclists, I think. Here in San Diego, there are all sorts of hills to challenge all sorts of pedal pushers on two wheels. Here are my short list of San Diego hills to test myself on, arranged by degree of unpleasantness (from 'beginning to be rather unpleasant' to 'profanely nasty lungs/quads buster'):
Juan St in Old Town: a steep affair with cracky pavement and lots of parallel parked cars.
1. Juan Street in Old Town: This naughty bit of road running along the north end of Old Town State Park is pretty well known even to non-cyclists because of its location. It's lined by Bazaar del Mundo, the Mormon Battalion, Heritage Park (where all those gorgeous Victorian Era houses are), and, of course, Old Town and its tasty Mexican restaurants. The climb is from the intersection with Haney St (where Mormon Battalion & Heritage Park are) to the intersection with Sunset Blvd. It's a short ascent at just less than 1/2 mile, though still a testy work out with averages grade of 9%. There is a faux flat about 4/5 of the way up, however, so the actual grade of that first rising block is closer to 11%.
As of January 2019, the previously cracky concrete road surface has been nicely repaved, but the road is still narrow from parallel parking. Juan St can be a very busy road during the weekends or when there's a festival going on in Old Town, so avoid it on such occasions.
Torrey Pines 'outside' and 'inside'. You can see the difference in gradients, I think.
2. Torrey Pines Service Road (Torrey Pines 'Inside'): Most San Diegans are familiar with the hilly stretch of N Torrey Pines Rd from Torrey Pines State Beach to Torrey Pines Golf Course. That bit of road is known to local cyclists as 'Torrey Pines - Outside', and it is a good little climb of steady 5% grade for 1.5 miles.
The park service road (Torrey Pines 'inside') that winds up the hill to the ocean-side of N Torrey Pines Rd, is quite less friendly to weary legs. From the park entrance to the lookout just before Torrey Pines Lodge (where park HQ is) it climbs at 8% grade for about .8 mile. Pavement is pretty bumpy with always quite a bit of sand and debris on the road. Traffic is much lighter, though, as people tend to park their cars at the lot at the bottom of the hill and then hike up the road to the park's many trail heads. This is a favorite hill-training climb for many. It's more advisable to climb up TP inside, then coast down TP outside... though crossing N Torrey Pines Rd at the bottom of the hill can be dicey at times (there's a traffic light controlled intersection at the top of the hill for easy crossing). Aside from offering a good hill work out, TP inside is blessed with many scenic rest spots for the more casual cyclists to pull over and enjoy some bird's eye views of the area.
There is no downhill biking allowed on Torrey Pines Inside, courtesy of some bone-headed idiots on bike that kept bombing down that thing and putting hikers and other road users at risk. The park countered that by outlawing northbound (downhill) biking on that road, so now everyone has to ride down the trafficky N Torrey Pines Rd and play dodgeball with cars crossing the street back into the park at the bottom instead.
Don't forget to visit Torrey Pines Lodge when you get to the top. It's hiding behind the parking lot on the inland side of the road and has lots of interesting displays about the state park.
Cabrillo Rd (Tidepool hill) on a really clear day.
3. Cabrillo Road 'Tidepool' Hill: Another favorite 'hill-training/hill-repeats' site for San Diegan cyclists, the scenic stretch of Cabrillo Rd from just beyond Cabrillo National Park entrance shack down to the new Pt Loma Lighthouse (and on to the famous tidepools) is just a tad short of a mile long, though it can be a punishing mile at near constant 8% grade that doesn't let up until you get to the top. To get to it you must enter Cabrillo National Park, however, and that carries a $10 entry fee per bicycle (the pass is good for 7 consecutive days with unlimited entry)... or you can buy the Cabrillo Park pass for $35 that allows you unlimited entries for a year. See more info at https://www.nps.gov/cabr/planyourvisit/fees.htm
Lemon St at Alto Dr, crest of the first steep pitch on the road.
4. Lemon St - Mt Helix Dr up Mt Helix in La Mesa/Casa de Oro area: This is a good hill climb not very far from the city. Heading east on Lemon Street in La Mesa, the road starts on a gradual climb from the intersection with Bancroft St, getting steeper and steeper as it approaches the intersection with Alto Dr. A little downhill/faux flat stretch before another vicious kick up to the curve overlooking Lake Helix. Yet another downhill/faux flat before a short but stingy kick to the intersection with Fuerte Rd. Two short right turns, and you are on a straight and steady uphill grind on Mt Helix Dr. A kick that is best sprinted/punched thru at the right turn corner onto the first ring up the mountain, and the road eases up a bit as the view opens up on the right side of the road. From then on the average grade is only around 6-7%, easing off toward the top. The total climb is roughly 2.5 miles. It's a good work out, but not a vicious one since the steep ramps are followed by a good flat/downhill bit for you to catch your breath before resuming. And the view from the top at the wonderful stone nature theater is worth every bit of the sufferings, imho.
If you try this hill for the first time, though, I suggest going at relax pace to sight-see your way to the top so you don't miss the rotating house, the tree stumps zoo, and other wonderful sights visible from this scenic hill.
Texas St from Mission Valley to University Heights.
5. Texas St: The .7 mile stretch of Texas St from Mission Valley
to the uptown community of University Heights is an intimidating local
climb. The average grade from bottom to top is about 10%, with maximum
gradient of 15% for a short bit just north of the Adams Avenue bridge.
Once an intimidatingly trafficky climb and descent, Texas St is much safer now that the uphill side bike lane was repaved and widened to include a buffer zone for much of the climb.
Descending it is still a anxious experience, however. The downhill bike
lane is narrow and well littered with broken glass and other
puncture-friendly debris. It is also often obstructed by protruding
branches from roadside bushes. There is a traffic light at the bottom of
the steep descent, and freeway merges are just beyond it. Still, as a
one off climb, Texas St is a favorite final hill for many super fit
local racers to climb up the uptown mesa on at the end of their ride.
Nautilus St at Fay Ave bike path
6. Mt Soledad by Nautilus St: When someone tells you that s/he has cycled up Mt Soledad, s/he really hasn't told you much. There are many roads going up that hill, and one doesn't have to be very fit to go all the way to its top on long and gentle routes like Soledad Mountain Rd, Soledad Rd, or Cardeno Dr. Riding up Mt Soledad from its west side by way of Nautilus St, however, is a fit step above the afore mentioned southern routes. From the first kick at the bottom of the hill (around the intersection with Draper St) thru La Jolla Scenic Dr to Mt Soledad Memorial is about 1.7 miles at pretty consistent 6% grade. A hill that separates beginners from the vets!
Honey Springs Rd in Jamul.
7. Honey Springs Road in Jamul: This unrelenting 7 miles long 5% grade road is San Diego County's quintessential category 2 mountain climb with a lot of good view to miss as you suffer up its slope. This is one of the few favorite climbs the local pros train on both for a long grinding speed ascent and for a good gently curvy descent. The pavement is mostly good with a few cracks on the tarmac and some shallow potholes. Not a lot of road shoulder - none at all during the s-curves section about 1/2 way up the climb, but then traffic is usually pretty light. Once you see Jacob's red barn on the right side you're only a bit over a mile from the top (at Barber Mountain Rd junction). Just after the red barn there's a local firehouse that has a bench and a water faucet outside of its east wall that you can use to refill your bottles. That's the only water stop on the road.
Via Capri route up Mt Soledad
8. Mt Soledad by Hidden Valley - Via Capri Rd: There are many roads heading up Mt Soledad, that big hill that separate the ritzy village of La Jolla from much lower keyed Mission Bay, but the most notorious of them all has to be the mile long climb up Hidden Valley & Via Capri Rds from its north side.
Starting up Hidden Valley Rd from Torrey Pines Rd is a mellow and pleasantly curvy affair through rows of perfectly landscaped houses. Then the road does a serious kick up to the T intersection with Via Capri Dr. Watch out for traffic and time it so you don't have to stop in the middle of this right-turning 14% grade bit! After a block it eases off to around 8% and really doesn't drop off much from that at all all the way to the end. There are a couple more 13% grade ramps before the top, keeping the average gradient at 10% for the mile long climb... What can I say? It's short, but it's really gnarly and you have to be really really fit to make it all the way up without having to stop along the way.
As much as I like riding up steepies, though, Via Capri is not one of my favorite due to the amount of traffic it carries along with the parallel-parked cars that push bikes into the line of fire at its' upper 14% grade ramps. If you really want to torture yourself in peace (and not in pieces), I'd suggest a lesser known, but even gorier ascent via Country Club Dr - Romero - Brodicaea - Encelia - Upper Hillside. At 11% average grade, it is a brutal climb with only two short mellow rest spots. Upper Hillside Dr is gated off; however, though there is a way through to pick up Via Casa Alta, another steep stretch of climbing to the radio towers and the true top of Soledad Mountain. Because this route is 'through' only for pedestrians and bicycles (cars can't get past the gates), it sees very little automobile traffic.
Yes, yes, one of these days I'll go back and take a proper shot of Cole Grade Rd...
9. Cole Grade Road (from the north side) in Pauma Valley: It makes a huge difference from which direction you climb this L-shaped road connecting Escondido to Pauma Valley. The really gnarly way is to come at it from the north (from Pauma Valley to Escondido)... preferably after having shot out both of your quads riding up that hill listed #11 on this list. But even if you get to the base of this 2 miles long at 9% grade climb with a fresh pair of legs, it is still a gnarly thoroughfare to fare through without an engine on your bike. Thankfully the road is moderately bendy, which allows you the mental trick of trying to repeatedly lie to yourself that you'll pause for a break when you've cleared this next curve up in front... until you finally heave yourself and your hard working bike over its crest. The good part is that traffic-wise Cole Grade Rd is a much more pleasant thing to ride on coming and going between Pauma Valley/Palomar and Escondido/Valley Center than Valley Center Rd is... At least for me, anyhow, I'd rather drop dead from heart attack while snailing my way up this hideous slope than getting flattened by speeding motorists zooming up and down the nearly shoulder-free stretches of Valley Center Rd.
10. Montezuma Valley Road (SR22) AKA 'Montezuma Grade': The Glass Elevator is a spectacular climb and an even more thrilling descent, and is one of the very few category 1 climbs in the county. Being on the east side of the mountains northeast of Julian without much public transportation access, it's a bit out of the way for car-less me. I only go out that way once or twice a year, and only in the cooler winter/early spring months. Immediately upon leaving Borrego Springs the SR22 jumps into a near constant 6% grade climb up many S-curves for 10 miles as it winds its way from the desert floor to the snowman of Ranchita. Watch the video above and you'll know why this is such a prized stretch of pavement for us bikers!
South Grade Rd up Palomar Mtn.
11. Palomar South Grade Road (S-6): Actually, this climb starts on Hwy 76 at the intersection with Valley Center Rd. Look for Jilberto's Mexican restaurant on the north side of the road. It marks the official start point of this grueling 12 miles long climb. The first 6 miles of it on Hwy 76 is a constant grind at 6% grade until a short level-off just before the S6 turn off. Taking a left onto South Grade Rd (S6), if you are low on water, the only water stop on this slope is at the Oak Knolls Campground on the left side of the road (there is a little shop with cold drinks and even ice-creams!). From then on, though, it's an endlessly wiggly 7% grade climb that really doesn't vary more than 1% gradient point either way all the way to the top. In the warm/hot months between May and November, this slope is plagued with swarms of face-eating flies that love to confuse the salty sweat on your face with nectar or something actually savory. I'd make sure I have 2 bottles of water and 1 bottle of electrolyte drink when I go up this thing. One of the water bottle is used exclusively to splash sweat off my face to get rid of the flies... As bad as the climb and the heat can get, the flies are really the worst... They know you can't sprint off on so grinding a slope, and taking a hand off to brush them away really doesn't help with your suffering. Water splashing works great for me... though it does wash the sunscreen off and I almost always get a bit sunburned on this ride.
Nate Harrison Grade Rd up Palomar Mtn.
12. Nate Harrison Grade Road: This lesser known route is probably the steepest and most scenic route up Mt Palomar, with the caveat that it is only partly paved. Most of the road is dirt/gravel of various degrees of wheel-skidding looseness. I climbed this thing just yesterday on my road bike (with 700x25 Continental Gatorskin road tires). It is quite doable on a roadie but very painful so I would recommend going up it on a mountain bike instead. After 2 miles of paved road through orange orchards the road narrows to just 1 lane (don't know what happens if two cars have to pass each other going opposite way on the narrow parts of this road. There is just not enough room!) of firm dirt with a thin layer of fine loose gravel on top. After a mile or two the loose gravel became more coarse and a skid-fest for road bike tires. That the slope is nearly constant between 7-8% grade the whole way doesn't help.
Wiggly Nate Harrison Grade Rd
There is one faux flat right around the middle of the climb, but it is offset by 3 or 4 steep ramps that are as steep as 13%. Such gradient wouldn't be a problem on a firm road, but on loose gravel with the rear tire skidding under you, it is most disconcerting (especially since you tend to slide to the low side of the road, making it hard to stay on the line you want to ride on). There is a mile or so of old broken tarmac bit half way thru, but it ended into more gravel and rocky stretches (hard to see a good line because of tree shadows). The top mile or so of the road is paved, however, and there are many good scenic spots along the way. If you climb this thing in winter, beware that this road isn't really maintained, so there may be frozen snow on the road once you've passed 4500ft elevation or so. I wouldn't go down this road on a road bike, but mountain bikes should do okay. Just brake well before you need to and don't go speeding thru blind corners (there are many of those on this thing. It's just as wiggly as South Grade Rd.... or more).
Apologies for being such a negligent blogger of late! The cooler weather means much more pleasant riding condition in the mountains east of San Diego. I've been spending much of my free time stalking hawks and other cool wild animals out of the city... and when I get back to town I'm too wasted to sit down and write a proper blog entry. Getting a bicycle was really the best thing I did for myself in 2012. I picked up a used mountain bike from a pawn shop nearby in February, mostly for transportation purpose. It was a Giant mountain bike with front suspension. Had to put two new (and well slimed) tires in along with new brake pads. The rear cassette's small cogs were rather worn, so I couldn't use the speedier gears, but I wasn't bent on going fast anyhow, so that stayed in (I just needed the low climbing gears to get myself up the city's many mesas). It was fun discovering bike-friendly routes to get to familiar places around the city, and even making forays to farther away places like La Jolla or Torrey Pines or even Mission Trails on occasions on that heavy steel bike.
My old Giant Yukon mtn bike on OB bike path near Hotel Circle
I went from just walking around my immediate neighborhood and catching the buses/trolley to other cooler places once or twice a month, fitting as many destinations and chores in as possible to the bus/trolley travel days... to regularly making the 20 miles round trips to Ocean Beach or Cabrillo Monument to sight see, and being able to spread out my grocery shopping, post office, library, and other chore runs on different days rather than having to jam them all in on the few days that I buy the bus/trolley day pass on. Then I upgraded to a light aluminum road bike in May...
The new Giant Defy road bike at Torrey Pines Gliderport
That was when my world sort of exploded... in a very good way! With the road bike I could range all the way to Escondido or even Oceanside and back in a day. An 80 mile bike ride isn't all that unusual now, and after 7 months I'm still having a blast discovering more awesome cycling routes around San Diego County (county rather than city!). I even survived a brutally long, hilly and hot organized high speed group ride, the Giro di San Diego Gran Fondo from Solana Beach to Palomar Mtn in September. Alas, I didn't quite survive an even higher speed group ride just a week later when one of the tracksters I was pace-lining with went down on the descent from Cabrillo and ignited a chain reaction group crash. Luckily everyone escaped without serious injury (and so did all the bicycles)... Yours truly now sports an inch long scar on the mug, however. A good reminder to listen to my misgivings next time around and drop out when a group I ride with starts to push for too much speed on too narrow a road. Anyhow! It's been a great year on the bike. I made a lot of cool new friends and learned a lot of things about myself... and this amazingly beautiful and varied city I live in. Here's a compilation video of a few of my favorite cycling hang outs in San Diego County so far. Looking forward to discovering more new haunts next year.
Wishing you all a very healthy and happy 2013! Ride safe (for both you and others) and have a blast!
Winter is just about here. I'm sure the weather is less cycling-friendly elsewhere than here on the Southern California coast, though even we blessed San Diegans must check weather forecast before riding east toward the mountains this time of year.
Fashion Valley Transit Center on a foggy morning.
It was foggy out as I waited for the green line trolley to whisk me out to Santee from my Uptown abode for my leisurely ride to El Capitan Reservoir east of El Cajon. I had checked the live webcams of all the areas along my route before I left the house, though. They, along with the weather report, looked promising for clearer sky an hour or two down the road.
Mimi's Cafe front room.
If anyone wants to organize a group ride out of Santee area, Mimi's Cafe at Santee Towne Centre is an excellent venue to meet up. There's lots of parking. The facility is easy to find and has really nice and cozy waiting area. And positively the best restroom for miles!
After indulging in a huge muffin and excellent hot cocoa at Mimi's I
rolled out and headed east toward Lakeside. Traffic was nice and light on El Nopal, so a lone cyclist was something worth goggling at, even for a pair of bored ostriches...
It was a morning of many curious animal encounters. I was rolling through placid Lido Lake when I spotted this modern day dogs-drawn chariot out on a morning exercise along the lake path...
An even more pleasant sight (for perpetually hungry cyclists like me). Persimmons are in season, and many houses around the area are running a surplus, so they leave out baskets of the fruits on their front porch along with price and a little jar for purchasers to put their money in. Good old fashion honor system. I lose a dollar bill and added four plump Hachiya persimmons into my backpack. These Hachiya persimmons aren't as ready for eating like the wonderful Fuyu persimmons are, unfortunately. I wish someone had told me that before I bit into the thing, bitter skin and all.
El Monte Rd with El Cajon (El Capitan) Mtn in the background.
But, I was out for a scenic ride rather than for sweet street-side fruits! There was plenty of the former to see along El Monte Rd east of Lake Jennings. The imposing mountain with the big rocky face is actually El Cajon Mountain, though the locals call it 'El Capitan' due to its resemblance to that famous wall of granite in Yosemite Park many many miles to the north of the state. The only road in and out of it, El Monte Rd, runs along the San Diego River gorge, and so is much gentler than one would expect, riding east into the mountain range. As it winds its way toward the park, El Monte never climb enough to make you suspect that you are actually riding uphill... that is until you pass the park gate and start the 1/2 mile climb toward the dam.
The pitch to the dam is spiky at around 6-8% grade, but it is too short to create much discomfort. Once past the dam, it becomes level again and exceedingly twisty and narrow with really lamentable pavement quality (I suspect the park leaves it that way to discourage boat-towing trucks from speeding. Come to think of it, boat-towing trucks are things you should be on the look out for when you cycle on El Monte Rd. Expect the car that is passing you to be a lot longer than the usual cars on the street!). The El Capitan Reservoir entry fee for cars is pretty steep ($8), but bikes go in for free, thank you very much! And the view?
Oh yes... Well worth the miles and even the bitter bite of the Hachiya persimmon... By the way, if you want to visit, El Capitan Reservoir is currently on winter schedule and is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
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And the view?