Southern California - Biking on Elfin Forest Rd?

I tried this route yesterday and it is quite scenic. Easily one of the best in California, I must say.

However, going back westbound seems to be substantially more strenuous. What are your opinions / anecdotes for this route?

I think westbound is easier until the right turn before the fire station.

riding west into the usual wind from the coast, just might have something to do with it

It's that 6.5% grade adding a little spice to the climb to the Firehouse GP mentioned.
It is beautiful back there. The tree canopy effect, the little stream, the canyon.....super riding area. Traffic is usually pretty light AND the road was repaved last year and in great condition.

That is indeed a decent little road, and Twin Oaks Parkway has removed much of the traffic that used to clog it on weekday rush hour. As part of the San Elijo development, they recently repaved a good stretch of it, so it's a lot smoother than it was two years ago--there's even a nice shoulder. I read somewhere that Elfin Forest used to have a cheesy little amusement park back along that road that didn't quite attain Disneydom. When you're going East, about a half mile after the fire station where Elfin Forest road curves and changes to Harmony Grove Road, on the right side of the road there are some brick pillars and a weed-overgrown parking lot there.
A few hundred yards after that, there is a right turn to a closed road. There is an unmanned barrier there, but if you go around that, it will take you up some STEEP freakin' hills. There's a beautiful new dam back there; and if you continue East after the dam, it will take you up more crazy-steep (talkin' mountain-bike steep) climbing on a narrow (but smooth & deserted) asphalt trail called Via Ambiente. You'll have to jump another barrier or two, but it will eventually take you to that hoity-toity new neighborhood up the hill from Del Dios Highway! Multi-million dollar views. I rode all the way through to Del Dios a few weeks ago, but there was a gate & guardhouse, and I got lucky because just as the guard was coming out, a car came and opened the gate for me to escape.

Back on Elfin Forest: The chicken poo of the egg ranch used to stink to high-heaven every summer, but they must've scaled down the operation because it's not so strong anymore. If you turn left there onto Country Club Lane, it's a nice little shortcut to Nordahl. But if you go straight, you'll eventually get to the unfinished Citricado Parway, which is where the new Stone Brewery & restaurant is. :thumb:

Anecdote: There are a bunch of horse properties on Country Club Lane which is a "Traffic Calmed Neighborhood" (haha) and once a few years ago a horse had gotten loose out on the road. He looked pretty freaked out and I tried to corral him away from the road because there were a few cars coming. There were two other horses on the other side of the fence who looked exactly like two little kids looking out at a truant kid from a school yard: "Dude! You're so busted!"

When you're going East, about a half mile after the fire station where Elfin Forest road curves and changes to Harmony Grove Road, on the right side of the road there are some brick pillars and a weed-overgrown parking lot there.
A few hundred yards after that, there is a right turn to a closed road. There is an unmanned barrier there, but if you go around that, it will take you up some STEEP freakin' hills. There's a beautiful new dam back there; and if you continue East after the dam, it will take you up more crazy-steep (talkin' mountain-bike steep) climbing on a narrow (but smooth & deserted) asphalt trail called Via Ambiente. You'll have to jump another barrier or two, but it will eventually take you to that hoity-toity new neighborhood up the hill from Del Dios Highway! Multi-million dollar views. I rode all the way through to Del Dios a few weeks ago, but there was a gate & guardhouse, and I got lucky because just as the guard was coming out, a car came and opened the gate for me to escape.

Very nice. I'll try that obscure route you mentioned a while back. Do I have to watch out for the guards using Via Ambiente?



Back on Elfin Forest: The chicken poo of the egg ranch used to stink to high-heaven every summer, but they must've scaled down the operation because it's not so strong anymore. If you turn left there onto Country Club Lane, it's a nice little shortcut to Nordahl. But if you go straight, you'll eventually get to the unfinished Citricado Parway, which is where the new Stone Brewery & restaurant is. :thumb:

Indeed, when I passed by I didn't notice any smell.

I do remember a fire station, but no dramatic changes in difficulty. I guess I'll try to sense it next time.

Do I have to watch out for the guards using Via Ambiente?
It was so remote that I cannot imagine someone paying someone else to stand around there. There's only one way in, and no way to get a car (or even motorcycle) through, and it's too far for someone to easily walk.
The only guard I saw the whole time was in the shack down on the other side of the hill, where "Via Ambiente" had become "Calle Ambiente" and rejoined Del Dios Highway (click) (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=rancho+santa+fe,+ca&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=49.57764,111.269531&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Rancho+Santa+Fe,+San+Diego,+California&ll=33.040507,-117.158289&spn=0.012915,0.027165&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=33.040411,-117.158356&panoid=tPxUnn01v-eYGJnJEha6xw&cbp=12,315.35,,0,-6.23). But YMMV.

Worst case scenario; you can just piggyback behind any exiting cars that trigger the exit gate. If confronted by a guard while waiting for someone, just claim you're staying with your Aunt Edith up on the hill and are going out for a bike ride.