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Old 05-01-19, 09:57 PM
  #10  
DrIsotope
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Riding a bicycle up 330 is something I would not recommend. Probably half of that road is shoulderless, and all of it is narrow and heavily populated with mountain locals who think they're Hans Stuck. The 18? If you wanna. But you will notice that the Strava segment has 22 attempts by 17 people-- compare that to the 38 climb, which has 1,920 attempts by 1,280 people.

Traffic is lightest by far on the 38. If you're gonna come down the 330 (your very own Ride Around the Bear) stick to the weekdays, and try to time your descent for the late morning / early afternoon-- say 11-2 or so. Traffic will be lightest.

Sylvan Park on University Ave. in Redlands is a popular start spot, it's close to most everything. Full amenities, and about 1/4 mile from the 10 Freeway.

As to what direction to circle the lake, I've done it both ways, and make that choice based on where the wind is coming from that particular day. But I prefer doing the South shore first, as the section of 18/Big Bear Blvd. just east of the dam is the tightest and most heavily trafficked. North Shore, Fawnskin, and toward Baldwin Lake are largely empty.

Where you eat depends on if you want to eat up top or when you get to the bottom. The Grizzly Manor Cafe on the boulevard is fantastic, but only open for breakfast (until I think 1pm.) In Highland/Redlands/SanBdno, too many places to name. Though if you do Sylvan to Sylvan, you're minutes from downtown Redlands, and they've got pretty much everything. We've even got poke and sushi out here now, it's almost like civilization.

My personal recommendation as a local? Up the 38, but don't turn at the cutoff. Keep going up Valley of the Falls into Forest Falls. The last 3 miles are so are absolutely brutal, with pitches up to 14%, but it's quiet, so low trafficked it feels abandoned, and the prettiest of the lot. I'll head up to the campground and the Vivian Creek Trailhead, take a break to soak it in, and start the descent, usually stopping at the Elkhorn General store on the way down. It's so quiet. I'll take Forest Falls over GMR most any day.

38 to Jenks Lake is also nice, or Morton Peak if your tires are a bit wider.
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