I'm off tomorrow to go spend 5 weeks in SoCal at my parents' house. I grew up in SD, but not in this house, and don't know my way around town by bike at all.

I'll be traveling with my cross bike and my dog.

Anyone have tips for easy mtb trails, dirt rides, and routes to the beach from east county?

I will most likely have some free time to meet up for group rides, as well.

We had a blast in La Jolla.

For gosh sakes, avoid the Torrey Pines grade.

I thought my heart was going to explode.

I'll try to pm you names of a bike shop or two.

They should be handy references.

Thanks, Grady. I'd appreciate any tips. All the times I've visited recently it's not been for long enough to justify bringing my own bike.

Did you post in the regional discussion thread?

It's not all that bad. I live in East County and work on North Torrey Pines right across from the golf course. I keep a bike at work and ride the hill at least once a week. Depending on where you are staying in East County there are some great road and trail rides to be found. Let me know the area and perhaps I can suggest something.
CMC

You live in a beautiful area.

If I rode that hill more often, I would tend to agree with you.

Pretty flat here in the Twin Cities!

I spent a couple of years in MN and that's where I fell in love with riding. The bike paths I became acquainted with in the Eagen/Apple Valley area were fabulous. I don't miss the humidity now, but I certainly miss the foliage and lakes.

When one of our BF members visited San Diego, I lent him my PKN-10 and took him for a ride up the Torrey Pines Reserve inside road. Even though he was from New Orleans, he did fine on the hill by pacing himself. If you go on the straighter, somewhat less steep main Torrey Pines Road, just beware of the false peak -- the road makes a rightward bend, giving the optical illusion that you are almost at the summit, when in truth you are only about 2/3 of the way up.

I should say that the first time I climbed Torrey Pines hill was on a ride with friends from work, and I hadn't been on a bike in years. As we rode down I was thinking "I'm going to have to climb back up this thing". When they headed past the beach toward Del Mar, I told them they were crazy and turned around and began the two mile ascent. As i struggled up the hill in my lowest gear, an old lady passed me and said "just keep going, you'll make it" in a really sweet voice. Finally about half way up I had to get off and started walking my bike. Of course that is when my friends appeared again and I was promptly told "there's no walking in biking!". I was ashamed enough that I climbed back in the saddle and finally made it to the top.
Since then I've enjoyed introducing countless other friends and co-workers to the "joy" I experienced that day. We all laugh about it now as we do our lunchtime rides.
Craig

Fun story!

I'll never forget the look on our kids' faces when we saw our first Leopard sharks right next to us in the surf at Torrey Pines beach.

We had just waded out to three-four feet of water to body surf and in the breaking waves ten feet away you could see the silhouette of several sharks.

Both were about four feet long.

I've never seen my two kids move that fast in their lives!

Took awhile to get them back in with us.

Thanks that would be awesome. La Mesa, but willing to drive to a trailhead if needed.

Those sharks are way too friendly. When I was 11 or 12 in la jolla they came up and actually brushed against me, in 2 feet of crystal clear water. I was horrified but so surprised that I didn't instantly run away.

Torrey Pines grade is one of those ascents where a guy in reasonable shape gets to make carbon bike riders want an even lighter bike. I do always smile as I pass them though.

I would look at the SD velodrome schedule, always fun... in fact, I should check the next swap date.

Sorry it took so long to get back to you, work has been crazy busy, but I rode today at lunch - down to La Jolla Shores and back up the hill to my place of work. Let me know where you are in La Mesa, I live just over the hill (other side of Mt Helix) toward Rancho San Diego. I'll PM my cell number to you.

Craig