calamarichris

How many of you good SoCal citizens are mountain bikers?
I've been looking into getting one here in the next few months, and I'm fantasizing about places like Catalina Island's west end, and some of the places I've seen on my road rides; (and Googlemaps' satellite views is only making it worse.)

And where are your favorite trails in SoCal?



Two Harbors, Catalina Island

MrClyde

For me, the trails right behind my house for a quick 45 minute lung buster. If I have the time to pack up, its

-Daley Ranch, Escondido
-Lake Hodges, Escondido
-Black Mountain, Carmel Valley area

Spend some time here, you'll get lots of ride ideas.

https://www.mountainbikebill.com/index.htm

On the left, click on SD County, he even has a North County section.

FWIW, I bought a full suspension from Performance, spent around $1K. It was nice to get started, but I got rid of that and got a hardtail. For me, I like doing longer, endurance cross country stuff. The hardtail climbs sooo much better, is lighter, and can still handle the roughest trail I want to go on. It's all what kind of riding you want to do.

Black Mountain Bikes is having a demo day the first weekend of March. https://blackmountainbicycles.com/eve...-map-pg404.htm

If you are there on Sunday, across the street I'll be huffing and puffing my way through the XC race. https://www.racersandchasers.com/Blac...tain_2-19.html

calamarichris

Holy Crud! Thanks Mr. C! Jackpot!

MrClyde

No problem. When you get your MTB, let's do a ride. I know there are some other SD cyclists out there that go off road as well.

What bike(s) are you looking at?

calamarichris

I've made a down payment on a leftover '10 Stumpjumper Elite FSR. I really wanted to wait until I rode the Etape in sub-5:30, but the price was too good to walk away from.



I like the exertion of climbing, but I have no banzai-downhill or competitive aspirations.
Not-getting-hurt is a big priority, so I won't lose all this wattage training I've been doing, and I figured the rear suspension would be easier on back & knees over the long haul.

I'm really excited about this, and hope I don't run into a lot of barbed wire & "Keep Out" signs, (which aren't visible from Googlemaps' 30,000-feet perspective.)

calamarichris

Have you ever been out to Catalina Island? I've rented bikes out there, but they suucked. And hiking just seems so ...pedestrian.

MrClyde

Nice bike.

There are plenty of legal, approved places to ride in SD county. I've done 2+ hour rides at Daley Ranch with minimal trail repeats. And Nate Harrison on Palomar Mountain is a good workout.

MrClyde

Not with a bike.

LawnChair

I have done Catalina a few times. On a clear day it is one of my favorite rides. I take the boat to Two Harbors and then ride the main dirt road to Avalon. I then take the boat back to the mainland from Avalon. More options are available when returning from Avalon. You basically ride up one side of Catalina and then down the other. The Catalina Conservancy charges a fee for riding your mountain bike on the island. You can pay for this when you get off of the boat in Two Harbors. The fee is good for a years worth of riding. The Avalon Express will charge you for bringing your mountain bike along. The ride is worth the money though.

calamarichris

Awesome! Thanks Lawnchair! I'm really, really looking forward to getting back to that island on a decent bike under me this Spring. Any recommendations on hotels, campgrounds, restaurants, trails, or interesting landmarks?
I usually go there by kayak, but I haven't yet found a viable bikerack for it.
If I ever find a kayak rack for my bike that doubles as a bike rack for my kayak, I'll be unstoppable.

MrClyde

https://www.kayrak.ca/access.htm

calamarichris

I've really got to stop talking tongue-in-cheek smack around you MrC. You rule at bluff-calling.

MrClyde

I love google. "It's not what you know, it's what you can google."

jsigone

Local trails:

Calavaras is awesome
La Costa is awesome
Daley Ranch for hill workout
Hodges for drag racing
PQ for agility training
Sycamore Canyon/Mission trails for a mix of everything

Worth drives:
San Juan
Noble Canyon
Aliso Woods
San Clemente single tracks

I ride singlespeed 29er, get some lights for some after work rides!!

calamarichris

Drag-racing? As in standing-sprints over a short distance?
Also, what's PQ?

Thanks for the trail recommendations, I'll be looking these up and tearing them down once I've got my Stumpy.

Sorry for all the dumb noob questions; this is all new to me, and I've only tried ganja once in my life. (Also, is it spelled "ganja"?)

jsigone

nah its just almost all flat so its fast, I spin out on my SS most of the time!! There are some hill options to make it interesting but pretty darn flat compared to other local trails. Lots do night rides there too.

Here is my normal out n back there, no hill options
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/63194525

rooftest

You don't really go there by kayak, right?

Pamestique 

Just too many to love... my favorites are:

Maple Springs
Blackstar
Santiago Truck Trail to Old Camp (I don't enjoy the Luge)
Rancho Santa Margarita/Coto/to Caspers - Bell Canyon.
Syvlan Meadows/Santa Rosa Plateu
Mt. Laguna
All of Limestone Canyon
and even around Peter's Canyon/Irvine Park.

There are still so many places I would like to try... someday!

Mr. Beanz

Skyline in Corona with Eyemage

110209BB by gulpxtreme, on Flickr


Beanz by gulpxtreme, on Flickr

Potto Mtn in Claremont

Untitled by gulpxtreme, on Flickr

Toughest so far (my rides) is Sunset Ridge. Meets GRR at Cow Canyon/ Baldy. We turned around 3 miles short of the top.

Mr. Beanz

Potato Mtn


Claremont Hills Wilderness Park.........for a more tame ride

calamarichris

I've paddled there three times and I'm hoping to scare up another crossing this summer, gawd-willin'-an-the-crick-don'-rise.

calamarichris

What's the Spanish word for gold mine? ...Babelfishing... You should change your name to Senor Mino de Oro. Muchissimas Gracias!

big john

I've heard about that and I would like to try it. Where do you start? Maybe you could show me sometime?

Mr. Beanz

Wheeler above Baseline (LaVerne) is a park Oak Mesa. We start there, ride up the street about a mile to a gated community., Wait for local to enter then ride through the gates. If you're on a MTB, they don't seem to mind. Eyemage is off on Mondays so we could do the ride on a Monday (A few of us). I've only been there once but Eyemage several times) keeps insisting on returning.


I'm not good with the mapping sites so I used the snipping tool for images:
Oak Mesa Park

Capture1 by mrbeanz1, on Flickr


This is the area (La Verne)

Capture3 by mrbeanz1, on Flickr

tFUnK

My next dirt ride will be climbing Santiago and Modjeska peaks, hopefully soon.