csb_cdale

hi all - i'm wondering if anyone here has ridden proctor valley road, and if so, whether or not it's gnarly as far as traffic and safety go. i'm not a big fan of riding campo road/94 because there is practically no shoulder, huge trucks, and people just generally hauling ass. i was thinking about trying a new route that goes through proctor valley from west to east, then crossing the 94 at jefferson to get onto lyons valley road - but, i don't want to get out to proctor valley and find myself dodging cars and sweating bullets. i'd rather avoid it if it's not roomy, and too trafficy. i don't mind the great western loops roads. if it's like that then i'm in.

hamster

It's a dirt/gravel road, there's zero traffic. Not sure how road bike friendly the surface is.

csb_cdale

hahaha, thanks, i just figured that out and came back on to post about my mistake. i like riding gravel, but it looks a little gnarly and long for that on a road bike! thanks for the reply!

diphthong

proctor valley rd is a tale of 3 parts. the first (western part) between bonita/sunnyside and the h street area is half paved/half packed dirt with a gravel section of approx 100 yards that demands
your full attention but is doable on a road bike. prefer to ascend vs descend it. goes under the 125 freeway and is a viable alternative to climbing san miguel rd to the north. super lite traffic.

the second part hits pavement, rolls past liberty elementary school, goes up a steep pitch to meet san miguel rd and a quick right brings you to h street/proctor valley rd. making a right (heading east)
keeps you on pavement for approx a mile, going through the rolling hills development of eastern chula vista and lots of pepper trees. fairly pretty-for chula vista. the road turns to dirt near the bottom
of the descent.

part three is the all dirt stretch from eastern chula vista/road's end to jamul/road's end-about 4 miles. it is generally not passable/advised for road bikes-23 or 25 tires. mtn bikes and hybrids can ride
it though. looks like a shortcut but it isn't really since you'll be walking your bike 95% of the time and it's pretty desolate-no services. there have reputedly been chupacabra sightings in this area.
thought by now that it woulda been a big access road to a larger developed housing area but the recession may have put the kibosh on those plans. if it ever does get paved, would make for a nice
otay lakes/jamul loop for us cyclists.

i don't think paving upper/eastern proctor valley rd will ever eliminate the fast/truck traffic on that stretch of hwy 94 east of jamul though as much of that traffic is headed to parts
east on the 94 like dulzura and mainly hwy 188-the border crossing at tecate. i rarely ride that stretch east to west heading into jamul and find that heading east out of jamul is generally downhill and has less traffic on that side of the road.

hamster

If the objective is to avoid the 94, Steele Canyon to Jamul Drive would do the job.

csb_cdale

i usually do take steele canyon to jamul dr, but i was looking for something new, and i thought proctor valley looked like a nice natural area to ride through. (btw, there are no houses out there yet because most of the land is set aside for conservation. i'd like to ride it if it was paved, but i prefer it to stay natural out there - too many houses in SD). thanks for all the responses. they're much appreciated.

diphthong

you can always take otay lakes rd east to the 94 from the eastlake area and make a quick left/right combo onto honey spring rd if you feel like being punished.
honey springs rd delivers you directly to lyons valley rd but is a pretty stiff climb. great way to get in shape tho.