Relo from East Coast

My husband and I just relocated from Long Island and YES we have great single track mountain biking trails on Long Island.
Our bikes just arrived and we want to take them out ASAP to see what the San Diego area has in store for us. I already know I need to upgrade my Specialized Epic (2008) to adjust to west coast riding.
But, in the meantime any suggestions for intermediate rides NOT in public preserves since those are closed due to COVID?
Looking forward to our new adventures and testing our skills!

 

Welcome, @Lisa Sinclair ! I bet @evdog will have some suggestions for you! I don't know the area super well, but it is the internet, so I'll go ahead and recommend the Sorrento/Penasquitos area if it isn't shut down.

If you want to travel a bit more, you could spend a good morning or afternoon at the San Clemente Singletracks along the O.C./S.D. border. They are (edited, closed).

FYI, the site I linked to above will have a ton of resources for SoCal as well as elsewhere!

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

 

San Clemente singletracks are now closed.

 

Hi Lisa and welcome to the best little mt bike forum this side of the Pecos! (Actually, not sure where the Pecos is).

I'll let the SD people chime in about riding in your new 'hood, but as I quietly mentioned in another thread, most of the trails in Orange County are open. Shhhhhh...

About an hour's drive for you, maybe less.

Not sure what you would call an intermediate ride. The rides in OC involve quite a bit of climbing. The trails in Aliso and Wood Canyon Wilderness Park are mostly short, sometimes steep descents with some interesting chunk thrown in to prevent boredom. Steep climbs to return to the top for another run. About 900 vertical feet. The trails in adjoining Laguna Coast Wilderness Park have longer fire-road access, and some fun intermediate descents (along with a couple of challenging trails). There are similar entertaining trails in Santiago Oaks Regional Park.

Whiting Regional Park has some more mellow singletrack under canopy, but it can be frighteningly crowded on weekend mornings (as can be Aliso and Santiago Oaks).

The trails in the Santa Ana mountains are mostly long fire-roads or converted fire-road climbing, with a few hidden gem descents (The Luge, Silverado Motorway and a few that are closed due to fires a few years ago).

Give us an idea of what you call intermediate, and the herd can guide you.

 

Awesome. I will reach out to evdog. Sorrento/Penasquitos is closed from what I was reading. Damn COVID! lol
But, San Clemente looks promising. Thank you for getting back with me.

 

I love climbing--the more the better. Intermediate to us include: climbs, switchbacks. roots, rocks, trees to navigate around--pretty much relentless work and at some point wondering why we continue to put ourselves through the amazing abuse.

 

Thanks for confirming! Fairly recent, or was I just not paying attention?

Disregard SC, closed for now, but keep them on your radar for the future!

@evdog goes off-grid for chunks of time, and he may be in the sticks right now. But he will follow up with awesome ride reports!!!

 

Covid closed or just because of the rain? I almost headed down there this morning.

 

PERFECT - well, except the trees part. Great attitude too. You'll fit right in with the hooligans and hooligals on this forum.

The four parks I mentioned - Aliso, LCWP, Whiting and Santiago Oaks involve yo-yo riding - go up, drop something, go up something else, drop something else. Repeat until exhausted. Oh - one thing - when it's sunny and springtime, keep eyes open for rattlers. Yup. Haven't seen any yet this year, but sunny weather is coming.

Oh and San Juan Trail up and back fits your description almost perfectly. Switchbacks, some chunky sections on the lower half, then ,much more techy on the upper loops.

If you want arduous and relentless, jump in with @mtnbikej and his better half @horsebikerider. Great people to ride with. There's a ton of others who put in ridiculous mileage/climbing stats too, but they live way up north. We call them Canadians, but they live in northern LA County. @Mikie is not only the head of the Canadian contingent, he is the owner/spiritual guide on this site.

 

Well I don’t know about the riding in SD since I live near Canada but I love your attitude and think you’re gonna fit in perfectly here.

 

@pperrelle and @mtbMike are in your area!!

 

Yay! Welcome fellow female mtn biker!

 

Welcome.

Most of Orange County...or So Cal. for the most part lacks tree and roots....but we have plenty of coastal sage brush, rocks, ruts and scree.

The Covid closures have made some riding spots difficult to access....at least here in Orange County.

Lots of fun stuff to ride, but as @herzalot mentioned....a lot of it is short up/short down.

Get out and get some new dirt.

 

Welcome, I’m up in Carlsbad. Happy to show you and your husband around a few local trails once they open up again. You’re close to Del Mar Mesa, Penasquitos and Black Mountain. The riding here will be a lot different than the Northeast. The best somewhat local riding is Mt. Laguna/Noble. Also unfortunately closed at the moment. I’m fairly new to San Diego County, but feel free to reach out if you have any questions. @Walleye is also in North County and has a lot of local trail knowledge.

 

San Juan Trail (Loop) has the best downhill roots in OC (that I know of). The only other place that comes to mind is parts of Fullerton Loop, but those are not very fun.

 

Joplin roots... (not intermediate), and Old San Juan from Cocktail Rock down... That Rooty section is a riot!

And Trabuco when it comes back...

 

Covid closed

 

Crap. Did they dump sand all over it? LOL.

 

Welcome @Lisa Sinclair. You stumbled into a super cool nook of the interweb here. Enjoy!

 

Welcome aboard, @Lisa Sinclair. You'll find lots of helpful folks around these parts.

 

Welcome!
Something to think about when planning your post-Covid adventures on MTB Project or Trailforks: summer comes at different times and with different severities, depending on distance from the ocean and elevation.

Coastal rides are a go almost year round, almost all day. But the inland hills and mountains get hot and dry by mid June, to where they are really only fun when the sun is low, or if you cache lots of water along the way—enough to douse your helmet andto drink.

In the mountains, it’s good to get over ~6000 ft to survive the worst of summer, which runs mid July thru mid September. higher elevations just got a last dusting of snow. If it weren’t 2020 we’d be enjoying the last week or so of the local ski season.

I’m a big fan of Skyline trail in Big Bear. It’s the most intermediate ride I know, and IMO the setting is unmatched by any ride of the same driving distance. It’s usually snow free by now, maybe some patches in the shade.

I haven’t ridden Idyllwild since the fire so I don’t know what’s been re-opened, but it’s a very cool mountain town and a good day trip from SD.

 

Welcome!

 

A meaningful, heartfelt, welcome to you Lisa and your hubby.

For some reason I think you'd enjoy a trail out here that's popularily known as SART. (Santa Ana River Trail),the mountain section in the San Bernardino Mtns. However, I could be wrong, please don't shoot the messenger.

Best wishes, Steve

 

I like you already!
Welcome Lisa Sinclair and husband!
Canada to these hooligans is actually North of Los Angeles to include Santa Clarita, Castaic, Frazier Park, and Bakersfield. I still wear a Toque and tell people to “Take off you Hoser!” to keep them happy...

When you are ready for the big climbs and chunk, come to the San Gabriel mountains on the North side of Los Angeles. That includes Big Bear. We got the goods up here.

Welcome to imtbtrails!
Mikie of Frazier Park

 

Some gems there. I listened to this song at least 50 times as my '95 Honda Accord barrelled across the country from Nashville to LA in'98, stuffed to the gills. It remains the only Zeppelin I actually like.

https://youtu.be/PDIz4talyQk

 

Welcome @Lisa Sinclair, from up here in Southern Canada.

 

Welcome to SD, Lisa! Lotsa fun rides down here, with hardly any incursions by Canadians! For me, the best one-two punch in the county is Cuyamaca SP -Laguna Mtns Rec. Area. a plethora of great intermediate trails in chaparral/forested settings; and then there's the King, Noble Canyon. COVID's thrown a wrench into the SD region, with most suburban parks (La Costa, Peñasquitos, DMM, Black Mtn, Mission Trails) shut down. My workarounds (for the past 4 weeks anyway): Black Mountain in Ramona (can add mileage w. Santa Ysabel TT); Nate Harrison Grade on Palomar Mtn. (an uphill grind, to be sure); Oriflamme Cyn loop fron Mason Valley TT; and Thing Valley-Fred Cyn-Kitchen Creek, in the Laguna Mtns. south of Sunrise Hwy. Laguna's got signage saying all trailheads are closed, but trails are open (for now) -based on the crazy amount of cars parked at the Meadows Info Center yesterday (illegally??), I'm guessing the BLT is a total Covidiot-show. Cyclotourist is right on with his recommendation of Mountainbikebill's website -great maps and beta. Have fun wherever you go, it's beautiful out there right now!

 

What the hail?!?!?!?

 

Welcome! Enjoy your new environs!

A few of us have done time in the east, and you don’t see us clamoring to run back. @BonsaiNut doesn’t count, NC is in the south.