[West Side Rider]

I'm a relative beginner and have conquered a number of trails including the north side of Lake Hodges a few times and need something more challenging than Hodges that isn't going to kill me either. Any recommendations for San Diego county?

Thanks

 

[Yeti_Rider]

if you know where to go

I'm a relative beginner and have conquered a number of trails including the north side of Lake Hodges a few times and need something more challenging than Hodges that isn't going to kill me either. Any recommendations for San Diego county?

Thanks

Penasquitos Canyon has some challenges without killing you.

Black Mountain is also a good challenging climb but it won't kill you either.

Sycamore Canyon in Santee has one longer climb but again, won't cause permanent damage to you.

Finally, Daley Ranch can be a challenge but not overwhelmingly so either.

of course, all of these places have areas that can be hard, or depending on which trail or direction you choose to take may seem more difficult than you wish. it's all about finding the route you like!

Check out Bill Porter's site at www.mountainbikebill.com for maps of the places I mentioned.

YR

 

[noslogan]

Check out Bill Porter's site at www.mountainbikebill.com for maps of the places I mentioned.

YR

That would be Bill Partez, not Porter.
Yeti is correct about the locations though.

 

[West Side Rider]

I've done Daley and Sycamore and you're right about those...I'll try Black Mtn and Penasquitos

thanks

 

[Chief]

I've done Daley and Sycamore and you're right about those...I'll try Black Mtn and Penasquitos

thanks

Those rides YetiRider mentions are for novices....I say, "go big, or stay home!"

With that said....you're ready for Corral Canyon OHV, Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, and/or (the cup of grace) Noble Canyon.

 

[noslogan]

a couple other rides

I've done Daley and Sycamore and you're right about those...I'll try Black Mtn and Penasquitos

thanks

A couple other rides that are boring to many.
UCSD cyclocross course. Right next to Genessee off of I5. SHORT ride, 2.5 mile loop. You can ride for a couple hours max mixing up the single track.

Another is the Tri-Canyon. Rose, Tecolote and San Clemente Canyons. And Miramar Mesa. Easiest thing to do is park at the south end of Regents Rd. off of Noble in La Jolla.
Head east at the trailhead at the very end of Regents. Right after you go under the 805 bridge go up to the left to the mesa. Just take all the trails you see to get a grasp of the land. DO NOT go south of the tracks. One, it is crap before 805 and two, it is more likely to be stoped by the MPs east of 805 and south of the train tracks.
On another day head west at the afore mentioned trailhead. You'll find San Clemente Canyon at the end of the large water culvert. Tecolote isn't really accessable unless you take roadways. Or you park at the end of Tecolote Rd. Morena & I5 or along Balboa Ave.

 

[West Side Rider]

I'm dying to try Noble, but I want to get my lungs up a little bit more first. During the week I do Mt. Soledad for the workout. How does the climb on the pavement compare at Noble?

 

[aword4you]

Climb cardiac at Daley, that can't hurt. There's a lot of climbing on some of the rides further north, you can check out geoladders.com

We've done San Juan a few times. Not in SD, but it isn't too far. That's good cardio for sure!

 

[noslogan]

Soledad is like 3 miles

I'm dying to try Noble, but I want to get my lungs up a little bit more first. During the week I do Mt. Soledad for the workout. How does the climb on the pavement compare at Noble?

Noble is 11 up.

Hey, If you decide to ride the UCSD cyclo course you take Torrey Pins Rd to the north. Go down the hill to TP state bech and back up a few times.

Or combine the Miramar Mesa, UCSD course and the TP hill. You'll get a little urban and 20-30 miles depending on the route you take.

 

[xjbebop]

No respect until you've done Nate Harrison bottom-top-bottom a few times...

 

[Yeti_Rider]

if I'm going to spend hours climbing up a wide road

No respect until you've done Nate Harrison bottom-top-bottom a few times...

I'd much prefer heading up Palomar Mountain on the Road bike..................

climbing NH grade just begs the question.......Why? now if it were single track then it'd be an entirely different opinion.

YR

 

[techFiend]

Some good ones before Noble..

Bernardo Peak is right there on Lake Hodges. Do your interval training there.

Elfin Forest (Way Up Trail - Hodges Overlook - Equine Incline) is a good sub 2 hr workout.

South Hodges has a good 6-7 mile loop. About 45 mins a lap. Do a few..

 

[West Side Rider]

Hodges reps sounds like a good idea. I haven't done Elfin yet either. Although I was reading a lot this week about Flightline and may skip the hills and try that this weekend.

 

[Ratt]

Are you looking for xc trails or technical trails?

Bernardo Peak is right there on Lake Hodges. Do your interval training there...

Was going to say, if you did ALL of North Hodges including Bernardo peak and Mule hill (close to 40 miles out and back) there isn't much tougher rides left out here.

 

[West Side Rider]

Was going to say, if you did ALL of North Hodges including Bernardo peak and Mule hill (close to 40 miles out and back) there isn't much tougher rides left out here.

Either, depends on my mood really. At this point I'm looking to improve my conditioning and technical skills.

 

[ssmike]

Either, depends on my mood really. At this point I'm looking to improve my conditioning and technical skills.

Flightline will improve your technical skills - not necessarily your conditioning. But conditioning will improve there due to the fact that you are riding. You need to really be able to open it up and pedal fast and hard to get better conditioning - Daley or Hodges (or the road) are better for conditioning.

 

[techFiend]

Iron Mountain

All technical, straight up and down. More so than Noble. Bring body armor.... But go on weekdays. Too many hikers on weekends. And always have a bell on your handlebar.

 

[bigdrunk]

I do Soledad 3-4 times a week. Where do you usually start from? (I live in Bird Rock) If you go up Soledad, and go to the bottom on Via Capri and back up, you will be ready for Nobel, no problem. Via Capri makes you wish you had a 40tooth rear casset in spots.

Screw San Clemente Canyon, I've ridden it once, waaaaaaaaaay too much sand and I don't like the "guys" sitting in their cars looking at me lovingly as ride by. I don't know if it still is, but it used to be a special "meeting place" for guys that are not into chicks.

Hodges - For a good long ride, park right beside the 15, ride to the damn (take the high road, not the fire road there and back) , then back to where you parked and head out East and climb Mule Hill. Mule Hill is a tough climb going up and really fun going down. I think that ride ends up being 27 miles or so.

Daley Ranch - Rules! Go all the way out to Bobcat trail ( I think its called that) and back.

Penasquitos - Some fun singletrack up around the golf course. I go here the most because its close to my house. Pitty they keep building big houses up there.

Nobel - Best trail in S.D. ,, period.

I'm dying to try Noble, but I want to get my lungs up a little bit more first. During the week I do Mt. Soledad for the workout. How does the climb on the pavement compare at Noble?

 

[West Side Rider]

bigdrunk,

I live at the beach in PB so I usually go up either straight up Mission or trek over to Fanuel and go up that way. I'm doing it twice a week right now mixed in with some other rides to break the monotony. I'll keep it up, probably ready for Noble in a month or so once I start doubling back up. I like that idea.

The dudes are still in the canyon...or should I say freaks, pretty desperate if you ask me, but the single track is good. Think I'll try Flightline this weekend though if I'm not too hungover...

 

[dft]

All technical, straight up and down. More so than Noble. Bring body armor.... But go on weekdays. Too many hikers on weekends. And always have a bell on your handlebar.

yep iron is good. i like the technical stuff or rides all up, then all down. i hate the rides others mentioned, hodges, daly ranch, penisquitos, sycamore, elfin, not for me. i'm glad people like those, just not for me.