Mileage: 47.85
Ride Time: 4:01:20
Total time: 6 hours
I started from my house about 6:30 AM on Sunday, intending to meet up with the Recyclers in Santee. Unfortunately I left a little too late to make it to Woodglen Park by 8:00 AM. I got to the edge of Lakside at 8:20. I started the morning by climbing up Scripps Poway Parkway to Highway 67. This picture is looking back at the Valley, right before I crested the hill. Somewhere in that valley below, is my house, where I started today’s ride.
I came from way down there! Looking back at Poway Valley.
I turned right on Highway 67 and head south toward Lakeside. The long downhill is the reward for all the hard work riding to the top of the grade.
Highway 67 going toward Lakeside
My destination is somewhere in one of those valleys ahead.
Just before I hit the really steep downhill in to Lakeside I came upon this little waterfall, right on the side of the road. In a car you would never see it. That’s some of the hidden beauty that you see when riding a bike.
Little waterfall on side of Highway 67
When I reached Lakeside I rode Lakeside Avenue along the river, to Channel Road and then took Lakeshore Drive east into the center of Lakeside. I rode a little circuit around the Lindo Lake from which Lakeside takes it’s name. There were quite a few people out, including the birder right in the center of the picture, with the big lens.
Lindo Lake, Lakeside
Next I rode south on Woodside Avenue, then left on Magnolia and through the gas station on the corner to ride Railroad Avenue then Buena Vista Avenue. I took a little detour to Santee Trolley Square, to the Einstein Brothers Bagels .
But the line was long, and I didn’t feel comfortable leaving my bike, while I waited in line. I decided to move on. So I back tracked to Buena Vista and the south again to Cuyamaca Street. At Prospect I turned South again, until I reached Mesa Road, which I took to Mission Gorge Road. At Father Junipero Serra Trail, I turned right and headed into Mission Trails Park.
Old Mission Dam
The river was swollen from the heavy rains yesterday and the water was really putting on a show over the Old Mission Dam. The old dam is more than 200 years old.
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Front of bike after riding through Stadium parking lot
I headed toward the Stadium to join up with the I-15 bike path. I should have continued on San Diego Mission Road, and I would have avoided a lot of mess. The creek that runs through Murphy Canyon was flowing across the parking lot of the Stadium. I misjudged and went the wrong direction, and got my bike covered in mud. I had to spend a couple of hours hosing off the bike and cleaning and re-lubing my chain, when I got home. The fenders where packed with mud, and it took a while to get it all washed off. I’m very thankful for the fenders. The mud was on the fenders and not on me. The chain was already starting to squeak by the time I finished the ride.
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Rear mud
Where the bike path rejoins Murphy Canyon Road, very near where I took these pictures, I found an old terrycloth rag. I used it to wipe the really big chunks of mud from the bike. before I head up Murphy Canyon and up into Kearney Mesa.
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Palomar Mountain
I don’t know how well you can make out the mountain in the distance. It’s more than 30 miles away from where I took this picture.
We got a lot of rain yesterday, and from the looks of the mountains, a lot of snow fell at higher elevations. I don’t remember the last time I saw those mountains covered in snow like that.
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Mount Laguna
Mount Laguna was blanketed in snow, much as I’d seen Mount Shasta a couple of weeks ago.
One of the things I really enjoy about riding in Southern California, is we get pleasant weather to ride in, and we can see the snow, at a distance. It not only rains in Southern California, it even snows sometimes!
Happy riding! Keep the rubber side down!
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Great ride and narrative with picts no less!
I live in Long Beach and can see the San Gabriels covered. The only time I ride down in S. Calif. is the Wells Fargo in January.
Thanks