To stay "on track" with the rail theme kicked off earlier this month with the Trolley Century 160k, this new brevet route will venture out and back on the Inland Rail Trail between Escondido and Vista and then the "Surfliner" trail between Oceanside and San Clemente (technically this portion is not called the Surfliner Rail Trail; just work with me for now).
The start will be at the Home Depot mall in Carmel Mountain Ranch. There is plenty of parking in the mall. Mostra Coffee in the same mall is open at 6:00. They have a bathroom. It is a locally owned specialty coffee house. There are bathrooms in Home Depot as well.
You'll start your train journey heading north on Pomerado Rd to Escondido where you'll catch the tail end of the Escondido Creek Trail. Make sure to turn right at the first bridge just after entering the trail to catch the start of the Inland Rail Trail. On the outbound section, you'll jump off the trail at Andreasen Dr to ride on Mission Rd out of expediency. Though the trail is bi-directional, the traffic lights are easier to contend with if you are riding with the flow of traffic. You'll ride through the usual North County suburban scene. Just before the point where Mission Rd becomes Santa Fe Rd, you'll hop on the Inland Rail Trail.
The ride will be relaxing as the trail follows the grade dictated by the SPRINTER train and there will be no cars except for the intersections where you'll have to cross to continue. At Mar Vista Dr where you'll continue the ride on Santa Fe Ave, passing through the renovated Vista downtown before connecting up to the San Luis Rey bike trail that will take you out to Oceanside.
If you have the base pass, feel free to ride through Stuart Mesa in Camp Pendleton to connect up to Las Pulgas Ave. If not, I-5 is marked for cycling along the shoulder. From Oceanside to San Clemente, you will follow along the Surfliner track, occasionally passed by either a MetroLink or Amtrak passenger train. From Las Pulgas to Cristianitos Rd, you'll be riding on the dedicated bike paths with a stint through the San Onofre State Beach parking lot and Old Pacific Hwy.
After turning around at the Arco Station at the corner of El Camino Real and Camino Capistrano, your return leg will follow the same course. Once you return to Mission Rd in San Marcos, you'll now ride on the Inland Rail Trail back to Escondido and to the finish at Epic Wings, where you can quaff $6 pints of IPAs and pale ales to "re-hydrate"
Parts of this route will be through urban areas of North San Diego cities where there are traffic lights. Cie la vie. By late July weather is a wild card. Though the start and the coast should be comfortable, the inland journey back through the Tri-City and Escondido/Rancho Bernardo regions may be "warm". It will make the beers taste that much sweeter.
If you are joining us for the first time, you will need:
ALL SAN DIEGO RANDONNEURS EVENTS ARE ONLY OPEN TO PARTICIPANTS WHOSE RUSA MEMBERSHIP IS CURRENT.
You will need to register for this ride in advance. There is no day-of registration. Start/Finish will be staffed. No SAG support and staffing at a control along the route will depend on volunteers available for this event.
All riders must follow RUSA rules. Helmet, lights and reflective gear are a must (lights and reflective gear must be worn between dusk to dawn). Riders must follow all local traffic laws and regulations.
Although bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as motorists and are subject to the same rules and regulations, it is crucial that bicyclists pay attention to traffic signs and signals and follow all rules to reduce the risk of collisions, while on the road. Refer to the California Driver Handbook to become familiar with these rules. This excerpt is found at the DMV website for Sharing the Road (FFDL37) and can be read here.