This route is the 3rd populaire of the San Diego Randonneurs' Rando(m) Explorer Series. You must be a member of RUSA (Randonneurs USA) to register. Ride registration fee is $0.
Whereas most randonneuring routes try to escape from the urban jungle, this populaire seeks to ride through it: from downtown to the border, from industrial parks to shopping centers stopping by 2 university campuses (UCSD, SDSU). It is an urban odyssey through the City and County of San Diego to where the trolley tracks end with a side trip to see where the US border wall/fence/barrier drives straight into the Pacific Ocean. You'll ride by Mount Hope Cemetary where city founders such as Alonzo Horton (Horton Plaza) and Kate Sessions (Balboa Park) have found their eternal rest. With your literary imaginations, this 160k can become a Joycian epic on two wheels, roaming from station to station as if you are Leopold Bloom. If you prefer a more quixotic flair in your adventures, then each climb on this ride is a windmill. Much of what you'll see is quotidian. But even in the ordinary there is extraordinary, most notably the extraordinary number of traffic lights you'll have to stop for.
You will start by venturing south along the BLUE LINE and the San Diego Bay to the border with a visit to the Friendship Park and to the San Ysidro trolley station. Returning north along the BLUE LINE, the route will connect up to the ORANGE LINE heading east, passing through Lemon Grove, La Mesa and El Cajon before making its way to the eastern terminus in Santee. From here you'll ride along the GREEN LINE through San Diego State and Mission Valley. On Ulric St, you'll climb up to Linda Vista Rd and then traverse on the Genesee Ave rollers to reach BLUE LINE's northern terminus at UTC. Through UCSD and the Rose Canyon/Rose Creek bike path, you'll make your to Mission Bay, ending at the Coronado Brewing Company.
This route is fairly easy. Being in an urban setting, there will be many many traffic lights to contend with. Another challenge will be the weather, as East County (La Mesa, El Cajon, Santee) may heat up by mid-day. The biggest challenge though is not succumbing to the temptation of calling it quits and jumping on a trolley before reaching the finish.
If want to travel by trolley to the start, the closest station to reach Coronado Brewing on Knoxville St is the Tecolote Road Station. During off-peak travel times, each car allows 2 bicycles.
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. The ride organizer will be on the ride. No SAG support and staffing at controls along the route.
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.