[EBasil]

If you're in the San Diego area, you may have heard of the Ramona Trails Assn.: a multiuse trail access organization that's primarily equestrian and based out of the Ramona area. They've been very supportive of our multiuse-bicycle access efforts in San Diego proper and active for more than a decade to secure and preserve multiuse trails in the Ramona area.

These people are the "good guys" and they walk their talk on multiuse: their annual fete is a multiuse Poker Ride on a private ranch that concludes with a massive, Santa Maria-style BBQ and feast. A very cool event, and a great opportunity to interact between cyclists and equestrians that are active in the community. The MTB ride is primarily fire road, and has a few hot, open climbs...but I rode it last year with a trailer and cleaned all but one of them (and that was pre-singlespeed). There's an option to extend the route onto singletrack I didn't fit on, and some riders have come to this event for 10+ years.

If you want to see a PDF of their registration form, Go Here or just check out RamonaTrails.org and surf around. Their site isn't updated very often (the mark of a grassroots org, I say), but the Flyer is in there.

 

[dhjill]

Sounds like a cool event! Do you know what the mileage is? Would it be suitable for a beginner? My dad's starting to ride and I'm thinking this could be a fun event to take him to if it won't kill him.

 

[EBasil]

I'm not sure on the mileage, but think the shorter route I rode might have been 8-10 miles. The route I did with the trailer was all fire road, but did have some steep hills in a few sections. Since some of those hills were in direct sun, some people were surprised by them and one young woman, that looked otherwise fit, barfed and got lightheaded... hydration and heat issues, probably.

There was also one rocky fireroad descent that many riders chose to walk because it's loose, etc... from ranch trucks churning up it. I rode it with the trailer (no endos possible), to the delight of my son, so your Dad might just roll right down it without incident (but could easily just walk).

Each Poker station has water and some have food. All have radios if someone wants to get out by transpo and the food afterward makes bike events look as cheesy as they are: no pre-cooked pasta and limp salad. It's Tri tip, chicken, chile, grilled bread, salad, pasta and more... Unreal food.

If your Dad likes people and is willing to sweat in the Ramona sun, he'll enjoy it.

 

[dhjill]

Thanks for the info, Ebasil. We just might head out there in a few weeks.

 

[EBasil]

I just got news that the effect of this last weekend's rain, plus the certainty of more, on the private ranch (parts of which burned) where the RTA Poker Ride would be held are "too much". The RTA have cancelled this event, and there is no rescheduled date as of right now. If you pre-registered, contact them, directly.