Welcome to the Steve and John Show!

John Hopkins and I recently joined an intrepid group of 24 cyclists for a six-day ride through San Diego and Riverside counties. Some of you may recall this ride as the “Christmas Ride,” originally held in late December and supported by the AYH of San Diego—an organization once owned by SDBC’s Ralph Elliott family. The ride has long been an affordable way to tour Southern California and make new friends. At one point, it was abandoned, but a fellow rider named Mike from the Bay Area revived it. I’ve participated in three of his rides, as well as the original ride 2-3 times since the late nineties. This tour is a “credit card” ride, meaning all accommodations are at motels.

The ride officially kicked off last Monday in Mission Valley, with our destination being Pine Valley, about 48 miles and 5,650 feet of climbing. It was a beautiful day with no major mishaps, aside from my own bike starting to make strange noises. Fortunately, my wife drove an hour to Pine Valley and brought me my old road bike—what a hero! One of the highlights of the ride was Viejas Grade Road, which starts off of Old Highway 80 and winds its way north/northeast over the foothills to Descanso. The gravel road surface was excellent and the downhill to Descanso was a real treat. We all enjoyed a hearty dinner at Descanso Junction, the only restaurant in the area, and the portion sizes were enormous. In fact, many of the restaurants we visited served large portions, and some of us quickly learned to share entrees.

On Tuesday, we rode from Pine Valley to Borrego Springs (63 miles, 4,160 feet of climbing). The morning was chilly, but it warmed up quickly as we climbed Sunrise Highway to Julian. The route offered beautiful forest views, but the road conditions were rough, especially at the summit and on the subsequent downhill. Most of us stopped in Julian for lunch and pie, then split up, depending on our routes. Some took Mesa Grande, others went up Highway 79, and the rest of us descended the always-fun Banner Grade, turning onto S3 towards Borrego Springs. It was hot in the desert, with temperatures reaching over 90 degrees.

Wednesday’s ride took us from Borrego Springs to Palm Desert, which was one of the more uneventful routes—except for the first 32 miles to Highway 86, where we enjoyed some interesting rock formations and saw many metal sculptures along the route. The stretch from Highway 86 to Palm Desert, however, was a slog—slow, warm, and a bit exhausting (76 miles, 1,361 feet of climbing). Thankfully, no one had a flat, as Highway 86 is notorious for being tough on tires.

Thursday was one of the most scenic days, with a ride from Palm Desert to Hemet (58 miles, 5,743 feet of climbing). If you’ve ever driven on Highway 74, you know the drill—hills, hills, and more hills! Most of the motorists were considerate, though, as is often the case, we encountered a few problematic drivers. We stopped at Mountain Center for lunch at the only restaurant in the area, then enjoyed a long downhill ride into Hemet. The town had improved since my last visit—paved roads! We found a great Indian restaurant that could accommodate all 20+ of us, and we had an enjoyable dinner.

Friday was John’s and my last day, as we both live in San Diego County. We rode south from Hemet along beautiful Sage Road, then turned east toward Temecula. The group stopped in Old Town/Front Street for lunch at a pub, after which the rest of the group continued west, riding up Rancho Cal and into De Luz before settling in Fallbrook (56 miles, 3,861 feet of climbing). On Saturday, the group headed west towards Oceanside, with a break in Carlsbad where one of our riders had prepared an amazing spread: hot homemade soup, chocolate milk, coffee, and fresh chocolate chip cookies. Did I mention the chocolate?

Overall, I believe nearly everyone had a great time on this weeklong journey through the counties. The cost? Just $30 per person for the van rental and gas. Motel costs varied depending on room sharing, and food was an additional expense. It’s one of the least expensive semi-supported rides I’ve ever been on, and I highly recommend it for anyone wanting a taste of supported touring without the hefty price tag—all in our own backyard. The ride takes place during the last week of March.