The loss of those trails is unfortunate. But there is always the opportunity to build more new ones if we can maintain good relationships with the land manager and put in some volunteer hours. Hikers, and I assume equestrians use these too so its not just our loss.
This is BS. I was just saying how coming to SOCAL has been great for getting me back on the bike and now all I see is closing this for development and closing that for development. Have't they seen all the crap for sale and foreclosure?!!! Doesn't seem to be a lack of housing available down here. #-o
Memorial ride I too took my last tear drenched ride on the DM single tracks today..... Did the west to east direction. Stopped on the yellow house lap and took some pictures and was sweet to the dogs at the yellow house. I looked for snakes, saw none as they were already advised their homes would be destroyed in a week. There is still LOTS of riding to be had in the valley and other side trails. Make the most of it, or come on over to Sycamore-Spring-Oak (Mission Trails/Gooden Ranch) and enjoy the miles of fun tracks there! I hope you enjoy a couple of the pics I took today.:wave:
I saw one snake -- I think it was a coachwhip. But those dudes are just traipsing around everywhere. I saw them on the west side just cruising through the bushes making the road. Someone's gonna get bit...
They're used to the snakes. When they were doing the grading for the water treatment plant off of 805 and Miramar, they usually found around 20-30 snakes per day during the initial brushing.
A bit of good news. It's better than nothing I suppose: ++++++++++++++++++ I just met with Pardee and the grading contractor this morning and we have good news. "Side Hill" will remain open for the duration of the project. Access will be provided by going to the end of Carmel Mountain Road, past the construction trailer office where a trail will be delineated with orange fence and signs behind the newest construction site up to the power line tower, and follow the newly installed signs to "Side Hill". Cobbles/Queens will remain open with a slight variation at the entrance/exit onto Del Vino; ALL USERS will have to enter from the east side of Del Vino on the d.g. path through the wooden bollards. Shaw Valley Trail will be OPEN WEEKENDS ONLY (Saturday and Sunday). This is a little more difficult to explain, but once all the work is done and signs are in it should be easy to follow. The grading contractor will be installing a road from the end of Carmel Mountain Rd. winding east down into the valley and then back up to the mesa, this would obviously cause an impassable berm; however they will install a ramp on the north side of the berm from the trail that will be open on weekends for equestrians and hikers to get up to the newly constructed road, turn west toward Carmel Mountain Rd and link onto the new trail access to "Side Hill". This will all be signed and fenced. THERE WILL BE NO ACCESS TO THE CENTER OF THE MESA FROM ANY OF THE TRAILS FOR THE DURATION OF THE PROJECT. DO NOT VANDALIZE/PASS THE ORANGE FENCE INTO THE CONSTRUCTION ZONE FOR YOUR SAFETY!!! Some of the orange fence will be protecting vernal pools that are being restored, so it is very important that you STAY OUT. The developer assured me that trails are a high priority, they want to get the grading done and the new trails in as soon as possible. The new trail will go along the rim of the canyon and then a bit through the neighborhood past and through the vernal pool sites that are being preserved. It won't be the winding ups and downs that are there now, but it will be a nice link between Cobbles and Side Hill/Shaw Valley. Now I know there is concern that even though Cobbles and Side Hill are open, having no way to connect by way of the mesa seemingly doesn't do any good unless you live in the neighborhood. However, I have to disagree with that view. Once you pop out of Cobbles, go out to Del Vino and then down Del Mar Mesa Rd to the west (there are multi use trails along the road, or just ride the road) until you get to Carmel Country Rd go south up the hill to Carmel Mountain Rd and turn east to the end where you can access Side Hill. I know it's not Open Space, but you'll get a good work out and it is a great loop. Also, you can access the Neighborhood 10 trails and "Eucalyptus" from Carmel Country Road. It will be something new… I really want to emphasize again how important it is to not build/cut any new trails through the open space areas. This is a transition we all have to deal with, so let's make it as easy and uneventful as possible. Please pass this email on to everyone you know that uses the Del Mar Mesa trails so they won't be caught off guard Monday morning when they go out for their daily run. Thanks, BE SAFE AND HAVE FUN. Gina Washington Senior Park Ranger City of San Diego, Open Space Division 858.538.8066 (PH) 858.536.8334 (FAX)
Nice pics, fellas, even if it does have a salt-in-wound effect right now. I am agonized that, with a weekend full of scout and family events (including a bike rodeo IN Los Pen), we won't get up there before Monday with our 7 year old. But hey: the last two years were "Bonus Time" and included some great riding. The loss of the second half of the mesa just underscores for me how important it remains for us to actively pursue and protect our access to, and preservation of, the trails that are "left". When Pardee bulldozed the west DMM, many of us said "it's over, the best trails are gone"...but we got used to what was left. Same deal now. Tunnels are "left" and will not be developed. They will come into the open space parks system, either as part of LPCP or the generic "Canyons" designation (LPCP makes more sense) and we WILL have to advocate and fight to keep the canopy from being hacked open beforehand and to have them designated bike/hike trails.
Thanks for the info bro. I have one question though (and please know I'm not challenging you at all here, just a simple question): How do you know Tunnels will be protected and won't get developed? If you say it I believe you, 100%. I was just curious how you know. Thanks.:beer:
I used to ride that trail when I lived in Mira Mesa years back, and have ridden it recently and yes it is definetly a bummer to see it all gone specially for those of you who live so close to it. Since there is nothing can be done to stop the Earth movers, think of finding some alternative trails. Here in Bonita / Chula Vista area, which is only a 15 minutes drive from you guys, we have tons of nice trails that you will love to explore. We have them all for any riding style you have in mind. Just tell us which day is good for you and I am sure there will be someone to show you around. There are Tuesdays and Thursdays and Saturdays and Sunday rides available. Sunday ride is my favorite but every day is a good day to ride. I hope this helps you guys a bit as you are about to lose your favorite trail. I know that it is not a good feeling. Ali
Thanks for the offer. We'll have to take you up on that soon (but it is more than 15 minutes) The thing for me is that I can ride to the trail from my house or drive down to the ball fields in 5 minutes. It's good for a local loop. There's still a lot of trail out there to ride, but it still hurts, especially when the market doesnt necessarily call for more homes because of the surplus.
I agree with the convience issue. As far as more homes to be built, there is no exact date, but this market is going to turn + sooner or later. They build them now, offer low prices and they will sell them. As far as down here, you guys get your group together and lets do it sometimes soon.
Adios... Guess this is as good a place as any to post some more pics. Yesterday was both my first and last ride through the intestines so I rode it back and forth until I got tired. There was already orange fence and stakes everywhere, yet somehow poaching did not feel wrong this time. Here you go...:beer:
great pictures. i sure am glad all that is getting built up... kind of a bummer it didn't have cookie-cutter homes all over.
The guys from sdmba who showed me tunnels told me this: that tunnels was private land, and the guy who owned it was donating it as part of the deal to develop the rest of his land. I believe that portion is on the hillside just to the north of tunnels and to the west of the existing residential development. If you go over there, you'll see some orange fencing and DR Horton "keep out" signs. This is purely second hand but seems to make some sense. And, apparently dwarf oak is endangered?
The parcel(s) are private land that is part of a mitigation "swap" for development rights elsewhere in the city. So, it's about a 95% deal right now that, if and when the swap is concluded, the land enters the Open Space "system" and will not ever be developed. Once it's open space, then the only question is as to what "park" it's linked for management -- either Los Pen or the generic "canyons" park (actually various locations). The Dwarf ro Scrub Oak is indeed a protected species and presents both a value and a danger to cyclists interested in trails: on the upside, the nature of the brush is that it provides that canopy we all enjoy, supports a twisty, technical kind of trail design etc... The downside is that there are those out there that will argue vociferously that such plants should be unmolested by any human presence (or in some cases any presence other than birkenstocks and horseshoes, but hey, acept that you're scum and get over it). So, we'll have to face the idea that no trail should be there, or that "it's not safe for bikes". It's this latter BS about safety that got sprung on us over the Camino Ruiz Trail, and that spurred me to get the word out for some "political contact". The Rangers are still pissed at me over that, and I expect the anti's will bring it up again in the Fall when the connector trail work starts.
Thanks again dude. This is the only way I can "double THANK" so here it is. I appreciate all you do for us here in SD. It doesn't go unnoticed or unappreciated.:beer:
