New guy & a question....

[yerguy 0]

Wow!! What a great site. I am so glad to have found it, maybe I'll make some new friends here.

The name is Dan, from the Escondido area returning to dual sporting after a 30 year hiatus. Once ran a few Eastern style thru the woods enduros way back on an old Yamaha DT-1.

I just scored on a street licensed '01' XR 400 with lots o' good stuff on it. Fresh motor and clutch by Al Baker w/ Mikuni pumper, Fineline susp. mods, the latest Baja Designs dual sport kit w/ 250 watt alt, all new Acerbis plastic, BRP upper tree/Renthal tall bar, Scotts damper mount, fresh Pirellis, several front/rear gears, big tank and oodles more. I do need a Scotts Damper for this lil' beast.

I am dying to get this thing in the dirt where it belongs. Until I set up a trailer, I was hoping to use some of the nearby truck trails I found on a local map coming out of Escondido to go play a lil'. Just off Bear Valley (where I live) and Reed Road is the Guejito TT that connects to the Orosco TT. I hoped to tie that into the San Ysabel TT on over to Lake Sutherland.

But...it seems the Guejito trail is closed, all new houses there now, no trail in sight. According to the map, the Guejito/Orosco trail is accessible 'bout 1/2 way between Bandy Canyon and Ramona on the north side of 78. I've driven up/down 78, but I can't find it!!!

So, my question is this...Does anyone know of ready access to these TT's??

Also, are there any good guides/books/maps of local S. Diego county truck and OHV trails. I read about places like the Palomar divide and others but I have no idea how to locate them. I've spent hours online looking for maps and such but have had little luck. Any suggestions??

Hoping to make the acquaintance of some of you folks, and soon I hope.

Dan'l

Escondido

[2Wheels 0]

Welcome to the site.

[Brett 0]

Ditto - "Welcome"

Keep watching the forums for informal rides, and don't forget about the formal ones too. Our annual "Desert Dash" is coming up early next year. Malcolm Smith's "No Wimps" ride is/was today from Glen Helen is San Bernardino.

Good ya got your old hobby back!

[bruceh 0]

You'll just have to come on a ride with this group once to get hooked. I did my first ride last month and had an absolute blast. I bought a DRZ400S last year for buzzing around in the desert. It took a long time to convince the wife that I wouldn't kill myself on it I have 5 ATV's for the family, but always wanted to get back to riding a bike after 30 years. Having a street legal bike gets me into the Anza-borrego state park roads. I used to have a 1975 Yamaha 250 Enduro.

Anyway, if you want to buzz around on some truck trails, just come up the 78 to Ramona and you can ride up Pamo Rd and the Black Mountain/Black Canyon/Lake Sullivan area all the way up to Mesa Grande.

I rode up to the end of the trail at Black Mountain last weekend and it was great!

I live in the San Diego country estates area of ramona. There are also some good trails east of Ramona and up on Barona Mesa. I've tried to get onto the El Cajon TT, but it seems to always be gated and locked.

[KTMrad 513]

Yerguy (Dan'l), welcome to SDAR. We've got good group of active members who ride A LOT !! Hope to meet and ride with you soon.

As mentioned, the Cleveland Nat'l Forest Maps are the best source for trails, and the AAA County Map is pretty good too.

Quite a few people have some stuff recorded on GPS, so if you have one, you can ask for GPS routes.

[PastaPilot 17]

Dan'l

Welcome again to SDAR. I looked up Guejito Rd on Google Earth and think I may see where you are running into trouble. I see an Old Guejito Rd with access through the back of a new housing development.

I looked a bit and found access to Guejito Rd off of Lake Wohlford Rd. Here

Let me know if your find your way out there. I used to do a lot of work over this area as a flight instructor and have always wanted to test out the dirt there. I've been searching for a way up to this plateau from the south with no luck.

I hope this works for you I tested it out once before posting it. I'd recommend setting your Google maps to Hybrid for best viewing.

Jon

[TeamGrover 0]

Hey yerguy

Im new to the site too and also live in Escondido. The truck trails you're looking for are accessible from a gate that's locked up by the City if Escondido. The gate is on N. Lake Wohlford, just south of the lake. Its easy to see coming down the grade. Got up in there the other day and there are some trails. Bummer is that Escondido has some wacky dude that watches over the property. He also has a lot of expended shotty shells by his "house". No real way to hook up into any other trails from up there though, just back down to Guejito Rd, which ends at the ranch gate. Can't get in the ranch. Thats the only way to Ramona. Guess the short is, your not missing much.

[pyro 1]

See you on the trails soon amigo!

Check the Informal Rides section of the site for upcoming action.

RIDE 4EVER!

[yerguy 0]

Wow!! I'm surprised at the response. Apparently I'm not alone on the quest for the Guejito Truck Trail.

After some exploring, here's what I've learned as follows.....

1)Access from Reed Rd in Escondido is...non existant, gone bye-bye due to development

2)There is a gate (usually locked) directly across from where Mission Rd dead ends into Bear Valley/E. Valley Rd. I've only once seen it unlocked, but there was a city truck/employee there.

3) Spent an afternoon exploring all the roads from the far end South/eastern end of Lake Wohlford. Several interesting lil' side trails all bearing the Guejito name according to my GPS, BUT...they all lead to dead end, locked gates. The main "Old Guejito Truck Trail", 'bout 1/2 mile from the 3 way split ends up on private property with,you guessed it...a locked gate!!

Since then I found the Black Canyon road and NFS #12507 leading to the Black Mountain Truck Trail and lookout. What I have learned is the Thomas Bros maps show very old routes, but not the gates nor where they cross private property. The AAA maps are considerably more accurate but my MicroSoft Streets and trips has much more detail. The trails on the Clevland Nat. Forest maps seem pretty good too, other than the fact they are modified topo maps and there is so much detail, it's kinda hard to see the tree for the forest,per say. Guess I should add a magnifying glass to my trail toolbag if I use these???

Was up there the Sunday before last and met a nice gent from Delmar on a GS650 by the name of Carlos. Says he makes this ride often.

Tomorrow, in prepartion for the Los Coyotes Dec 30 ride, I intend to ride till I can't ride no more. Gonna try the Pamo Rd back up to the Black Mountain TT or look for the Lusardi TT towards the end of Pamo Rd then ride back down to the Black Mt TT.

Still looking for interesting local rides, any and all suggestions are welcomed. If you're out n' about, look for a war worn but strong runnin' XR400 and a big tall galoot. That'll be me!!!

Merry Xmas all,

Dan'l

[PastaPilot 17]

Beautiful Picture Dan'l, It looks alot like this one I took on Lusardi TT.

Lusardi is a fun road to ride with lots of spur roads to explore, unfortunately it too ends at a gate (as do all the spurs) just before you get to a really nicely wooded area. The gate is also the boundary of the National Forest area and private property. Still fun and I will likely be going out there again as Black Canyon Rd is also a fun area to ride. Plenty of dirt out there to keep you busy for a few days.

After Xmas and my knee feels a little better we'll have to meet up for a ride out there.

Take care and Merry Crimmus to you,

Jon

[yerguy 0]

Jon,

Interesting!! See the big rock in the middle of the road behind your bike?? That's where I parked my bike this past Xmas day before turning around and heading back to Pamo Valley Rd.

After exploring the Forest Service road #12507 and the locked gate at the top of Black Mtn lookout I headed on down Pamo Valley Rd in search of Lusardi Truck Trail. Found the access trail and rode through the creek crossing. Rode to the approx. 1/2 way point and ended up at the same spot of your picture. I got a late start that day and it was closing in on dusk and cooling of pretty quickly. The idea of a creek crossing and a possible drowned motor after dark held little appeal so I headed on back.

But, headed around the curve and on up the hill where your bike is parked, does that end up at a locked gate?? My MicroSoft Streets and Trips map shows it continues north on to Rt 76, just east of Amago/ La Jolla Indian Reservation. This would make a nice lil' morning ride, concluding at the Henshaw Cafe just across from Lake Henshaw. Maybe from there, head to Warner Sprngs and ride the Palomar Divide Truck Trail to Oak Grove then back track to Sunshine Summit for a Mexican Lunch. This would make for a pretty good all day ride.

Lemme know if you've been past that area?? I'm going back but this weekend we're doing the Los Coyotes event on Saturday. Gotta get finished gettin' the bkie ready so gotta go.

C-ya later,

Dan'l

[Spyder 2]

I'm going back but this weekend we're doing the Los Coyotes event on Saturday. Gotta get finished gettin' the bkie ready so gotta go.

C-ya later,

Dan'l

Dan'l

Could you post the details of when and where you are going with Lost Coyotes? (or send me a PM?) Ride's not listed on the Yahoo Group Site.......

Thanks,

Spyder

[PastaPilot 17]

Dan'l

Does this look familiar?

It's the water crossing about a 1/4 mile inside Lusardi TT. This view is on the way out.

Lusardi ends at a gate just about 2 miles from the picture spot. There are many other trails up there I'd like to ride again, some for the first time. I'd like to have a partner with me before going further on some of them. Almost every trail I've ridden off of Pamo Rd with the exception of Black Canyon ends at a locked gate. Perhaps next weekend, we can meet up out there and do a little more exploring. If time permits, we could take Black Canyon out and toward Rt 76 around Lake Henshaw and up Palomar Mt. I am interested in taking Lost Valley Rd and see what is out there.

Like this...

We'll have to start a new thread on this.

TTY,

Jon

[yerguy 0]

Spyder and HondaPilot,

Sorry I missed your post guys. Been kinda busy with work and house stuff lately plus had a lil' melenoma surgery to contend with.

The Los Coyotes ride was a WHOLE bunch more than I expected. I was thinking it would be a nice lil' ride thru the high desert, but turned out it was a tough technical challenge. At least for me it was. Remember, I'm just getting back into the off road thing and one thing I have learned...deep, soft, silty sand SUCKS!! Not much of a fan of rock gardens with fist to helmet sized boulders. The make me fall down!! And that hurts!!

I survived till the 1st gas stop, but by then I felt like I had gone 10 rounds with Hagler, so we bailed and headed back to Kramer Junction We were not alone, probably 40-50 others did the same. According to the District 37 reports the rest of the ride was poorly marked, especially the 3rd section with virtually everyone getting lost. so I guess we did'nt miss much. So the sponsoring groups name is'nt far off, appropriately the concensus is they should change it to the "LOST Coyotes" club!!

We arrived 'bout 6:45 AM at signup with air temps at 21 deg. It eventually warmed all the way to the mid 40's by afternoon!! There were over 170 riders on everything from ancient vintage Limey and Euro bikes to brand new E start Husky's and KTM's. Interestingly, the high $$$, Euro foo-foo E start models would'nt start 'cause it was so friggin cold!! We had our old timey XR's running on the 2nd kick!!

Honda Pilot....I sent my hard core enduro buddy and his wife out to Lusardi TT and they loved it. Said they found a shooting area to the west of the paved road before it turns to dirt, says there are trails heading off to the west, perhaps part of the old Guijito TT?? He too ran into the gates you mentioned at the old mine area. That's a real shame because the maps show it going all the way to Rt. 76, just east of the La Jolla Indian Res. Would make a nice ride up to the Lake Henshaw Cafe for lunch, then take Mesa Grande back to Santa Ysabel or head over to Warner Springs then do the Palomar Divide.

I'd love to go riding out there again, but riding's off limits for 4 weeks or so till the surgery heals. The doc took out a chunk in my back leaving a good sized divot. You could set me up on all fours and now use me as an horduerves serving dish!! A lil' Ranch dressing and quauc with some chips and vegies. Maybe he could add a coupla' recesses for drink holders too??

Anyways, I'll be back out there soon enough. By then maybe it'll start warming up again. I hate being cold!!!!

Dan'l