Oceanside Beach To Palomar Mountain

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Oceanside, CA, US

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@oldguywhotris

San Diego Cycling Climbing Addict - Half & Full Ironman Age Grouper

91 km

2.303 m

This route is a truly iconic San Diego bucket list ride! Dip your back tire in the Pacific Ocean and at the beach in Oceanside, then start riding until you get to the historic Palomar Observatory on the summit of Palomar Mountain! From palm trees to pine trees, this is one you will never forget, and it will be a badge of cycling honor that you can carry with you for the rest of your life.

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## OVERVIEW
This route is a truly iconic San Diego bucket list ride! Dip your back tire in the Pacific Ocean and at the beach in Oceanside then start riding until you get to the historic Palomar Observatory on the summit of Palomar Mountain!  From palm trees to pine trees this is one you will never forget and it will be a badge of cycling honor that you can carry with you for the rest of your life.

## WHERE TO STAY
If you want to stay near the ocean there are plenty of places to stay from Oceanside down to San Diego along the coast.  However, you might want a quicker ride to some lodgings and possibly the opportunity to do some wagering as well.  When you are finished atop Palomar Mountain, you can be in the comfort of @poi[Harrah's Rincon Casino](22936040) in a short 20 minutes as opposed to an hour drive back to the coast once your crew picks you up from the summit.

## What To Prepare For
**Water** – There are not a lot of opportunities to fill up with water on Palomar Mountain. As a precaution, bring extra water with you just in case or make sure you fill up in the Rincon Valley before making your final ascent. Especially if the weather is going to be hot.

**Temperature** – You will be starting on the cool coast possibly in the fog and then traversing through rolling California terrain until you descend a desert type climate in the Rincon Valley where it can be exceptionally hot.  After that, you will rise up to a more alpine environment. In addition, this route will take you most of the day unless you are an elite cycling athlete. Thus, the temperature range could vary widely over the many hours you are out there depending on the time of the year. Check ahead of time what the weather will be in Oceanside when you start, the Rincon Valley in the middle of the day, and on top of Palomar Mountain once you summit.

**A Big Smile** – It’s a special feeling after you finish this one. Soak it in.  Not many people have done this one and have the story to tell that they rode from the sea to the mountains in the same day.

## TRANSPORTATION
The majority of those who attempt this route will be on a one way ticket to the summit and have someone pick them up at the top.  However, if you have to leave a car in Oceanside, I would suggest parking in the @poi[Riverside Drive parking lot](22936039) near the Oceanside Harbor.  There is always plenty of free parking here and it is a very easy and short ride to the start of this route.  That being said, someone has to still drive you back to get your car at some point.

## THE START - LIFEGUARD TOWER 7

The ride starts at lifeguard tower 7 on the corner of The Strand and Wisconsin Ave.  Needless to say, the @photo[photo op](10172421) here for social media is a must. After you get your Pacific Ocean selfie (or talk a local or tourist into taking it for you) ride up Wisconsin Ave and take your first left onto Pacific St.

@slice[This will be a nice flat ride for about a 1.25 miles](d,0,2248.57) until it drops down a small hill and around a curve.  In less than a tenth of a mile you will see an entrance to a bike path on your right hand side just before the bridge that crosses the San Luis Rey River.  @point[Turn right](d,2248.29) onto this path and drop down under the railroad tracks.

## SAN LUIS REY RIVER TRAIL

You are now on the San Luis Rey River Trail.  @slice[This is a relatively flat 8 mile long paved trail along the San Luis Rey River](d,2266.28,16521.51).  Keep alert as it is a multi use trail with lots of bikes, runners, walkers, and virtually anything else on wheels that is not motorized.  That is the nice part of your next 8 miles....no cars other than the occasional neighborhood street that you will need to cross.  You will have put your first 4.5 miles behind you when you pass the @photo[skateboard park](10172401).  At 8.5 miles you will see a park on your right hand side.  There is a quick @photo[little exit](10172395) you can take to visit the @poi[restrooms](22936032) if you need any refills yet.

Back on the trail, at mile 9 the it will dump you onto neighborhood streets.  Simply turn left and follow the road until you see a sign in a very short while that tells you to rejoin the trail by turning left.  This last part of the trail will wind through a wooded area unitl it pops you out to Hwy 76.

## THE ROAD TO BONSALL

Yes, you will need to ride on Hwy 76.  The good news is that @photo[there is a nice wide shoulder](10172374)!  At this point you will be about 10 miles into the ride.  @slice[You will only be on Hwy 76 for about 2.7 miles](d,16521.51,21064.66) until you come to the intersection of Old River Road.  This is slightly tricky as at this intersection it is @photo[Old River Road on the left](10172373) and East Vista Way on the right.  You want to go left!  This means you will have to merge across both lanes of Hwy 76 so pull over and wait until it is safe to do so.

Continue to follow Old River Road until you come to the @point[Bonsall Elementary School](d,25294.25).  Keep to the right as the road transitions into Camino Del Rey.  Then turn left a little bit after the school onto @point[Lilac Rd](d,25790.09) at around 16 miles on your ride.  At this point, you will likely be feeling pretty good about yourself.  It has been relatively flat so far.  That will start to change into a gradual and rolling climb for the next 20 miles.

## YOUR LIFE ON ALL THE LILAC ROADS

@slice[The next 4.5 miles will climb through horse and avocado country](d,25834.48,32898.7).  Some of the countrys best thoroughbreds will reside to the left or right of you and the majority of the avocados you partake in from the United States are grown here as well.  Traffic is a little closer here and it would be nice if they made a little more shoulder, but drivers are very used to cyclists on this road as it is a very popular segment.

@slice[You will cross Old Hwy 395 and roll through a very beautiful area we call the Lilac Loop](d,32997.06,39445.01).  As you wind your way around, at about 22.5 miles you will emerge from some gradual switchbacks and oaks to gaze upon a @photo[your first view](10172370) of Palomar Mountain to your left.  @poi[Not a bad place for a selfie or landscape photo](22936041) if you want to make a quick stop here.

## WELCOME TO VALLEY CENTER

@slice[At mile 24.5 you will turn left to start making your way toward the town of Valley Center](d,39445.01,50246.42).  You will pass more ranches and @photo[groves along the way](10172371) for the next 7 miles until you reach Valley Center Rd.  Just before you reach Valley Center Road, there will be a series of baseball fields on your right hand side.  This is a @poi[good place to fill back up on water](22936033) if you need some.  There are a variety of working faucets near the ball fields.  There will also be a number of @poi[restaurants](22936035) and @poi[markets](22936034) @slice[over the next 1.5 miles along Valley Center Road](d,50246.42,52291.21) if you want to make a stop to restock in a larger and more significant way.

@slice[At mile 32.5 you will begin a long flat stretch](d,52376.01,57382.78) along some agriculture fields.  @photo[There is a large shoulder](10172366) along this entire stretch which is nice.  Then, at mile 35.5 you will pass @point[Valley View Casino](d,56995.03) and begin @slice[a steep descent into the Rincon Valley](d,57382.78,64957.54).  Enjoy this downhill break because it is the last one you will experience.  After this, it will be all uphill for the rest of your day.

## LAST STOP IN CIVILIZATION - GET WATER!!!!

As you descend into the Rincon Valley @photo[the view is striking](10172363) with an amazing valley below and Palomar Mountain towering above it.  The shoulder has been greatly improved here, but it is still a little tight.  If you ride here in the summer, be prepared for the temperature to go up significantly.  I rode this on July 5th and it was 100 degrees by the time I got to the valley floor.  It was almost 40 degrees above the cool Oceanside temperature I started with at 6:30AM earlier that day.

On the valley floor you will pass a large @poi[Harrah's Casino](22936040) on your left.  Just past the casino on your right hand side is the @poi[Rincon Market](22936037) where you could also stop to get supplies.  If you don't want to bother them, there is a water faucet on the side of @poi[the church](22936036) next door to fill up your water bottles if you need to.  I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you fill up with water and possibly food because you are going to need it as this is where the climbing begins.  You have a serious 17 mile climb ahead of you and there are no places to get water after you leave this valley and head up to the summmit.

## IT'S ALL UPHILL FROM HERE KIDS

@slice[I can't stress enough that during these 17 miles it is a constant grade and you will be working hard the whole time with over 20 switchbacks](d,64968.98,83805.79).  There is a reason locals call it the Alpe d'Huez of California.  At the end, you will also be at 5,500 feet above sea level.

It is tight shoulder once you turn onto Hwy 76.  It is a good road that was recently resurfaced, but the shoulder is tight so relax and just keep pedaling.  Eventually, you will turn left onto S Grade Road.  Once you make this turn you are officially onto the primary climb up Palomar Mountain.  All the climbing you have done up until this time was a warm up.  Now you are going to be getting your grind on.

## SOUTH GRADE TIME
The climb is pretty straight forward…start grinding it! It will get steep (average grade 7%+ with 10%+ sections), it is seven miles long, and it has very few breaks. You will earn your badge of honor on this one, but it is truly one of (if not the) coolest climbs in Southern California. Mt Baldy is a tough climb, but it is mostly straightish until the end. The Mount Palomar switchbacks are truly a treat for climbers from a technical standpoint, @photo[scenery](10172356), and bragging rights. I have actually climbed the famous switchbacks of Alpe d’Huez in France and although it is a greater challenge, Mount Palomar was a formidable training ground for me to get used to switchbacks and build the kind of endurance needed to attack that Tour de France classic climb.

*If you have never climbed switchbacks before, try to take the tighter turns a little wide as it will make it easier and safer to make that turn. I was climbing up Mont Ventoux in France on some of those switchbacks and there was a guy in front of me who took the turn tight and literally flipped over backwards because it can get so steep in those inner corners.*

My only other advice on this one is to just keep going. You will get glimpses from time to time of the winding road above and your mind may tell you, you are getting close. Don’t listen -- it is probably wrong. Once you see an @point[Artesian well](d,83211.75) (sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't) on your left, you can start to think about a little celebration time in the near future.

If you ride this on the weekends, you will be joined on these switchbacks by motorcycles, Corvette clubs, classic roadsters, etc. that love the winding roads.  It is actually pretty cool if you are a car enthusiast to see some amazing vehicles while you are suffering.  It keeps it interesting.  In all my times up this grade, they have always been great about giving cyclists their space so not to worry.

Congratulations!! You have joined the South Grade Alpe d’Huez of Southern California fraternity!

## THE TOWN OF PALOMAR MOUNTAIN
At the top there is a @point[small town](d,83954.55).  At the time of this entry, the town was in transition.  Hopefully, by the time you read this the restaurant will be back open.  It is a good place to @photo[take a break](10172355). Often, those cars and mortorcycles park their rides here and chat with each other as well as other cyclists so it can be a social moment after a lonesome grind up the mountain.

## THE OBSERVATORY CLIMB
But wait….there’s more! @slice[The climb up to the famous Palomar Observatory](d,83805.79,91252.73) is not as difficult, but for some reason it seems to go on for a while.  The terrain is mostly covered in tall pine trees and it is about 4.5 miles.  Fortunately, the beginning has a nice downhill ride for a while to give you a well deserved break.

Once you get to the top, you will know it. There is a giant observatory that you can’t miss. If you need a long break after all that climbing, you can go into the observatory and check it out. There is a visitors center and they also do tours. Probably not what you are going to want to do after riding 57 miles and clming over 7,500 feet.  However, if you are interested to learn more about the observatory [click here](https://sites.astro.caltech.edu/palomar/homepage.html).

## CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Congratulations if you did all of this route from the sea to the top of the legendary Palomar Mountan. 57 miles and 7,500 vertical feet with technical and challenging switchbacks is definitely something to be proud of!

If you are interested in exploring more climbing on Palomar Mountain, check out my [Palomar Mountain Quatro Climb](https://ridewithgps.com/ambassador_routes/1688-palomar-mountain-quatro-climb) route too for another 55 mile 7,800ft grind fest!

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Oceanside Beach To Palomar Mountain

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