Skive Ride-HVR, Camino del Aguila and High Valley Loop-10 March 2015
by Rob Verfurth
Riders: Dave Sheehan, KC Butler and Rob Verfurth
There were only three of us available for the Skive Ride on Tuesday. We met at the corner of HVR. Sheehan and I convinced KC to explore some new climbs and head up toward Ramona. We rode up HVR and took the turn onto Camino del Aguila. It was steep and a bit bumpy. It got steeper as toward the top where we took a rest while admiring the views in all directions. We showed KC where the climb up Stagecoach goes (another great climb out of the Heritage neighborhood) and the hilltop water tower across the valley. With building high pressure, we have great views all the way to the coast.
The climbing was not done so we continued across the top section of Starvation Mountain and cut through the dirt road to Eagles Crest. It is only about a 50 yard dirt section and then back to the road. We stopped again to show the views toward the Ramona reservoir and Mount Woodson. The roads in Eagles Crest was great. We cruised up and down, turned onto Falcon Heights and went to the end. We hit the dirt, back onto some road and then back onto dirt toward the Green Valley Truck Trail. This dirt road takes you back to HVR.
We decided to head left and turn onto Sky Valley to loop around that small neighborhood. The road has been recently fully paved and it drops out by the elementary school. We rode along HVR with Sheehan and KC taking turns on point. I hid and tried to hang onto a wheel. We cruised down 67 into Ramona and stopped at Packard Coffee Shop. The coffee and pastries were good; not quite as good as the almond croissant in Escondido, but pretty good. We sat on the front porch and enjoyed the morning activities buzzing around town. After a nice break we headed out on 8th Street and hit Hansen on our way to San Vicente. Sheehan pulled like a madman along Dye and I was spent before we got back to 67. I felt my rear tire soften, it was low on air. My least favorite section of 67 towards Mt Woodson saw me fall behind. I stopped to fill my tire and slowly trudged to Mina de Oro where Dave and KC were waiting.
We descended down to High Valley and then took the left onto Espola. KC showed us his neighborhood, just past Poway HS, before Dave and I looped back to his house. 40 miles, 3,300 feet of climbing on a beautiful morning on great roads in San Diego. Can’t beat that. Here are a few photos. Come next Tuesday for the Skive Ride.
San Diego Descenders Cycling Club 