Great Western Loop + Honey Springs Ride Report

24 August 2024

by Rob Verfurth

Riders: Mike Hodges, Bernie B, John M, Quoc, Len N and Rob V

Hodges was again getting us ready for the upcoming Monster Climbs trip. We had just ridden the clockwise version of GWL the previous midweek. Now Mike wanted to add on the down-n-back up offered by Honey Springs Road.

We met in the parking lot in Rancho San Diego near Willow Glen Drive just before 8 am and after a group photo, we pedaled off on the flat first 7 mile section before the start of the Dehesa Climb. Mike kept us all together at a nice 15 mph pace to the start of the climb. We passed the Cottonwood and Singing Hills Golf Courses on our right before turning at the light to begin the ascent.

Pretty quickly Mike pushed the pace off the front. Bernie, John M and I rode together for the first few miles while Len and Quoc swept. Bernie split away from John and I as we slowly made our way up Dehesa. It is a climb the Descenders have done many times on group rides and every year that we participated in the Alpine Challenge Ride. The roads are still pretty quiet with only light traffic and the views are spectacular; almost makes you forget about how tired your legs are feeling so early in the ride. I rode on John’s wheel most of the three plus mile ascent to the corner of Japatul Road.

We descended together past Loveland Reservoir. We had almost ten miles of rollers ahead of us. John got a front wheel flat but said he had all he needed to fix his tire. I pedaled on saying I would see him by the time we got to Lyons Valley Road. My pace up Dehesa was slower than the previous week. My pace along Japatul slowed to a crawl, the rollers looked and felt like hills to me. It was still a beautiful morning to be out riding a bike in east county. Just before getting to the turn at Lyons Valley, John passed me and kept going. I saw him for the first few miles as we climbed and then descended into the valley. It is mostly US Forest Service land with very pretty views, a few trailheads and a low traffic road.

Len passed me by the Lawson Peak Trailhead and just a bit before the turn to Honey Springs Road. He turned left, to my surprise. I expected him to go straight to the Trading Post, about a mile farther down on the right. I planned to go up and over the early climb of Honey Springs and down a few miles. I pushed my pace a bit to catch Len to tell him I was going to go down for a few miles, then turn around and go to the store. We rode together for a bit and Len turned at the top of the climb, about a mile from the corner. He was heading for the store.

I knew Mike, Bernie and John were already well into the 7 plus mile descent to the bottom of Honey Springs and maybe already starting to climb back up. I descended fast for a couple of miles, past the Deerhorn Valley fire station and then decided the climb back up would be enough for me. I turned around and made a mile detour up Deerhorn Valley Road for good measure. There are a number of small wineries along both Honey Springs and Deerhorn Valley, most of the car traffic seemed to be folks heading to sample some wine. Time for me to get back up over Honey Springs and a needed water stop at the Trading Post. I climbed to the top , then descended back to Lyons Valley Road and took the left towards the store. Just before I got there I saw Len riding towards me. He was heading towards. Skyline Truck Trail, the road we took on our GWL ride the previous week. It eventually connects down to close the loop back to the start.

I got to the Trading Post about the same time a strong rider was just getting off his Trek Madone rig. His name was Ben and he had ridden the same clockwise GWL route we had done, but no Honey Springs. He knew Matt Baab and Larry Tanzo from his riding days in the south county area. Mike rolled into the Trading Post as Ben & I were chatting. Mike tried to recruit him to join us for more rides. We chatted a bit about the route and the beautiful day when Bernie made his way back to the store. He said John would be about 10 minutes or so behind.

I knew Len had gone Skyline and likely that Quoc had turned around back down Dehesa, so I needed to get going. I pedaled off after finishing some much needed Gatorade. The curvy descending road has always been a fast section. I knew Ben would be coming behind me soon while Mike & Bernie waited for John M. I hit the curves hard, stayed upright and almost got a PR, missed it by 4 seconds from a previous descent. Ben caught me right at the big dip and the climb back up where the road connected to Skyline. He pedaled off heading home.

Pretty quickly you make the right onto Jamul Drive for the final descent and push back towards Willow Glen. I finished with 48 miles and about 4,700 feet of climbing. Quoc and Len’s cars were already gone. I changed, got my bike into my car and was about ready to leave when Mike, Bernie and John M rolled into the parking lot. They each got almost 10 miles more and extra Honey Springs climbing. Fun Descenders ride, one step closer to being ready for the Monster Climbs Trip.