THE MECCA RIDE
When: 1st & 3rd Sundays, 8am
Where: Donutopolis
Distance: 30-40 miles
Elevation: 2000 feet
Pace: Social (no-drop)
Recommendations: 25-45mm tires
The Mecca Ride is a social, no-drop, all-road ride leaving from Mira Mesa. This ride is intended to bring riders of all backgrounds together for a fun, unique, and inclusive experience. It features a “Choose Your Own Adventure” element with optional unpaved segments. Based on equipment and experience, riders can choose to ride or bypass the unpaved segments (more below). There are a few shortcuts and a spatter of re-groups to keep everyone together and safe. The pace is steady and conversational; tsismis/chisme pace!
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The pre-ride meet-and-greet is at Donutopolis, 8am. Arrive to complimentary donuts (plant-based) and a possible icebreaker to set the mood before wheels roll around 8:15am. We begin riding through the suburbs of Mira Mesa, and towards the campus of University of California, San Diego in La Jolla for the first unpaved option. The dirt route leads to the university’s open space preserve, which is a web of trails that was (is?) host to UCSD Cycling’s CX practice. The road route takes you on a tour through the campus. The first shortcut option is also available (-3 miles). Riders can choose to circumvent the campus by heading west on Genesee Ave (re-group is at the corner of N Torrey Pines Rd and John Jay Hopkins Dr).
Heading north to Del Mar, we drop down to the popular Torrey Pines State Beach, traversing along the beach on our way to the second unpaved option. We jump onto the Coast to Crest Trail, a multi-use trail planned to be spanning from the coast of Del Mar to the crest of Volcan Mountain in Julian. This dirt segment is recommended for all riders. Take the excursion off the paved road and enjoy the mellow, hard-packed trail along the San Dieguito Lagoon. We keep the pace extra chill along this segment, graciously sharing the space with others (human and non-human).
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The route moves on to the smoothest stretch of the ride, the San Dieguito loop. Riders are given another shortcut option by cutting the loop out (-7 miles). Head south on El Camino Real for the direct route (re-group is on the corner of El Camino Real and Half Mile Dr).
The last unpaved option is at the end of the loop, Gonzalez Canyon, which is the highlight of the Mecca Ride. The canyon links undulating and flowy singletrack to make it the longest dirt segment on route. Dirt riders will reconnect with road riders on the 56 Bike Path and Carmel Valley Rd. Cresting the last climb at the end of the 56, the group drops back down into the Mecca, where the ride is capped with more donuts and a possible afterparty (more miles)!
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Route Variations:
