The 2014 date is set for Friday, March 14th departure from Idyllwild.
This date moves the ride up a full month from the 2013 start to beat the dreaded heat in the desert sections and hopefully find more favorable trail conditions in those areas as well. The date coincides closely with the full moon (Sunday the 16th). We will have about an hour less daylight with the new start date, at about 12 hours dawn to dusk in March instead of 13 hours in April.
Route Changes in the works:
May Valley (Idyllwild) reroute- this area is currently closed. We are hopeful it will reopen very soon, possibly in the coming weeks, but ITT’s between now and then will need to redirect around on pavement on Hwy 243 & Hwy 74. Careful out there, these highways can be dangerous with no shoulder.
The desert route will remain more or less gloriously unchanged. Except maybe cooler & firmer in March instead of April. Otherwise, maybe your tears will firm up the sand.
We are looking at more dirt in the Alpine area, after Viejas Grade.
We are looking at a better alternative to get to the “Scary House” in the Sloane Canyon area. The 2012 route went up the “most horrible hike a bike ever” and the 2013 route went around on the “kinda horrible pavement” so we are hopeful the 2014 route will find a good compromise here. Word has it, the alternative trail is “mostly rideable.” This is a maybe. Don’t freak out, people.
We are considering a possible “choose your own adventure” route option at the San Diego Bay whereby riders can opt to ride the Silver Strand out to Coronado, and take the ferry back across the bay. Likewise, we may pencil in a more definitive option to ride the Noble Canyon Singletrack earlier in the route.
We are looking at more Singletrack in Tecolote Canyon and the greater Mission Bay Area. We also have new beta on resupplies in the area, including the Karl Strauss Brewery tasting room, right on the route.
Tunnels section of Penasquitos Canyon- this will be bypassed entirely, as it is closed.
Minor changes in Black Mountain /Lake Hodges area. New resupplies too.
SoCal Bikepacking 