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Bonita, CA, just south of San Diego (near CA-54 and I-805) is another great place to ride with children. When my eight-year-old friend Esther was visiting me from New Mexico, I borrowed a Trail-a-bike, hooked it up to my bike, and off we went on our trail adventure!
The Bonita Bike Path is a great ride to do with kids, even if they are on their own bikes and not hooked up to yours, because you are on a dedicated bike path and not riding in traffic. If you don't want to cross Willow Street with children on bikes, park your car at Rohr Park and ride around the golf course to get to the bike path.
Route from Donny's Cafe (link goes to MapMyRide.com)
Location: Start at Donny's Cafe or Rohr Park
Distance: 6 miles out and back to the horse stables
Elevation gain: Almost flat
Riding time: 1-1.5 hours
Road conditions: dirt path
Traffic conditions: pedestrians, horses, bikes
Difficulty: Easy
Equipment: knobby tires work best
Kid-friendly: Yes
Notes: Rest rooms at Donny's Cafe or the Bonita Library. Mostly shaded route.
Esther and I took off from Donny's Cafe, cutting through the Kaiser parking lot, and carefully crossing Willow St to get to the bike path. The bike path skirts the Bonita Golf Course and runs along Bonita Road.
Although the ride can be done on a bike with slick tires, it's best to have knobby tires, so you will have better traction in the dirt.
Once we arrived at the stables, we parked our bikes and asked the owners if we could walk through the stable and look at the horses.
Inside, we found chickens running about. It was more than we expected to find at the end of our bike trail.
From the start of our ride at Donny's Cafe down to the stables was about 3 miles. The horse stable was a good half-way point to get off the bike and stretch our legs a bit. We had some water, then got back on the bike to return home.
It was a very fun, healthy, and interesting way to spend the afternoon.
One of the questions I am often asked is: Where can I ride with my kids?
We in San Diego are very fortunate to have a number of dedicated bike paths throughout the county. Over the next few months, Jane and I will be exploring some of San Diego's many great places to ride.
Lake Miramar
Location: Near I-15 and Mira Mesa Blvd.
Distance: 5 miles around the lake
Elevation gain: Almost flat
Riding time: 30 minutes
Road conditions: Paved road/path
Traffic conditions: Usually light
Difficulty: Easy
Equipment: Any bicycle
Kid-friendly: Yes
Notes: Very little shade along the route. Recommended riding in the morning or early evening, or on overcast days.
Lake Miramar, located near Mira Mesa, is a great place to take a relaxing ride alone, with friends, or with children. The five-mile paved path is wide enough in most places for two cyclists to ride abreast against oncoming pedestrian and cycling traffic.
The road is virtually flat all the way around the reservoir. Two parking areas are available, a smaller area located just as you enter the park, and a parking area for RV's and boat trailers about 400 yards down the road. Restrooms and water fountains are located along the interior parking area. Additionally, you will find a port-a-john about one mile from the parking area, on the north-west side of the reservoir. Lake Miramar is a great place for a picnic, with a picnic area on the north side of the reservoir.
Lake Miramar is an ideal place for adults and children to practice skills and techniques essential to riding safely on the road, since you are in a controlled environment with no vehicular traffic.
Drills you can do while riding (Wow! What a great idea!)
Riding in a straight line without deviation. If the path is clear in both directions, try riding the white or yellow line.
Taking a hand off the handlebars to reach for a waterbottle. Replace the bottle without looking down.
Practice riding in close proximity to your riding partner by gently putting a hand on his shoulder as you ride.
These drills will help you to become a better, more confident rider.
Jane and Laura at Lake Miramar, Jan 2009
Resources: MyBikeSite.com (Lake Miramar) - info on trail conditions, routes, and a place to share your stories
Now pack up the kids and go have fun!
Although the ride can be done on a bike with slick tires, it's best to have knobby tires, so you will have better traction in the dirt.
Inside, we found chickens running about. It was more than we expected to find at the end of our bike trail.
From the start of our ride at Donny's Cafe down to the stables was about 3 miles. The horse stable was a good half-way point to get off the bike and stretch our legs a bit. We had some water, then got back on the bike to return home.
