Bicycling and Bicycle Clubs in North County San Diego pstrongimg title=Bicycing in San Diego src=http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/9/6/1/2/7/ar123109171372169.gif height=150 alt=Bicycing in San Diego width=142 style=float: right; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; /Bicycling is a favorite pastime of many here in Southern California, and the weather allows for riding all year round/strong (emas long as one dresses appropriately in the cooler winter months/em). Because of the terrain, and the ocean, there are terrific places to ride that are fairly flat (emespecially along the ocean between Oceanside and Del Mar/em) for beginning and less advanced riders, as well as numerous hilly areas to challenge even expert riders. Mt. Soledad in La Jolla and Mt. Palomar being two examplesnbsp;/p pMany of the larger roads have well marked bicycle lanes so you are not riding directly in traffic, but of course that is no guarantee that someone won't invade your space. Riding through the towns can get dicey as bike lanes disappear, traffic and pedestrians increase, and parked cars prevent an ever-present hazard. If you prefer to get away from the coastal ride, a popular ride with hills leads up Alga Road in Carlsbad, to Rancho Santa Fe Road and then up San Elijo Road through stronga href=http://activerain.com/blogsview/66280/San-Elijo-Hills-AwardSan Elijo Hill/a/strongs. A fairly challenging hill but amazing vistas in all directions. And of course what goes UP must come DOWN./p pOr take the easterly route from the town center out through Elfin Forest - an entirely different world of hills and open space./p pstrongimg title=On my bike riding from Boston to NYC src=http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/9/0/3/8/9/ar123109511198309.jpg height=370 alt=On my bike riding from Boston to NYC width=360 style=float: left; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; /There are a number of popular bicycling clubs in the Carlsbad and Encinitas area which provide group rides and socializing, especially on the weekends, and training rides for races and long distance rides/strong. These are an excellent way to learn your way around, get some exercise, gain experience in cycling, and make some new friends./p pOne of the more popular and well-known clubs is stronga href=http://www.swamis.org/rides/index.htmSwami's/a/strong. They are easily spotted with bright light blue biking shorts and jerseys, and of course the name. My understanding is this is a fairly experienced group of riders, and a long standing club (since 1986)./p pHere is a great list of stronga href=http://www.efgh.com/bike/clubs.htmbicycling clubs in the San Diego area/a/strong. They vary in terms of size, location, and even the general expertise of the members. Some may not be suitable to someone who is just starting out as a cyclist. Many of the clubs have websites as well so you can learn more about where they ride, how to join, and even see trail maps./p pAnother great site covering more of Southern California cycling teams and clubs is stronga href=http://www.socalcycling.com/socalclubs.aspSoCal Cycling/a/strong. Many of these groups participate in cycling races locally and regionally./p pstronga href=http://www.mapmyride.com/find-ride/united-states/ca/carlsbadMap My Ride/a/strong is a neat site where you can find maps of many biking routes in Carlsbad and nearby (emas well as hiking, walking and organized runs/em)./p pAnd of course you may have a need for a stronga href=http://www.bicyclingsandiego.com/Pages/shops.htmlSan Diego Bicycle Store/a/strong, for a new bike, equipment or repairs. This is a fairly comprehensive list by community./p pHappy cycling!!/p
