All right folks, here it is --My Sunday Drive.
I used to ride motorcycles around San Diego, and you learn where all the good roads are mostly through word of mouth. I also recommend this website for all of you in California:
http://www.lateralg.org/sandiego.htm#1
Here's my loop. It's a trek, but it's why I bought a Cayman. Consider setting aside 3 or 4 hours to complete it. You will run into traffic, especially if you do it later in the day. Last Sunday I left my house and 7 and was home by 11. Best of all, I have long stretches of road to myself because it was early. There's plenty of gas along the way, notably in Santa Ysabel and Julian, about half way through the ride.
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You can obviously jump into it where ever you like. I'll start my description from I-15 / 56, which is where I start out.
From the intersection of I-15 / 56, head north on I-15.
At the intersection of I-15 and 76, head east on 76.
Continue east on 76 (with all the sunday drivers and motorcycles) until you see the sign for Palomar Mountain, pointing left (north). Turn left on South Grade Road.
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Mount Palomar:
South Grade Road is a super twisty climb up mount Palomar. It's so twisty, in fact, that it's not that much fun. You'll be in second or third most of the way up. You'll probably get passed by a couple of crazy motorcycle riders on your way up, and you'll probably pass some sunday drivers on the way up.
At the top (the first intersection you'll come to once you start climbing), a right turn will put you on East Grade Road. For now, turn left and look for the general store on your left. Get out, use the restroom, eat breakfast, show off the Cayman, and check out all the motorocycle riders hanging out. If you continue down this road, you'll get to Mount Palomar. I've never been further than the store.
Head back to East Grade Road. The next 20 minutes of your life will be some of the most fun that you can have with your clothes on. This road is why you drove up here. It's a great combination of sweeping turns with twistys. You'll be able to hang with the motorcycles here. Eventually it dumps you back on 76. Turn left. Continue down 76 with Lake Henshaw on your left. Keep a look out for Mesa Grande Road on your right.
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Mesa Grande Road:
As near as I can tell, Measa Grande Road was built just for motorcycles and sports cars. It's deserted, no one here but some motorcycles, farmers, cows (saw one on the road this past Sunday, so keep an eye out) and you. Just follow the road to its end and enjoy the ride. It'll dump you out on 79 two miles north of Santa Ysabel. Turn right, and head to Santa Isabel.
Santa Isabel / Julian:
Stop and buy some apple pie in Santa Isabel at the intersection so that your wife won't complain about how long this drive is. At the T intersection in Santa Isabel, turn left on 78 and head up to Julian. You can stop in Julian if you want, but it's usually crowded with Harley riders and love birds. I usually just blow right through or stop for gas if I need it (end of town on the right). In Julian, follow 78 through town (this will entail taking a right turn down 'Main Street'). Just out the back side of Julian, look for a right turn on 79. Take it. Follow 79 for 6 or 8 miles, looking for a left turn onto Sunrise Highway.
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Sunrise Highway:
Sunrise Highway is another road built just for motorcycles and sports cars. To me, this road is the most fun in San Diego. You can carry speed on this road. In fact there's a straight away where you can really open it up. You won't just hang with the motorcycles here, you'll drop them like flies. You can stop at the top of Mount Laguna if you want. There's a nature center and some stuff like that. Of course, I've never stopped. Sunrise Highway will dump you out on I-8. Take a right onto I-8 west, and head back to San Diego and your normal life.
Bonus Routes:
If you don't have all day to spend driving around the back country, you can cut the ride in half by taking 78 east from I-15 through Ramona into Santa Isable, and then either heading north for Mount Palomar, or heading on up to Julian and the Sunrise Highway. If you do this, don't miss the Old Julian Highway just outside of Ramona.
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Old Julian Highway:
This is a fun twisty blast just past Ramona. On your way out of Ramona, you'll see that the streets are numbered, from high to low, descending. At 3rd Street, almost outside of Ramona, turn right and follow it around to the left. After a couple of miles, you'll have to turn left to continue following the Old Julian Highway. It's easy to miss, so take it slow until you've found it. It's a fun jaunt, and most certainly better than just following 78. You'll get dumped out back on 78, continue right up to Santa Ysabel.
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Ortega Highway:
Finally, if your up around Dana Point on I-5, or Lake Elsinor on I-15, consider stretching your legs over the Ortega Highway (74). It's fun, but you can get the same or better down here in San Diego. However, if you go west to east, the view of Lake Elsinor at the end of the ride is awesome.
Hope this helps. Don't spend all weekend detailing you car. Get it dirty on the road. That's why you bought it.
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