Seems about this time or so every year there is discussion about where and when to ride after a significant rain. Usually, a thread created the previous year (about the same time) is reposted and eventually becomes a good yearly reference.

I'm wondering if we should create such a thread here, maybe a sticky? I have a spreadsheet (I'm such a geek) that I've accumulated either first or second hand information on for a lot of trails in SD. Or maybe we could just use a list that everyone can add to so it is more interactive. Any thoughts?

Edit: I didn't consider the potential flamefest in posting this, but we're all friends here, right? Disclaimer - these are just general recommendations following a substantial rain and do not supercede using common sense. If your tires are creating a rut, you should not be riding the trail, DUH

Trail - Days post rain
Santa Margarita River Trail (SMaRT) - 1
ATT - 1
Iron Mountain - 1
San Juan/Chiquito - 1-2
Tenaja Truck Trail - 2
Daley Ranch - 2-3
Elfin Forest - 2-3
Noble Canyon - 2-3
Black Mountain (RB) - 3
Cowles/Pyles Peak - 3
Mount Woodson - 3
Holy Jim/Trabuco Canyon - 3
Santa Ana River Trail (SART) - 3-4
Mission Trails - 3-4
La Costa Trails - 4
Black Mountain (Ramona) - 4
Sycamore Canyon - 4 (8 south)
Santaluz - 5
Discovery Hills/Double Peak - 5-6
LPQ/Del Mar Mesa - 5-6
SCST - 5-6
TW - 5-6
Calaveras - 7
Lake Hodges North - 7
Sweetwater Reservoir/Bonita - 10

I'd appreciate it if you shared what you have (or as much as you feel like sharing). Maybe start with what you have and people can add to it as they learn what's good and what ain't.

Good idea you got there.

Eric

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"I never learned anything from winning, it's the races where I got my butt kicked that I learned the most" - Michellie Jones (Ironman World Champion)

http://www.ericpalmerendurancecoaching.blogspot.com

All I know is that you will be blasted on just about every mtnbiking board for mentioning a ride at LPQ after a storm.

Aside from that, don't know which trails hold up from the rain.

I hope I don't get flamed but here's my 2 sense: Daley and ATT, which are decomposed granitic trails do well after a rain if you must ride MTB then. Road bikes are good choice after a rain by the way.

Places that definitely do not do well after rain are LPQ, La Costa and Calaveras as these have large percentages of clay in the trail. Your wet tracks will turn into mini ruts which will turn into bigger ruts that will likely remain in some form until the next geologic time period. Plus, your quads will be pumped from the 20 extra pounds of clay you are dragging on your wheels, frame, and drivetrain. No es bueno.

Best practice is to find some other thing to do for a day or two after it rains IMO. Easy for me to say...

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"We'll ride it until they pave it."

-Big Clyde

Black Mountain and Elfin Forest are also good after a rain.

Stay away from the west side of Mission Trails after a rain or you'll have forty pounds of mud caked onto your tires.

The SMaRT network in Fallbrook does great in the rain. If the rain isn't too heavy, it's ridable the next day.

I second Daley. It does well after a rain too.

Hodges, LPQ, Calaveras, Ted Williams and Sycamore Canyon all need quite a few days to dry out.

I seem to recall someone saying that MTRP was great after the rain. Maybe that was only the east side, or maybe I'm not remembering properly.

What I have heard is San Juan Trail is one of the best.


Brian, great idea on the thread. Maybe you can compile a list in your first post of good/bad trails to ride. That way people don't have to sort through pages of posts to find the info.

Edited to add list.

How does your scoring system work?

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A mountain biker who doesn't ride road has no legs
A road biker who doesn't ride mountain has no soul

I'd assume it is "days post rain" as stated at the top of the "scoring".

got it

_________________
A mountain biker who doesn't ride road has no legs
A road biker who doesn't ride mountain has no soul

Exactly, tab function didn't work, so no slick way to line up the columns. Name of the trail and the recommended days to wait post rain to ride it.

I figured some people are as impatient as me and would want to start with the trails that can be ridden a day after the rain.

Feel free to add to it or whatever, just so we have an easy to follow thread for the next rainy day

The whole "Waiting to ride after rain" thing really dumbfounds me. I'm originally from the east coast where we ride no matter what. I understand we don't get that much rain around here. But why is there so much taboo about riding places like LPQ? Is it the lack of roots, trees, rocks and other such topography?

Yep, yep, and yep. The biggest difference here is that it doesn't rain that often, so if you ride too soon while the ground is still soft, muddy, whatever, we live with those ruts for several months after. As for LPQ, the rangers close it as soon as the first rain drop lands.