Hope you guys can help me out! My gf wants to start riding more and I am hoping you can suggest some trails. The problem is I am looking for something doable for her, but still fun for me. She has ridden Florida Canyon a few times, and it seems like the right skill level for her. I plan on continuing to go there, but would enjoy changing it up a bit. I do enjoy the more technical stuff (like cowles, noble, dirt jumps), so if there is has obstacles that can be bypassed that would be great! If not, just a change of scenery would be nice. I am near downtown, so mission trials is close, but I am willing to commute if it is worth it! Thanks!

Once your gf gets a bit stronger, you guys should do the weekly ride at La Costa every Saturday morning. It's a climb, but its a friendly, "no one left behind" ride. You'll love the downhill part. Plus there's other female riders there.

For another moderate/beginner ride, there's always Tri-Canyons.

http://www.mountainbikebill.com/SanClementeCanyon.htm

And ride Los Penasquitos while you still can!

Lake Hodges if you stay on the main trail its a beginner ride.
Tri Canyon
Los Penasquitos if you stay around the creek its beginner.
Sycamore Canyon start from the Mast end and ride north until your tired and turn around.
Mission Trails Grasslands, Spring Canyon, Oak Canyon at the NE corner of the preserve off Mast.

http://www.mountainbikebill.com/SanDiegoCounty.htm

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As Nappy T mentioned Lake Hodges is a great place to start off. Has good millage and if you stick to the main trail it is Newbie friendly.

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Lake Murray too if you don't want to drive North

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Based upon personal experience, my advice is to be careful trying to find a single trail to accomodate both. Invest the time now riding at her level, help her build her skills, and just endure the boredom for now. Getting her in over her head too quickly is a surefire way to end up with another bike in the garage collecting dust or something worse

Come ride with the boys to get your fix

Another one to consider is Otay Lakes Resivior/Park. Very good Single Track for beginners, nice a flowy, no substantial climbing and is about 12 miles if you do the
entire Upper and Lower Lakes (Out and Back route). Nice scenery out there as you are
constantly by the lakes edge. That is where I take people that are just starting to MTB.

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Like Phong said Marian Bear/Tri-Canyons

Seriously... There are both wide fireroads and and windy singletracks that run parallel to them.

There are also little finger trails/single tracks that go up the south side of the canyon and come back down.

There are a few sections that I would say are technical. but they are pretty much at the far ends of the park and easily avoidable.

It's more challenging and fun than wide fireroads and she can work up to doing some of the more challenging stuff like the g-outs.

That place for me was a big confidence builder when I was first starting out.


Rose Canyon is pretty much just a long fireroad in the canyon just north of Marian Bear. It's a very good noob ride but the main portion is boringgg. The stuff the east of the 805 can be fun. But nothing to write home about.

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Thanks for the advice! I will definitely check those spots out. Brian, your advice is definitely solid. I took her to florida canyon again today and she worked on the selections she was hesitent at. She definitely improved and can ride the whole canyon without getting off! Hope to see some of you on those other trails soon!

You can take her to Whistler and egg her on to go faster until she crashes and fucks up her shoulder (like I did).

Let me know when you figure it out. I'd love to have fun riding with my ladyfriend. I don't even want to put water in my pack unless I am going to do some riding..

Selfish,
Dave