Cycle Cruisin' California !

Race to the Del Mar Fair


This is like a "Woodstock moment" of harmonic-convergence about how we get around these days. We could not have asked the almighty for a better theme for the San Diego Fair, celebrating the car-culture, than "Cruisin' California"

There is now an EZ print b/w poster at cruiserbob.com/ccc.pdf that you can share-post anywhere.
San Diego County cyclists who can reach the fair and return home by cycle are the lucky ones. They can "just do it!" any day.

  • For cyclists further afield we begin with the Coaster Commuter Train Schedule.
  • Cyclists, coming from Los Angeles-Orange Counties, here is the Metrolink schedule which ends in Oceanside ... "no-fear" ... it is a most pleasant 20 mile ride south along Pacific Coast Bike Trail to the Fair and/or you can hop on the Coaster to/from Solana Beach station as seen on our interactive map below.
  • Cyclists who "take a train" from anywhere in the USA, end up on the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner.
  • Camping for cyclists along San Diego coastline is itself "an endangered species" because, according to Park phone spokeperson "issues with homeless abusing 'hike & bike' privilege and 'trash left in areas'".

We are currently trying to get more open spaces at Carlsbad and Cardiff State Beach Parks for cycle campers during the County Fair days, but for now space is limited. We continue to work on the problem of "hike & bike" camping along the Southern California coastal Metroplex.

The wheels are rolling to help folks cycle around the Del Mar ANY TIME!


  • Solano Beach Coaster Station

    390 N Cedros Ave, Solana Beach, CA

    If you're coming by train that's the place you're going to get off!
    View Larger Map

  • The Poseidon Restaurant

    1670 Coast Blvd Del Mar, CA

    Beach access and lifeguard station.
    View Larger Map

  • Powerhouse Park

    1658 Coast Boulevard Del Mar, CA

    great for picnic and beach access.
    View Larger Map

  • Del Mar train Station

    1658 Coast Boulevard Del Mar, CA

    Not in Service!
    View Larger Map

  • Seagrove Park

    1601 Coast Boulevard, Del Mar, CA

    to continue Bike route circuit East
    View Larger Map

  • Del Mar Plaza Shopping Center

    1555 Camino Del Mar 308B, Del Mar, CA

    facing North on Camino del Mar.
    View Larger Map

  • Del Mar Fair

    2260 Jimmy Durante Boulevard, Del Mar, CA

    At the entrance, the cyclists can either choose to enter the fair or continue to cycle the circuit
    View Larger Map

  • Winner's Circle Resort

    550 Via De La Valle Solana Beach, CA

    on via de La Valle heading west
    View Larger Map

  • Adventure 16 Gear & Clothing

    143 S Cedros Ave, Solana Beach, CA

    gear for outdoor entusiasms
    View Larger Map

  • 143 S Cedros Ave

    143 N Cedros Ave, Solana Beach, CA

    Go left for another lap or make u-turn and cycle the circuit in reverse.
    View Larger Map
    View Larger Map

More Info

Hover over location on the left. (JavaScript must be enabled)

How did "Cycle Cruisin' California!" come about? The fair's original press release says "The theme for this year's Fair is everything about cars, Cars, CARS! Southern California is a mecca for car clubs and car enthusiasts from around the world. There's no better place to celebrate automotive history and car culture than at the San Diego County Fair!".

When Del Mar became permanent host of the San Diego County fair in 1936 the town could be reached, as Bing Crosby sang, by various conveyances "take a plane, take a train, take a car". At the time of the fair the country was in the midst of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. Only 1 family in 13 owned a car.

Bing [the singer - not the search engine] omitted horses, buggies, bicycles and even walking from the lyric. That is understandable for creative reasons and for marketing. In 1936 Del Mar actually had a working train station so you really could take a train. Not so today. The Del Mar train station is off-line for some time ... not because of anything "trainy", but because their parking lot was not large enough to accommodate all the automobile-train commuters. They spilled onto local tight streets and clogged access to Powerhouse Park and public beach.

Since cycle-culture is what this movement is all about, we look for music to celebrate. It is noteworthy that while their are a whole bunch of car-songs, there are very few popular bicycle-songs. Here's 3 old gems:

Cyclists from all around the world

  • Mountain Bikers
  • Road Bikers
  • Triathletes
  • Cruisers
  • Commuters
  • Tourers
  • BMXers
  • Tandems
  • Wheelchairs
  • Recumbents
  • Electric-cycles

Every cyclist is welcome to "Cycle Cruisin' California" [CCC] to get involved with the automobile crowd. Almost every US bicyclist has or had a car...even a hot-rod. So bicyclists by the millions could chime-in by patronizing the Del Mar fair and surrounding area anytime between June 10, - July 4, 2011. NOTE that the "Race Across America" [RAAM] takes place nearby during the Fair period. Note also that the Del Mar Fair Grounds-Race-Track is adjacent to the Pacific-Coast-Bike-Trail.

 

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