Anybody used to ride at palm ave?

[1fastbean]

I was hoping to get some stories of what used to be one of the most popular riding areas in San Diego County until it succumbed to development. For those of you that don't know where Palm ave was it was located off the 805, palm ave exit south of Chula Vista.

I could name a ton famous riders who used to frequent this crazy place in it's hayday. I remember getting Ricky Johnsons autograph as kid at JT's on Main st and wondering if he was going riding at Palm when he was done. I will forever miss the days of anxiously waiting for school to be over so I could get on my 250r three-wheeler and haul as* through the canyon that led up to Palm. If those hills could tell the stories of countless riders landed their first table top jump, rode their first wheelie or worse met their ultimate demise. I don't think I seen life flight land in an area so many times as palm.The area was not just popular with offroaders but with anybody who just wanted to drink some beer with friends and have a bond fire.

The last X games at Qualcomm I recall Cameron Steel commentating to Jeremy Mcgrath on how many riders that were competing used to "ride those crazy hills at Palm."

 

[DSRacing]

I used to take my truck down there all the time, it was closer than driving to Ocotillo Wells when we felt like hitting the dirt. That was probably around 1984-86. I know I have some pictures laying around the house. I'll see if I can find them and post them up.

There were some trails off of Mercy Rd. between Poway and Miramar lake where we used to go a lot also.

 

[Ramsey_ElWardani]

We used to test there when we didn't want to drive all the way to Plaster City. We rode there sometimes.

 

[Brice]

rode there from the time i was 6 until i was about 12. great memories from that place

 

[BGRANT]

I used to ride my old 490 down there. How about the old Black Mtn./RPQ area that is now the 74.

 

[pdailey]

I miss that place.

 

[NIKAL]

Towards the end of being able to ride at Palm it became a dumping ground. I can think of at least 6 trips where I load up the bike because of a flat tire due to nails. One of the last trips out at Palm I ran over a small railroad looking spike, It punctured the tire and actually dented the rim from the inside between the spokes.

 

[1fastbean]

I used to take my truck down there all the time, it was closer than driving to Ocotillo Wells when we felt like hitting the dirt. That was probably around 1984-86. I know I have some pictures laying around the house. I'll see if I can find them and post them up.

There were some trails off of Mercy Rd. between Poway and Miramar lake where we used to go a lot also.

I know my mom has an old black and white picture of that place even before the 805 was developed with her on the back of my dads old Husky. My dad said the Cal Trans workers used to run him off because he like to open it up on the undeveloped freeway.

Living in N.Cal I was talking to a coworker about riding areas and he asked me if I rode at Palm ave since I was from San Diego. He said he heard of the place from magazines and wanted to ride it.

 

[partybarge_pilot]

I used to ride my old 490 down there. How about the old Black Mtn./RPQ area that is now the 74.

We used to be able to fallow the power lines from Olivenhian down to Black mountian. That was an all day adventure back then.

 

[Mark Newhan]

I used to ride there back in the day. It was cool until you had the major appliance obsticle course. I also drove my "prerunners" ('75 Chevy Luv) down there about the same time as DS Racing, I swear we lived parralel lives.

 

[DSRacing]

Heres a picture from 1983, up top near the 905. As Mark said, before you had to dodge refrigerators, old furniture and on occasion, dead bodies.

 

[1fastbean]

Heres a picture from 1983, up top near the 905. As Mark said, before you had to dodge refrigerators, old furniture and on occasion, dead bodies.

Thanks for posting! Nice Toy! Funny you said near 905, I could tell by the tall eucalyptus trees in the background. In fact I think those trees are still there.

 

[cosmo]

I rode there towards the end before the building began. Broke in three bikes there too. It got to be to hectic with the illegal traffic and the Border Patrol above you.

 

[TreyP]

Used to ride/drive there sometimes. It was too far away and to trashy most of the time.

Favorite places back in the day were Miramar and Carmel Valley. Miramar was lots of fun until some idiot sued the Navy because they were drunk and crashed. Lost one of the best places to test.

Carmel Valley was a fun place, we used to go out there and have informal races, and hunt and shoot too. Lost CV when the enviro movement said it was sensitive and we couldn't go there anymore. A year later they were building housing devolpments I'd take a few trails over housing projects anyday.

How many of you remember being able to ride/drive from Encinitas to Ramona off road? What fun that track was.

 

[nan2270]

those where the days.early 90s i used to ride my quad there,the north east side had been graded for commercial bldings all at different levels.the biggest air ive ever caught,the hills and trails were good practice...concrete jungle now.

 

[Offspring]

Dang that is just like my ol' Toyota minus the jackman wheels of course...lol. Once rode the trashiest, fastest Honda Elsinore there, surprised I made it out of there with it. Anyone remember that crazy street that was the steepest hill I have ever driven on? It was one of those hills that even got steeper at the top. My old 40 horse vw sure struggled on it. I think it was actually Palm Avenue east of I-5.

 

[partybarge_pilot]

How many of you remember being able to ride/drive from Encinitas to Ramona off road? What fun that track was.

The best was going up in Vista by what was then the end of Melrose. A short hop across the fields and you were at the Hobbie cat plant for some good riding. Hit the railroad tracks and you could go out behind Mira costa college to the west, a quick duck under the 78 would get you down to Calaveras. To the east would get Palomar and Valley center. A couple back roads from Hobbbie cat and we could be out in Bonsal in the San Luis Rey river. Now sadly all covered by housing tracks.

 

[DSRacing]

Used to ride/drive there sometimes. It was too far away and to trashy most of the time.

Favorite places back in the day were Miramar and Carmel Valley. Miramar was lots of fun until some idiot sued the Navy because they were drunk and crashed. Lost one of the best places to test.

Carmel Valley was a fun place, we used to go out there and have informal races, and hunt and shoot too. Lost CV when the enviro movement said it was sensitive and we couldn't go there anymore. A year later they were building housing devolpments I'd take a few trails over housing projects anyday.

How many of you remember being able to ride/drive from Encinitas to Ramona off road? What fun that track was.

I went through CV a few times, we would start in Mira Mesa at the ice skating rink, drive over the mountain to the north, then into CV and end up in Encinitas. A co-worker used to live in Del Mar and would ride his bike through CV to get to work in Miramar.

The valley east of Mercy Rd. was always fun and close to home. Took my wife there on our first date because she had never been off-roading before. They completely filled that valley up and built homes on top of it. Scripps Poway Pkwy. runs right through the middle of it now. The only thing left are the powerpoles which used to be at the top of the hills.

Did anyone ever go out to Black Canyon in Ramona? You could take the trails north all the way to the base of Palomar Mt. I heard friends talk of the Encinitas to Ramona run, though I never got a chance to do it. We went out one morning to Black Canyon and headed east towards Julian. By the end of the day we were at Ocotillo near I-8. Never touched pavement once.

 

[DSRacing]

Dang that is just like my ol' Toyota minus the jackman wheels of course...lol. Once rode the trashiest, fastest Honda Elsinore there, surprised I made it out of there with it. Anyone remember that crazy street that was the steepest hill I have ever driven on? It was one of those hills that even got steeper at the top. My old 40 horse vw sure struggled on it. I think it was actually Palm Avenue east of I-5.

Made that hill climb in my Toyota many times. People would try to climb that hill and stall out halfway up. I would put the truck into four wheel low, and wind out that 22R in second gear. Right to the top everytime.

 

[TNT race photo]

This one falls under things you did that your kids will never be able to do, 24th st, sand pits in santee, carlton oaks, jamul, rancho sandiego...all gone!
my shop was at brown field in the 80s, 905 was my daily drive hit'n the woops was lunch...good time to be young with a full tank of gas.