De Luz – Where?

[shaklee909]

I needed to get a ride in and today was my only day for the next few weeks but I only had a half-day, so it had to be a short ride.
De Luz looks like an interesting destination. So I chose a loop route that would take me by the Santa Rosa Plateau.


When you get off the 15 at Clinton Keith Rd. there is a gas station and Starbucks, making a good staging location.
You start to climb right away as you top out, you will see the visitor center for the Santa Rosa Plateau, a Riverside County Park. The Nature Conservancy helped make this park happen by buying the land and setting it aside as open space.

It’s one of the few places in So Cal you can see an undisturbed oak forest



The road to the plateau is good, but has its hazards.

They are everywhere and tend to be in the middle of the road as you come around a bend.

The Vernal Pools are a major hiking destination.

As the pools evaporate they leave concentric rings of wild flowers.
These are a bit early, so I think it will be a great year for the flowers.


The road continues past a great vista.


As you head south you get to the edge of the Plateau.

And drop very quickly. Kinda like being on the first down hill of a roller coaster.

The avocado groves are everywhere. Both sides of the road are lined with the trees.
When you finally get to the bottom and make the turn onto De Luz Rd, the road leaves the avocado groves and passes by the big fancy houses.

The road conditions range from OK to mostly not there. Water across the road was common.

The route is like this for miles.
This is one road that you need to just take your time on. Just slow down and enjoy the views.

[shaklee909]

So here is De Luz


That is all I could find of De Luz. Not even a liqueur store.
Just nice houses.
Soon after De Luz you leave the oaks and get into the chaparral that is common for most of San Diego County.

Once you cross into San Diego County the road improves, but the traffic get heavier.
Get to Sandia Creek Road. I think I should turn left, but the Zumo is saying turn right.
So I turn right on to Rock Mountain Rd. passing a sign saying “No outlet.” Hmmm. I keep going anyway. Sure enough the pavement ends on to a nice wide flat dirt road. It’s a bit damp, but what the heck. After maybe a quarter of a mile I get pavement again. Kewl! It takes you down to a nice looking creek with lots of trees. I make a sharp right turn and start climbing steeply. Then all of a sudden it’s Holy Cr%p! The pavement ends on to a very rutted dirt road. No way to turn around, so I keep going up. The road is wet, muddy, deep ruts, and rocky. This is the first real dirt I have been on since getting my V.
Finally I get to the top and the road turns civilized. Here is a shot of the good part.

At least I am rewarded with a great view.


A short time later, I am back on pavement again and relaxing again.
Have you ever wanted a home by the lake, but there were no more lots?
Well make your own lake.


From this point on it’s a lot of small roads until I get to Temecula.
There are many, many roads to explore in those hills. I will be back soon.

[viffergyrl]

Yes that Sandia Creek Road is a leetle tricky. I'll have to look at your map a bit to see what exactly you did, but I have a guess.

Sounds like you and Owrstrich could write a book on DeLuz/Wildomar/Murrieta/Temecula/Fallbrook wanderings...

[WineCountryStrom]

Great Report!

When I first moved here from the Sierra Foothils in NorCal, I thought most of my riding would be spent in Wine Country / Warner Springs / Idyllwild. I have definately taken most of my day trips on the west side of I-15 in that neck of the woods.

Joe

[LoneStranger0369]

Great report. I rode this area again yesterday.

[demenshea]

What a fun adventure!! I love those days of exploration, making me think i am actually mapping a new area cause I must be the only one nutty enough to be on said roadway (if you can call some of them that). I love your thinking, no where to make a U-turn. I have made a couple of nasty 3,4, or 5 point turns when it just looks to grim to continue.

Thanks for the tour! Looks like a fine day.

[Knife]

Unbelievable! Amazing! Beautiful! Just absolutely incredible... and envy inducing. I have got to get out that way, and soon while I'm still breathing.

P.S. What are the odds I could make it through on my VFR800?

[owrstrich]

nice shaklee909...

its very relaxing in there... we need to get mr gperry and mrs gperry to show us around in there someday...

j o

[LoneStranger0369]

Originally Posted by Knife

What are the odds I could make it through on my VFR800?

No problem; I did it the entire thing on my Sporty, and a buddy did much of it on his full-dresser Hog.