Trail Mix - Saturday, March 29

[The Passage Announcements]

Trail Mix Again Again

Saturday, March 29, 2025

OC Metrolink from Union Station departs at 8:40am
Ride starts at Fullerton station at ~9:15am

Is this becoming an annual event? I dunno, but this route has always been a favorite of mine (Sean; can't speak for Nathan). So, yeah, I feel like doing it again. And it appears they are just at/near/past peak green at Chino Hills State Park. So let's do it!

The last couple times around I have done a modified route that ends back in Fullerton. I think this time I'm going to go back to ending at Anaheim/ARTIC Station instead. Those last few (and few extra!) miles at the end back to Fullerton have always proved a real slog along the city streets. To Anaheim it's just a bike path. If anyone wants to drive, you can take the Metrolink back one stop at the end (or park at Anaheim and ride to Fullerton at the start of the day, and not have to wait for the train at day's end).

Anyway, I know this is sort of short notice again, but hopefully y'all can make it!

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Without further ado, here are the details:

- Approx. 40 miles, much of it off-road. Usually a few spots that require a little hike-a-bike. Includes one long climb, as well as some smaller ups and downs.

- To reiterate the ride will start at Fullerton Station and end at Anaheim/ARTIC.

- Arrive at the train in the morning with a ticket in hand. The Metrolink app is pretty convenient, but there are ticket machines at Union Station too. Buy a weekend day pass for $10. We're taking the Orange County line.

 

- We will stop for lunch at a restaurant. The particular strip mall has pretty limited options (we've stopped at a Mexican place every time we've done the route); vegetarians should be okay, but any vegans might want to plan to bring their own meal.

- I doubt we'll make the 2:45pm train back (never even come close before). Likely we will return on the 6:45pm train, getting back to Union Station at ~7:40. We may have extra time to stop for a little food too before returning.

- It's a long day, yes, but will be worth it. Outlook is good for maximum green.

- Bring water and snacks. Bring sunscreen. Bring lights. Bring layers of clothing (it might be chilly in the morning and will almost certainly be so by the end of the day).

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This was the original ride description when we originally did this route (ten years ago!):

Almonds or cashews? M&Ms or chocolate chips? Cranberries or raspberries? Wasabi peas? Or maybe just good old raisins and peanuts? So many snack choices when you're out on a trail! A dozen donuts makes a nifty repast. But, despite all evidence to the contrary (the picnics, the homemade bread, the donuts), The Passage is not in fact a culinary society. No, we are an exploratory bike ride. So the "trail mix" in question is actually, you know, a mix of trails. 

Who said we can't be clear, straightforward, to the point?

And what a mix of trails we have for you this week. Foot trails? We got 'em. Horse trails? Check. Use trails? Yep. Bike trails? Natch. Indeed, around three fourths of the ride is on one form of trail or another -- two thirds of that (half overall) unpaved. Trails: we will be on them, and a mixture thereof.

So we guess the thing you need to ask yourself is not so much "Can I do this ride?" but "Do I WANT to do this ride?" If you tend to wish we'd just get on a road already, enough with the dirt and the rocks and the bumps and the nonsense -- your wrists and your 700x23s both conjuring up mental sad-face emojis -- then you probably want to sit this one out. If, however, you can't get enough of the off-roading (and have a bike that can't get enough of the off-roading), well, you're golden. You'll be treated to a variety of surfaces in a variety of settings, and some truly spectacular views. Yum!