By toolbear in February, 2010
This is a bit different for a bike trail. It’s also a history trail.
At intervals down the trail inset intaglio panels present various aspects of ranch history. If you start at the upper end at Jeffrey and Irvine Blvd. and ride south, you trace the history of the Irvine Ranch starting with the Mexican Rancho era on the north end and ending with the military bases on the ranch from 1914 to the Ligher Than Air station and El Toro Marine Corps Air Station. In between are panels covering such themes as: The JI Ranch – 1864-1876, The Irvine Ranch – 1886-1894, The Railroad arrives – 1887, Myford becomes Irvine, the General Store – 1911-12, The Need for Water – 1890-1961, Michelson’s Measurement – 1921.
It would make a nice family ride. It’s a high speed trail – but only connects to the Venta Spur – which is distinctly low speed. When the whole length is finished from Quail Hill to Portola and beyond, it will be busy.
The first time out, it’s hard to get up to speed. Soon as you are moving, you zip over another panel. Stop, back up, read the display. Reading the panels is not that easy. Getting a good photo of them is harder. You need the right light – and a broom. There is not much contrast between the surface and the inscription.
Take your time, read the exhibits, then go back and ride it straight thru. It’s a short mile ride across what was probably once a lima bean field or orange grove. One suspects the hills you see were put there. The surrounding land is flat as a table. They certainly did a nice job on the landscaping. Looks good from Google Earth. The trail moves in sweeping curves from one lawn to another while a decomposed granite jogging trail curves the other way in counterpoint. Something of a double helix.
There is a nice restroom of fieldstone with water, bench and bike rack at GE: 33.703686° -117.754061° in the upper third (“Great Lawn”) section. Trailside water and seating are on the other side of Bryan Ave. There is no parking associated with the JOST. We used the excellent Woodbury Community Park on the Venta Spur as the trailhead. It’s about 0.3 miles up Bryan Ave.
Ride on!
TrailBear
Filling in the blanks on the map.