Survey of Fullerton Loop

October 20, 2011 9:48 AM

I'm at the S end of the Juanita Cooke Trail in Fullerton

It is now signed as Juanita Cooke Trail, there is street parking and parking
in the Courthouse parking lot next to the trail

N 33 52.771 W 117 55.543 [52-771-55-543]

at 10:00 AM I set out on the trail, mileage 0.00

0.20 I cross a street

on the other side I take the upper trail, which appears to be the main one,
and go around a gate

0.54 I pass another street, and there are gates across the trail on both sides

the smnaller trail to the R rejoins the main trail here, and the trail is
signed as the Juanita Cooke Trail

0.68 I turn L onto Hiltscher Trail, the trail is signed here, but the sign
says .75 miles, and it's emergency location 4

53-364-55-913

0.88 the trail crosses a street and enters Hiltscher Park

1.39 I come to Euclid Ave and the coordinates are 52-926-56-511

there is a signed pedestrian and equestrian crossing with a button-activated
signal

the trail on the other side is closed and fenced off, I have to turn R and
take the detour

L on Valencia Mesa

L from Valencia Mesa Dr to Crestview Dr

L on La Mesa Dr

52-870-56-666 R on Valley View Dr at 2.22 miles

active construction on Hiltscher Trail to my L

2.60 miles, 52-876-57-61 R on Bastanchury

930-28 2.66 miles L on Warburton Way

2.71 miles 938-79 R next to railroad tracks

it appears that the railroad tracks are not being used, the tops of the rails
are not polished

cattle in a lot to my R and also a small windmill, I don't know if it's
operational

134-963 2.96 miles L into Parks Trail

I pass a school athletic field, and I notice there is a fence between the
trail and the field, but there are openings in the fence

3.54 miles 53-554-57-63 I cross a highway from Roger B Chaffee Park to Virgil
"Gus" Grisson Park

there is button-activated pedestrian and equestrian crossing signal

this path is signed as a bridle path, although it is paved with asphalt

53-874-57-36 3.98 miles I cross a street and jog right and continue

4.16 53-825-57-207 I cross a street and enter Tree Park

I use the lower trail, as required by a sign

I come to the place where the path runs near Coyote Hills Rd, and there is an
unpaved path parallel to the street

here at 4.40 I have to ride on the sidewalk

4.44 I turn L away from the sidewalk

4.49 I enter the Rosecrans Trail next to Rosecrans Ave

5.16 53-751-58-314 R into Castlewood Trail

5.27 miles side trail to R, it is paved with concrete

5.81 54-7-57-891 side trail to R, probably the one mentioned in the 2004
description, I keep L

5.88 I come to the top of the hill with a sign "Bicycles Watch Downhill Speed"

6.32 54-93-57-378 I cross Gilbert

991-133 6.53 L into Nora Kuttner Recreational Trail

6.93 53-951-56-813 side trails sharp R and slightly to L, I go roughly SA to
follow all the bicycle tire marks

53-966-56-516 7.23 miles, trail emerges next to the entrance to the Robert E
Ward Nature Preserve

there is a button-activated pedestrian and equestrian crossing signal

it does not stop the traffic, it simply starts a flashing amber light to warn
motorists

7.37 R on Laguna Rd

7.38 54-32-56-416 L into Laguna Lake Park

I ride on the lower trail

7.66 just past the Fullerton Recreational Riders, the lower trail veers L to
meet the upper trail [but there is also a trail around the small hill]

if I had missed this turn, the lower trail would emerge in the small parking
area

7.71 54-362-56-262 I cross the road next to the parking areas and go into the
lake area

54-559-56-28 7.95 miles I cross over a street and turn R onto the Juanita
Cooke Trail, it is now signed only as a recreational trail

8.08 I come to a gate, and this is signed as the Juanita Cooke Trail, mile 2.0
emergency location 9

8.47 54-32-55-888 I cross over a bridge, turn L and go down a short, steep
slope to the railroad tracks

a gentler descent is available if you're willing to go a little farther before
turning L

it appears that the railroad tracks are not in use because the tops of the
rails are not polished, and there is undisturbed vegetation growing near the
tracks

54-175-55-677 8.67 miles, I turn R just before the trail runs next to a golf
course

8.71 miles, trail turns L and crosses the road to enter the golf course

this is next to a large, flat-top pile of gravel that looks like a dam, but
there is no lake nearby

9.20 miles 53-788-55-557 I enter the tunnels [under Bastanchury]

765-532 9.20 miles other side of tunnel, I keep R

9.57 miles I come to the dam and turn R

9.70 618-605 I enter the parking lot

the road across the top of the dam is fenced off, and the way is barred by a
locked gate, but it isn't very secure [the comments in the 2004 description
still hold]

a mountain biker could easily climb around the gate on this side

606-704 9.76 miles L on Harbor Blvd from Valencia Mesa Dr

10.8 R on Berkeley Ave

10.8 the beginning of Juanita Cooke Trail, back at the starting point, end of
this part [52-771-55-543]!]

time now is about 12:50 PM

I go up the Juanita Cooke Trail to Valencia, and find that there is a
connection on the NE side, and it has a little sign -- one of those triangles
[that show required yielding of right of way] -- on it

WB on Valencia Mesa Dr at Harbor Blvd at 12.13

12.41 R into unpaved path just before the bridge over the Juanita Cooke Trail

back at the truck at 1:16 PM, total mileage 13.31