The Season to Cycle

Behind are seven cities, a handful of bridges, 31 abandoned shopping carts and 28 miles of the Santa Ana River Bike Trail. Just ahead is the Pacific, which hasn’t exerted a pull this strong since Lewis and Clark traveled in tandem. But a final rush to the sea would sacrifice what in many ways is the most satisfying section of this 30-mile path.

This is where the meeting of “fresh” and salt water attracts the channel’s most diverse array of waterfowl, many with blue, crimson or emerald feathers that glisten in the winter sun. Plus, unlike the industrial middle of the trail, where the river can look like a landfill, the two miles closest to Huntington State Beach are landscaped with coastal pines and native shrubs that add a crisp scent to the morning air.

So although the beach is the carrot at the end of this gently curving stick, it’s important not to forget to smell the sage along the way. It’s even fun to veer from the well-pedaled path and explore places of interest that neighbor the trail.

It wasn’t the stand of sycamores, the rolling sand dunes or the open fields that first attracted a pair of cyclists to the 210-acre Talbert Nature Preserve during a recent Sunday ride.

It was the bathrooms.

Such facilities can be a welcome sight on the trail, especially if you’re traveling with children, who otherwise take easily to the trail because it’s relatively flat and it’s far removed from car traffic.

But there are plenty of other welcoming elements at the nature preserve.

Of the four regional parks that border the bike trail, Talbert is the most rustic. The sycamores encircle a broad grassy area that stands out for its lushness during this drier-than-normal winter. Picnic tables, a hitching rail for horses and a drinking fountain--complete with ankle-high catch basin for thirsty dogs--are some of the only other signs of development.

On a recent weekend, a handful of visitors watched from the park’s bike trail as a kestrel swooped low over a field of brown brush, pursuing and then hovering above unseen prey. A few minutes later, a red-tailed hawk landed on a naked branch not 20 yards from the riders and began preening contentedly.

The 3-year-old preserve is a great place to bird-watch any time of year, said county senior park ranger Jeff Bukshpan, but it’s especially good in spring, when migrating song birds visit.

The preserve is open 7 a.m. to sunset, but the bathrooms are locked up whenever the ranger leaves, usually about 2:30.

Flat-Out Convenient

Less than a mile south of the preserve, where the bike trail dips under Hamilton Avenue, a sign tells riders there’s a bike shop just off the path.

“Probably shouldn’t say this, but I put that sign there myself,” said Al Macias, owner of Bicycles Pacific (9940 Hamilton Ave., [714] 963-1390). “That’s why I know it looks kind of official.”

It’s hard to fault Macias for savvy advertising, especially when his services might be just what a cyclist needs should his or her bike break down on the trail. For about $10, Macias will replace a punctured tube and get a rider rolling again.

Macias moved his business to a strip mall less than a block from the bike trail about two years ago, and he said he gets a fair amount of business from trail cyclists. But the bulk of his customers are the young off-road enthusiasts who have made Huntington Beach a BMX hotbed.

Macias said pro and high-ranking amateur riders from around the world visit his shop to get repairs and to link up with local riders. “There’s a guy from England fixing a flat right now,” Macias said.

His store is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.

Hot Off the Grill

The Peruvian Grill (9606 Hamilton Ave., [714] 593-3883) is a perfect stopping place for a light seafood entree or a carbo-packed pasta dish before riding the three blocks back to the trail. Chef Renzo Macchiavello, a native of Lima and a graduate of the Culinary Institute of Los Angeles, said his menu features old-World Peruvian entrees, “but just a little lighter.”

“Peruvian food has a lot of influences, from the Incas to the Italians to the Chinese and the Japanese,” Macchiavello said. “So I use a lot of Peruvian staples, like seafood and potatoes and grains, with Asian spices and European touches.”

The results are delectable--and affordable. For $5.95 at lunchtime, you can get Aji de Gallina--strips of grilled chicken in a golden chili-walnut sauce and drizzled with black olive paste.

Or, for the same price, try the Pescado alo Macho--sauteed fish topped with scallops, shrimp and calamari in a spicy chili sauce, served with golden yucca and steamed rice.

The Peruvian Grill is open for lunch 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and for dinner 5 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 9:30 Fridays and Saturdays. It’s closed Sundays.

A word of advice: If you’re traveling south toward the beach on the bike trail, take an extra moment to savor your meal before resuming your ride. You’ll soon pass the Orange County Sanitation Treatment Plant, and all the landscaping in the world can’t mask that aroma.

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IF YOU GO

* Getting there

There are dozens of places to access the bike trail, which the county says gets 500,000 riders a year. If you’re heading south and want to start at the beginning, take the Riverside Freeway east to Featherly Regional Park.

A good central county starting point is just south of Edison International Field. Take the Orange Freeway to Orangewood west and then turn left at Rampart Street. Look for a covered area with benches and a bike rack. Park on the street.

* Tranquillity base

In Costa Mesa, the trail passes tiny Moon Park, which is just a sound wall away but a world apart from the San Diego Freeway. Pretend that the brightly colored climbing structure is a rocket ship and then climb the mock lunar surface, which bears pre-made footprints and a plaque commemorating the Apollo 11 landing. But watch your step. One small errant step for man could mean one giant bruise for your backside.

Trail Mix

1. Edison International Field--pick up the trail and follow it to the beach.

2. Talbert Nature Preserve--east of the bike trail, adjacent to Fairview Park.

3. Bicycles Pacific--9940 Hamilton Ave. Huntington Beach, (714) 963-1390.

4. Peruvian Grill--9696 Hamilton Ave. Huntington Beach, (714) 593-3883.

5. Huntington State Beach, where the trail ends.