Julian is an old gold-mining town turned apple town, sitting at about 1,300 metres in the Cuyamaca mountains, and it has built its whole identity on pie. Gold was found here in 1869, and for a few years the town boomed, then the veins ran out, and the settlers who stayed turned to farming. The cool climate and rich soil suited apples, and by the early twentieth century orchards covered the hills. Today the main street is lined with bakeries that sell apple pies, cider and cinnamon rolls, and the smell of baking pastry drifts down the pavement.
In autumn, the town celebrates the harvest with a festival of apples, and the surrounding hills turn gold and red as the oaks and maples change colour, a rare sight in southern California. In winter, snow sometimes dusts the streets, and people from San Diego drive up for the novelty. The old buildings, with their wooden facades and porches, give the town a nostalgic look, and a small mining museum and tours of the old Eagle mine explain the history. It is a place where the past is kept alive partly for the tourists, but it is a gentle sort of show.
For riders, Julian is a legendary destination from San Diego and the surrounding desert, and the roads to it are a draw. The climb from the west or the south winds through oak woodland and open grassland, with moderate bends and good views, and the descent to the desert on the east side is a spectacular drop of long switchbacks into the Anza-Borrego region. Weekends are crowded, and the town is packed with bikes, cars and cyclists, so patience is needed. On weekdays and early mornings, the roads are far calmer.
Fuel in Julian is limited, with a small station or two, and prices are high, so it is wise to fill up elsewhere. San Diego Country Estates and Ramona, about twenty kilometres away, have larger stations, and Santa Ysabel nearby has a small one. Pie shops open early and often close by late afternoon, and lines can be long, so go early or accept the wait.
Try the apple pie with a slice of cheddar or a scoop of ice cream, the way locals do. A hot cider in cold weather is welcome, and you can sit outside on the porch and watch the bikes come and go.