JAUNTS : It’s Pleasant Bicycling Along Ojai Valley Trail : The paved, off-the-road path runs 8.8 miles from near Casitas Springs to downtown Ojai.

If you like bicycling, but hate dodging the traffic--especially with children in tow--try the scenic Ojai Valley Trail this Thanksgiving weekend.

It’s an 8.8-mile paved trail that begins in Foster Park, just off California 33 near Casitas Springs, and ends at Fox Street in downtown Ojai.

In between are wide-open views of the rugged Topa Topa Mountains and the Ventura River basin. It’s a popular route, once featured in “Sunset Magazine.”

And now plans call for it to be extended from Foster Park down to the Ventura coastline. Two months ago, state lawmakers approved $100,000 for the project, and Ventura has committed $500,000 to the trail, but it still isn’t enough and no one knows when the route will be completed.

“We don’t have enough funding to start construction yet,” said Rick Raives, Ventura’s city engineer. “It will be done sooner or later though.”

For now, the trail takes you along the rim of the Ojai Valley, past rural neighborhoods, a Christmas tree farm, two golf courses and parks. This is horse country, and adjacent to the trail is a dirt path for riders, set apart by a wood railing.

Completed in 1989, the route was previously used by the Southern Pacific railroad to haul produce out of the valley. The tracks were wiped out in the flood of 1969 and never restored.

If you hit the trail at the Foster Park end, expect to pay a $2 parking fee on weekends and holidays. From here, the trail starts out at the north end of the park.

Although it parallels busy California 33, the 12-foot-wide trail meanders behind ridges at this lower end, giving it a quiet, secluded feel. Oak, pepper and sycamore trees line the path. You might spot some red-tailed hawks.

It’s a steady uphill trek to Ojai, but not too rigorous for kids. (It’s not as steep as the highway because the trains required a gentle grade.) The trail passes rural back yards in Casitas Springs. Keep an eye out here for menacing loose dogs.

The trail passes the Oak View Community Center and, as you peddle by, you might hear lively fiddle music. Members of the California State Old-Time Fiddlers Assn. work out here in public afternoon sessions on the second and fourth Sundays of the month (except December).

Although much of the trail is secluded, it does cross several roads, including Santa Ana Boulevard and California 150, where bikers should watch for traffic.

Above Oak View, the trail swings back parallel with California 33. Be prepared for a steady stream of highway traffic into Ojai, but it’s a safe distance from the trail and not too intrusive. The route passes a few fast-food spots, but it’s tricky getting across the highway, especially with children.

In Ojai, after the trail crosses California 150, watch for a detour just before you come to Libbey Park. The Ojai Valley Sanitary District is installing new sewer lines, and the trail is undergoing reconstruction on this final segment. The work will be completed by January, according to Mark Wittgraf, construction manager on the project.

If you packed a lunch, Libbey Park is a good spot to take a break. It has restrooms and water.

Jane Hulse, who spends as much time as possible out of doors, is a regular contributor to Ventura County Life. If you have any outdoor recreational news, send it to her at Ventura County Life, 5200 Valentine Road, Suite 140, Ventura 93003, or send faxes to 658-5576.

Details

* WHAT: Ojai Valley Trail.

* WHERE: From Foster Park, just off California 33 near Casitas Springs, to downtown Ojai. (To get to Foster Park, exit the highway at Casitas Vista Road.)

* FYI: On holidays and weekends, there is a $2 fee to park in Foster Park. The trail is managed by the Ventura County General Services Agency, recreation services division. Information: 654-3951.