The Car
Impressions
My ride for this drive was an '09 Mitsubishi Galant Sport, a spiffy trim version of the marque's midsize flagship.
A capable freeway cruiser, it was easily surprised on the curves but quickly recovered. Of course, it's not a sports car, but this is one of the sleepers in the market.
Assembled in exotic Normal, Ill., the firm, fabric covered seats kept me from sliding around on the curves and the six-speaker, 140-watt audio system kept the tunes rolling along.
Horsing Around Bonsall
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A drive in the country should always include a stop for lunch; my first choice was the restaurant advertised at the San Luis Rey Downs Training Center, an auxiliary horse racing track and stables. It's just like Del Mar but missing the betting, grandstands and, as I found out, a restaurant. It looked long closed, but the facility is still running. I could have gone down the road to the golf course to see if their restaurant was open, but I opted for another choice and it was a good one.
It might look like part of an abandoned motel and gas station but Estrella's Family Restaurant No. 1 (5584 Mission Road, at Camino Del Rey, 760-758-0310) is an indoor oasis of great family style Mexican food. I traded the usual burger or sandwich for a great carne asada burrito, with char broiled beef, sauce, avocado and other goodies wrapped up in a fresh tortilla. Good stuff.
Leaving Estrella's, I headed across busy Mission Road (SR-76), past the McDonalds and up into the hills of Bonsall. Another fantastic old farm road, Olive Hill Road was a new experience that reminded me of the roads around Julian. Even in January, there were a few golden trees showing fall colors, as well as oaks creating a canopy over the road. It also had one of those rare, ultra hairpin turns, with several large yellow 10 mph caution signs. You might want to heed the recommended speed, as this twist is not only sharp but on a hill.
Find your way to the top of Olive Hill and resist the urge to cruise into Fallbrook; rather, take the left at Burma Road (we are near Camp Pendleton) and into Morro Hills. At the top of Burma Road, make the left onto Sleeping Indian Road. Like Burma, regular readers have been over Sleeping Indian before, but on a clear day it's well worth the repeat visit. Over the next mile or two, the elevation drops about 500 feet, switching from views of the fields and ocean to the west, to the rugged canyons and valleys to the east. Sleeping Indian has some nice straightaways, broken up by a few twists, so drivers can enjoy the view just a bit. Oranges, avocados and flower fields remind us that agriculture is still big business in San Diego County.
From there, head west along North River Road, a nice throwback to the agricultural days that contrasts busy and developed Mission Avenue on the south side of the San Luis Rey. After a short stretch on busy Pala Road (SR-76), it was back through Bonsall and I-15. Running along on the south side of the ridge we traversed on West Lilac Road, Camino Del Rey is almost as fun, giving drivers a good exercise before dropping onto the freeway.
This little corner of San Diego County is a hidden treasure. Big homes are lurking up long driveways and across groves of avocado and citrus, pastures or oaks. Tucked away are a few bed-and-breakfast inns. For the driving enthusiasts, its one of the best. 
