Rescuers Can’t Find 2 Cyclists in Forest

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — County firefighters and sheriff’s deputies were searching the San Juan Trail area of Cleveland National Forest late Saturday for two bicyclists, one of whom became ill while on an afternoon ride, authorities said.

According to a County Fire Department dispatcher, two couples had been riding mountain bikes off Ortega Highway about 3 p.m. when one of the women became nauseated. One of the couples rode about two hours back to a pay telephone at a forestry guard station on the highway and called for help.

However, when firefighters and deputies arrived, the couple had difficulty retracing their route.

The fire dispatcher had no names for any of the cyclists.

Randy Kiessig, manager of San Juan Hot Springs, said the couple who went for help later came into the resort, which is about half a mile from the highway search headquarters. They “looked fine but said they were just worried about their friends,” he said.

Cleveland National Forest is rugged, mountainous and remote. County fire officials said temperatures in the area Saturday night were expected to be in the 30s and 40s.