Southern California - Gan you give me a nice ride around Central Park in Santa Clarita California?

I am going to be in Santa Clarita this Saturday (and maybe Sunday) for a soccer tournament. Our games will be at Central Park.

Can you suggest a short ride of 10 to 15 miles (no longer than 20 maximum) in the vicinity of the park? If there is something/somewhere I can ride to and back with a round trip like just mentioned, that would be great, as we will be parked at Central park for the day. I don't mind traffic, but it is nicer to look at my surrounds if I am on quieter streets.

I am moderately hill tolerant, but I would prefer to avoid any huge, long climbs, as I am not that fast.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Well...so far...not too many quiet (low traffic) streets good for riding in my experience here (live here for 2+ years). Unless you want to ride a ways and get out of the "city", of course, then you'll be in the hills (we're not called a valley for nuthin :) )

BUT, there are alot of bike paths/MUPS, and most of the roads that don't have them have wide shoulders. So that's good.

10-15 miles? Simple loop: north on Bouquet Canyon (that Central Park is on). Right turn onto Plum Canyon. Long climb, but not too steep, about 2-3 miles. 3-4% at the bottom, 6-7% in the middle, and a short 7-8% up top (100-yards). About 4 or 500 feet elevation total. Then a very fast 10% descent down the other side (road has now become Whites Canyon). Continue straight on past Soledad Canyon, right turn onto bike path. Path follows Soledad Canyon West back to Bouquet. North on Bouquet back to Central Park. Busiest traffic will be on Bouquet, but wide shoulders for the most part. About 13-ish miles total.

Good luck with the soccer. They're pretty crazy up here about soccer.

Did ya read under my name? :D I live on a hill too--I just did not want to ride all hills on Saturday and I didn't want to spend an my whole ride up one hill. (Does that make sense?) The hill to my house that I must go up if I ride down the hill is 5-6% average over a mile and a half, steeper in places. I just don't want to spend an my whole ride up one hill. Up and down several would be fine!:p

And I really don't mind busy streets--I just like looking at neighborhoods and houses! Do you have any rides on streets you can recommend, busy or not?

Is the bike path paved, or at least firm unpaved? I ride with road "slicks" on my Boulder.

Thanks for your kind response and help!




Well...so far...not too many quiet (low traffic) streets good for riding in my experience here (live here for 2+ years). Unless you want to ride a ways and get out of the "city", of course, then you'll be in the hills (we're not called a valley for nuthin :) )

BUT, there are alot of bike paths/MUPS, and most of the roads that don't have them have wide shoulders. So that's good.

10-15 miles? Simple loop: north on Bouquet Canyon (that Central Park is on). Right turn onto Plum Canyon. Long climb, but not too steep, about 2-3 miles. 3-4% at the bottom, 6-7% in the middle, and a short 7-8% up top (100-yards). About 4 or 500 feet elevation total. Then a very fast 10% descent down the other side (road has now become Whites Canyon). Continue straight on past Soledad Canyon, right turn onto bike path. Path follows Soledad Canyon West back to Bouquet. North on Bouquet back to Central Park. Busiest traffic will be on Bouquet, but wide shoulders for the most part. About 13-ish miles total.

Good luck with the soccer. They're pretty crazy up here about soccer.

Only one hill. Lots of housing along the way. I don't think it's too hard. But, ya never know what other's think. And it's only 2-3 miles of the 14 mile route. Rest is flat.

Lotsa housing developments around there. But...they're developments. They don't really go anywhere. :shrug: Any road that goes anywhere goes up into the mountains/hills. Bouquet north climbs for like 10-15 miles before going down into Lancaster/Palmdale. Copper Hill Rd. going west off Bouquet is a roller with 1/2-mile climbs. Unless you go south down Bouquet (more traffic, but bike paths), everything north/west/east from Central Park is rolling/climbing. Once you get to Soledad, you have access to miles of bike paths (someone told me once that riding around the entire path system is about 40-ish miles).

Bike path is paved. Occasionally tree roots will crack the pavement, but that's as bad as it gets.

Sorry if not helping.

Only one hill. Lots of housing along the way. I don't think it's too hard. But, ya never know what other's think. And it's only 2-3 miles of the 14 mile route. Rest is flat.

Lotsa housing developments around there. But...they're developments. They don't really go anywhere. :shrug: Any road that goes anywhere goes up into the mountains/hills. Bouquet north climbs for like 10-15 miles before going down into Lancaster/Palmdale. Copper Hill Rd. going west off Bouquet is a roller with 1/2-mile climbs. Unless you go south down Bouquet (more traffic, but bike paths), everything north/west/east from Central Park is rolling/climbing. Once you get to Soledad, you have access to miles of bike paths (someone told me once that riding around the entire path system is about 40-ish miles).

Bike path is paved. Occasionally tree roots will crack the pavement, but that's as bad as it gets.

Sorry if not helping.

I concur with mkadam68, Santa Clarita does not have many through streets, most streets in the neighborhoods end in cul-de-sacs. The route that Mike had originally proposed for you does the best job of providing the type of ride you described that you wanted to do.

The only other alternative I can think of is for you to just ride through the neighborhoods on your own as your heart and or legs desire.

What? No street by street, turn by turn, rt slips?:eek: If I were up there, I'd dig deep for you Foehn!

When I needed a training rt in her area, Foehn took the time to provide a detailed turn by turn, street by street route for me. Along with some safety tips on certain sections of the ride. I'm more than sure that if you ever need a route in this area, she'll be more than willing to do more than help out with some detailed routes. Along with the cool SoCal peeps like Extort, she's willing to dig deep for you!;)

C'mon guys, you can dig a little deeeeeeeper, can't ya?:D

Phil put together some cool maps of Backbay fer me!;)

What? No street by street, turn by turn, rt slips?:eek: If I were up there, I'd dig deep for you Foehn!

When I needed a training rt in her area, Foehn took the time to provide a detailed turn by turn, street by street route for me. Along with some safety tips on certain sections of the ride. I'm more than sure that if you ever need a route in this area, she'll be more than willing to do more than help out with some detailed routes. Along with the cool SoCal peeps like Extort, she's willing to dig deep for you!;)

C'mon guys, you can dig a little deeeeeeeper, can't ya?:D

Phil put together some cool maps of Backbay fer me!;)



Gorsh, Mr. Beanz, how sweet! But no need to be so kind to me to be so harsh to them dude! :p

Really, thank you mkadam65, the route seems fine, and I can ride on bike paths just as well as streets; more variety is good. And I probably won't see too many people on the path, as I will be riding (with alot of sunscreen) mid to late morning. The ride you listed should take me a little over an hour, as I will be trying not to work too hard.

And thanks for you input svcroady, greatly appreciated.

If any of you are at Central Park tomorrow, look for a 71 VW Bus, orangy-yellow with white roof and if it is after one pm, I will be somewhere around it. If I am not there, but you see a red bike inside, go search the fields if you are energetic for a large lady, braided hair, wide brimmed mans straw hat, in a beige and blue striped chair--that will be me, watching my husband referee a U14 boys team or a U16 Girls team; if you go to the referee area, and ask where the Pickwith's ref team or Van Stockum's or Hernandez' team is, we will probably be with one of them.

Have a good weekend

and the ride was very nice. Got to Central park, watched my husband Center Referee a game. I then changed, slathered on a second coat of sunscreen (the first was at 8:00 a.m.) pulled my bike out of the car and rode off; it was 1:15.

I toodled out of the parking lot, up Boquet to Plum. Nice. Started to toodle up Plum, but I ended up trundling. The hill description by mkadam68 was good--it was accurate as to the climb, or so it felt to me, especially the last really steep part. I did have to stop once up the hill to wipe my eyes and drink, but considering the heat, I made it up in decent time (for me!). Cruised down the other side, real fast and came up on Soledad Canyon Road (the bike path runs alongside there). As the start of the path was on the other side of Soledad, I decided to ride the street, as it was wide to start and soon was three lanes either direction. I considered riding the path, especially when it switched to my side of the street, but as I saw signs on the path telling riders to get off and walk bikes at road intersections, I stayed on the street.

I had at least 10 people honk at me while passing--some of them were pointing at the bike path so I just waved back cheerfully and everytime I got too close to the curb, one of those honkers would squeeze past me with about what seemed like 1 foot to spare. I moved over and took the lane, and then people still honked, but generally allowed me more room, as they would a car.

Other than the honking and squeezing, it was a very nice ride and the hill gave me a nice workout.

Thanks again!

Yeah...the SC drivers can be a little...ummm...interesting? All the cyclists up here use the Soledad path, so that's just what the drivers are used to. When I ride the road, I tend to ride farther out in the lane so they don't try to "squeeze" by. I get more honks, but... <shrug;rolleyes>

Glad you enjoyed yourself. It was hot. Too hot to ride at 1:15? Not me, thanks. My son & I went down to SFVBC for an 8am-10am ride. Much nicer :)

What! No Pix?:d

Yeah...the SC drivers can be a little...ummm...interesting? All the cyclists up here use the Soledad path, so that's just what the drivers are used to. When I ride the road, I tend to ride farther out in the lane so they don't try to "squeeze" by. I get more honks, but... <shrug;rolleyes>

Glad you enjoyed yourself. It was hot. Too hot to ride at 1:15? Not me, thanks. My son & I went down to SFVBC for an 8am-10am ride. Much nicer :)

I didn't get to the park till 11 or so, then watched my husband, so in the heat I road. I felt pretty good considering I had really not ridden in any heat but once so far this season.

It was just funny, because in the past three years riding around her I have only been honked at maybe three times, then saturday on Soledad, geeze-LOUISE! They really love their horns, especially the chick in the car pointing at the path!:p

I didn't get to the park till 11 or so, then watched my husband, so in the heat I road. I felt pretty good considering I had really not ridden in any heat by once so far this season.

It was just funny, because in the past three years riding around her I have only been honked at maybe three times, then saturday on Soledag, geeze-LOUISE! They really love their horns, especially the chick in the car pointing at the path!:p

You are a brave person, unless we are riding in a large group, we always ride on the bike path, the drivers in Santa Clarita are always in a hurry to get someplace. And since the major roads were built when we were not a city but a political fund raiser between the county supervisors and the developers, roads were given low priority. That along with the geography is why there are so few cross-valley connectors and all the traffic gets dumped on to Soledad.

You are a brave person, unless we are riding in a large group, we always ride on the bike path, the drivers in Santa Clarita are always in a hurry to get someplace. And since the major roads were built when we were not a city but a political fund raiser between the county supervisors and the developers, roads were given low priority. That along with the geography is why there are so few cross-valley connectors and all the traffic gets dumped on to Soledad.


Sorry Lee...all the drivers in So Cal are in a hurry....

Sorry Lee...all the drivers in So Cal are in a hurry....

So True.........

So True.........

Not to turn this into a vehicular cycling thread, but those Soledad drivers moved right over when I took the lane and rode in the middle instead of the right side. And of course I gave them a friendly wave also. . .