Me and some friends are planning a weekend “tour” or sorts. We are all in the San Diego area and are planning a ride from Santa Barbara to Oceanside. The rough itinerary right now is something like this.
Friday Morning – Amtrak from Oceanside to Santa Barbara.
Friday (After the train ride) - Santa Barbara to Ventura 26mi
Sat - Ventura to Redondo 77 mi
Sun - Redondo to Oceanside 80mi
(The mileages are all rough estimates, if we are way off please let me know)
We are planning on getting hotels in Ventura and Redondo for Friday and Saturday nights.
We are thinking of going September 28-30.
The mileage seems manageable to me and we are going to take the pace fairly easy. So are we crazy?
I am sure there are plenty of you who have ridden in these areas, how is it? Is there anything out of the ordinary we should watch out for?
Advice / Tips? Anyone interested in riding any of the sections with us. Good company will make it even more fun.
--Brad
magicant
08-22-07, 09:37 AM
Seems like a good ride. Some of us have ridden from the San Fernando Valley to San Diego, so we covered some of the same territory. Ride reports here:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=276523
The only areas that would be annoying are:
1) Malibu - much of it has a wide shoulder, but there are some tough sections with little room to ride and lots of cars parked to your right
2) Wilmington - truck traffic and some nasty patches to ride through (won't be as bad if you leave Redondo early enough on a Sunday)
3) Laguna Beach - for such a beautiful community, it has some of the worst cycling routes in So Cal (IMO) -- tight streets and little room between traffic and parked cars.
As long as you're prepared for it and are used to riding in traffic, it's nothing too daunting. Since the Redondo to Oceanside patch is the most challenging and most heavily trafficked, I'd personally suggest you ride a bit further on Day 2 and lighten up your last day a bit (unless your goal is to be in Redondo for restaurants, etc).
Day 3 is also the hilliest -- nothing too terrible but rollies through Newport, Laguna and Dana Point.
umd
08-22-07, 09:48 AM
Friday (After the train ride) - Santa Barbara to Ventura 26mi
Sat - Ventura to Redondo 77 mi
Sun - Redondo to Oceanside 80mi
How were you planning on going from Ventura?
Foovanadil
08-22-07, 10:12 AM
How were you planning on going from Ventura?
Well I don't know the area too well so I am not quite sure.
I just quickly put a rough route together. http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/67569
I pretty much stayed on the 101 as much as possible but I am not even sure if you can ride some of the sections I marked. (Specifically from Carpentira to Ventura)
For the Ventura section I marked Harbor down to the naval base and over to the 101. Don't know if that is the best way or not.
merider1
08-22-07, 10:23 AM
So are we crazy?
Not at all. But might I suggest that you look into alternative side streets in and around the Laguna Beach area. I agree with Magicant that this area is horrendous with traffic (unless you hit it very early in the morning). I didn't mind Wilmington as much, but we hit that early. As for PCH and Malibu, it is scary, so do watch out for car doors, surfers and speeding cars! But riding from Ventura to Oceanside (not sure of mileage) can be done in one day if you really wanted (then you could spend the night in Oceanside, take the Amtrak to San Diego the next morning and maybe ride up to Old Town the next day for fun follwed by a train ride back to Ventura. Just a thought, but I'm a nut. :D
LCI_Brian
08-22-07, 10:33 AM
But might I suggest that you look into alternative side streets in and around the Laguna Beach area.
There is Gleneyre (sp?) that parallels for part of the way, but not all the way. If you can find a copy of the book "Bicycling the Pacific Coast", it has that route.
Foovanadil
08-22-07, 10:43 AM
But riding from Ventura to Oceanside (not sure of mileage) can be done in one day if you really wanted (then you could spend the night in Oceanside, take the Amtrak to San Diego the next morning and maybe ride up to Old Town the next day for fun follwed by a train ride back to Ventura. Just a thought, but I'm a nut. :D
Well I live pretty close to oceanside so the demoralizing effects of watching my house go by in the train window, like a sad puppy being plucked from the pet store window, would probably be too much.
However the margaritas in old town could quell that feeling..... hmmm.
merider1
08-22-07, 10:50 AM
Well I live pretty close to oceanside so the demoralizing effects of watching my house go by in the train window, like a sad puppy being plucked from the pet store window, would probably be too much.
However the margaritas in old town could quell that feeling..... hmmm.
You picked up on my subliminal message, sir! ;) Of course, I'm sure there is a margarita to be found in Oceanside as well. :D
Foovanadil
08-22-07, 10:55 AM
As an aside if you are ever in Encinitas these guys have the best margaritas in town http://www.el-callejon.com/Encinitas_Main.html
umd
08-22-07, 11:03 AM
Well I don't know the area too well so I am not quite sure.
I just quickly put a rough route together. http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/67569
I pretty much stayed on the 101 as much as possible but I am not even sure if you can ride some of the sections I marked. (Specifically from Carpentira to Ventura)
For the Ventura section I marked Harbor down to the naval base and over to the 101. Don't know if that is the best way or not.
You you can ride the 101 from Carp to Ventura. I can't load your map, but you can't ride on the 101 in Ventura or anywhere south of that AFAIK. There are 4 routes you can take from Ventura:
1) Through Oxnard to the 1/PCH to Malibu
2) Through Oxnard and over Potrero into Newbury Park
3) Through Camarillo/118
4) Through Ojai/Santa Paula to Moorpark
Garfield Cat
08-22-07, 11:15 AM
Sunday's (weekends) are pretty busy in Orange County. So from Redondo to Oceanside means you will hit O.C. when all the beach goers wake up and hit the road. School will be back in session but still, if the weather is good, it will be busy. Once you past South Laguna, things get better. If you did not past South Laguna by 9 am, it might be a bit congested.
markw
08-22-07, 08:28 PM
You can get the adventure cycling maps for the route. Lots of tourists use those.
neilG
08-23-07, 02:00 AM
Well I don't know the area too well so I am not quite sure.
I pretty much stayed on the 101 as much as possible but I am not even sure if you can ride some of the sections I marked. (Specifically from Carpentira to Ventura)
For the Ventura section I marked Harbor down to the naval base and over to the 101. Don't know if that is the best way or not.
From Carp to Ventura there is only the 101, unless you want to do the Tour of CA detour around Lake Casitas. You'll only be on the freeway from Bates Rd. for a few miles until you must exit onto the Rincon Parkway which is the old Rte. 1. I think the exit says Seaview. It's the first one you get too after Bates.
From Ventura I'd head down Harbor, past the naval base and then down PCH, not the 101 (umd's option 1). It's such a beautiful ride, but the shoulder is narrow. At least it will be early on a Saturday.
In Santa Monica I would pick up the beach bike path which goes all the way to Torrance (25 miles?) where you'll cut over to the PCH again. You'll be stopping in Redondo and can continue the same way the next day. The path can be nice and fast if it's not crowded. If it is you can bail onto the streets.
I'd do the Ventura to Redondo leg if you aren't going to go too slow. :)
Foovanadil
08-23-07, 09:17 AM
I'd do the Ventura to Redondo leg if you aren't going to go too slow. :)
Depends what you consider slow?
I think we are all decent riders but I don't know what kind of pace we were planning on keeping over the long haul. On a flat beach route I can't imagine we would go any slower then 14-15. But who knows, this will be a long ride for me. I have ridden one century and my normal weekend mileage is around 100miles total so this will certianly be a challenge for me.
However, I am the weakest rider out of the bunch so I sure you could goad the others in to racing with you ;)
DanteB
08-24-07, 10:32 AM
I don’t think you can get on 101 in Santa Barbara (no bikes). Go under 101 from Cabrillo Blvd. and bear right onto Coast Village Rd. At Olive Mill enter N. Jameson Ln. (straight ahead). Take Ortega Hill Rd to Lillie Ave. Lillie turns into Via Real, Via Real dead ends into Santa Ynez Ave. Turn right on Santa Ynez and left on Carpinteria Ave. Carpinteria Ave ends at Rincon Point, Hwy 150, enter 101 (it’s legal there). Take 101 to the PCH exit, about 6 miles (you must exit 101) and take PCH to the Emma Woods Bike Path (just before you reenter 101, sometime hard to find). Take the path, then under 101 to Main St. (Ventura) Make a right turn on S. Garden St., it turns into E. Thompson Blvd.(left turn) Right turn onto Figueroa St, then left on Harbor Blvd., then bear left onto Channel Islands Blvd. I don’t know if it is legal to be on PCH between E. Channel Islands and Los Posas Rd. To get around this make a right on Ventura Rd. from Channel Islands, then a left onto Hueneme Rd. Right onto Naval Air Rd., just before PCH, follow Naval Air to Los Posas Rd. Left on Los Posas, then enter PCH. Basically this is the Grand Tour route. Zoom in on your map and you will see the roads I’m talking about. Good Luck, sounds like fun! :)
thomson
08-24-07, 10:38 AM
FWIW, you can ride the 101 from South Jameson. take it as far east as it will go and it takes you right onto the freeway. You have to exit at the first Summerland exit (Evans). I usually take this when going south. In fact, I never go north of the freeway, as you take Cabrillo through East Beach, just veer right around the cemetery, up the hill and down Channel Drive. Take that to Danielson, right to South Jameson, right to the freeway.
Extort
08-24-07, 10:41 AM
Laguna Beach does have lots of traffic, but PCH is completely ridable at any time of the day. Just pay attention to the traffic and you will be fine.
Foovanadil
09-17-07, 09:46 AM
We made it! It was a freaking blast.
Riding between Ventura and Santa Monica was awesome. We even stopped and saw the 78ft blue whale that had beached in that area. That was unreal.
We did about 35 miles on Friday afternoon from Santa Barbara to Ventura. Then did about 75 miles on Saturday from Ventura to Redondo Beach. Then finished yesterday with about 90 miles from Redondo Beach to Oceanside.
I am sure we saw some of you this weekend we passed tons of cyclists along the route. There was a pack of 4 of us. 3 with backpacks on and one with a rack on the back.
umd
09-17-07, 09:55 AM
We made it! It was a freaking blast.
Riding between Ventura and Santa Monica was awesome. We even stopped and saw the 78ft blue whale that had beached in that area. That was unreal.
We did about 35 miles on Friday afternoon from Santa Barbara to Ventura. Then did about 75 miles on Saturday from Ventura to Redondo Beach. Then finished yesterday with about 90 miles from Redondo Beach to Oceanside.
I am sure we saw some of you this weekend we passed tons of cyclists along the route. There was a pack of 4 of us. 3 with backpacks on and one with a rack on the back.
What route did you end up taking?
umd
09-17-07, 09:58 AM
FWIW, you can ride the 101 from South Jameson. take it as far east as it will go and it takes you right onto the freeway. You have to exit at the first Summerland exit (Evans). I usually take this when going south. In fact, I never go north of the freeway, as you take Cabrillo through East Beach, just veer right around the cemetery, up the hill and down Channel Drive. Take that to Danielson, right to South Jameson, right to the freeway.
I meant to ask you about this... As much as I ride over in that area I didn't say anything before because I had never tried to go that way. But after this POST I investigated and rode out to the end of South Jameson to the freeway onramp instead of turning left onto San Ysidro to cross over to North Jameson. What I found at the end was a big "no bikes" (to that effect) sign. Maybe at one time they allowed bikes but not anymore? I know a few years ago North Jameson was closed but I don't remember what they did over that way. I didn't go into Montecito as much then and I think I usually took 192.
Foovanadil
09-17-07, 10:25 AM
What route did you end up taking?
I mostly just followed the person who was navigating so I don't remember all the names of the areas but I know we took E Valley Rd (192) out of Santa Barbara and rode that into Carpenteria then it was pretty much along the coast (PCH) into Ventura.
Through Ventura we took Harbor to Channel Islands to the 1 and then took the 1 all the way down through Malibu then we took the bike path along the beach in Santa Monica down to Redondo Beach.
From Redondo Beach we took Torrance Blvd to Western then took Western to 223rd then we took that and hooked up with a bike path around the Long Beach harbor and down in the Orange County Line.
Then it was PCH the rest of way home,
jsigone
09-17-07, 11:52 AM
no one is "crazy" on this forums, we're all normal:D