Riding San Antonio/Beeville/Corpus - Route Advice?

[truman]

Some friends and I will be touring this route next month (click Soldier Ride button for details). We're starting from the Mission Trail in SA, overnighting in Beeville and ending near Naval Air Station Corpus Christi.

We're all from the DFW area, and don't really know the area. Do any of you have route advice for a fast/safe route?

[maxwell48]

Follow the MS 150 route. You won't be allowed to ride over the Harbor Bridge into CC but you can walk it on the sidewalk path.

[truman]

Follow the MS 150 route. You won't be allowed to ride over the Harbor Bridge into CC but you can walk it on the sidewalk path.

fair enough, thanks.

[El Texican]

Follow the MS 150 route. You won't be allowed to ride over the Harbor Bridge into CC but you can walk it on the sidewalk path.

If you are going to NASCC you don't need to go over the Harbor Bridge. Instead you will ride down Ocean Drive towards TAMUCC and then to NASCC

[truman]

We're going to NASCC via Portland.

Does anyone have the official word on the bridge and bikes? I'm getting tons of conflicting info, saying "the ped. walkway is closed to everyone right now" and "no bikes over the bridge without prior arrangements, like for MS150", and "just stay in the right lane...".

I'd LIKE to finish the ride by going over the bridge, but it's not a tour-breaker for me.

[carlton]

We're going to NASCC via Portland.

Does anyone have the official word on the bridge and bikes? I'm getting tons of conflicting info, saying "the ped. walkway is closed to everyone right now" and "no bikes over the bridge without prior arrangements, like for MS150", and "just stay in the right lane...".

I'd LIKE to finish the ride by going over the bridge, but it's not a tour-breaker for me.

The only time the bridge is open to bike traffic is when TXDOT closes a lane for an official event. There are no shoulders,so it would be extremely dangerous on top of illegal to use the surface lanes of the bridge. Please don't even consider it. I've lived in CC,Tx for a long time and I've never seen a cyclist riding over the harbor bridge unless it was during a bike type event when txdot had lanes closed.

The pedestrian lane was closed for years. I don't know if they have reopened it. The last time I looked was about a year ago. It was still closed then. I'll try and look for you when I go riding either today or tomorrow.

Another option to crossing the harbor would be Tule bridge but it is closed for repairs.

Another option is the ferry that runs between the Aquarium and the barge docks. I'll see if I can find a schedule for you.



Edit: Good news, both northbound and southbound pedestrian lanes have been reopened since I last looked. I crossed over on the NB side and returned on the SB side. Been a long time since I have used the pedestrian lane. It was as I remembered, very narrow. There is a concrete wall between you and traffic. It ranges from about kneehigh to waisthigh. There is a a gaurdrail on the outside that is about chesthigh. After scraping barends against handrail and pedals against concrete a couple of times, I just got off and walked. The SB side seems a 2 or 3 inches wider making it a little easier. But the veiw is better on the NB side. The harbor security told me the ferry has been closed for quiet a while so forget that option.

After crossing the bridge today I would like to repeat what I said earlier: " Please do not even consider using the auto travel lanes to cross the bridge."

[cgallagh]

Went to the official website but could not find a route map. Is there one posted somewhere?

[maxwell48]

The route from SA is 181 south thru Karnes city , Kenedy , to Beeville. Overnight in Beeville , 181 S to SINTON. There you have to make a choice. The 150 takes 181S to Gregory , Portland , then over the causeway to Corpus. I'm not sure you can ride the causeway legally. Its several miles of elevated two lane over Corpus Christi bay. People haul ass across this bridge and it it relatively narrow. I don't recall ever seeing a rider on it except for the MS 150. Better check with TxDot or someone before deciding to chance that route. Alternative would be Sinton 77S to Odem , Calallen , then down 37 to downtown. No bridges but probably 50 miles out of the way. From downtown its 15 miles down Ocean Dr to NAS CC. MS 150 route is 90 miles to Beeville 60 miles to aquarium. NOTE: The Causeway and the HARBOR Bridge are TWO separate bridges.I know you can't ride the Harbor bridge.

[truman]

This ride is done. We took 181 from S.A. to Beeville, slept there, then continued down 181 to Portland, and had to truck into Corpus over the bridge.

Details are at the blog linked by the button in my sig. Thanks for the tips though.