Southern California - Route for San Juan Capistrano to Solana Bch

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Litespeed
08-17-08, 10:18 AM
I have gone to MapMyRide.com to see if I could get a turn by turn route from the Amtrak Station in San Juan Capistrano to Amtrak in Solana Beach. On the only route I could find, I'm confused at one of the turns. It said to turn left at Vivente de Marlita and then a slight right at El Camino Real. When I went to a street map on Google to find the street Vivente de Marlita, it looks like it's a dead end route and doesn't connect to El Camino Real. I don't have an actual Orange County Map that is up to date. Should I follow the turns on this and just hope for the best? Does anyone else have a better turn by turn route they could give me?


Extort
08-17-08, 02:42 PM
Take Camino Capistrano all the way down to Doheney Beach/Capo Beach and then in San Clemente you can decide if you want to take the bike route through the residential area or stay on El Camino Real.

ir0nfist
08-17-08, 03:35 PM
Go through camp pendelton.


ir0nfist
08-17-08, 03:37 PM
When are you doing this ride? I'd be interested in doing it/seeing the route you are taking. Link to the route?

Litespeed
08-17-08, 03:58 PM
My friends and I are doing it on the 29th of this month, starting at around 7:30 am at Amtrak in San Juan Capistrano. I know there is a bike path real close to the Amtrak station, just can't remember how to get there. We plan on going through San Onfre and Camp Pendleton. I had gone to mapmyride.com and did a search for San Juan Capistrano. One of them had an actual turn by turn, but the Google map shows Vivente de Marlita as a dead end (unless that is where the bike path starts???).

anon_cyclist
08-17-08, 09:40 PM
Google Maps does not show the bicycle path along Trabuco Creek, which runs to the coast, as a street.

Begin on the San Juan Capistrano Amtrak/Metrolink station platform. Walk south to Verdugo Street (closed to motor traffic) and cross the tracks to reach Los Rios Street. (Google Maps does not show the connection, but there is a pedestrian crossing.) Turn right and go north on Los Rios Street. At Ramos Street, turn left (west) and continue until you reach the bicycle path at the east bank of Trabuco Creek.

Turn left to head south on the path, which continues along the creek, passing under Del Obispo Street. Just north of the junction with San Juan Creek, use the bridge to cross the channel and continue southwest on the path. (Vivente de Marlita and other streets parallel the path for short distances, but they are each separate roadways.) Ride under the bridges at Stonehill Drive, State Route 1, and Pacific Coast Highway/Beach Road.

In Doheny Beach State Park, leave the bicycle path to go southeast on your choice of Beach Road or the Pacific Coast Highway. Either route can be navigated by bicycle; they will eventually join together to go south towards San Clemente.

Finally, if you are planning to return by train, beware. Solana Beach is the rail station serving the Del Mar race track (season ending September 3). The patrons of the turf returning to points north are numerous and not noted for their civility, and some of the trains may be standing-room-only, especially on the weekends. (On Amtrak, a business class reservation will assure you a seat, but there are no bicycle hooks in the business class cars.)

You may also want to refer to the following:
Orange County Bikeways Map: http://www.octa.net/bikeways_map.aspx
San Diego Region Bike Map: http://www.ridelink.org/bikemap
Philip Erdelsky's maps and directions (San Clemente-San Diego): http://www.efgh.com/bike/old101.htm

Litespeed
08-21-08, 10:04 AM
Thanks for all the information, I'm sure that will help us alot! It's nice to be able to go to a forum for help.