Southern California - Q: Hesperia/Summit Valley Loop

This ride, or some variation of it, is posted a bunch of times on MMR and Bikely:

http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ca/hesperia/538817123

I'm wondering: safe to do on a weekday morning, 10am-1pm?

Google Images research indicates mostly shoulderless roads, so I'm curious about
a) traffic volume on 138 & Summit Valley Road that time of day
b) # of F350s pulling boats up to Silverwood Lake
c) rural/feral dogs

Any local knowledge is much appreciated ... thanks in advance. :)

I would drive it first; and then decide if you still want to do it. I've driven the section from 138 up to the Hesperia Airport a few times recently. I would not ride my bike on that road. The road has more curves than it appears to have just looking at the map. It sounds like you already knew about the trucks towing their boats, there were plenty.

I've taken the 15 Freeway up over the top of the pass, and then into Hesperia. It's legal to ride on the Fwy from the just below the 138 up to the summit. After that you can get on Mariposa road that parallels the freeway.

Eric

I've cycled parts of it and the 15 freeway (but only on the weekends) a handful of times and would do both again. But I will admit to wanting to avoid two lane shoulderless roads only when there's a steady stream of traffic in both directions. YMMV, so I agree with the suggestion to drive the route first.

FWIW, I know Summit Valley is an alternate commute route when the 15 is stopped up. I've never seen trucks pulling boats there - I've only seen that on 138.

I've cycled many sections of freeway, and this one is worse than most regarding shoulder debris (although avoidable at the low climbing speeds) and the cracks perpendicular to the direction of travel can be annoying. I've done it the downhill direction - only once because those cracks are very annoying.

I prefer Summit Valley over the 15. When I've gone west on 138 from Summit Valley to get to the 15. there's the really tight curves on 138, but in the downhill direction, where I'm easily going as fast as the trucks pulling boats.

The Victor Valley Bicycle Club rides the 138/Summit Valley route, but on weekends, though.

Thanks Eric, thanks Brian (is that Brian DeSousa?) - based on the shared knowledge here, I think I'll avoid it Monday morning and cycle in some mellower areas of the Victor Valley, i.e., an Hesperia-Apple Valley route. Thanks again. :)

Hey, took a ride around Hesperia and Apple Valley Monday, nice ride c. 20 miles with some rollers and a couple of good climbs. Was pleased to find a lot of bike lanes out there. Also way pleased to find a really good sushi place in the middle of nowhere in Summit Valley (Silverwood Sushi & Grill, serving sushi + Korean BBQ). HWYs 173 & 138 didn't have much traffic volume when I drove them in a car Mon. morning, but there were boats & trucks. The stretch of 173-138 between Hesperia Lakes Park and Summit Valley Road might be cyclable on a weekend, but I'd want fat tires to be able to dodge onto the shoulder in a "squeeze". Can't recommend cycling the twisty part of 138 from I-15 to (the real) Cajon Pass under any circumstances. A good day cycling in the Victor Valley. And fine sushi later. :)