egress91506

If I'm reading this correctly, this is a big change for those of us that ride through the base. As in, you won't be allowed through.

https://www.facebook.com/MCIWPendlet...type=3&theater

DrIsotope

Looks like no more Anaheim to Oceanside rides.

diphthong

time for caltrans to build a dedicated bicycle lane past
camp pendleton along both sides of the freeway.

Elvo

So now the strava segment will be Stuart Mesa to Harbor?

catgita

I am sure special events will still have access, but I am also sure not all riders are there recreationally. Bypassing the base is a huge diversion, and a lot of climbing.

calamarichris

I hope it doesn't mean we can't ride through Pendleton. One of my favorite rides.

We can thank the clods in our ranks who drop their goo containers, run stop signs, and think it's cute to take a lane on this non-public road. The idiot lane-takers finally ruined it for all of us. I knew it was too good to last with some of the cr@ppy behavior I've seen.
Guess I'll make one last ride this coming weekend. Hopefully it doesn't rain.

calamarichris

Only 87 miles one way[click] if you don't get killed on Highway 74 (which is wishful thinking.)

Ah well, at least we have this to look forward to. I encourage all lane-takers to please exercise your full rights as citizens, cyclists, and taxpayers on Interstate 5.
Darwin is cruel to the individual, but kind to the species.

GP

I've got a 20 that says if it happens, it won't be permanent.

FBinNY 

I suspect that this wasn't a reaction to the conduct of bicyclists, but instead relates to the conduct of war and terrorism.

GP

They've closed it before because of cyclist conduct.

CliffordK

It is hard to carry too big of an IED on your bike. But, perhaps your local cycle club needs to stop by the base and have a chat with a few of the officers in charge of making the policy.

I don't know what the requirements for admission are now. But, perhaps they could take a list of nearby cyclists, do a rudimentary background check. Then come up with a policy that would allow them to pick and choose which cyclists are allowed on base.

pterodactyl

Here are the base access rules: Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton > About > Base Information > Base Access
Summarized: active, retired, or disabled-during-duty military must sponsor a reoccurring individual visitor to be on the base via a form and full background check. The visitor must have a "valid purpose" for being on the base. The sponsor is responsible for the visitor and may lose sponsorship privileges as a result of the visitor's acts.

Perhaps Grumpy Pig is correct and Pendleton will reverse it's visitor policy in the future but I am of the opinion that this is going to require an organized and Very Polite effort on the part of the San Diego cycling community to woo Pendleton policy makers to allow us access through the base.

CliffordK

Isn't that where the bike/bus accident was?

That is what I was suggesting.

Assuming the roads are being used as through bike paths and such a use isn't interfering with other base operations, then perhaps that use was just overlooked. Maybe on a national policy.

I couldn't imagine just hanging around military bases without a purpose. But, this may also be part of a nationwide policy change, and your popular cycling routes just got stuck in the middle.

I've driven on Fort Leonard Wood several times, but always had an official reason to be there. All of my access was as a subcontractor, generally dealing with other subcontractors.

evildoer

You can always take the freeway. Its safe legal and actually a lot faster. Only seven miles.

TrojanHorse

Not interested in faster and there is no way on god's green earth that it's safer, bus accidents aside. Never mind the debris in the breakdown lane on the 5.

Rick@OCRR

I'll agree with the statement that the 5 freeway option is faster and shorter. Safer? Not so much.

That said, I have taken the freeway option during the Camino Real double and had no safety issues. On a couple of other occasions, the cyclists were going faster than the motor traffic!

Rick / OCRR

PhotoJoe 

So I'm guessing that riding on the 5 is NOT the time to "take the lane"?

I agree with TrojanHorse - I'd like to see a protected bike lane, like they just finished up in Ventura.

calamarichris

I'd earnestly like to see the lane-takers who got us kicked off Pendleton do just that.

FBinNY 

If Pendleton was indeed closed because of rude behavior by some of the more militant lane takers and not as a general security measure it might be possible to negotiate a solution.

One approach would be for the base to offer passes to those who agree to abide by set terms and conditions, with (individual) loss of privilege if violated. The conditions could include set times that bikes are allowed or not, and "share the road" rules that are mutually agreeable. It might have been better if this were done before the base management got o angered, but there might still be hope. Unfortunately the self appointed "bicycle advocates" may not be the right people to do this, so a new voice, possibly coming from local clubs, or possibly an adjoining city council may be needed.

calamarichris

Why on Earth should the Marines go through all that trouble so that idiots in spandex pants can come be rude on their post? Never happen.
We are (were ) permitted on a closed post, with the understanding that we wouldn't cause problems. Half-wits in our ranks caused problems on this non-public road, and now we're pedestrians on the autobahn.

Take a look at the comments in the above links: most of them are just people who hate us for hate's sake, but I've seen plenty of Gu packets, riders breezing through red lights, and idiots taking a lane with cars backed up behind them, which is their legitimate complaint.

Be nice if they built a Ventura bikeway for us, but who's got $5+ million laying around for a project like that? And since technically I5 runs through Pendleton too, about the best we could hope for is Caltrans painting "Bike Lane" on I5's shoulder of death. Nothing like that is going to be done until a few of us are killed or mangled, and I think the lane-takers should step up and actually do something for our rights instead of just claiming to.

FBinNY 

I agree that the base doesn't owe cyclists anything. I don't know the history there, or right of access rules, but if rude cyclists are the only reason for the closing (it may not be) then an appeal to not tar all cyclists with the same brush could be made. They may be fed up and it may be too late, but you never know unless/until you try.

But as I said earlier, the appeal shouldn't be made based on some kind of claim to rights, but as a legitimate request to a conditional accommodation. Decades back before bicycle advocacy became a thing, cyclists were able to negotiate local accommodations that worked for everybody. Many of these were the result of an individual with an entree or connection (ie. a ranking police officer who was a cyclist) and others the result of prior events that worked out for all parties.

One example is how we got permission to bring bicycles on commuter trains. The agency hated bikes because of prior bad experiences, but our club had a longstanding working relationship with one of the divisions. This got us an intro, and we were able to reach mutual understanding and appreciation of each others needs. What evolved is a "bike permit" good for life, that allowed one to bring a bicycle onto off peak trains unless they were already overcrowded. The process involved each person reading and signing onto an agreement which stipulated the conditions and offered the railroad some degree of legal protection. That system has been in place for over 40 years, and is still working to everybody's satisfaction. Cyclists who use the system know they're getting a favor, and tend to act accordingly, and the railroad has a clear right to deny access to those who don't.

Likewise, it might be possible to work out a conditional right of way, maybe limited to certain roads, maybe only one, and/or subject to other restrictions, and clearly stipulating the lane sharing rules that will apply. Obviously, because some won't play ball, it will have to be an individual gate pass which can be taken away at will.

It's amazing what can be worked out, once an honest dialog is established, not by claiming rights but by seeking mutual accommodation. Of course, it might be necessary to let things cool down a bit first.

CliffordK

Well, the Federal Government has that kind of money. Or, they can either print more, or borrow it from the Chinese.
Why stop with a $5 Million bike path when you can get a $5 Billion bike path?

Oh, I like that.
So, technically, the new rules should stop 100% of the I-5 traffic, and turn back all the vehicles that don't have a valid reason to be on the base. Does I-15 bypass the base, for those cars that aren't doing base business?

That might actually be a point that you could take up with the base administration. Those roads through the base may be like the I-5 for bicycles. What is the general reason for going on the base? Commuting? Sunday Rides?

Anyway, I doubt these new rules have anything to do with bicycles, or the view of cyclists going through the base. It is quite possible that they would be ignored for some long time locals.

My guess it is all about base security, or perceived base security, and the bicycles just got caught in the middle. Bases like Fort Leonard Wood don't really have any through roads. Pendleton does.

That is why your local bike club just needs to approach them and see if they can work something out, as well as working out a set of rules for the cyclists to abide by. Maybe even accept racial profiling of some cyclists or prohibiting aliens from entering if that is what it takes (you can work on that later on a case by case basis).

Cameras and Camera Phones?

Elvo

We value the great relationship we have with the area cycling community and wanted to develop a process allowing bicyclist's continued access to Camp Pendleton. By Mar. 1, bicyclist will be required to register in order to have access to the base. An online process will be complete mid-February and base access will be good for one year. Bicyclist will need to re-register every year. Until the registration process is finalized, bicyclists will still be able to enter the base with their U.S. or State government issued
identification card just like now. After Mar. 1, all bicyclists will need to be registered and show their U.S. or State identification when entering the base. Once the registration process is up and running in a few weeks, we will share the link. Our goal is to maintain a great relationship with area riders but also balance that with security and protection for our Marines, Sailors, civilian employees and families. Thank you for your patience and
understanding.
v/r, Carl
Carl B Redding Jr, APR+M
Director, Public Affairs
Marine Corps Installations West - MCB & MCAS Camp Pendleton
760-725-5799 Main -

diphthong

i almost like that we'll be on a watch list/database. didn't realize we were
such badasses.

CliffordK

Excellent.
That is the kind of response i would have expected (hoped for).

You might take out Carl's personal contact info. You can leave the main number in for those that need it.

He doesn't have a gmail account does he? Just what our democrat nominee is getting pummelled for.