Newport: Where to ride?
 

I will be staying in Newport for the weekend and am looking for a good group ride on Sat or a good route to do on my own (60-80 miles). Do any of you locals have some suggestions? Here is where I will be staying:

Newport Beach Marriott® Suites
500 Bayview Circle
Newport Beach, California 92660 USA

I will need to ride from the hotel, as I will not have a car to drive to a starting point.

Thanks!

I think OCRR start their rides from that area, check their website for information. If you want to ride solo there are plenty of options - go to PCH and north to Long Beach (flat), south to Laguna and further out (mildly hilly), or inland and try some hills and scenery on a number of courses and loops. Tell us more about your preferences and I am sure someone can build a route for you.

Your hotel is right next to the San Diego Creek Trail which will connect you to the places where group rides start OR to several good rides. The only problem with the trail on Saturday mornings is that Team in Training is out there and they are pretty much train-wrecks with respect to etiquette.

The closest group ride is "Food Park" which starts about three miles from your hotel via the trail. It's shorter than you're looking for but you can always add to it. Check out http://www.socalcycling.com/Group%20...y/foodpark.htm

Actually starting at the Newporter is perfect. Lots of us start our rides there. I would ask the front desk to help you map out routes but some suggestions:

If you don't mind alittle surfside traffic, you can travel either north or south along Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). If traveling north, take PCH up to Marina Pacifica and then to Belmont Shores and turn around. If traveling South, you can cruise down to Dana Point or San Clemente and back or if you want hills, try this:

Take PCH South to Newport Coast Drive, turn Left. Turn left at Pelican and check out the awesome views. Turn left again onto Newport Coast and then down NC to Bonita Canyon. Turn right Take Bonita to Shady Hill. Watch for the bike trail on the right, take that and continue through Shady Ridge (it is a close gated development but we can travel the bike trail through the community). Beautiful area. On the other side, once out of hte gated community and down a small, steep hill, turn right (I think the street is Quail Hill) and you have two options - either continue to Laguna Canyon road and turn right or take Old Laguna Canyon (before the main highway) left. Take that until it ends at Sand Canyon, turn right. You can travel any distance on Sand, going all the way up to Portola. I recommend however turning left at Irvine Blvd and then finding a route South, perphaps Jeffrey or Culver. If you stay on Jeffrey it turns into University. Stay on University and it takes you across, past Jamboree, to the end of the Back Bay trail. Take that down and stay on it until you end up back at the Newporter.

If you go to bikeirvine.org, check rides, particular the longer SUnday rides, you most likely can find a route slip that goes past the Newporter. I'll go check and see if I can find one for you.

Againt he front desk can map this out. Have fun exploring!!!!

Just went and checked - look at any of the Sunday LONG PLUS rides. One of them should suit your fancy. BTW when it says "hilly" it means really hilly.

BTW if you can make it up to Deerfield park Satruday, by 8:45am - I would check out the Bicycle Club of Irvine group ride. It's is a very friendly, social group but there are strong riders. If you ride up and back from the Newporter and then do the long ride, you will get in about 50 - 60 miles.

To get to Deerfield Park from the Newporter is simple: Take the Back Bay trail north, go up the short steep hill, stay on the bike trail and continue around and under Jamboree - you will be on the San Diego Creek trail. Take that all the way up until it curves East and get off at Harvard. Take Harvard north until Irvine Center Blvd. Turn right. Go past Culver and at the next left turn go left right into Deerfield. The park will be in front of you. Continue into the park, look for the picnic tables, all the people standing around and sign up for a ride. Make sure you let folks know you are new to the area.

And no doubt someone from So Cal BF will volunteer to do a ride with you!

Isn't the Newporter on Jamboree near PCH? I'm pretty sure his hotel is next to the Back Bay off Jamboree and Bristol.

Did I mess up? The Newporter is the one across from the Dunes... just off Jamboree before PCH. Is this not the same hotel? Where is Bayview Circle then?

Edited to add: Sorry checked - it across the Bay - no matter; all the bike trails still work... instead of taking Back Bay East you do Back Bay West...

All good suggestions. Newport Coast is a helluva hill but the views are great. For scenery I prefer the ride south down PCH through Laguna and Dana Point Harbor, just mind the traffic as the bike lanes are limited. Everywhere else in the county is wide open. I was just at the Marriott back in July. The sushi bar at Sam and Harry's is top-notch.

Never mind, I'm talking about the Marriott down the road at Fashion Island.

we all have this hotel messed up!!! At last it's all in the same area!!!!:lol:

Are you sure it's Newport Beach in California?

Newport Beach Marriott® Suites
500 Bayview Circle
Newport Beach, California 92660 USA

The only thing I am sure of! ;)

Food park is fun. Beware of Tesla. And Laguna Canyon.

Yes, it is CA. All great suggestions, thank you very much. I'm still doing my research, but you've all been very helpful. I hope I can return the favor to anyone heading down to San Diego.

Tesla and El Toro on the Food Park ride are sprinter hills - if you can make it up with the pack, you're set for the ride. There's also a "weak" Food Park where you skip Tesla (you continue straight instead of turning on Tesla), but I think you still have to do the El Toro hill.

If you're still here on Sunday and know where Deerfield is, the Como Street ride begins at the Tustin Marketplace at 8 am. Ride leaves the parking lot where the Red Robin and Jamba Juice is. Como runs through Santiago Canyon, but the hill at Cook's Corner thins the pack.