dokydoky

A friend and I got the idea that it would be fun to ride to another friend's house in Palmdale, and a convenient time to do so would be Fourth of July weekend. First of all, I'm wondering what the best route would be. I really don't know too much about cycling anywhere North of the San Fernando Valley, so all I've got so far is the Google bike directions suggested route. I noticed you can shave off a few miles by taking the Sierra Highway instead of that detour through Santa Clarita. Is that sane or is that not a bikeable road? Any other suggestions?

Second, my mother has decided it's positively insane and I'll die of heat exhaustion. We'll leave early in the morning (5-6AM?), so I expect we'll arrive in the early afternoon, but are these concerns valid? We'll be riding touring bikes with plenty of water carrying ability if that affects anything.

So yeah, any comments or suggestions for this are very welcome!

zzzwillzzz

from the san fernando valley take sierra hwy
left at vasquez canyon road
right at bouquet canyon road
right at elizabeth lake road

if you need to go further north:
left at godde hill road
turns into 60th street west

alternate route through town
sierra hwy
left at newhall
right at railroad
becomes bouquet

just looked at your map, that is a more direct route and will work, bouquet is prettier but a little tougher.

it's definitely doable, how hard or easy is based more on your condition than anything else

rooftest

If Angeles Crest wasn't closed, that would be the route to take.

zzzwillzzz

big tujunga and angeles forest are open, might be a bit much for them. from the sound of it the length of the ride will be tough enough without throwing in a few thousand extra feet of climbing in an isolated area that is unfamiliar to them.

JustMe

I thought about that too, but Little T isn't that difficult, and a few miles could be eliminated by taking Coldwater out through the valley to something like Van Nuys and over to Foothill, then it's less then a mile over to Osborn & Little T. That would take them straight out to Sierra Hwy.