ModeratedUser

Hello all,

We plan on doing a ride from downtown Riverside to downtown LA. We haven't decided on a route and would love it if we had some "experts" come up with a suggested route. We do have a couple of routes in mind, but feel free to make any route you think will be an excellent route for riding. Oh yeah, if makes any difference, we'll be doing this route at 12 midnight on Thursday night.

The two we have so far are these three variations here
And this one found on MapMyRide.com here

Please feel free to comment on any you prefer too.

Thanks and look forward to getting some feedback.

rooftest

Using the Google maps bike directions gives a good hint that you can "straighten out" a real route from. What I want to know is - what's with starting at midnight?

CritEastwood

What's up with starting during daylight hours?

To the OP:

The tons-o-turns in some of those routes you posted links to were ridiculous. Magnolia is chewed up, but is the most direct route from DTR to Sixth Street in Corona. Of course, use the SARTP from Green River to Anaheim. At night, you may as well stay off the path once on La Palma and then head towards Chapman (Placentia), which turns into Malvern in Fullerton and then La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada. Do a little jog at Imperial and onto Telegraph, which will take you to Olympic and then use that to get towards downtown LA.

ModeratedUser

Hey rooftest,

Sorry for not getting back to you sooner. I'm subscribed to this thread, but haven't gotten any notices. Must be doing something wrong.

Anyways to answer your question. Some LA peeps are going to be at the monthly artwalk they have downtown in Riverside. The group is the Bicycle Bell Ensemble, www.bicyclebellensemble.org Some of us will be taking the train there, then hanging out for awhile. We will be heading back to LA around 12 midnight. This is not an exclusive group, and we do welcome anyone that wants to ride. We just don't want to be stuck baby sitting, as I'm sure you don't want to either.

Thanks for the suggestion Crit. I'll look in to the route you suggested.

WhiteCarbonDude

I like your Mapmyride version better, but I would stay on Van Buren/Mission the whole way to Temple then jog over to Valley Blvd should be a cool ride at night.

Cieous

I just biked from Orange County to Riverside 3 times over the last 3 months on 3 different routes. I can't say about the mapmyride route which avoids the SART altogether, but the SART route to Riverside is something I feel I can share some of my thoughts. Using the SART, I think, is a good idea at least during the day, but if you are riding past midnight, it might be a totally different story. If you are taking the SART route, then the path I took and you're going to take are essentially the same from Yorba Linda.

What route is ultimately better I think depends on your preference and risk you are willing to take in terms of riding on the street. I typically like riding on trails with no cars (even if that adds few miles except if I'm in a rush), so SART is definitely preferred in my book. If you use the SART, then you actually got several choices after SART I ends around Green Road. From there, you may continue on Magnolia (as google map shows), or through Norco hop on SART II, which will also lead straight to Riverside. Aside from the 1st 2-3 miles SART II is also almost entirely on a paved bicycle trail. It adds considerable milage to it, but the scenery is quite great. Again, if you are riding at night, it might be a different story since you can't see anything.

If you like to avoid SART II and stay on the streets, then another alternative is to take Victoria Blvd from the outskirts of Riverside to downtown. A much better ride than staying on Magnolia. Much much fewer cars, and cars riding much much slower there b/c of the frequent stop signs. It's also a much better scenery (see picture attached). It is perhaps one of my most favorite places to bicycle in Riverside. I found when I rode on Magnolia, that they have signs saying to watch out for bikers, but I thought it was still dangerous, with big potholes here and there and cars constantly hopping in and out. But again, I rode in the middle of the day, it may be a different story at night.

Hope this helps.

-- Cieous.

CritEastwood

Yay, misinformation!

That pic attached is Victoria Ave, not "Victory".

Magnolia at night from downtown is ok. The SARTP at night is ok.

I rode out to MV yesterday afternoon and rode back at 10PM, using Victoria to La Sierra to Indiana to Lincoln to Magnolia/6th and then the SARTP in to Anaheim. There were no lions, tigers or bears anywhere on the route.

mister

Victoria is great to ride during the day. I haven't been down Victoria in a while, but the last time I went down at night, I remember it not being very well lit at all so make sure you have lights.

CritEastwood

Victoria is not well lit at all, especially West of Arlington. Even so, you don't need the jazillion candlepower overkill light on it. After Midnight it's the total Jimi Jam, especially if you don't mind being a scofflaw at the stop signs.