JSanc016

Quick question, has anyone here cycled to San Diego from Los Angeles, and then cycled back the next day, or day after?

Cyclcist11023131

Yes

Pamestique 

Made me giggle...

Jsanc016 why don't you just ask your question...

tinrobot

I went LA to San Diego a few times. Longest one of these was 134 miles, not something I'd want to repeat the next day. Always took the train back.

rooftest

Yes.

ZippyThePinhead

When you write "Los Angeles," you have to consider, what does that mean? To me, when someone from distant places asks where I'm from, I say "Los Angeles," because it works. They know where that is. But I live in "The OC."

I can show you a really flat century route from Anaheim to San Diego. You could train it down to Anaheim station if you wish. The route is a bit intricate in places, but it is awesome.

Riding the train back is what many do, but more power to you if you care to cycle back. If you follow the same route, it will help you learn it. I confess, I have not learned it yet; I still rely on a certain friend (who originated it and has done it many times) to guide me.

JSanc016

Thanks all for the replies, because I am planning on riding there and taking train back, but was wondering how many people have cycled there and cycled back the nest day

BigJeff

probably more than one person....

...but "how many" is an odd question.... sonce nobody has been counting.

markg

When I started riding in the mid 1970's, my first century was a San Diego American Youth Hostels Chapter sponsored spring back-to-back century weekend. Departed from UCSD, overnighted someplace in Long Beach, then rode back to UCSD.

More recently, a few years back, rode from Solana Beach up to Anaheim Saturday, ran the Disneyland Half Marathon Sunday morning, spent the rest of the day at the Disney Parks, then got up Monday (Labor Day holiday) and rode back.

tony2v

That was the ToSCC Century weekend (Tour of the SoCal Coast) first weekend in March, I think? I remember the 1983 edition riding back from Lakewood to UCSD in the rain the whole day!

JustMe

Many, and many others that have cycled there and back in the same day. Give it a go.

CommuteCommando

Starting at about mile ten, I have taken a route almost identical to this several times. I did that under crossing of I-5 at La Paz once, and Told myself there has to be better way. This is it. From where I deviate, to where I join back up. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/2951348

It is a little hillier, but not too bad. The bike trail portion is more scenic and less crowded, and the street conditions are a little smoother. (I work in Irvine and usually take Barranca/MUP that turns into Muirlands.)

ZippyThePinhead

It's been a coupla years since I rode down to SD, so my recall of the trip is fading, especially with respect to finer points of the route. We had some really excellent leaders on that ride, so I could just follow and be mindless (something which I excel at). Too, once we got down past Irvine, we discovered that the "Bay-to-Bay MS 150" ride was in full force, and we ended up doing the equivalent of calling an audible and following that group for quite a ways. It just seemed natural. I even got my photo snapped down by Pendleton by a photographer who was taking pics of the Bay to Bay riders.

At the same time, I'm pretty sure I have been on the route you mapped. Around that same time I rode from Performance Bike in Laguna Hills down to the Ritz Carlton & back. It was a nice ride, but I haven't done it since then, as I heard that the Aliso Creek Trail was washed out around there (I-5).

CommuteCommando

I can see how that could happen. If it did, they fixed it.

markg

Other options from Anaheim heading south:
Easy - take on SART down to the coast, then Coast Hwy all the way south. Yes Laguna Beach sucks in places, but better going south and earlier in the day the better. 80 miles to Solana Beach

Harder: Take Chapman east and pick up Santiago Canyon. Option to turn left at Cooks Corner up over Live Oak, then down Antonio Parkway to Ortega, then west to bike path out to Dana Point. Or head down Marguarite Parkway to San Juan Capistrano, then pick up bike path out to Dana Point. The latter is about 88 miles to Solana Beach

Last time we did train ride, we departed Anaheim and headed NORTH on SART to Imperial Hwy, headed south over the BIG ASS hill, turned left at Villa Park/E. Santiago Canyon, then rode the route through Live Oak as above. To Oceanside was 80 miles.

markg

Yup that was it. I did it 1976-77. Nothing like sleeping on the floor of a rec center with a hundred or more of your closest friends. The things you can do (and put up with) when you are young...

CommuteCommando

Once you get into Laguna Proper (at Laguna Canyon Rd), head inland a couple of blocks to Gleneyre st. It is slow enough that taking the lane is easy and safe, and there is a section of short steep rollers that make it a lot of fun, if you're into that. Once you are back onto Coast Highway at South Laguna it sucks big time. There was one section where I passed a tourist bus, then took the lane in front of him and made him follow me (running interference) all the way up a hill. Had to stand and deliver in order to not pi$$ him off too much.

Santiago Canyon is kind of hilly but not to bad. Last time I did it Antonio Parkway had some construction going on, but it should be done by now. This is a long, straight downhill, so be careful. If you decide on this route I suggest turning left off Ortega into the first neighborhood you come to- about half a mile. Follow the MUP from the parallel street, since this MUP, has an emphasis on the MU, you'll be much faster on the street. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/2959708 (it passes through a park where the soccer moms like to park their folding chairs right on the path-really. No big, the street through here is just fine)

ZippyThePinhead

That big-ass hill is Imperial/Cannon, and yes, it is steep.
@CommuteCommando, I just heard we (the group I ride with) will be doing that ride from Performance Bike in Laguna Hills down to the Ritz in the near future.

markg

Yup. the last 1/2 mile to the top is 15-17% per Strava
https://app.strava.com/segments/625216
https://app.strava.com/segments/730155

hamster

The problem with taking SART from Anaheim is that it adds miles, and it's a pretty long slog from Anaheim to SD to begin with, last thing you need is junk miles.

The problem with Anaheim in general is that there are no direct cycling-friendly routes from Anaheim to LA. You can veer north and make it as far as Whittier on surface streets, but then you have this big ghetto known as East LA in the way (or, further north, better but still somewhat questionable Monterey Park). If you veer south, there's a big square bounded by freeways 10-710-91-405 where no sane cyclist on a flashy road bike would go, even during day time.

Most likely "interesting" destinations in LA are on the west side (Santa Monica, etc.) and the most logical way to get to Santa Monica is to hug the coast.