jfeldmar

Anyone have a safe route from I405 near mulholland down to Irvine - (Woollett Aquatics Center - 4601 Walnut Ave, Irvine, CA). I am planning on riding down this weekend (to attend a kid's event) and hitching a ride back with my wife.
- I can get to the Howard Hughes Center (by LAX) and/or the bike bath south towards PV but am not sure of a safe
route further south from PV through San Pedro/Long Beach area and then a bit inland to my destination. Any suggestions re fastest as well as safest route would be great.

Thanks,
- Jason

cdp8

That's a tough one. Following the coast down to PV really takes you out of your way, since Irvine is so far east of where you are starting. He is what google maps for bikes came up with:

https://goo.gl/maps/li1lm

Once you hit the SGRT on that route, it is fine (though I would take Bristol through Santa Ana rather than Broadway since almost all of it has been widened to three lanes). Through LA, USC-area, Vernon, Maywood, Bell, Cudahy, et al., I have no idea what to tell you.

jfeldmar

Thanks. Not such a good option through the USC area. I don't mind a little extra distance to be safe and to avoid the downtown LA area. I just didn't know how to get around Long Beach and San Pedro to get further South - I am not familiar with that area at all. I don't have to be in Irvine until noon - so I should have plenty of time if I leave by 6 or 7AM (I have plenty of lights).

cdp8

At that time of day on a weekend, I doubt you would have much to worry about in terms of personal safety. All the bad guys are asleep that time of day after causing trouble all night. Parts of Long Beach are no better, anyway. Once you get past there, you may want to think twice about PCH through Seal, Huntington and Newport Beaches. It used to be a nice stretch to ride, but too many riders are getting hit and killed there now.

CommuteCommando

I would worry a lot more about road conditions than the denizens of those 'hoods. Narrow streets, road rage and drunks, oh my!

JTGraphics

Are you looking to just get down to Irvine with out all the nice scenery of the coast? or are you looking to ride down coast and go back inland to were you want to go that will add several miles. What route are you looking for?
Direct route or round about path?
I can map you a route I know the area thats about 70 miles ride more direct route to were you say you wanted to get to from HHC/LAX area, going the PCH route will add time and miles.

jfeldmar

I have ridden through the USC area near exposition in the past and besides the people, the road conditions do suck - lots of potholes and cracks - plus, the drivers there aren't used to riders. However, do you know if there is a bike path adjacent the new expo line that is decent? From other websites, it looks like the beach down to PV north to Anaheim to PCH looks like a good option. At that point, I can either take PCH further south and hop on the bike path OR I can take 7th to Lampson and head inland per cdp8's google link. Have either of you ridden Anaheim through Long Beach lately or know about the traffic flow/road conditions?

jfeldmar

I don't care about the nice scenery of the coast. I am looking for the most direct and safest route (safety over direct). I want to get my weekend miles in while getting to my destination.

peckma

Try this (fire up google maps and follow along): work your way south into Redondo Beach along the bike path to Beryl, left on Beryl, right on Catalina.
Go left (east) on Diamond (Catalina Coffee Co is just past Diamond on the left, if you need a break). Right on Del Amo. Follow to Maple (south) to Plaza del Amo, then left on PdA. Work your way over to 223rd street, take all the way into Long Beach. Pick up the LA River Trail and head to Shoreline Village. Follow that bike path to the end, go up to 2nd Street then PCH. Take PCH to Warner, Warner east until - you're on your own from here. Or you could take PCH down towards Newport and then work up to Irvine. Tough part is getting from the South Bay/Westside into Long Beach. 223rd street is an industrial street, but I prefer it over the others further south, as those streets are closer to Wilmington. But if you're out early enough, you should encounter lighter traffic. Rough roads - carry some tubes.

JTGraphics

PM'd you a route to look at. 55 miles

JSMaxwell

I'm not sure you are getting great advice here. You can ride through downtown, and I have done so, but it sucks. Try this route to Long Beach, but in reverse. Basically take the bike trail through the South Bay and then Palos Verdes Drive North around Palos Verdes to Anaheim St. Anaheim through the port isn't the greatest ride in the world, but its no worse than the miles of garbage through the middle of the city.

https://connect.garmin.com/activity/223502416

Unlike the garmin route, when Anaheim crosses the LA River bed just after going over the 710, do a left U turn after the bridge to the LA River trail. Take that down to the coast. Ride south/east along the coast. You will ride along Shoreline Dr and then get back on the bike trail. Don't ride down Ocean through Long Beach.

Follow the route to 2nd street and then right turn on PCH. Take PCH to Jamboree in Newport Beach. Go right on University, right on Culver, right on Walnut.

I've ridden all that route although not at the same time. I've also ridden through town and on all the river trails. I would definitely go PV-Anaheim-Jamboree.

Have fun. Swimming, soccer, or baseball?

This has the route from the end of the LA River trail through Long Beach

jfeldmar

Thanks! Your route seems pretty reasonable - my only concern is going so far South into Newport before turning inland to head to Irvine. - Water polo.

cdp8

Reasonable minds can differ. I'm not sure this is great advice. How many people have to get hit and killed on that stretch of PCH before you stop recommending it? If you include Newport Coast, I think four people were killed last year on that part of your route. I cannot in good conscience recommend to anyone that they ride PCH from Seal downward. I used to ride it regularly, but gave it up even before last year's carnage. With today's distracted drivers and speeds on most of that section at 50+, it is too easy for a distractred driver to drift into the bike lane.

JTGraphics

Hes looking for a more direct route to actually go someplace.
Also Anaheim St surface is not the best around some areas lots of traffic as you go thru Wilmington which in its self is not a good place to ride thru, while you most likely make it thru why take the chance when you can go around.
Many ways to get to where you want to go.

Also here is what the last 3 months stats on that exact area, you tell me? https://spotcrime.com/ca/los+angeles/wilmington

jfeldmar

Thanks for all the advice everyone! I finalized my route:
https://goo.gl/maps/lUwuV (not sure if the short URL will work). I value safety above all else and a little extra distance (e.g., 10-15 miles) is not that important to me. The route goes on the bike path to Redondo, turns up del almo and makes its way to 223rd. I will hop on the Los Angeles River Bicycle Path down to shoreline village and continue on the bike path to 2nd street to PCH to Sunset beach at which point I will hop on the bike path again all the way down into Newport - PCH for about a mile to get to the San Diego Creek Bicycle Trail to the Peter Canyon Bicycle Trial which takes me almost all the way inland to my destination. Almost all bicycle paths with some nice scenery! Total distance is about 75 miles.

Biker395 

^ Get back to work, you bum.

JSMaxwell

I'm not sure that distracted drivers drifting into the bike lane at 25 or 35 do you any better. People get killed on PCH. What is missing from the calculation is the sheer number of riders on that stretch of road. Only then could you know if a higher percentage of riders are getting hit along PCH through O.C. than on other roads. For example, this Strava segment heading north through Bolsa Chica has 2647 riders on it with 21015 trips through (19260 going south - more people opting for the frontage road southbound.). https://app.strava.com/segments/618874 The trips recorded on Strava are a small fraction of total trips. Anyway, please continue to stay off PCH. Its too crowded with bikes.

JSMaxwell

Zero crime during daylight along Anaheim itself is what it says. I'm not suggesting anyone get an apartment there and leave valuables lying around or hang out in the dark. Or take a walk around the neighborhood off the main thoroughfare. Riding a bike through Anaheim at 8AM on a Saturday morning is a breeze. 5PM on a weekday not so much. In the dark? Please. For that matter, stay off the bike trails in the dark...and the roads...

hamster

I see an assault with a deadly weapon right on Anaheim at 10 AM, another one block away (Watson and I(?) St) at 12 PM, "aggravated shots fired" two blocks away at 2:40 PM, and a robbery one block away from Anaheim (Wilmington and G) at 9:30 AM.

Also, it's not shown on spotcrime.com but there was an additional robbery an Anaheim and Neptune at 2:30 PM on 1/24 (you can see it on crimemapping.com, the official crime mapping tool of the LAPD.)

So, 5 violent crimes in 2 months on Anaheim or within two blocks during daylight.

Crime wise, it looks like it might be advantageous to do Lomita-Wilmington-Sepulveda. On the other hand, Anahaim is the only east-west street between 110 and LA River that has a bike lane at least part of the way.