Originally Posted by Heathpack

Well, the tricky thing for you with no car is getting out of Santa Monica because of the traffic. It can be done, I'm sure, I would just personally typically start in Malibu. I have a friend who rides out of Santa Monica, though and I can ask him how to ride out from Santa Monica to get into the Santa Monica Mtns. He also rides some of the fast group rides mid-week, I think they're early (like 6am). During normal daylight hours, Santa Monica would not be that fun for riding due to traffic. I can get you the scoop of some of those local rides if you are interested, too.


Besides riding up north in the Santa Monica Mtns, another good idea would be to ride down along the beach to Palos Verde. Beautiful and worth doing. I'd have to figure out exactly how to get there from Santa Monica (it would be mostly along a rather crazy bike path that runs along the beach) but could put you together a route.


You really don't need to leave your Santa Monica base to ride for a week, there's tons that would fit the bill for you. However, it you were willing to ride public transport, you could get to three of the best (IMO) SoCal climbs.


The pick of that litter is Glendora Mtn Rd to Glendora Ridge Road to Mt Baldy Rd up the ski lifts (this is the end of a stage of the Tour of California, great climbing ending in a steep finish, very little traffic), then to add more miles, descend partway back down and then climb to Crystal Lake, which is a little longer and steeper climb. You could probably wind up with an 80ish mile route I'm guessing off the top of my head. Take Metro purple line from Santa Monica to downtown LA, then get on Metro yellow line and take it to downtown Asuza. This one is worth the logistics if there's no snow up there.


The other two are Mt Wilson and the surrounding area of the San Gabriel Mtns (out of Sunland-Tujunga) and a loop involving Gibraltar Rd in Santa Barbara. You can get to both via trains, but I don't think these would be worth the trouble, given you have 5-6 days to ride.


Really a good plan for you would be three long climbing rides in the Santa Monica Mtns, one day of riding in Palos Verde, one easy low-climbing day just heading north up the PCH and maybe one day taking the excursion to Glendora Mtn Rd.


I can put you together routes if you tell me what you're looking for. Three to four long routes 60-80 miles with 5000ish feet climbing? And one easier, flatter route? Do you want double digit steep or 6-9% stuff? How many total miles for the week, with how much climbing?


Sorry I can't ride with you that week, I work during the week and have a race that weekend in San Diego. But I'd be too slow for you anyway.