jsigone

In a couple of weeks, I'm going to ride my bike from SF bay to San Diego, the only part that gets sketchy on route planning is through Long beach. North to South

Anyone got tips or safe routes?

TakingMyTime

Just Stay on Highway 1. The West Side of LB (and West of that) is a little dingy but if you stay on PCH you're good. Once you hit the traffic Circle you just continue South on PCH. That's the fast way through. The traffic on PCH through LB is kind of tight. Actually, once you leave the Redondo Beach area I would just keep riding. There's not a lot to see around there. Again, That's the quick way through.

Or as you are on Sepulveda/PCH you could get on the bike trail that runs along the 710 FWY (go South) and get off on Ocean BLVD. That would run you down the coast in LB and is a nicer ride. You leave Long Beach, Through Belmont Shore and then you'll hit PCH again.

raceboy

As long as you are making the trek, I highly advise hanging a right on Palos Verdes Boulevard and taking it to PV Drive West. Follow PV Drive West around the Peninsula for some fantastic coastal views. PV Dr. West turns into PV Dr. South. Hang a left on PV Drive East for a 2.5 mile fairly gentle climb and then basically coast back to PCH. It's pretty!

jimincalif

I agree with @raceboy, the route around PVP is well worth it.

Long Beach isn't too bad, it's Wilmington that is not so great. Once you cross the LA river into LB hug the coast, Shoreline Ave, Ocean Blvd, and even the beach bike path all the way down to 54th, jog up to 2nd then Marina Dr into Seal Beach, Ocean to Seal Bch Blvd to PCH.

calamarichris

Another vote for the Palos Verdes Peninsula. You're in for a real treat. I've made the trip south from Santa Barabara 3 times and it only makes me more patriotic about our beautiful state. The bike paths are excellent, and riding southbound, lets you ride on the more scenic ocean side of the road, less auto exhaust, and a quartering tailwind much of the way.

Here are some pics and a report from my first time back in 2012. (Though Gmaps altered the route on that report.)
Take lots of pics, let us know how it goes, and PM me when you get to Oceanside. If I'm available, I'll join you for our spectacular portion of your trip.

Jon T

Make sure to pre-register with Camp Pendleton to access that part of the ride. Sometimes you're allowed to ride the shoulder of the 405, other times not. Once thru/past Pendleton, you can pick PCH back up in Oceanside. The Torrey Pines grade is a killer. I swear it goes straight up.
Jon

diphthong

jsigone will be just fine once past the palos verdes peninsula/long beach interface along anaheim st.

jsigone

I ride the base often and already registered last yr or when ever that was they started to scan cards. thanks thou

Luckily I'll be heading East just before Torrey Pines hill. That's the last 13 mile til home

Here's my rig I'm taking, I'm going to Bike Bling to pick up a blackburn outpost frame bag later today for on the on the bike needs. Pictured is full camping kit, minus spare cloths, my rig has gained 12 pounds including all my camera/electronics. Debating on carrying a REI camping chair, adds another pound

Jon T

It might behoove you to check on your registration for Pendleton. I shoot there on a regular basis as a member of the Santa Margarita Gun Club and although I shoot there regularly, I need to be on the gate guards list by the Wednesday preceeding the match. In other words, I have to pre-register for each and every match regardless of how many times I've been there before. Here is a direct quote from our club; "effective 02-01-16 non-military ID persons will not be able to enter the base by simply providing a DL. The person must also be sponsored."
You just might want to double check. It would be a bummer to get all that way and not be able to get through to your destination.
Jon

jimincalif

According to the registration form, it is good for no more than 365 days. So may want to re-up before you leave.

https://mccscp.wufoo.com/forms/camp-...e-access-form/

jsigone

I signed up again just in case. Figure my luck would have it expire a week after I last went on base. Better to cover all corners.

Tomorrow night I'll comb over my route slips before sending them to my new Wahoo Bolt. I'll send over a local route to follow on tomorrows lunch ride to see if there are any querks with the turn by turn nav.

marquhar

any folding spare tires in your kit? I've been stranded by screws and razor blades in very nice neighborhoods. Any ride over 40 miles I bring a spare folding tire.

jsigone

I've been debating on bringing or not bringing a take off tire. I just mounted a new set of Panaracer gravelking 28s on the bike plus chain.

I've had really good luck with the gravel kings, I've been using them for the local BWR for the apst 3 years. That ride is a century plus 40miles on dirt. Good event to test bike, gear, body and luck.

I am packing 4 tubes plus patch kits. Though I had great luck with GKs, I don't want to get stranded in farm ville along the 101.

HBCruiser1

+1 on going around Palos Verdes. You won't be disappointed.

Your worst area is between San Pedro and Long Beach along Anaheim Street between Alameda and the 710. The shoulder generally has a lot of debris and you have to navigate the on and off-ramps of the 710, often with trucks. Doable, just be aware.

I would not ride on Ocean Blvd. in Long Beach. Period. Take the beach bike path and enjoy the ride. If you absolutely don't want to ride the beach path, go inland 1 block to 1st street. Very quiet and hugely wide (a trolly used to go down the middle of it).

Enjoy your ride. Just had a friend do almost the same thing but ended in LA but he stayed in Motel 6's along the way. On my bucket list as well!

jsigone

I ended up stopping just south of Torrance on Saturday, I reached my limit of time I allotted to myself on this trip and missed my family (wife + 2 kids) The bike trails and wind made my day longer then it should have been, but I arranged for pick up 1 hour after sunset, where ever I land that I was safe. I tried to go to the point but it was just past 6pm already and wasn't sure if there was a spot for pick up on the other side. Past Torrance the 1 got real skinny, it forced me on the sidewalk for bit. Making it another 5-7 miles to Queen Mary just wasn't worth it as the sun was getting ready to set. Plus I had 113 miles in my legs that day so not like i needed the mileage. At that point I needed a place to eat and wait for pick up. My legs/body could have made it the next day down to San Diego but like i said I needed my family more then another 80-90miles on this trip.

Daily Ave speed was 15-16mph minus the recovery day which still had some steep hills to get to the coastline.


Day 1 Pier 39 San Fransisco to Santa Cruz
Day 2 Santa Cruz to Carmel Valley
Day 3 Carmel to Paso Robles
Day 4 Paso to Morro (recovery day)
Day 5 Morro Bay to Santa Barbara
Day 6 Santa Barbara to Long Beach

Nooner

A great looking trip, on my bucket list for sure.

Genaro

Looks like an amazing trip!

ZippyThePinhead

Regarding the Strava overlay on the pics, that’s a nice idea, may I ask how you did that?

I’d also like to ask how you trained for this ride, and whether you felt like it was sufficient.

Any chance you would share the route?

jsigone

screen shots

once you have the images uploaded to strava > Share activity > select photo background to share > screen shot the phone app > crop image to fit

training wise. Just my normal 120ish per week, nothing special, but 2 weeks before my planned ride I got like 20miles TOTAL, I got a hornet sting while riding my bike. Hit me at my pointer finger knuckle. I'm not allergic to normal bees, but the hornet had a different stinger I pulled out of my skin. I was going about 30mph at impact and it hurt so bad I had to come to a stop and pull it out, 20min later my hand started to swell like a balloon, by end of day with over counter benadrly swelling move half way to my forearm. By morning it was at my elbow and I went to the doc for some real drugs. I didn't do much riding because of this, figured I'd get enough fitness on the ride, had a decent base mileage in my legs but not 600miles in week base.

I don't suggest that you randomly do 4 centuries in a week on a loaded bike, guess I'm the special kind of crazy guy pack light, travel farther, take pics and have fun. Oh and I was eating two dinners every night while on this ride.

The fitness high from that one week in Sept lasted until xmas. Really strong shape and tempo all around. Fun times on club rides and making others suffer some