Carloswithac

I was coming back through Pendleton from San Onofre and the Marine at the entrance told me they are no longer allowing bicyclists through the base after today. Has anyone heard anything about it? I don't see it on their site. I go through Pendleton once every couple of months, so its no big deal to me. Just passing along information.

Carlos

volosong

That's not good. It will force us onto the freeway.

MoreBlackSwan

Dang, was doing to head through there next month on a la to sd ride. Any idea if this is just a temporary closure?

robertkat

Hmm. No surprise there. I never go through the base anyhow. I find using I5 to be safer and easier. Just bring an earplug for the noise and you'll be fine.

John R

There's nothing like a tractor trailer passing you at 70 mph!!!

calamarichris

Bummer! I hope not. I don't mind riding South on the 5, but riding North in all that exhaust is for the birds.
And I disagree that riding on the Interstate is safer--it's faster, but much less pleasant than riding through P'ton.

calamarichris

Fewf! I just spoke with the Provost Marshal Desk Sergeant and he said civilian cyclists are indeed still permitted through. Perhaps the Marine gate guard meant that no more cyclists would be allowed for the rest of the day? After dark, they don't let us through, so if it was getting late, perhaps that's what he meant?

Just a reminder to bring your drivers license or other ID, wear a helmet, ride only on Stuart Mesa Road, and please ride politely on Pendleton. It's not a public road and we're permitted through there at the Post Commanding General's pleasure. If enough of us "take a lane", throw our Gu packets on the side of the road, run stop signs, or engage in rude behavior, we all get the boot, and we're stuck riding on the interstate with the texting, 90+mph luxury SUVs.

Carloswithac

Weird. I passed through around 10:30ish A.M. Thanks for the update.

cptsilver

Does someone have a strava route link handy for a LA - SD ride? I'd like to try it some time.

calamarichris

Click the blue words above in my previous post. "Stuart Mesa Road."
There's very little climbing, and even fewer stoplights, and even less traffic... it's pretty sweet.


Edit: Where in LA are you coming from? Give us a neighborhood and I'll give you a recommended Gmaps route.

CommuteCommando

The base is subject to random closure, either the security misspoke, or was misunderstood. This usually occurs when a 70 mph semi tractor on your left becomes a more attractive alternate to a 70 ton tank screaming straight at you.

cptsilver

I'd most likely take SGRT to Seal Beach and continue from there. Thanks!

calamarichris

I've ridden through Pendleton more than 100 times over the years and the only time they've ever refused me passage was immediately after 9/11.
And only seen tanks twice, neither time were they screaming straight at me. (?)

Chaco

Just rode through Camp Pendleton this morning, going both ways. No problem at all.

calamarichris

Thanks for the report Chaco!!

This is the route I'd take, (except I don't mind living dangerously, and I just stay on PCH through Laguna beach, despite the high traffic, parked cars, and lack of bike lane.)
It's a fun route, and you should have a nice quartering tailwind much of the way. Then you can just take your bike on the train back up.
I recently took my bike on the train up to Santa Barbara and rode back down, and was very pleased at how bicycle-friendly California as-a-whole has gotten. It's a very pleasant ride.

CommuteCommando

That's because they close the base to bikes when they do take tracked vehicles on the old coast highway south of the state park. You may have noticed that near the bridge under I-5 there is a turnoff to another bridge into the interior of the base. Look even more closely, and you will see tank tracks.

There was a closure about a month ago where they were transporting supplies by semi truck on that route to the helicopter pads for transport to ships offshore (a VertRep exercise).

The closures are never for more than a day or two, and unless you ride it every freakin day, it is not surprising you have never been turned back. It's simple mathematics (Probability) These closures never amount to more than a few days per year.

calamarichris

Yeah, the Marines probably prefer to train M-F while the rest of us are also working. Almost all of my Pendleton gambols have been on Sat & Sun.

RubeRad

Sorry no strava from me, but here's an idea if you're not in a hurry...