Grapevine anyone?
07-12-08, 06:30 PM
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Grapevine anyone?
Has anyone done the grapevine on a bike? I will be in central California in a couple of weeks and will have to go to L.A. I will probably have a week to kill - the distance is about 200 miles but I think the "nasty" hill/climbing part of the grapevine is about 50 miles. Am I right? What is it like to do a ride like this?
07-12-08, 07:25 PM
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There was a post on this board by someone who has ridden the grapevine. Maybe a month or so ago. Search on grapevine. He seemed to have done it a few times as well. Good luck!
Edit: Yeah here you go. https://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.p...34&postcount=5 Original Post: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=426337
Edit: Yeah here you go. https://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.p...34&postcount=5 Original Post: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=426337
07-12-08, 08:20 PM
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I've gone over it both ways. Two or three hours climb at either end and a couple of hours in the middle. The north end from the tiny hamlet of Grapevine on south has rocks and gravel on both shoulders unless the cleaners have just come by. The drain grates on the south-bound descent into Castaic have very wide slots lined up with the direction of travel. Absolute death traps if you hit one. Have a look at bikely.com. I think I posted my north-bound route there. There is a side-road for a few miles between Gorman and the Flying J truck stop.
07-13-08, 01:29 PM
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I haven't done it going north to south like Ken, only northbound.
I can only add that it's very exciting riding on one of the busiest freeways in SoCal. Drivers will honk and yell out their windows; "mostly" for encouragement and because they've never seen a cyclist on this stretch of freeway before.
Shoulders are wide and generally safe. Like Ken says, if you hit a grate at 40 mph, you will die. Be extra careful when crossing the off/on ramps. Before entering the freeway, be aware of any signs prohibiting bicyclists. Make sure your tires are puncture resistant--those little wires from truck tires WILL give you flats.
There's a couple of campgrounds off Templin Hwy on the old road that follows the freeway. This is a good stopping point, but you will have to backtrack a few miles out of your way because there's only one entrance/exit. You will eventually exit the freeway at Castaic and follow side roads into L.A.
BTW, I'm wondering if the "Old Ridge Route", which goes from Gorman to Castaic, is passable by bike?
https://angeles.sierraclub.org/news/S...ridgeroute.asp
I can only add that it's very exciting riding on one of the busiest freeways in SoCal. Drivers will honk and yell out their windows; "mostly" for encouragement and because they've never seen a cyclist on this stretch of freeway before.
Shoulders are wide and generally safe. Like Ken says, if you hit a grate at 40 mph, you will die. Be extra careful when crossing the off/on ramps. Before entering the freeway, be aware of any signs prohibiting bicyclists. Make sure your tires are puncture resistant--those little wires from truck tires WILL give you flats.
There's a couple of campgrounds off Templin Hwy on the old road that follows the freeway. This is a good stopping point, but you will have to backtrack a few miles out of your way because there's only one entrance/exit. You will eventually exit the freeway at Castaic and follow side roads into L.A.
BTW, I'm wondering if the "Old Ridge Route", which goes from Gorman to Castaic, is passable by bike?
https://angeles.sierraclub.org/news/S...ridgeroute.asp
