Need route: LA to Santa Barbara
Thread started by
Gais at 03.31.09 - 2:34 pm
Hey y'all.
I'm seeking the collective wisdom of the Midnight Ridazz. A buddy and I want to bike from LA to Santa Barbara next Thursday but we need a good route. We were thinking of taking the PCH for a good part of the trip but don't know what to do when the PCH turns into the 101.
Any help would be appreciated.
Gais out.
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http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/sm-2-sb
the map is weird because 1 - there is a bike path on the 101 from rincon to carpinteria, and 2 - there is a bike path next to the freeway for a half mile or so once you get to monecito. regardless, that route will take you from santa monica to the amtrak station in santa barbara.
ruinedbyidiots03.31.09 - 3:12 pm
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Awesome. I imagine the 101 section isn't too burly.
Gais03.31.09 - 3:21 pm
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nah not really. although it is better southbound than northbound. but thats only because southbound youre right next to the ocean.
ruinedbyidiots03.31.09 - 3:39 pm
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I can't tell you your start and your finish but I can direct you to the most kick-ass middle section possible. Not sure if you were or not, but ride this with a geared bike because it includes some long and big but very worthwhile hills.
So first up, figure out how to get to Santa Paula, CA. It's off route 126 in far northwest end of the valley. If it was me, I would go up PCH coastline for a prettier ride. But that means around Oxnard, you'll have to backtrack a little bit.
Anyway, the part of the ride you have to do if you're riding from LA up to Santa Barbara is the whole route 150 going from Santa Paula to Ojai and to Carpenteria. It's spectacular, especially the section that descends into Ojai. Go through Ojai (with a lunch stop if you like), and then continue on 150 around Lake Casitas and over the hills until you get dumped out at Carpinteria. Then figure out the best way to get up to Santa Barbara, which isn't far from there. Word to the wise, it's going to be a very long ride. The Tour of California does it in one day, but that's those dudes.
0gravity03.31.09 - 4:02 pm
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The Ojai detour sounds like fun but I doubt we'll use it this time. My buddy rides a fixed gear lager and we want to do the ride in a day. I figure that 96 miles should take us a good 8 - 9 hours
Gais03.31.09 - 4:46 pm
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this ride will destroy the puny one piece crank of the se lager.
ruinedbyidiots03.31.09 - 4:55 pm
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Well it's your ride Gais but IMHO I think it's a shame to get that close to such nice riding only to stay on the highly trafficked flat and busy roads. We've got that kind of riding all over LA! That all being said, I understand the single-speed limitation. Have a good ride, however you end up going.
0gravity03.31.09 - 5:16 pm
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the downside with the casitas pass is that its a narrow windy mountain road where people drive like they are on the autobahn rather than obeying the 45mph speed limits. i used to drive it every day to go to school in santa barbara.
ruinedbyidiots03.31.09 - 5:20 pm
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I'm not too worried about my buddy. Fixion's been riding longer than I have and has done long distance rides before.
Gais03.31.09 - 5:36 pm
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Caveat Preemptor: I haven't read the above posts, yet. I'm in a bit of a hurry to get out of here, at the moment. Here's what I know:
You know how to get to Santa Monica, right? Well, go there, and head to the beach. Just before you get to the sand, turn right on Pacific Coast Highway. Make a right. Then ride until you get to the exit you need in Santa Barbara. I rode up there last summer, amid tales of construction and inadequate shoulders. I found that the shoulders have been widend, in all of the places I had been warned about.
There you go. Be safe.
tern03.31.09 - 5:53 pm
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you cant just take pch straight from santa monica to santa barbara on a bike. you cant even do it in a car.
ruinedbyidiots03.31.09 - 5:56 pm
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Well Tern did it. So there! In yer mouf!
Joe Borfo03.31.09 - 6:01 pm
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no, i went to sbcc. i ditched most of my classes to hang out at the ucsb radio station.
ruinedbyidiots03.31.09 - 6:04 pm
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If you start going that way, you get signs...you don't need further directions...although I had it mapped out on bikely.
tern03.31.09 - 6:06 pm
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okay...let me see if i still have the route saved on bikely.com....
tern03.31.09 - 6:27 pm
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pch turns into the 101 in oxnard. the bike path part of the 101 doesnt happen until after ventura. its a little more complicated than what you originally made it out to be.
ruinedbyidiots03.31.09 - 6:33 pm
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I hear ya, rbi.....I don't have the route saved, but this should do the trick:
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Santa-Barbara-to-Malibu
Okay, it is backwards, and I haven't looked it over...but this seems like what you need.
for the other part not covered in this route...ride up the pacific coast hwy to Malibu. Okay. Bye.
tern03.31.09 - 6:49 pm
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