# 50 miles and longer in Santa Monica



## Bianchi Ti (Jun 11, 2002)

I would love some suggestions on routes of 40-50 miles and longer in the Santa Monica area. Preferably were I won't be run over.

Thanks


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## eddy (Jun 5, 2005)

*I'm not from SoCal but*

I'm sure the local members will offer you some great routes. You can try this 30-mile route in reverse (from my thread last month) and add in some more miles by doing the length of Mulholland. If you want more hills, check out the side streets like Deep Canyon Drive--it's awesome! That reminds me, I need to post some more pics of that ride...

EDIT: Done. Hill pics are posted. Check 'em out!



Mapei Roida said:


> 3) Go west on Mulholland Drive. Make your way down to Sepulveda Blvd. It's the road that parallels the 405 fwy. Go south on Sepulveda until you get to Constitution Avenue, just north of Wilshire Blvd. Navigate your way west through the Veteran's Administration Campus, and then navigate your way west to San Vicente Blvd. Follow your nose, or better yet get a map. Go west on San Vicente to Santa Monica. The street ends at a park on the bluffs above Santa Monica Beach. Enjoy the ocean view.
> 
> For that ultra-macho fifty mile ride, continue by heading down to Pacific Coast Highway. Go north (actually west) to Topanga Canyon. Take Topanga up into the hills and into the San Fernando Valley. Take Ventura Blvd. east to Sepulveda. Climb your way back up to Mulholland.
> 
> Apart from the stretch along Pacific Coast Highway, all these routes are reasonably trafficked, at least by LA standards. With the exception of Pacific Coast Highway, all these routes reasonably safe...which means drivers are used to dealing with bicyclists and are reasonably polite. Don't expect any bike lanes, though. And road shoulders can mysteriously disappear in places.


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## Bianchi Ti (Jun 11, 2002)

I'd like to avoid PCH. After the deaths I think the danger is obvious. I ride the beach to channel to Sanvicente. Sometimes I throw in an out and back up Amalfi. This is about 30. If I ride to Manhattan Beach and throw in an out and back up Ballona It is about 45mi. I'll drive if I have to, but would prefer not to.


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## endo verendo (Nov 22, 2005)

Bianchi Ti said:


> I'd like to avoid PCH. After the deaths I think the danger is obvious. I'll drive if I have to, but would prefer not to.


PCH really isn't that bad. For the amount of cyclists that ride it there really haven't been a lot of accidents. But if you don't mind a small bit of driving you can head up the coast to Malibu Cyn and take that to Mullholland Hwy. There are a few large areas to park around that intersection. From there you can ride as many miles as you're up for by taking Mullholland Hwy, Stunt Rd, Piuma, Latigo, Encinal, Decker, Little Sycamore, Kanan, Yerba Buena, etc. Every road is outstanding and the scenery is amazing. Here's some cool rides from a bike shop out there. 

Sundance Cycles long rides.


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

Sepulveda/Topanga Canyon Ride

-Ride east on San Vicente to Montana. 
-Make your way through the Veteran's Admin. to Sepulveda Blvd. (Constitution Ave.)
-Left onto Sepulveda. Climb your way up and over the top. Through the tunnel. Descend into the valley. Stay on Sepulveda until you get to Burbank
-Left onto Burbank. Ride Burbank out to Tarzana where it intersects with Ventura Blvd. 
-Right on Ventura Blvd. Stay on Ventura until it ends at Valley Circle. 
-Left at Valley Circle. Now you are headed south. Over the freeway (101), go past the Motion Picture Home (Speilberg Drive, etc.) 
-Right on Valmar Rd (which is a traffic light). Do the easy gradient to the stop sign for Mulholland Highway which is the end of Valmar. From here you have a choice. 

Choice A: Old Topanga Canyon Road
-Make a right on Mulholland highway then, 
-A quick left on to Old Topanga Canyon Road. There is a climb of a couple of miles here. Some sections run at 8%-10% on the inclinometer. Once you crest over the top there is a long (5 or 6 mile) descent to where Old Topanga intersects with Topanga Canyon Blvd.
-Make a right onto Topanga Canyon Blvd. and do the long descent down to Pacific Coast Highway. 

Choice B: Topanga Canyon Blvd. 
-Make a left on Mulholland Highway. Climb the hills past Calabasas High School. Do the descent down past the Gelson's. There is a light at the bottom of the hill. This is where Mulholland Hwy. intersects with Mulholland Drive. 
-Make a right on Mulholland Drive. Up and over the small hill to the light at Topanga Canyon Blvd. 
-Make a right on to Topanga. Climb your way up and over the switchbacks and do the long descent to Pacific Coast Highway. 


Choice A and B meet up here:
-Make a left onto PCH. Ride south on PCH and get onto the bike path as soon as you can. There is no shoulder on some of these parts of PCH so _be careful_ and watch for cars coming up behing you! 
-Ride the bike path until until Santa Monica Canyon. This is where West Channel Road and Entrada Dr. intersect with PCH. 
-Use the undergroung crossing tunnels and then ride up West Channel Road. Make a right on Short St. 
-Then a left and a quick right to get to Ocean Way. Do the easy climb up to Ocean Ave. 
-Make a right on Ocean Ave. You wind up at San Vicente and Ocean Ave. Make your way home. 


This ride is about 41 miles for me with about 2100 ft. of climbing. Try it. I hope you enjoy it.


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## eddy (Jun 5, 2005)

*You can avoid PCH*

You don't have to ride PCH if you do route #3. You just have to like climbing hills. This is the route starting from Santa Monica:

Head northwest on Ocean Ave. Turn northeast onto San Vicente Blvd. Zig zag through the Veteran's Administration Medical Center and find Constitution Ave heading northeast. Go northwest on Sepulveda Blvd up along the 405. Turn east and go over the freeway on Skirball Center Dr. Go east on Mulholland Drive all the way to the 101. This out and back route should get you between 40-45 miles.

To add more fun and excitement to your miles, ride down and up some of the side streets off of Mulholland. Get a map or do a drive through. Some are typical narrow and windy mountain roads, some are wide and straight residential streets, but all are nice and steep. Repeats of Deep Canyon Drive are good because it has a varying grade for the climb up and a fast descent on the way down.

Beverly Glen Blvd, Benedict Canyon Drive, Coldwater Canyon Drive, and Laurel Canyon Blvd can take you all the way back down towards Santa Monica and West Hollywood if you don't want to take Sepulveda back, though I haven't done it that way myself so I don't know the road conditions. I like climbing back up to Mulholland and flying down Sepulveda trying to beat the freeway traffic down the hill. 

Photos below are in route order:
1. Ocean Ave, 2. San Vicente, 3. Sepulveda, 4. Skirball, 5. Mulholland
Photos of Deep Canyon Drive are linked in my post above.


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## eddy (Jun 5, 2005)

For some reason, all of the photos would not attach properly in the other post. Here are the rest.

3. Sepulveda, 4. Skirball, 5. Mulholland


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## endo verendo (Nov 22, 2005)

eddy said:


> To add more fun and excitement to your miles, ride down and up some of the side streets off of Mulholland. Get a map or do a drive through. Some are typical narrow and windy mountain roads, some are wide and straight residential streets, but all are nice and steep. Repeats of Deep Canyon Drive are good because it has a varying grade for the climb up and a fast descent on the way down.
> 
> Beverly Glen Blvd, Benedict Canyon Drive, Coldwater Canyon Drive, and Laurel Canyon Blvd can take you all the way back down towards Santa Monica and West Hollywood if you don't want to take Sepulveda back, though I haven't done it that way myself so I don't know the road conditions. I like climbing back up to Mulholland and flying down Sepulveda trying to beat the freeway traffic down the hill.


Oh man, that's my backyard! I have so many loops in the hills between Hollywood, WeHo and Studio City it's not even funny. I couldn't even begin to tell you the street names unless I sit down with a map (or google), but some of them are in the 14-17% grade range.  

BTW, the quickest way back to the Westside or PCH in terms of mileage is down Coldwater Cyn to Beverly to Wishire (ugh!) to San Vicente.


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## Bianchi Ti (Jun 11, 2002)

Il Sogno,

I road your suggested route today. I like Topanga alot but about half of Burbank and Ventura were a little sketchy. The climbing is a great workout for sure. PCH was little hairy, too, but that wa because it was so foggy I didn't think that cars could see me that well.

I'd love to hear some more suggestions.


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

Bianchi, 
You must have run into Christmas Eve shopping traffic in Tarzana, eh? It's usually not that bad. 

Here's another option: Mulholland Drive.

Climb Sepulveda toward the valley. 

When you get to Skirball Center Drive (the light at the top of the steep little hill), make a right. Climb Skirball Center Drive.

Make a right onto Mulholland Drive - the light at the top of Skirball Center. Climb the rest of the hill. You will now be heading east on Mulholland. One of my favorite rides. You will be treated to views of the valley on your left as well as views of the LA Basin and beyond (on a clear day) to your right. The ride is generally downhill in this direction but there are many short climbs. 

When you get to the Coldwater Canyon light, you will jog to the right for a short 8% climb past the fire station to the second Coldwater Canyon light. Here you will make a left turn, continuing on Mulholland. Ride past Laurel Canyon and continue on Mulholland past all the scenic turnouts as it winds it's way down to Cahuenga. 

Now here's the trick. Just before Mulholland gets to Highland Ave., there is a bridge to the right which crosses over the 101 freeway. Make a right onto and over this bridge. 

Hang a left at the end of the bridge. This puts you at the Cahuenga Blvd. East side of the Cahuenga pass. 

STOP at the Cahuenga stop sign and check for traffic. Make a right onto Cahuenga. Do the short but harried climb up to Barham

Make a right on Barham. Do the short climb there and soar down Barham Blvd. Watch for the storm grates on the right side of the street. You'll be able to work yourself over the 40 mph mark on this downhill. Once again, watch for the storm grates 

There is a light at the bottom of the hill. Go straight. 

I like to cruise through the residential streets of Toluca Lake here. 

Make a left at the light where Smokey Joe's Restaurant is. This is Rose Ave. Go all the way to the end and make a right. 

Left on Warner Blvd. 

Right on Clybourn (Warner comes to an end at this street so it's an easy find).

Left on Moorpark.

Right on Ledge (a stop sign). By the way, at the corner of Ledge and Moorpark you will notice a very large hedge lined property on SE corner. This is Bob Hope's house - now occupied by his widow, Delores. Anyway...

There is a light at Ledge and Riverside. Make a left onto Riverside. Stay on Riverside past Cahuenga, Lankershim, Vineland. When you get to Tujunga you will come to a 5 way intersection. It's a little complicated but stay on Riverside - meaning don't go straight, don't make the hard steep left under the freeway. Make the gentle left under the freeway. 

So now we are still on Riverside heading west. Ride all the way to Hazeltine. 

Make a left on Hazeltine and ride down to Ventura Blvd. (Riverside actually continues to Van Nuys Blvd. but Van Nuys is too busy for me to recommend riding there).

Right on Ventura, Make your way through the busy commercial area to Sepulveda. 

Left on Sepulveda for the 3 mile climb to the tunnel. Down the hill to Constitution Ave., the VA. and San Vicente where you can find your way back home.

This ride should total in the 43-45 mile range for you. Like I said, Mulholland is one of my favs because of the great views. Hope you enjoy this one. I will post another variant on the Topanga ride later.


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## Bianchi Ti (Jun 11, 2002)

I'll ride it tomorrow.


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

Bianchi Ti said:


> I'll ride it tomorrow.


I gave you a route that takes you back across the valley on Riverside because this street has a good amount of sections where it is a bike lane/bike route. If you feel like dealing with the traffic you can take Ventura Blvd. across the valley. Here's how. 

When you get to Barham, make a left and cross over the freeway. Barham ends at Ventura. Make a right onto Ventura (it might be called Cahuenga at this point) and then ride across the east valley to Sepulveda. You'll have to watch for traffic and keep from getting "doored" by folks in parked cars. 

Another alternative is to simply turn around when you get to the bottom of Mulholland and retrace your ride back to SM. Do this only if you are into doing more hillclimbing because the eastbound route on Mulholland is the uphill route. 

There are a few steep streches on the initial climb up towards Outpost. Beyond that IIRC (I haven't done it in this direction in a while), there is a little steep stretch after Coldwater Cyn and another one as you approach Roscomare. 

Yes, do one of these Mulholland rides. I think you will enjoy it.


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## eddy (Jun 5, 2005)

*Yes, them there hills!*



il sogno said:


> Another alternative is to simply turn around when you get to the bottom of Mulholland and retrace your ride back to SM. Do this only if you are into doing more hillclimbing because the eastbound route on Mulholland is the uphill route.


This is the same route I suggested above, with photos of the ride. Like I said, you just have to like climbing hills!!!


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## Bianchi Ti (Jun 11, 2002)

Well I road part of the Mullholland ride but I had to turn around at Laurel Canyon. My tail light fell off my saddle bag and was run over. I didn't want to ride home in the dark without it. The ride is beautiful, but don't expect smooth pavement on Mulholland. I'll ride the whole thing later this week.


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## Bianchi Ti (Jun 11, 2002)

Yea. I guess there are some hills. Fortunately I love to climb. I used to train in Vail, CO. The choices were up and down or down and up. I wouldn't mind having a flat alternative for big gear/ time trial training. I could use the power.


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## Bianchi Ti (Jun 11, 2002)

What about Topanga to Mullholland to Leo Carrillo and Back. How far do you think that would be?


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

Epic, man. Epic.


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## Bianchi Ti (Jun 11, 2002)

Using this http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/ I get pretty close to a century.


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

Bianchi Ti said:


> Yea. I guess there are some hills. Fortunately I love to climb. I used to train in Vail, CO. The choices were up and down or down and up. I wouldn't mind having a flat alternative for big gear/ time trial training. I could use the power.


If you can make your way to Griffith Park, there's the LA River bike path. It's about a 1% decline/incline going out and back . You can access it where the LA River crosses Victory Blvd. It goes down to Fletcher Blvd. which is in Silverlake. It's about 3 miles or so each way.


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