# Riding on the 126 in Santa Clarita



## sbrsport

Has anyone ridden on the 126 from Santa Clarita to Ventura? What is it like? Too busy and too fast, or, not so bad? Thanks for any info.


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## -CM-

You won't be able to ride all the way to Ventura, because it turns into a freeway at Santa Paula. But up until then it's fine, if a bit boring and noisy. It can be very windy out there, but the road has a very wide, smooth shoulder. In Santa Paula you'll need to go up to Main St and ride that through town to Foothill Rd, which will take you all the way to Ventura. This is a nice 2 lane back road through the orchards.


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## DrRoebuck

You can also cut over to Harvard, which turns into Telegraph Road and goes all the way into Ventura. I've ridden that reverse route before.

Speaking of orchards, South Mountain Rd. (take the 23 south from Fillmore) is great riding and lands you right in Santa Paula.


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## The Walrus

I've done the reverse a couple of times; if you start in Ventura, you'll normally have a tailwind as you're headed east. I wouldn't call the route "boring". The back roads of Ventura County going through the agricultural areas are some of my favorite rides. Granted, the road is pretty flat, with the exception of a stretch with occasional rollers beginning east of Fillmore running east of the L.A. County line, but it's worth doing. If you can manage to do it during the week, there won't be quite as much traffic and noise.


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## sbrsport

thanks guys, you saved me from getting lost when it turned into a freeway.


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## DrRoebuck

The Walrus said:


> I wouldn't call the route "boring". The back roads of Ventura County going through the agricultural areas are some of my favorite rides.


Was going to say that earlier. That whole region is probably my favorite place in SoCal and the embodiment of California in general.

If you don't want flat, you can do the ride I've done. Start near the 23 and South Mountain Rd., go along that road into Santa Paula, then take the 150 up into Ojai (talk about a beautiful road), the 33 from Ojai to Ventura, Telegraph Rd all the way back to Santa Paula, then back on So Mountain back to Fillmore. 62 miles, easy climbing, beautiful scenery.


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## The Walrus

That's basically the reverse of a ride I sometimes do, which I had in a ride report years ago that didn't make it across when they "upgraded" the forum software. Basically, I start by the old train depot in Santa Paula, head out Main and then jog over to Foothill at the edge of town, make my way into Ventura, go up the bike paths to Ojai, continue into the Upper Ojai Valley and then down the hill back to Santa Paula. (That 4 or 5 miles coming down from the summit, riding through that oak forest and swooping through the turns until I get past Thomas Aquinas College is a treat....)


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## -CM-

My "boring" comment was directed specifically at Hwy 126. I've ridden the entire area extensively, and think it's fantastic. But Hwy 126 is boring when compared to Mountain Rd, Foothill Rd, Hwy 150, etc.


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## DrRoebuck

I just did this ride over the weekend.

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=80220


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## -CM-

DrRoebuck said:


> I just did this ride over the weekend.
> 
> http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=80220


I've done that ride dozens of times, except starting in Filmore. Never get tired of it.


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