# good rides in or around laguna??



## navakahn (Aug 18, 2005)

i'll be going to laguna for three days and am hoping to take some nice rides of between 20 and 30 miles (preferrably with some hill work), but i don't know the area at all and don't know anyone there who would be able to suggest nice and safe routes. does anyone have suggestions?

thanks, in advance,
jason

p.s. i know the state park has great dirt trails, but i'm looking for paved roads.


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## Christoff (Jun 14, 2005)

Laguna? That's a bit vague. I'm assuming Laguna Beach? Because there is Laguna Niguel ( the city I live in right next to Laguna Beach ) Laguna Hills.....


If you're talking about Laguna Beach. Just ride PCH man! You can go as far as you want and just turn around. It's always a nice ride on the coast going through the cities and nice long rolly hills most the way. If you will be here on the weekend you can ride with the local club I ride with. Orange County Rebels

www.ocrebels.com

Will have all the information. Let me know if you need anything else.


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## soulsurfer104 (Jun 30, 2003)

if you think you're all bad-ass and everything, go climb Thalia street. when you get to the top, you will either feel like a cyborg killing machine or like you are a weak and pathetic excuse for a cyclist. it's not long, but it is agonizingly steep.

DIRECTIONS----> start on pch. ride up thalia street, away from the ocean. when you get to the "t" intersection (temple hills drive), go right. continue around the lefthand hairpin. there are three streets to choose from immediately after the hairpin- take the middle one (it's still temple hills drive.) stay on this road all the way up until it flattens out at alta laguna blvd. i think there are signs showing which way the park is....not sure....in any event, go left at alta laguna, sort of back toward the ocean. you should find yourself on a wide-ish street with speedbumps on it (you can go around them.) stay on alta laguna until it dead-ends at a cul-de-sac by a park. there are bathrooms and water fountains at the park if you need them. head back down alta laguna blvd and make a left on park avenue. descend down park avenue. the descent is pretty basic with the exception of a blind righthand turn. first there is a sweeping lefthand curve where the road starts to get steep, and then it's straight for about 100yds, and then there is the righthand turn. the righthand turn is much tighter than is looks, i wouldn't recommend going through it at more than 20mph unless you are a better bikehandler than i. the way the road is set up, it's actually a blind corner. scary. anyway the road straightens out and flattens out immediately after this corner-of-doom, and you will be in somewhat of a canyon. lots of funky little sidestreets after this, but just stay on park avenue and you should come out on pch again, just a few blocks north of thalia where you started.

there is also a great climb to be done off of crown valley pkwy. it's moderately steep, and pretty long.

DIRECTIONS---->from pch, head inland on crown valley pkwy. you'll go up a short climb, then past a school, then downhill to an intersection. go left at the intersection, onto pacific island drive. the first time i rode here, i was shocked because the road doesn't look steep at all, but it is. also, there is almost always at least a slight headwind if you are riding after about mid-morning. it can get hot in the afternoon if the wind is minimal. this climb seems to last for years. stay on the same road until you get to the top. turn around, have a sip of water and a bite of food, CHECK YOUR BRAKES AND MAKE SURE YOUR TIRES AREN'T LOSING AIR and then go into your aero' tuck- see if you can hit 50mph on the way down. this descent is a screamer, there is usually a tailwind, and there's almost zero traffic, so ride in the traffic lane- the bike lane has random squirrels and stuff in it, and running into something at 50mph would be disastrous. don't worry about the cars- you'll be going as fast or faster than them anyway. i could probably hit 60 on this road if i wanted to, but i really have no desire. when you get back to crown valley pkwy, make a right to get back to pch. you should be done trembling and giggling and feeling nauseous from the descent by the time you get to pch.

have fun making friends with these climbs.....MUAHAHAHAAHAAAAAAA!!!!!


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## Christoff (Jun 14, 2005)

^^ Definitely some good routes. Although I've always been with a car


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