# Ventura metro after work routes?



## ispoke (Feb 28, 2005)

I may have some work in our Ventura office this winter/spring, in which case it may require overnight stays and I'd bring my road bike for exercise. Assuming I'm working 'till 5, and have little or no daylight left, can anyone recommend short routes (maybe 1 or 1.5 hours) starting from downtown Ventura? I have a good headlight and taillight, so darkness isn't a big deal.

I checked google maps and noticed the Ojai road (33), which might be good for an out-and-back. Also noticed some apparently dead end roads heading into the hills, such as Hall Canyon, San Jon Barranca, Crimea Fire Rd (dirt?). Devil's Canyon, Twenty Canyon, Cable Canyon (off 33). btw - i like to climb.

Also, any recommendations on a good (roadie) bike shop in town?


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## The Walrus (Apr 2, 2000)

You don't want to ride on 33--it's narrow, winding and has lots of fast traffic--and you don't have to! There is an excellent bike path that parallels 33 beginning in downtown Ventura, running all the way to Ojai. No really stiff climbs, as most of the path follows the roadbed of the old SP spur, but the pavement is generally in first-class shape and you're separated from traffic all the time, save for a handful of street crossings. Access is off Olive St (borders the shopping center where the Vons market is on Main, at the west end of town), via a small side street (I think it's called Rex; it's the first street north of the freeway on-ramp). First half of the route, as far as Foster Park, is semi-industrial, passing through an old refinery and several equipment storage yards, as well as patches of farmland, the second section has long stretches going through areas of chapparal and riverine forest, and some areas of houses; overall, it's a very pleasant route, one of my favorite rides.

You can also ride through the state beach, up along the Promenade past the Holiday Inn and the fairgrounds and then continue up the coast. The bike path continues up to the southern end of the Rincon Highway (where you always see the RVs lined up nose-to-tail); if you want to ride farther, there are marked bike lanes on both sides of the highway, going a bit north of Seacliff.

I'm not familiar with the local bike shops; I know there is a Supergo (or probably Performance by now) on Johnson Dr, just north of the 101, and another shop called Open Air, on Main, but I think they leaned towards MTBs.


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## OrbeaXLR8R (Jun 2, 2003)

Another nice ride is to leave downtown Ventura on the bike path north toward Ojai, then exit the bike path at Foster Park, going left on Casitas Vista Road for a half a mile, then right onto Santa Ana Road. Stay on Santa Ana for 5 or so miles up to and along the east side of Lake Casitas. Santa Ana ends at California 150...turn right and head toward Ojai, then at the junction of Highway 33, turn right back onto the River Trail bike path and cruise downhill back to Ventura. 
The best roadie bike shop in town BY FAR is Shoreline Cycles on the corner of Santa Clara Street and Oak Street in downtown Ventura. He sells Litespeed, Felt, Cannondale, Kona, and Santa Cruz. Here's the link...which also includes maps of nice local rides. 

http://www.shorelinecycles.com/

Personally, a couple of week nights a week I blast from my pad downtown up PCH to La Conchita and back under the lights...22 miles total, with very little traffic on PCH, wide bike lanes on both sides of the road, but beware...the pavement is in AWFUL, and I do mean AWFUL condition. It's full of ruts and pot holes and if you're not careful you'll go down. If the road was in better condition you could actually enjoy the sunset over the Channel Islands...but you have to concentrate too much negotiating the terrible surface to pay attention to the great scenery! You'd think Cal Trans would maintain what should be a show piece stretch of road in better condition...but these days, what road in California isn't crumbling? The Euros coming here next month to ride the inaugural Tour of California are in for a surprise...they're used to glass smooth roads in Europe (except the pave' of northern France and Belgium) and will no doubt be amazed at how bad the road surfaces are here. Not to mention how cold it is in February! Dumb time to host a 6 day road race...but enough of this rant! 



ispoke said:


> I may have some work in our Ventura office this winter/spring, in which case it may require overnight stays and I'd bring my road bike for exercise. Assuming I'm working 'till 5, and have little or no daylight left, can anyone recommend short routes (maybe 1 or 1.5 hours) starting from downtown Ventura? I have a good headlight and taillight, so darkness isn't a big deal.
> 
> I checked google maps and noticed the Ojai road (33), which might be good for an out-and-back. Also noticed some apparently dead end roads heading into the hills, such as Hall Canyon, San Jon Barranca, Crimea Fire Rd (dirt?). Devil's Canyon, Twenty Canyon, Cable Canyon (off 33). btw - i like to climb.
> 
> Also, any recommendations on a good (roadie) bike shop in town?


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