# San Diego Commute 15 miles, 17 miles or 40 miles



## comuter (Apr 6, 2007)

So I will most likely be moving out to San Diego soon to start a new job. I'm curious about a few commuter options. 

First a little background. I've been commuting for around 2 years. 7 or so months while I was on co-op about 5 miles each way to work on city streets. Then, while I've been back at school about 2 miles each way on side walks. I consider myself an avid biker (mainly mountain). I really would like to commute to work every day. 

So here is the deal with san diego. I'll be working at North Island and living in La Jolla.
From the looks of it, my options are bike to downtown and take a ferry across about a 15 mile bike each way. The downside of this option is the cost and the time that the ferry runs (starts at 9:00 in the morning?)
The next option would be to bike to a bus stop down town and take a bus across the coranado bridge This would probably be about 17 or so miles and would still cost and I'd have to put up with bus scheduling. 
Finally the beefiest option, suck it up and commute all the way around the peninsula and straight to work this turns out to be about a 40 mile one way trip. 

The riding will be a combination of bike lane, bike path and recommended streets. 

My equipment will most likely be a Planet X Kaffenback with an ultegra dura ace setup on it. I'll most likely run rear panniers to carry clothing and the such too and from work. 

If there is anyone familure with San Diego and the commute advice would be awesome. Otherwise just general longer commute or urban commuting imput would be great too. 

Thanks,


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

comuter said:


> So I will most likely be moving out to San Diego soon to start a new job. I'm curious about a few commuter options.
> 
> First a little background. I've been commuting for around 2 years. 7 or so months while I was on co-op about 5 miles each way to work on city streets. Then, while I've been back at school about 2 miles each way on side walks. I consider myself an avid biker (mainly mountain). I really would like to commute to work every day.
> 
> ...



I have done some riding in SD and know of at least one person who commutes. ATP junkie lives near the University area not that far from Balboa and works up north. He combines the train and cycling. Riding south out of LaJolla you can pick up the Rose Canyon bike path to Santa Fe, past the Inn and Out burger, cut past Fiesta Island and head straight over to Old Town train station. With that option, you could ride to the station, take your bike on the train and head south as far as you need to to prevent a monster commute each day. That would allow you to come up from the south via Imperial Beach and Silverstrand to avoid the ferry. The train is also a bailout if you have a bad day or have to work late. Something else cool would be to take the train north after work and ride home from Encinitas or Carlsbad with the predominate tailwind giving you a push. By combining public transportation and cycling, you can get anywhere in SD.


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## comuter (Apr 6, 2007)

*Thanks*

Thanks for the input, I've looked at the train option also. I guess the main issues is getting across the bridge / bay. 

Also, its not that I'm against a long commute. I would love to ride my bike more. I guess I'm just checking see that I'm not crazy for considering a 40 mile one way urban commute. Also, I'm checking to see that I"m not taking a crazy out of the way route and I'm considering everything. 

I'm attaching a pic of the approximate route that takes me around the bay.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

comuter said:


> Thanks for the input, I've looked at the train option also. I guess the main issues is getting across the bridge / bay.
> 
> Also, its not that I'm against a long commute. I would love to ride my bike more. I guess I'm just checking see that I'm not crazy for considering a 40 mile one way urban commute. Also, I'm checking to see that I"m not taking a crazy out of the way route and I'm considering everything.
> 
> I'm attaching a pic of the approximate route that takes me around the bay.



The previous commutes you mention look alot shorter than what you are considering now. I used to do a 44 mile round trip commute when I lived in Virginia. I couldn't do it everyday. You can't think of it as 44 miles five days a week, you are riding 22 miles ten times a week, with short recoveries between rides. I have ridden most of the route you show. The tricky part is getting from Rose Canyon/Santa Fe drive over to Mission Bay Park. You can take the bike path along the creek, but it is in poor condition and a real time killer. You can take the roadway and turn into the park, but the traffic is a little sketchy. I would recommend using the train to knock out part of your commute, maybe short ride longer train in the morning and all bike on the way home. You might be ok for a while doing the whole thing on your bike, but it might wear you down after a little while. I would just become familiar with the public transportation options and know that you can always use it.


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## bigpinkt (Jul 20, 2006)

The Coronado ferry has a FREE commuter ferry in the morning. It goes directly to North Island then stops in Coronado. When you get on the ferry they give you a ticket and you can use it to return for free anytime during the day. The ferry only goes to North Island during the morning and afternoon comute but you can always ride to the Coronado ferry landing, it is less then a mile from the base. It is a great way to go in the morning

Here is the morning commute schedule
http://www.coronado.ca.us/commuter_ferry1.asp

Day time schedule
http://www.coronado.ca.us/sd_ferry.asp

Afternoon commute
http://www.coronado.ca.us/commuter_ferry3.asp


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## comuter (Apr 6, 2007)

*Perfect*

Bigpinkt,

Thanks for this link. I was unaware of the early morning Ferry commute times and that it is FREE. This pretty much makes up my mind. I might consider the 40 mile route 1 day a week or as I feel like it. 
Bigbill, also thanks for heads up on my route.


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## disraeli (Apr 29, 2007)

I'm from La Jolla. Went to La Jolla High (GO VIKINGS!)

Dad lives on La Jolla Farms Road.

That is a crazy ass ride my friend. 

Any "recommended streets" might as well be the I-5.


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## Paladin (Sep 4, 2006)

*Pt. Loma to North Island...*

Move to IB instead.


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## HAL9000 (May 1, 2002)

Paladin said:


> Move to IB instead.


Ditto Palidin and disraeli.

the 40 miler, while comendable and doable, is just not realistic.


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## wily in pacifica (Sep 4, 2003)

*SD Commute*

I grew up in San DIego and rode everything you can possibly ride. I used to live in PB and used to run to and from work to downtown.

To bike downtown, which I believe is wehre you need to catch the ferry, from La Jolla I believe the best route is something like this.

You may have to forgive me as I may not know the names of some of the streets.

From UCSD area you get on the bike path that parallels Hwy 5 and takes you south to east PB and Mission bay.

Ride along Mission Bay south toward Fiesta island

Cut over to Old Town and jump on PCH which should take you toward the airport and downtown.

None of this is very scenic but it is flat.


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## comuter (Apr 6, 2007)

*Great info*

Thanks for the other route suggestions. Moving isn't really an option, I'm going to be moving in with my G/f and her sis they already have a place. Here sis might be getting a house some time soon but I doubt my input will be considered very much when choosing a local. If anything my commute will be getting longer. 

Oh well, it could be worse, It could be "uncommutable". 

I really just can't wait to get out there start the job and start the commute.


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## bigpinkt (Jul 20, 2006)

comuter said:


> Thanks for the other route suggestions. Moving isn't really an option, I'm going to be moving in with my G/f and her sis they already have a place. Here sis might be getting a house some time soon but I doubt my input will be considered very much when choosing a local. If anything my commute will be getting longer.
> 
> Oh well, it could be worse, It could be "uncommutable".
> 
> I really just can't wait to get out there start the job and start the commute.



Don't worry. You will be fine. There is a bike path that goes almost the entire way around the south bay now, so your long ride will be mostly great.

Where are you moving from? Hopefully from someplace cold and wet....nothing like January in San Diego


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

wily in pacifica said:


> From UCSD area you get on the bike path that parallels Hwy 5 and takes you south to east PB and Mission bay.
> 
> Ride along Mission Bay south toward Fiesta island
> 
> ...


The bike path is Rose Canyon and the trick is getting from Santa Fe street to Mission Bay. You can go straight across from the In and Out and pick up the MUT, but it is in poor condition and you will ride through the "living room" of several homeless groups. I never had any issues with the homeless, but sometimes the furniture was on the path. Your commute will be like any other, a work in progress until you figure it all out. Still beats driving.


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