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Permalink Reply by Spencer "Thunderball" Thayer! on September 15, 2010 at 9:43am

pee wee,

Yeah I see that Long Beach is going to be a problem.

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Permalink Reply by Bob Maher on September 16, 2010 at 5:44am

Stay along the coast (PeeWee's route's pretty good) and take a cab across the Vincent Thomas Bridge.

When tolls were collected the tollbooth workers would find me a ride for free. Between downtown LB and the port there's another bridge (with a glass strewn sidewalk), and the whole area is industrial.

The alternative is biking around the port (Anaheim St.), which adds a few miles, especially if you head back south to Palos Verdes. I just looked at google maps, and the section just west of downtown LB is labeled 710 freeway. I'm not sure if they've altered the road (and now no bikes), or if it's just a funding grab.

Taking a cab across the bridge keeps you along the coast, and costs about $5. Once across the bridge, head south on Gaffey to 25th St and hang a right. This becomes Palos Verdes Drive South and will be the most scenic part of your ride - 400 foot cliffs, among other things. After you leave Palos Verdes, turn left to get to the oceanfront bike path, which will take you the rest of the way to Santa Monica. Note the tricky section around Marina del Rey. Once around the marina, you'll be in Venice Beach, which is a great place to stop for food and people watching.

Also, you can cut into Corona Del Mar (Newport Beach) at Poppy and follow it around to China Beach - a secluded _public_ beach. If you already have food it's a good place to rest / eat. The Caltech marine biology lab is right there (I used to live / work there), and they'll probably let you in to use the restrooms.

If you would like, I can post some google map route links. And if you have time, there are some great side trips along the way. I've lived at various points along the route (Hermosa, Palos Verdes, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach) and miss biking along the coast.

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Permalink Reply by Bob Maher on September 16, 2010 at 5:50am

Ugh:
http://tinyurl.com/24a9ofu

I last rode P.V to LB in 2002 or so, and I remember this bridge as two lanes each way plus a raised sidewalk. Now it definitely does not look bike friendly, though there appears to be a fenced in pedway next to the eastbound lanes.

The more I look at it, unless you really want to go into the port area (it's cool in an industrial sort of way), go around:

http://tinyurl.com/2ev2k6j

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Permalink Reply by Bob Maher on September 16, 2010 at 6:37am

Editing is not working for me, so it's many posts today.

I've only done the second half of this, but here's a less convoluted route to Long Beach:

http://tinyurl.com/23u8883

And here's the whole route to Venice:

http://tinyurl.com/28jedu8

Note that google maps does route the Balboa Ferry, and shows you going around Newport Harbor.

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