Ventura County Cycling Thread - Your favorite paths, routes, trails

[LadyKLO]

Awesome pics OpenSky, I did a 5K in the lemon groves of Santa Paula and man it sure did smell good!!!!!!!!!!

[HSP1161]

Originally Posted by LadyKLO

Awesome pics OpenSky, I did a 5K in the lemon groves of Santa Paula and man it sure did smell good!!!!!!!!!!

Ahh yes - almost forgot about that.

The ride from Vta to Piru starts out that way in east Vta near Telegraph. Lots of avocado trees and lemon groves. I didn't note it only because some folks are a bit terrified of riding on Telegraph despite its generous bike lane. The constant presence of cars distracts from the experience somewhat, whereas the Bardsdale/Guiberson leg has nary a car on it - mostly tractors. That segment hugs the Santa Susana mountains and at times, almost feels like Tuscany.

If I wasn't going back on the Vta River/Ojai route again this weekend, I'd definitely hit that ride up!

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by OpenSky

I have done the ride from Ventura to Piru & back, which is one of my very favorites. From Santa Paula through Fillmore to Piru, I usually take Bardsdale & Guiberson, which traverses all sorts of agriculture. Riding with the smell of orange groves for an hour+ through the Heritage Valley is something to behold. I don't have pics handy (will get them on the next ride!) but this is the general feel:



I'd be surprised if the Santa Clara path went more than a few miles as it bisects a number of significant thoroughfares.

I'd love to know more about it and the Sespe Creek paths.

There is at least one well-known path in Fillmore that runs a short distance along the railway, which offers a neat riding tour of the old rail cars. There's also one in Piru north of 126 that roughly runs adjacent the rail line. Both are short but well-kept.

Love all of the pics, OpenSky. Keep 'em coming. And the descriptions of riding through the groves. It just reminds me of why I stick around in Ventura County!

[HSP1161]

Bike Path at Surfer's Point - Coastal Ride from Pierpont to Rincon



The bike path at Surfer's Point (adjacent the Fairgrounds) is a significant project for the area. It is a critical juncture in a broader coastal path that stretches from Pierpont to the northern end of Emma Wood.

This section of the path is over 15 years in the making and was coordinated by the VC Surfriders. The path opened in mid July 2011:

The California Coastal Conservancy provided grants totally $1.9 million for the first phase of the project. The Federal Highway Administration provided grants for up to $2.2 million to be used toward bike path construction and other improvements that were needed, and the city provided the balance.

While the path appears to be a 16-foot-wide concrete bikeway surrounded by sand, it is a highly sophisticated filtration system, while providing a barrier to further erosion.

The Surfer's Point bike path has been built over more than 30,000 tons of cobble that was placed on the excavated western half of the asphalt parking lot, bike path and Shoreline Drive. The cobble berm was placed under the area, to stabilize the shoreline. The cobble was imported from a channel-clearing project in Santa Paula Creek and placed on the ground that had been excavated to a depth of about 8 feet.

The "rock garden" adjacent the path:



Path bends near the Ventura River Estuary:


Cutest li'l railroad crossing you ever saw:



(this one is from The Star / Richard Quinn -- the rest are from yours truly):




If you are even modestly experienced on a bike, old Rincon Hwy / PCH (where many RVs park) adds another ~6 miles or gorgeous coastal riding (Class II / striped lane; very little traffic). Old Rincon Hwy becomes the 101 freeway near Mussel Shoals but you'll have plenty of notice before that happens. I did the Cool Breeze Century ride a few weeks back, which included a stretch of the 101. It ain't as bad as you might think .

Anyhow, speaking for the Class I section: I'm not aware of another dedicated bike path anywhere in southern California that hugs the coast for this distance without being completely stymied by foot trafic (this one is admittedly crowded from the Pier to the Point, which represents about 15% of the journey).

This is a very easy ride. It is nearly all flat and some of the spots will take your breath away.

Here is a route I like to do with the fam - it's about 13 miles one way.

[EBikeAdventure]

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