Road Ride Report Closet Roadie. Ventura End to End

An interesting thing happened the other day. I was so completely bored with the idea of watching anything on TV, surfing the web, or doing anything productive around the house then I heard a little voice: "Pst, let's get the hell out of here!" It was my bike. I had just given her the full spa treatment the day before cleaning every nook and cranny complete with Q-Tips and toothpicks.
Something I have had filed in the "I'll do it tomorrow" file was that I wanted to ride from the east end all the way to the west end of Ventura. I'm pretty much smack dab in the middle so this was going to be a long one! Well, for me anyway. I know there are plenty of roadies that could clock this many miles in their sleep but for a lazy and out of shape smoker trying to kick the habit like me...
Total mileage, according to Mapquest, came in just under 35 miles.
I started out from my place here by the Buena Ventura Mall and headed north to Foothill Rd then east to Wells Rd. in Saticoy.
Foothill Rd. near Hamilton

Then, approx 6 miles one way to Wells Rd...


...before turning around and heading back towards downtown Ventura via Foothill, Poli,....
Memorial Park with pier in the distance and just a taste of the islands.


Then down California St. from City Hall to the pier/boardwalk. I was going to stop and take some more shots when I remembered I already had some of this area. The next 3 shots of downtown are from another ride just to the pier and back.
City Hall (Looking north)


Same spot looking south towards pier


Then down to the pier


West from the pier along the boardwalk.


Down a ways with the Vta Cty Fairgrounds behind me


Another 1/2 mile, maybe, past the group campground and RV park, you may have seen from the 101, to Emmawood Beach just over the tracks.


Emmawood really took a thumpin' during the recent storms. This path was a bit wider and there was more of a drop. Now it's maybe 2 feet down.
Looking left:

Looking forward:

...and to the right:


I'm scared Murphy's Law is gonna strike before I'm done here so I'll put the rest in part two...

 

Aww man, you should have kept going!!!! The 126 from Santa Paula to Magic Mountain is where it's at!! I've driven and ridden (moto) through there hundreds of times, but each time it always feels like the first. Amazing. Thanks for the pics.

 

Part Two:

From the beach, and back across the tracks, there is a paved trail that runs parallel with the RR and the 101. Awesome and quiet bike trail with great scenery






Eventually, you end up on HWY 1 and continue alongside the ocean


Coming up on the county line in the distance with some sandpipers cheering me on.



I stopped here for a break with some fruit from my pack and a small bottle of homemade ice wine to wash it down


Looking the other way


I was feeling surprisingly well at this point and even boasted in a text to my lady that "I could keep going all they way to Santa Barbara!" So I thought. It was then that I caught the scent in the air of some folks grilling up some steaks which woke up my stomach! Time to head home!


Overall, it was a great ride and I had a blast! Total time was approx 3 hours including my mini picnic. Cool thing was that the playlist I had created for the ride didn't repeat until riiiight when I got to my front door! Perfect timing! Went inside to put my bike away and looked outside just in time to see it had started sprinkling!

Here's the Mapquest version of my route:


Well, that's my little road biking on a mountain bike experience! Thanks for looking...as you were :wave:

 

I bet! But with the overcast weather I really wanted to ride near the beach though. I love the scenery when it's like that outside. Funny...on a night ride to Wells, I got so in to just pedaling that I noticed the towers on those hills directly to my right when it hit me...."where the hell am I?!"
I asked a farmer in a truck if I was near Wells, he said "Yeah, you're almost there...about 5 more miles" but he was pointing in the direction I just came from!
Nice :lol:

These rides have me considering a road bike purchase soon

 

Dude! I've been down in that area off California St. There are a lot of cool Thrift shops in that area and great places to eat. There's a nostalgic antique store with all kinds of neat trinkets and knick knacks. Everything from stuff from the 20's and 30's to old, old Star Wars toys, lunch pails of 70-80's popular t.v. shows (like the Fonz lunch pail). There's even a Red Ryder BB gun one could shoot their eye out with!

Some trivia for you - There's a hotel in that very area, beachside off the 101 FWY where they filmed a part of the movie "Little Miss Sunshine".

From IMDB:
Errors in geography: The freeway turnoffs, hotel and pier at the final destination are not in Redondo Beach. The location used for Redondo Beach is actually the Crowne Plaza Hotel near the 101 freeway in the city of Ventura, California.

The coastal bike/walkways look really nice. I drive by that area on my way to Goleta or Santa Barbara and never noticed it. I look forward to riding this in about 4-5 weeks once the shoulder is better. Thanks for the pic's, Roger. Nicely done.

 

Oh, but I knew this already! lol. When we saw that flick I had no clue that scene was coming and it was HEYYY!!! He drives on a part of the boardwalk where cars are definitely NOT allowed! I think they say that in the movie too.
Also, the downtown area was blown up in ...bah, can't remember...some stupid John Travolta movie..oh, Swordfish.
Also in Sideways they get the area allllllll geographically whacky and out of order but then only locals would notice I suppose.
The antique store you are referring to is Nicholby's I believe. No longer there, sadly. Of all the "junk" shops in the area, the one I liked is now a memory. Something to do with the lease and a battle with the Salvation Army, or something like that.
But chit yeah...when you're ready we can hit this route up for sure!

 

Your route is used a lot in organized rides. We do a few double centuries that include these same roads.

 

Nice report! Work your way up to 50 and treat yourself to a steak and fries!
A few years ago I did an epic by myself. I don't remember the mileage but I do remember being so hungry that when I was done, I rode through the automatic doors at the Gelsons market, duck walked over to a T-bone, bought it, put in my jersey and had steak and eggs when I got home!
Nothing finer after a great ride!!

 

Hey Brewtal, thanks for the "RR" and the pics!

I live in Ventura...and ride these roads all the time on my 5" FS...even bike to work 2-3 days a week (only 10 miles round trip). Does wear the knobbies down a little faster than dirt...but when ya gotta ride, who cares?

Fun ride? Park in the pay lot ($2 for the whole day) at The Point (by the fairgrounds) and ride up to Ojai on the Ojai Bike Path....32 miles round trip. Stop in at Ojai Pizza for lunch - excellent grub, pitchers of Firestone!!! 2-3 pints of Firestone DB makes the ride back sooo much better!
:bang:

 

Oh...and a few things I like about riding my Mountain Bike on the road:

1. I can jump off and over stuff along the way: curbs, culverts, road kill, little kids
2. If a stretch of dirt presents itself, I can just hit it...no worries over skinny tires
3. Nothing's more fun than sucking wheel on some full-kit roadie...at least until the fit ones get annoyed and drop me like a boat anchor...
4. Beer, pizza, burritos and ice cream - typical mountain biker grub - is readily available almost everywhere you go!

 

It takes a big man to come out of the closet on a MTB web site.

 

Is that the place on the main drag that (used to?) have a sign on the front door "5 cent beers (with sandwich purchase)?" It was only 8-10oz mug of domestic but still! I haven't been up there in over 10 years when we went to the Blues Festival in the park.

A fella at the bike rental shop off the ave suggested that route and I'm pretty sure that will be my next road excursion. Up for it Tuesday morning?

Too true about the advantages of MTB road rides! Stairs, curbs, dirt path short cuts, etc. I also like to ride up to the cross and there's a nice quick 90 yard DH run back to the street.
The streets are rough on the knobbys and I do find myself wishing for some road slicks after 10 miles but it's still fun. Happy to be peddlin'!

 

Hmm....might be. Ojai Pizza is on the main street through town, a little east of the park. They must have taken that sign down though, "5 cent beers" would certainly capture my attention!

I can't go Tuesday, but I could go Monday...

 

If you do the Ojai path on the MTB, let me know.

I definitely want to do that one.