San Diego to Orange County - return via Amtrak (w/ tips)
[the original description is from OC to San Diego] This route runs from the Irvine Amtrak Station to the San Diego Amtrak Station. This is a fun fairly easy route w/ a lot of costal scenery. There are a few rolling hills through southern Orange County and one big hill in Torrey Pines (long but not steep). It is also a fairly good route for long distance newbies (it is also a very adjustable route). If you want to make it a full century you can start at either the Fullerton or Santa Ana Amtrak station. You can also shorten up the route by getting on the train in San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Oceanside or Solana Beach. A few tips: 1) Check the Amtrak schedule before you go. You don?t want to miss the last train or be stuck waiting a few hours for the next train. Go to http://www.amtrak.com ,click on schedules and then look for the route called "Pacific Surfliner". 2) Christianitos bike trail - When you come down S. El Camino Real through San Clemente it will dead end and you will take a right on Christianitos Road. You will cross the freeway. The bike path will be on your immediate left after you cross the freeway. Note this also the access for Trestles (a popular surf spot). You should see a lot of surfers. Hop on the trail and go straight. It will be downhill, flat and then uphill. You will see a gate at the end. Go through the gate and stay left. This will pop you out onto Old Hwy. 101. 3) Old Hwy. 101 - You will stay on this road for a while. It will take you past the San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant and into the San Onofre camp ground. You will ride through the camp ground. At the end of the camp ground you will see a gate. Go through the gate and hop on the bike path. 4) San Onofre to Pendleton bike path - It is fairly hard to mess this up. Please note that at approximately mile 33 you will cross under the freeway. After you go under the freeway you will turn right and go straight until you hit the Las Pulgas exit off the 5 freeway. If in doubt stay parallel with the freeway. At the Las Pulgas exit you will take a left. This will take you to the entrance of Camp Pendleton. 5) Camp Pendleton - Make sure you are A) wearing a helmet and B) you have your drivers license. If you are missing either of these items they will not let you through the base. Also note that access to the base is limited to 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.. You will not be allowed on the base before 8:00 or after 4:00. If you have any questions the base phone number is 760-725-2468. Also note that if for some reason you miss the cutoff time it is legal to ride on the on the freeway from the Las Pulgas exit to the Oceanside exit (only between these two points). I have physically called to verify this fact w/ the Highway Patrol. I have actually ridden on the freeway a few times. There is a very wide lane the whole way, but obviously if you have the choice, ride through the base. 6) the dreaded Torrey Pines hill (mile 65) - For an optional and more scenic route up the hill, take a right at the base of the hill (by the beach) and then take a left. You will see a path that snakes up the hill. It is steeper but shorter and prettier than staying on the road. After you get to the top you will go straight and eventually hop back onto the road. 7) the bike path at Gilman - When you are coming down Torrey Pines Road you will take a left on La Jolla Village Drive. Immediately on your right you will see a short steep downhill road that is the access to Gilman. This is not well marked. You will take a right on Gilman. Follow Gilman until you go under the 5 Freeway. After you go under the freeway you will see a gate on your immediate right. Go through the gate and follow the bike path until it pops you out onto Santa Fe Street. 9 As a general caution note, after you go past Mission Bay there will be 2 places where traffic will merge into your lane from the right side. 10) mile 79 - At just past mile 79 you will actually follow the exit signs off Pacific Coast Highway. After you go through the intersection, you will get back on Pacific Coast Hwy. 11) Sit back and enjoy the ride home on Amtrak :) - a 69.3 mi cycling route in San Diego, California
Route Location
Start Lat/Lng: (32.864250000000006, -117.23628000000002)
City: San Diego
Country Name: the United States
Country Code: US
State Code: CA
State Name: California
Postal Code: 92037
Route Stats
Activity: Cycling
Distance: 69.3 mi
Max Elevation: 156.28 meters
Elevation Gain / Total Ascent: 495.2 meters
Data Source: MapMyRIDE:RE
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