The main advice I would give other new riders who want to take on the Santa Ana River Bike Trail is this: Do not underestimate the trail. It may seem easy at first, but with all other factors thrown in—the wind, the weather, condition of the trail, etc.—it’s not. Like many others, I would describe this trail as, not easy, but moderate, maybe even challenging.
1. In addition to your mounted water bottle, I would advise that you pack another bottle or two in your bag. There are parks along the way, to be sure, but some of them don’t seem they are well maintained, so there’s always the danger that the drinking fountains there may not work or there is no running water. Better to err on the safe side. Pack water.
2. Right now, you definitely need to bring a map of the surface streets in Norco and Corona. A good start-off point off for that is Arlington Street all the way up to the 91 Freeway in Corona. A good pickup point at the beach is the Huntington State Beach complex, near the corner of Brookhurst Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway.
3. In the spring, beware of allergens. Think twice about riding the trail in the summer. I’ve heard it can be too hot.
4. Prepare for the weather—at both ends of the trail. It’s a long ride so, depending on the time you start, you could be looking at a different set of weather conditions when you get to the beach. To give you an example, when we started at 11:15 a.m. in San Bernardino (in early spring), I was comfortable in cycling shorts and a short-sleeve top, but at the beach, when we got there around 6:30 p.m., the cold breeze was a little too much. So be prepared, especially if you plan to ride further to a hotel or a pickup point.
5. Beware of the switchbacks on the trail. Once in Orange County, sometimes you’re on the south side of the trail, sometimes on the north side. That happens seven or eight times. If you think you’ve lost the trail, just look around and you’ll find where it picks up again.
See you on the trail!
1. In addition to your mounted water bottle, I would advise that you pack another bottle or two in your bag. There are parks along the way, to be sure, but some of them don’t seem they are well maintained, so there’s always the danger that the drinking fountains there may not work or there is no running water. Better to err on the safe side. Pack water.
2. Right now, you definitely need to bring a map of the surface streets in Norco and Corona. A good start-off point off for that is Arlington Street all the way up to the 91 Freeway in Corona. A good pickup point at the beach is the Huntington State Beach complex, near the corner of Brookhurst Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway.
3. In the spring, beware of allergens. Think twice about riding the trail in the summer. I’ve heard it can be too hot.
4. Prepare for the weather—at both ends of the trail. It’s a long ride so, depending on the time you start, you could be looking at a different set of weather conditions when you get to the beach. To give you an example, when we started at 11:15 a.m. in San Bernardino (in early spring), I was comfortable in cycling shorts and a short-sleeve top, but at the beach, when we got there around 6:30 p.m., the cold breeze was a little too much. So be prepared, especially if you plan to ride further to a hotel or a pickup point.
5. Beware of the switchbacks on the trail. Once in Orange County, sometimes you’re on the south side of the trail, sometimes on the north side. That happens seven or eight times. If you think you’ve lost the trail, just look around and you’ll find where it picks up again.
See you on the trail!
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6. Watch out for Horse####!! ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat advice Lorenzo!