Laguna Beach Ride Report

Waking up and looking south, I see the morning fog bank still hugging the coast.
I thought it might be a good time to go north and got ready.

After putting air in the tires, I check the traffic on PCH.

It looks like people are not out and about yet so I decide today is the day to venture into Laguna Beach.

Normally I stay away during the summer or when they have a special event because it is too dangerous for me to consider risking life of limb for the sake of a bike ride up or down the coast through this area.

Today’s mission was on behalf of the OC Bike Coalition to document travel from Dana Point into Laguna Beach on the Pacific Coast Highway.

Turning right from Crown Valley, I soon lost the bike lane as I entered South Laguna. I stop to take a picture of a flatbed truck that doesn’t appear to have been moved recently. I look back to check traffic and see a rider approaching, and am able to get a shot of the approach and the pass.

Approach

Approach

 The rider is smooth and calmly rides the thin white line as he passes the stake-bed.Also notice the over growth creeping out to ensnare the unwary rider.

Pass

Pass

My Turn

My Turn

 Now it’s my turn and I stop after passing the truck to snap the overgrowth in front – surprise!

Trim Please

Trim Please

Truckosaurus

Truckosaurus

 I look back at the truck, then prepare to leave

Duck and Pedal

Duck and Pedal

Security Check

Security Check

 After navigating northward, I encounter a secure obstacle. No worries, I wait for a break in traffic and scamper around it. Of course, no road ride is complete without the obligatory jogger in the road (I would’ve said bike lane – but there isn’t one), please note the sidewalk just to the right. Passing a jogger (with earbuds) and a parked car is “interesting” with moving traffic.

Road Jogger

Road Jogger

Clear Sight

Clear Sight

 Safely moving northward, I spot another potential sqeeze area by the tractor trailor. Then a car pulls out – “but I didn’t see him” – ’cause they didn’t look! Hey now!

Surprise!

Surprise!

Careful Now

Careful Now

 Taking the right tire track I know I slowed people down, but I had no other choice. BTW- I choose the right tire track instead of the center of the lane because there’s better traction , and the center is usually where all the oil collects from traffic which, when it gets on your tires, can lead to disaster! A look back and the road seems pleasant.

Looking Back

Looking Back

Nice View?

Nice View?

The view of Aliso Beach, road flare debris, and the Aliso Beach car-park on PCH. I think a multi-story parking structure where the current parking lot is on the beach to absorb these cars from PCH is a good idea.Making it safely down and up by the bridge, I stop to take a picture and capture the obligatory stroller and jogger on the highway pic.

A Road for All

A Road for All

Where are They?

Where are They?

I began to feel better – I mean, if a Mom isn’t afraid to take her kid in traffic – what was I afraid of? The roads must be awfully safe here – although not quite what Complete Streets is after, I’m sure!

There They Go!

There They Go!

Mind the Gap

Mind the Gap

It’s a good thing I stopped, because had I noticed the pedestrians in the highway and not looked forward fast enough…

Exotic Landscape

Exotic Landscape

Loading Zone

Loading Zone

 Here is the Montage service delivery area (apparently). The shorter truck was still there on my return an hour later.To the right is a paid parking area that affords a little more space between the curb and fog line.

Paid Parking

Paid Parking

More Paid Parking

More Paid Parking

 Then the space disappears, and the sidewalk is nothing to write home about either!To the right you see the overgrowth has been “trimmed” to accommodate the shape of cars apparently.

Interesting Topiary

Interesting Topiary

Black Iris

Black Iris

Moving on down the road I saw a nicely decorated bike in front of the Black Iris.  I asked if I could take a picture and turned the bag so the lettering could be seen. Patronize shops that promote bikes!Looking ahead all things look good to go! As much as my bike wanted to go right and set a new Strava KOM on Nyes, I managed to contain it to focus energy forwards.

Getting Dizzy

Getting Dizzy

Trolley Stop

Trolley Stop

 Well not so fast. Looking at these 2 pictures it’s interesting that the red and yellow appear the same! Camera anomaly? Solar Flare?

Missed the Light

Missed the Light

Glidepath

Glidepath

After the short “up”, I’m looking at what could be a nice glide-path into midtown Laguna Beach.Notice the sight line from the driver’s perspective on the right. I’m pretty sure they can see me now, but when a tall SUV or service truck is parked in the empty spot, maybe not so much. And for me, with the sight line of the alley obscured, I wouldn’t know I was about to be hit. Not Good!

Can They see Me?

Can They see Me?

Room to Pass

Room to Pass

Left you can see what room there is to pass by the first truck, much less by the one in front of it.

I continued on and turned at Cress, then Glenneyre to make my way to Laguna Cyclery (one of my favorite shops) to pick up some supplies.

At the intersection of Glenneyre and Thalia, I was struck by the thought of a roundabout replacing the current 4-way stop signs. Sure seemed like a lot of near misses happening here.
Arriving at the shop I asked if they had a copy of the locally designed bike path map of Laguna Beach. Unfortunately they did not, but helpfully pulled up a store on the web that would. Looking at the location of the store I decided to save that attempt for another day as I still had to navigate PCH southward and the time was getting late. I didn’t take as many pictures heading south because there weren’t many places to pull over, stress was too high, and it generally was a miserable experience until leaving South Laguna.

Truck Lot

Truck Lot

 

After a couple of near misses, I was able to take a picture of this “overnighter?” parking spot that I passed on the way up.

Traffic moves fast, and slows even faster. You have to be on your toes to ride the PCH through Laguna!

Brake Lights

Brake Lights

Stress and tension melted away as I entered Dana Point. Safe at Last! Then the ride became fun again and I plotted where I should go next. San Clemente? San Onofre? Then I had to laugh, because walking in the bike lane were two girls that must have been pretty cute because the cars were hitting the brakes as they approached. Or maybe it was because the girls were walking all over the bike lane and appeared likely to step into traffic at any moment. Of course, just in front of the girls was a jogger making their way southward. It’s not just a Laguna Beach thing.

Brake Test

Brake Test

Another Test

Another Test

Complete Streets?

Complete Streets?

If you’ve never riden this part of the OC , hopefully you gained a little insight of what can be expected, and what the road is like. As I mentioned earlier, summer is a great time to avoid this area unless you ride through very early in the morning before everyone wakes up. Winter is still bad in mid-town, but there is less parking obstacles in South Laguna.  No dogs on leashes were encountered in either Laguna Beach or Dana Point…today.8/18/2012