Santa Barbara - San Clemente

Cat. 4: Mile 118

This scenic point-to-point ride starts in Santa Barbara and leads along the coast to San Clemente. Except for a minor climb in Palos Verdes and rolling hills in Santa Barbara, Malibu, and Laguna Beach, the course is mainly flat.

After leaving Santa Barbara the route passes through Montecito, Summerland, Carpinteria, and Ventura. In Oxnard the ride leaves the coast and leads through the rich farmland of the Oxnard Plain, before rejoining the coast at Point Mugu. This detour avoids the urban Pacific Coast Bicycle Route, which leads through Port Hueneme.

The route then continues on Pacific Coast Highway, passing through Malibu and leading into Santa Monica. Here it follows South Bay Bike Trail, visiting Venice Beach, Marina Del Rey, El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Redondo Beach. This section of about 20 miles is slow since the trail is shared with pedestrians, rollerbladers, skateboarders, etc.

In Palos Verdes the ride continues on the road and leaves the coast to lead up into Rolling Hills. The next section from Wilmington to the Los Angeles River bike trail is industrial with heavy traffic. In Long Beach the route rejoins the coast and continues on through Seal Beach, Sunset Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Corona Del Mar, Laguna Beach, Dana Point, and San Juan Capistrano, to finish in San Clemente.