Holy smokes. They’ve gone and done it.
Google has added Bicycling Directions and paths for the Santa Clarita Valley. It’s not complete, but it’s an amazing start:
In this map, I asked Google to give me directions from Valley Bicycles on Railroad Avenue to Regal Cinema in Canyon Country. As you can see, it routed me onto Newhall Avenue (not the best route, Walnut would be better, but better than Railroad!) onto 16th Street where it tells me to take the South Fork trail all the way up to the Soledad Canyon Bike path.
The routing is so detailed it largely duplicates the City’s trails and paths maps, including the street crossings on Soledad.
Mercifully for new cyclists, it doesn’t route you up Sierra Highway and its hills even though it’d be a shorter trip. (7.0 miles verse 9.8) But you can certainly drag your route that way if you like.
Notably, the maps don’t show Valencia’s paseo system, but those aren’t really good for transportation cycling anyway.
Here’s a video explaining the tool:
Way to go big G!
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wow, that’s a big thrill. Surprised it didn’t have you connect to the trail where Newhall Ave. terminates. That still works, right?
“If they add the paseos, this would be the best thing ever”
-Me, 1992
Jeff, depedning on where you live, the paseos are very useful for getting from one place to another. Not so much in the sense of traveling along them for great distances, but for cutting through them for a moment to get from once street to another. I lived in paseo-heavy old Valencia for a long time and they really have great utility for cyclists, especially if you want to avoid the big streets.
Cool stuff.
You’re right Mike. The paseos are useful and I do use them. I’m just not sure they should be thought of as bicycle routes or paths.
The main “spine” paseo in Valencia is great- it takes you from Wiley Canyon all the way to the mall. An intersecting one can take you from South Fork all the way to that shopping plaza near Cal Arts.
But aside from that, the paseos are largely disconnected from the rest of the valley. And in places like Old Orchard, the paseos run for a mile or so and dump you off into a street.
They’re also difficult to cycle with gates, speed bumps and other obstacles.
I want that blue quadracycle thingy
Awesometown!
Awesometown!
The only town in the country that is being promoted by a once bankrupt developer for self interest.
Enjoy the ride and BE SAFE!
Here is Google Bike Maps in action on a bike path that goes from Ventura to Ojai.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Rex+St,+Ventura,+CA+93001&daddr=Ojai,+Ventura,+California&hl=en&geocode=FZMfCwIdrpHj-ClVcvkUi6zpgDGQpqOCzC4opA%3BFbGiDQIdd3_k-Cl7mNVeHrjpgDFfJb6ZNy9BZA&mra=pe&mrcr=0&dirflg=b&sll=34.379852,-119.256197&sspn=0.394987,0.891953&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=12&lci=bike
Here is the route that Google suggests bike riders take from Santa Clarita to Ventura:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=28029+Wildwind+Rd,+Santa+Clarita,+CA+91351&daddr=Rex+St,+Ventura,+CA+93001&hl=en&geocode=&mra=ls&dirflg=b&sll=34.36569,-119.27661&sspn=0.197527,0.445976&ie=UTF8&ll=34.337199,-118.963394&spn=0.395187,0.891953&t=h&z=11&lci=bike