Has anyone ever gone through Camp Pendleton? I’m trying to go from San Diego to Irvine but I know you need someone in the military with you to escort you on to Pendleton. Anyone know any other ways or other suggestions? Thanks
Here’s a map of the bike route through Camp Pendleton, but I believe sometimes it’s closed to civilians. Not sure about right now.
They typically don’t let you on the base anymore. I’ve ridden on I-5 through pendleton. It’s the section from the Oceanside exit to the Las Pulgas gate. It’s only about 7 miles and is very fast. The shoulder is pretty wide but there can be a fair amount of debris. North of Las Pulgas is a bike path up through San Onofre. It may be a bit disconcerting to ride on the highway at first, but I get a kick out of it. The draft (read wind) from the traffic has a huge effect on your speed, you cen really haul through this section.
I see people on the freeway shoulder fairly often… That bike route in the picture probably has some decent hills if I’m reading it correctly =)
Riding through the base is great and the hills aren’t bad, but as Pook observed it’s been closed to civilians for quite a while now. You may get lucky and find that you arrive on a day when they allow you to pass through the base. If so, be sure to have a picture I.D. with you. Also, stay way to the right on the roads. It’s interesting to feel the earth shake as you are passed by a tank or APC. Definately wouldn’t want to be hit by one.
Do the 5 fwy… it’s loud, windy and a little stressful but it’s great riding - just put your head down and pedal non stop for 7 miles. After you exit Las Pulgas you have 10+ more miles of great non-stop riding til you get to San Clemente. No stop lights or traffic… just surfers (but watch out when you pass them… when you yell “passing on your left”, they always look, swinging their boards around with them, I have almost been whacked off my bike twice). That ride from Las Pulgas to Christinitos (sp) is part of the IMCA course also.