Cahuenga Pass
Thread started by
kryxtanicole at 07.13.09 - 7:18 am
Is it a good or bad idea to commute through Cahuenga Pass into Hollywood at 8:30 a.m.? Does anyone here do this? I'd like to...but....I dunno if it's wise.
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At 8:30 it's gridlocked anyway... you'll have a smooth ride all the way to hollywood while you zip passed people sitting in their cars!
BICYKILLER07.13.09 - 7:38 am
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awesome. i got a 50/50. is the pass really gridlocked at this time?
kryxtanicole responding to a
comment by BICYKILLER
07.13.09 - 7:50 am
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If someone can give me a definite yes that the pass gets gridlocked i'll be ready to check it out. I've already ridden it, but not in the morning, it was about 10 at night, which may have been worse, but nonetheless.
kryxtanicole07.13.09 - 7:52 am
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it can be done. but, i wouldn't. are you going up barham too? i used to commute by car into the valley last summer. i made that decision because of 1. the heat 2. the crazies in the cars going 50+ though there 3. i needed to be able to carry equipment. i've done a sprint through there a few times when i didn't have a car and needed to go to work, honk honk honkkkkk. also, one of my friends use to do it everyday from the top of barham to downtown. he said that every time it was crazy. if you live closer to Griffith park i'd go that way. mostly, it's doable but be safe! people aren't excepting a bike (they never are).
et responding to a
comment by kryxtanicole
07.13.09 - 8:02 am
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Lee is right. traffic suck for cars in the morning. you shuld have a smooth ride over from the valley. the way back is a different story. its not a steep incline but its long. cars aren't reallly that bad as long as you're used to them speeding a couple of yards next to you. do it!
sancho107.13.09 - 8:21 am
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on the lazy day when i dont go up camino de la cumbre, i take cahuenga about 3 times a week. its not bad. but you have to be comfortable with speed and asserting your own lane. When the freeway exits and merges with cahuenga, establish eye contact with drivers on both sides, and ready to signal with your hand.
but if you really want to start working it, i know you work in beverly hills, if you take camino de la cumbre, its steep as fuck for a bit, but benedict cyn is downhill alll the way to your office, and such a fun road to descend.
_iJunes responding to a
comment by sancho1
07.13.09 - 9:20 am
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or if you're bold enough, a 1 mi walk at 20% up sevy ln will give you a 6 mi descent down benedict cyn as well. or you can really really build up your legs by climbing that every day but its too much.
_iJunes07.13.09 - 9:21 am
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You should be good .. traffic is pretty slow for the most part ... I would say the most sketch area would be when the Hollywood freeway merges .. but ....do it
OsnapsonJC07.13.09 - 9:34 am
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if you get to the crest of cahuenga from the valley by 8:30, there is no grid lock, grid lock forms mainly post 8:30.
krysta you should hit me up in the morning to commute, i usually leave my house by 7:50, and get to westwood by 9.
_iJunes responding to a
comment by OsnapsonJC
07.13.09 - 9:57 am
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Subway $1.25
universal to hollywood
Good alternate to Hollywood..........
Multiview drive that goes up to Mullholland drive,
Catch it at Broadlawn where Universal Nissan is on Cauenga.
Go down Nicholes cyn to Hollywood blvd.
Dedicated818 responding to a
comment by _iJunes
07.13.09 - 11:56 am
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i've been having a daily struggle with camino de la cumbre lately, each day im trying to find a higher sustainable gear. so far my best luck is with 39-15.
btw craig i still need that BB taken off...
_iJunes responding to a
comment by Dedicated818
07.13.09 - 11:57 am
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Hey Junes ......
Camino de la Cumbre was a secret route.......
Dedicated818 responding to a
comment by _iJunes
07.13.09 - 12:01 pm
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...
the most sketch area would be when the Hollywood freeway merges .. but ....do it
I used to ride from Westwood the the WB lot in Burbank or to Universal Studios using that route.
Coming from Hollywood to burbank, the shoulder is so wide, you don't really have to worry about traffic, just your stamina for the hill.
I'd say do it.
I'd agree on the return though, coming from Universal back to Hollywood, the offramp of the 101 dumps cars at high speeds onto Cahuenga heading south, often I would take a lane on Cahuenga far from the offramp, or lock eyes with an oncoming car to establish my position.
Never had any real hairy issues, and this is at all hours (6pm-3am)
The downhill is awesome, especially on my recumbent!
From Hollywood bowl to Hollywood and Highland, there is pretty much always gridlock, and going past all those stopped cars reminds you why it is so great to be on a bike.
Again, I'd say do it.
sparkypinball responding to a
comment by OsnapsonJC
07.13.09 - 2:10 pm
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I already take the subway! I want moar riding!!!!
Ok, thanks guys I'll have to process this. Yeah Junu I'll catch up with you about that, i'm a little worried you may be too darn fast for me to keep up with.
kryxtanicole responding to a
comment by Dedicated818
07.13.09 - 2:59 pm
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how's sepulveda?
Ayla07.13.09 - 5:12 pm
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You play polo against the 818 boys, what is a car gonna scare you now?????
parlorbikes07.13.09 - 5:19 pm
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sepulveda traffic wise is lovely except for one part where there is kind of a blind shoulder. the main thing to remember is to assert yourself, dont let the driver second guess, and keep looking back.
_iJunes responding to a
comment by Ayla
07.13.09 - 5:46 pm
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catch me on tuesday, thursday, and friday morning/evening commutes. i usually do those in sneakers and relaxed pace.
_iJunes responding to a
comment by kryxtanicole
07.13.09 - 5:46 pm
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Minor addenda:
* Southbound, be aware that *two* exit lanes from the 101 Southbound (Hollywood Bowl exit) that dump onto
*one new RIGHT lane* of Cahuenga, *on your right*.
* Southbound, if it's nearing
showtime at the Hollywood Bowl the freeway offramp traffic may get jammed real tight.
* Northbound, there are TWO Cahuengas, one on each side of the 101. The one on the *East* side of the 101 (accessible by going under the 101 via Odin in front of the Hollywood Bowl entrance, then turning left and heading uphill and uphill and uphill and uphill) is very lightly traveled, and has been observed, has a wide shoulder for much of the way. Just be sure to take one of the bridges over the 101 sooner or later. The bridge at Universal is your last chance, take it if you don't want to get dead-ended.
* The other Northbound Cahuenga, on the West side of the 101, I wouldn't want to even look for at the Hollywood Bowl (despite Google maps showing it's in there somewhere); the roads are crazy complex there and it's too easy to get herded onto the 101 North freeway entrance. No sidewalks out of that one.
* If you're really gonna do this, get a sherpa. And make out your will if you're going to make it a regular thing.
* Wouldn't it be cool if the City had bike lanes (in both directions, whoa yeah!) on Cahuenga and Sepulveda? Maybe in my next life...
OverTheHill responding to a
comment by kryxtanicole
07.13.09 - 9:45 pm
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Thursday? This week. My bike is getting loved all over tonight, so it would be perfect. I'm down to climb.
kryxtanicole responding to a
comment by _iJunes
07.14.09 - 12:23 pm
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Thanks, I really like all the specifics. Northbound is not so bad at all, it's definitely a good climb. It's the Southbound, particularly the part where the lanes merge on the right, that made me wanna shit my pants last time I rode over.
All in all, parlorbikes said it best. I play polo in the 818, nothing should scare me!!
kryxtanicole responding to a
comment by OverTheHill
07.14.09 - 12:26 pm
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