| Author | Message | ||
     Themagster |
Sorry for duplicate post (from main page) but I also wanted to reach out to my old THUMPer friends. I miss y'all. Still have my Blast which I affectionately refer to as my ST500! However I will be taking the CTX on this long haul. I am in the process of planning our summer sabbatical which will include a visit to see our daughter and granddaughters in San Diego. While there I would like to visit Hollywood. We have never been there and since we will be so close, I thought it should be included in the plans. I have absolutely no idea what I want to do while there, ride down Hollywood Boulevard, Wilshire Boulevard, maybe Rodeo Drive just for kicks, spend a small fortune on a meal, take a couple pics. I can check it off the RBL (ride bucket list). I have heard that LA traffic is to be avoided at all costs. I am thinking if we avoid the freeways we can sort of sneak in the back way and it may not be so bad, but that is a small town girl way of thinking I know. Not sure yet if it will be on way to San Diego from the North-East or if we will head to San Diego first, then just take a day trip up. I have looked at some of the 2ndary roads around LA, but Google street view of traffic present is often misleading. So to those who live there, or near there - tell me I'm out of my mind, that there is no chance of avoiding a 3 hour commute trying to get someplace that I am totally unfamiliar with. That parking is impossible, crowds are too huge and surrounding neighborhoods are not safe to ride through for southern tourists. Or....that it is worth visiting, where to ride, where to park and the best places to visit. Also if y'all ever make it to Florida...I can return the favor. Happy Trails.... | ||
| Ezblast |
Don't forget to do a Coast ride! EZ | ||
| Titusand |
Oh it's Maggie. I've said it before on this site and I'll say it again: your website has about as much as anything else getting me to be a motorcycler, and a Buell Blaster especially. I've been to Hollywood not too long ago. The Hollywood area I found mostly a disappointment, but since you are going to be there: the traffic in the tourist areas is not like what you see on the news on the routes for people going to work at rush hour- it's doable really. Ride down those roads to say you've been there- but that's the interest- the history- not what they are now. You will find parking. I would walk these historical areas- like go past the Chinese theatre, The Dolby Theatre (Kodak), otherwise you'll just be watching the traffic and won't see all the neat stars' names on the sidewalk, do people watching, and all the souvenir stores. I'll take the Gas Light District of SD over Hollywood any day! I would ride around Beverly Hills- other than the mountain that's the only area near Hollywood that's worth a special ride, I think. I would also recommend taking a "canned tour" bus around. If you want to ride the bikes around, get up to the top of the mountain in Beverly Hills- great stopping point, and maybe you can find the exact route of a tour bus and ride the same roads. A tour guide would point out who owns or who owned what house- like the Dr. Suess house, Gazzari's where VanHalen started, etc. Rodeo Blvd. is far, far bigger as a name than as an actual destination. Just a bunch of stores you can find in Chicago and other such places. (Message edited by titusand on April 15, 2016) | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Freeways may or may not suck at anytime of the day or night. They usually suck, but you can use the carpool lane (which can also be bumper to bumper or very unnerving as you fly by stopped traffic at 40-70mph) and you can split lanes (not for the faint of heart either). You can avoid freeways by traveling inland on some beautiful roads or by using the toll roads which are usually uncrowded. It depends what you want to see. Look at Google Earth. If you see lots of houses, it's not going to be a fun ride. Not hard to recognize congested from open land! If you want places like Hollywood, expect bad traffic. LA and Orange Counties are not the places to wander. You can get stuck in real bad traffic real easy. You're much more likely to wind up "in the hood" by accident in LA than the OC. If you've never been to California it has every every other state has, except maybe swamps. It does have marsh and wetlands though. Again, LA and Orange county freeway traffic can suck at any given time. Also be prepared to run 80 mph in heavy traffic. Add 10-15mph to any posted speed limit. It doesn't mean you cant get a ticket, but that's what people will drive (at least)! | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
PS there are really nice back roads from SD to LA & Orange counties. I cant think of an easy way to hit Hollywood, without wasting an entire day getting there on back roads. RT 1 or Pacific coast Highway through OC & LA can really suck. Interesting, pretty, but annoying. If you want Hollywood plan on getting on the most eastward point of the 210 and take that in to where it joins the 134. (Bring a clean pair of underwear!!!) Interstate 5 will suck (and most "hood" prone) 405 will probably suck. 55 to the 57 to the 60 will probably suck at different points. 22 will suck. Interstate 15 is okay (but can suck at rush hours (note: rush hours. That can be a 3-4 hour window in the morning and evening |
