From Long Beach to the Santa Ana Trail

Newport Beach, CA: This attempt to ride from L.A. to Phoenix is underway. Arriving at Long Beach airport from Salt Lake and DC, the bike box was intact and waiting at baggage claim.  It took 30 minutes or so to get it assembled, dispose of the box and get under way on a sunny 70 degree Southern California afternoon.

East of what was the main assembly plant for the Douglas DC series of commercial airliners is the San Gabriel Trail that runs along that river eight miles south to the Pacific Coast Highway and the sea. A stiff headwind came in off the ocean. Once at Long Beach harbor I counted two-dozen container ships at anchor, all of them unable to unload because of a labor dispute that has now been resolved.

  

From Seal Beach it was a pleasant 15-mile ride along the Pacific Ocean to Huntington Beach where the Santa Ana Trail begins and heads 30-miles or so inland to Anaheim and Riverside.

bike trail at Huntington Beach

Elapsed riding on the first day, 25-miles.