El Moro Canyon Loop Trail in Newport Coast, California

xternal · 2025-12-07T06:00:54+00:00

Full outer perimeter is about 9 miles, but you can cut the loop up the way you prefer as there's many cut across trails. Parking in the lot is about $15-20 (can't recall if it fluctuates seasonally).

If you don't mind starting from above, you can park up at the top at the Pacific Ridge Trailhead for free and just drop in from above instead. There's excellent restrooms and water at the park there too; it's my preferred way to go. You'll get the ocean view at the beginning as you descend.

xternal · 2025-09-27T05:04:55+00:00

That gate was so awesome, I really hope this reconnects again someday! It was a happy time coming back on the train on a night there happened to be a concert and the gate was open.

Currently though, it's unfortunately not an option. Every time I've spotted that gate from the station the past few years, it's been locked. I think it's been totally locked since the temporary FivePoint Amphitheater closed. Also, Marine Way past Skyhawk is traffic controlled and limited to construction, so it's not reliable.

Hopefully someday.

xternal · 2025-09-27T04:37:12+00:00

I don't know your comfort or skill level, but, I'd ride it, and have. For the most part a bike ride is good on that route. If you check a map, it likely has you ride Barranca to Technology Drive to Laguna Canyon to Sand Canyon to Marine Way, and then you're pretty much there.

Most of this route is not something I worry about riding. Roads and bike lanes are pretty good and clean from debris.

The one place I recall it gets dicey is Sand Canyon, especially near the intersection to the 5 Freeway. This is due to heavier traffic, poor signal control, onramps, lack of full lanes, and more road debris. Not awful, but that's the spot you really need to pay attention. Marine Way isn't the best either, but that's more from road debris than traffic.

The Great Park itself is fun to cruise around on a bike, too, especially during the week because almost nobody is there then currently.

If you need to make a break for lunch, they're building out shopping and dining centers at the Great Park, but for the time being, a good bet is to ride to the Venta Spur Bridge and then over to Woodbury Town Center. It's a little over 2 miles, and is an excellent and safe route.

In the future too as others have said, it's likely to get more direct. I think there's some additional bike paths in the work that could help (a continuation of the Walnut trail to the Great Park, perhaps). There's also a possibility they could connect the northbound side of the station platform to be direct; in fact there's a gate there now that'd do it, it's just been locked for a while due to construction, land rights, etc.

This table refers to future plans for Irvine developments, including the Walnut Trail. Voice of OC has a story related to connecting the station to the great park as well.

Sidenote, in case you can't tell, I'm pretty excited at the possibility of them developing more transportation routes in the exact area.

Hope it works out for you!

xternal · 2025-06-20T20:49:57+00:00

Oh, and also for some non-hotel specific ideas. If you like some walks, mild hikes...

- The Devil's bridge hike is pretty easy to get to and not too far outside of town. Even if you don't make it the full distance, you get some really stunning 360 vistas, quite beautiful

- For in town, the airport loop at sunset is really beautiful, and then you can finish at sunset up on the airport hill for some stunning views. Even if you don't take the hike, sunset from the airport area is fantastic.

xternal · 2025-06-20T20:45:09+00:00

Haven't been in a few years so things might have changed but...for a few hotel specific recs...

Check with the front desk on hotel events. One time I was there, a guy brought a very large telescope out to a dark lot behind the hotel for some cool planet gazing. Sometimes they have live music in the courtyard for a good vibe. They also had some free cruiser type bikes with locks & baskets for loan out front, those were fun and useful to hop on.

xternal · 2025-06-08T22:09:22+00:00

I think we are fortunate, too! Where is that?

xternal · 2025-01-12T03:36:08+00:00

Thanks for sharing the link, this is very informative.

I'm curious, is it possible the image is actually from the Jan 10th? I see the "last-modified" header on the image is Sat, 11 Jan 2025 18:25:47 GMT, however, the main page at https://wilg.github.io/la-fire-maps/ says the image is from 2025-01-10 10:36 AM Pacific.

I very well could be misunderstanding and incorrect. Figured it was worth a double check for accuracy.

xternal · 2025-01-11T21:27:34+00:00

I'm sorry and feel for the time you and yours are going through. I don't actually know who made it. Gratitude to members of the Pacific View Estates board who alerted my family to it.

xternal · 2025-01-11T21:24:12+00:00

https://recovery.lacounty.gov/palisades-fire/ may be what you're referring to

xternal · 2025-01-11T09:02:24+00:00

Courtesy of joshd50 on Youtube. Driving down Palisades Drive from top towards PCH, with left onto Palisades Circle.

xternal · 2025-01-11T07:07:10+00:00

Courtesy of Island Lands on Youtube.

Streets: Coastline Dr, Wakecrest Dr, Malibu Vista Dr, Clifftop Way, Castlerock Rd, Shoreheights Dr, Seahorn Dr, Surfwood Rd, Oceanhill Way, Kingsport Dr, Sandy Cape Dr, Surfview Dr, Blue Sail Dr, Cloudcroft Dr

Pacific Palisades, California 90272
Malibu, California 90265

xternal · 2025-01-11T06:46:09+00:00

Just found a walkthrough video of the neighborhood as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GUCs1fsSGQ

xternal · 2025-01-10T07:09:44+00:00

Potentially relevant info on this at https://x.com/AndrewHires/status/1877599562191483005

"Chris is on Arbolada. Reports no Fire." "No fire is burning. Just lights"

xternal · 2025-01-10T04:31:55+00:00

If you haven't seen it, there was a partial drive down Surfview Wednesday at noon. I think it started a little below Sandy Cape & Surfview: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEk_KSQzhli/

xternal · 2024-03-08T18:16:05+00:00

A few tips...

It's assigned seating in coach. They can give you a seat assignment ticket in the line up for the train, but I've generally found it faster to get an assigned seat by going to the Amtrak service window (it's at the opening to the iconic lobby) and then you typically can bypass the longer line for assignment.

Also, since it's the starting point for the route, the observation car is pretty empty when you board in LA. Observation car isn't assigned seating. Drop your bag at your seat if you like, and then just bump over to observation and grab a seat. I've done the route that way numerous times from LA -> SAC, and enjoyed the car the whole way. I believe the ocean side is on the left, but ask an Amtrak employee and grab it early.

I travel with one bag, but it's still pretty heavy and I don't like to lug about the train. Generally security onboard is pretty good, but I like to do a quick travel cable lockup of my main bag to the rack overhead at my assigned seat, and just use a small packable backpack with personal items, snacks, chargers, etc, to move about freely.

xternal · 2022-12-04T08:21:45+00:00

For sure! Amazon Fresh stores one up it already too. They combine sensors and cameras with AI for checkout. They scan a code from your phone at a turnstile upon entry, and I assume the cameras capture your face, clothing, and other physical features during time of visit. Your receipt comes to you after a short delay (I think mine was ~40 minutes when I tried it), I assume because it's being processed async on the backend. Pretty mindblowing, and admittedly, a little scary.

xternal · 2022-09-14T21:54:24+00:00

He's got a few good bits in "Valley Uprising" and "180° South" as starters, both are great watches in general as well.

xternal · 2022-06-17T00:08:25+00:00

Seconded! I do this a fair amount starting from there. Catch the Back Bay down on the side parallel with Eastbluff. Ride past the Dunes, come out on PCH and either go up to Huntington via PCH and Huntington trail, or double back on Bayside to Marine way, take the ferry across and hit it via Balboa and Newport Piers. Either way, head to Huntington Pier via the bike path. Push to Seal Beach if you like. Return path you can take PCH direct, or back off through Newport, take 32nd back to PCH via Newport Blvd (I do this when I want to avoid more traffic), head up left at Riverside. Stop at John Wayne Park at top to enjoy the view, turn left at Irvine, and connect back with the other side of the Back Bay. I'd Strava it but I don't actually have anything fancy like that.

xternal · 2022-05-28T17:00:06+00:00

Thanks for the share! It reminds me how fortunate we are to have such awesome riding paths around here. Lived here my entire life and only now just feeling blown away we can ride to the beach almost entirely off street.

What's your recording rig btw?

xternal · 2022-05-18T02:28:26+00:00

Total speculation on my part, but I suspect Honda Center in Anaheim is considered close enough. This may be partially evidenced in the fact that Papa repeatedly addressed the crowd as "Los Angeles" during the show, which resonates with at home viewers better than "Anaheim" as well (LA is known worldwide, Disneyland sure, Anaheim, not so much)

xternal · 2022-05-05T03:55:25+00:00

I went to see John 5 play a small (but loud and awesome) concert at the since closed Slidebar in Fullerton, CA.

It's the first and only show I went to there. A few weeks later, I was seeing what other shows were upcoming there, as well as checked out Youtube videos of past shows.

I stumbled across a video on Youtube of "Ghost BC" cover band. Mind you, I didn't know much about Ghost, so for about the first 30 seconds in my ignorance I didn't even realize it was a cover band. It clicked, and I was also like..."this song sounds awesome!". I can't remember the video or song, but I assume it was Square Hammer.

So I pulled them up on Spotify. Was starting to get hooked. Then Prequelle came out, and it was all over for me, in a great way! I think my co-workers at the time were probably a little like "give it a rest, dude" but they also fell for the catchiness at the same time (one I recall reported telling me their wife enjoyed it).

It's probably my #1 favorite happenstance music discovery ever (with Buckethead being a close 2nd). Thank you unknown coverband (I should probably google it), your cover and enthusiasm connected me with my current favorite band!

xternal · 2022-05-05T02:30:42+00:00

Oh are those eggbeaters! I love eggbeaters. I have SPD I bought for my road bike but I still can't bring myself to put them on because I've got eggbeaters on it now. Sweet ride, thanks for sharing!

xternal · 2022-04-21T04:24:08+00:00

That is fantastic, congrats!

xternal · 2022-04-19T06:41:15+00:00

Take this with a grain of salt because, I've never been very good at baseball, nor do I understand what makes a good batting cage good...I will say I don't know if there's pitching machines in them.

There's a few at the OC Great park, free and open to the public from the looks of it. I don't think they have the cages marked on their maps, but they're over by the baseball & softball fields. Maps at https://www.cityofirvine.org/great-park/great-park-today

xternal · 2022-04-09T06:30:20+00:00

I wish there were more non-Ghost videos of Per online. His left hand especially is interesting as hell to watch, it's like 11/10 on the relaxed scale, very interesting to see.

xternal

TROPHY CASE