Mountain Bike Riding on Catalina Island

[GuyGadois]

Has anyone ventured out on Catalina Island on a mountain bike? A few buddies take our annual summer trip there every year and I thought it would be nice and challenging to ride from Avalon to Two Harbors and back. I know I need a permit and one hell of a climbing gear. Any other advice? Anyone know how fast buffalo are?

Anyone ever ridden Catalina Island (and lived)?

-GG-

[chuckred]

As long as your faster than the slowest rider, it doesn't really matter how fast the buffalo are...

Now the wild boar might be a different story -

[Big-d]

I lived on Catalina in the early 80's, at Two Harbors. The buffalo won't bother you if you don't bother them. they used to graze right up to my front porch during the off season,I read that the Island Co. built a lot of fences about 10 yrs ago to keep tourists from bothering the herds . All roads outside Avalon are graded dirt(you'll be warned to stay on the roads/no singletrack)The road between Avalon & Two Hrbrs have lots of climbing & descending.
If you have time, the road between Two Hrbrs & Parsons Landing (8miles+-)is pretty flat ,hugs the coast,overlooking secluded coves with crystal clear water. the scenery is stunning...if I can be of any help, feel free to pm me

[CaptStash]

I lived on Catalina in the early 80's, at Two Harbors. The buffalo won't bother you if you don't bother them. they used to graze right up to my front porch during the off season,I read that the Island Co. built a lot of fences about 10 yrs ago to keep tourists from bothering the herds . All roads outside Avalon are graded dirt(you'll be warned to stay on the roads/no singletrack)The road between Avalon & Two Hrbrs have lots of climbing & descending.
If you have time, the road between Two Hrbrs & Parsons Landing (8miles+-)is pretty flat ,hugs the coast,overlooking secluded coves with crystal clear water. the scenery is stunning...if I can be of any help, feel free to pm me

Is Parson's Landing the cove just West of Emerald Bay? If that's the place I'm thinking of there was great cliff diving there. (Well cliff jumping anyway). Mis-spent a lot of my youth over and around Catalina Island on my dad's little wood sailboat.

CaptStash....

[GuyGadois]

I lived on Catalina in the early 80's, at Two Harbors. The buffalo won't bother you if you don't bother them. they used to graze right up to my front porch during the off season,I read that the Island Co. built a lot of fences about 10 yrs ago to keep tourists from bothering the herds . All roads outside Avalon are graded dirt(you'll be warned to stay on the roads/no singletrack)The road between Avalon & Two Hrbrs have lots of climbing & descending.

If you have time, the road between Two Hrbrs & Parsons Landing (8miles+-)is pretty flat ,hugs the coast,overlooking secluded coves with crystal clear water. the scenery is stunning...if I can be of any help, feel free to pm me

Big-D, thanks for your message. We used to camp in Two Harbors ever year for our annual guy's trip until we got to old to sleep on the ground. Now, we rent a house in Avalon. I believe there are a number of new cycling roads in Catalina for mtn bikes I am sure it is going to be tough. I just am not sure if there is water between the two places and if it is possible to go from one to the other in one day without killing ourselves or rolling off a cliff.

I have done the hike north from Two Harbors to Parson's landing. That is a great road and much easier than what I think will be a tough Avalon to Two Harbors.

For those interested I did find this link about cycling on Catalina: http://www.catalinaconservancy.org/visitors/recreation/biking.cfm

And a Bike Map of the Catalina Island. http://www.catalinaconservancy.org/visitors/recreation/images/bike_map.pdf

It looks so flat on the map. But not so much from the water.

http://z.about.com/d/losangeles/1/0/-/0/-/-/CatalinaIslandWest1.jpg

http://cache.virtualtourist.com/1315573.jpg

:beer:

-GG-

[Big-d]

Is Parson's Landing the cove just West of Emerald Bay? If that's the place I'm thinking of there was great cliff diving there. (Well cliff jumping anyway). Mis-spent a lot of my youth over and around Catalina Island on my dad's little wood sailboat.

CaptStash....
Hi Cap...yes, same place...cliff diving,i'd heard there was a spot..I really need to get back and mis-spend some of my middle age :D

[Big-d]

[QUOTE=GuyGadois]Big-D, thanks for your message. We used to camp in Two Harbors ever year for our annual guy's trip until we got to old to sleep on the ground. Now, we rent a house in Avalon. I believe there are a number of new cycling roads in Catalina for mtn bikes I am sure it is going to be tough. I just am not sure if there is water between the two places and if it is possible to go from one to the other in one day without killing ourselves or rolling off a cliff.

I have done the hike north from Two Harbors to Parson's landing. That is a great road and much easier than what I think will be a tough Avalon to Two Harbors.

Hi Guy, I checked the link & map out.yes,it looks to have new roads since I lived there,most likely theyre graded service roads,not singletrack. Middle ranch rd. used to be the only road to Two Hrbrs
there's 3 places to fill water bottles along that route. go for it,post a ride report w pics :)
I think just havin a bike in Avalon is cool (there's basically no cars ) so even if you opt out of mountain biking you have a great way to get around

...included a link to a short Catalina MTB vid I found that looks like a typical section of road (sans great views)

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=36720403