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[CVO2FIXUP]

 Going to Sana Fran for a 10 day bike ride up and down the coastal highway to LA and then to Vegas. I coming from Toronto Canada. ( winter up here ) Just wondering what kind of jackets I need to bring. How cold does it get over there. Do I need chaps and a full on cold weather gear this time of year?  Also, a bud of mine told me it could get dangerous in La with the gangs? Is that true?  Cheers.

[kiwihog]

The coast can still be pretty cold at times even in summer San Francisco gets some wicked cold fog can be there for a couple of hours or a few days  I usually carry chaps just in case always wear leather jacket on longer trips. What is your itinerary ?? are you riding from Canada down the coast? if so you will already have all the gear you need lol
As for LA gangs really depends on where you plan to be most of the touristy type places are pretty safe

[JCZ]

Depends on what time of the year you're coming.

Gangs......they can be dangerous in any city if you're hanging out where they're hanging out.

[lilcoot]

Sounds like a fun trip, can't wait until work slows down and I can do it myself.

Count on 60s during the days and 40s at night with lots of humidity on the northern leg of your trip.  It's a crap shoot, as far as rain and fog.  Plan for both.  Further south, you'll probably not need anything but long sleeves and levis.  

LA is as safe as any big city in the US.  As far as gangs, you're far more likely to be hit by lightning twice in the same day, than you are likely to see any gang violence.  Shootings are almost always between gangs fighting over turf or retaliation.  Just resist the urge to sell drugs in gang territory.  Riding motorcycles on the LA freeways is a lot more dangerous!  

We live an hour east of LA and three hours from Vegas.  If you need a place to rest, you're very welcome.  We always enjoy meeting and hosting you exotic foreigners from up north.  

Dan

[TwoToes]

Will you be coming as far south as San Diego? Hit me up if you do. It is raining pretty hard today, very unusual for us. The next weekend (first weekend of March) I heard will be good weather. San Francisco can be cold and fog. If you ride the coast south you may get some fog, if you take highway 101 it will be a little better, if you take highway 5 it will be warm. Expect 60's and 70's in the day time and 40's and 50's nighttime in the south. A little colder in the north. You may need a light jacket in the day but will need a leather jacket and gloves for sure at night. As far as gangs in LA. If you stay on main streets and the freeway you will be ok. If you wander into their turf area you could have some trouble but unlikely. Are you taking highway 15 from LA to Vegas? If so you will be traveling thru the desert. It will be warm 70's in the day, very nice, but cold 40's at night. I don't suggest ridding at night in the desert. It is about 5 hours from LA to Las Vegas so plan your departure so you arrive in LV before dark.

TwoToes

[CVO2FIXUP]

  Hey thank you all for great advice.  I am curios as to why one would avoid riding in the desert at night. Kind of sounds creepy for some reason, probably to many movies with desert psychos slashing there victims at night. Other than that cant see why it would be unwarranted?  Looks like I will have one heavy suitcase on my flight with all the leather gear  in it.  And glad to hear the gangs are tucked away in there own hoods. We will definitely stay away.   Cheers.

[lilcoot]

I think twotoes is encouraging you to drive during the day because it would really suck to be broken down in the desert at night.  It can be VERY desolate, with only two small towns in the 150 miles between Victorville and Las Vegas.  Also, you'll be driving over some mountains, and you might  have high winds and/or low temps, particularly at night.

If you haven't done it yet, you need to see Vegas at least once in your life.  Just be prepared.  It can be the tackiest, gaudiest, trashiest, most unfriendly city in North America, but it can also be an absolute blast.  Go online and book some concerts, comedy acts, or shows before you go.

Regarding your concern about crime, we had a friend visiting from Japan years ago, and he was scared to death that he'd be murdered here in the USA.  After a month in the US, including going to Vegas, though, he was a little disappointed that he never witnessed a single shootout or gun murder.  Between slasher movies and what he heard on the news, he assumed that we're still living in the wild west here, shooting up the streets like Yosemite Sam on crack.  It's not that bad!  Relax and have fun.

[JCZ]

  Hey thank you all for great advice.  I am curios as to why one would avoid riding in the desert at night. Kind of sounds creepy for some reason, probably to many movies with desert psychos slashing there victims at night. Other than that cant see why it would be unwarranted?  Looks like I will have one heavy suitcase on my flight with all the leather gear  in it.  And glad to hear the gangs are tucked away in there own hoods. We will definitely stay away.   Cheers.

You still haven't said when you're coming.  If you're coming in the summer time, I'd suggest riding that desert at night......way to hot in the summer months.

[TwoToes]

Riding at night in the desert at this time of year can be very cold (at least to us but not maybe someone from Canada, lol lol lol). Its not a great place to break down either. Its also very dark. If you are going to be here in the summer, riding in the day time is tooo hot and you would want to ride at night. I have arrived in Vegas at midnight and it had cooled down to 99 degrees!!!!!

[kiwihog]

Las Vegas is my personal Disneyland there are all kinds of ways to get 1/2 price tickets to shows in Vegas unless its a show you really must see and on on a particular day ... I always get excited when driving or riding into Vegas at nite on I15 the lights are something to see and one of those things must ride the strip at nite at least once much better riding mon- thurs ..... fri coming in can be a nightmare 90-100mph traffic jams not so good on a bike..

[GregKhougaz]

CVO2RIDE,

       "The coldest winter I ever spent was the summer I spent in San Francisco."  - Mark Twain.  Eh?  Firstly, you could not be taking a more beautiful ride.  Secondly, I hope you've practiced your "twisties."  Try not to get caught up in the views on PCH while riding.  Not only can you go off but the tourists can kill you too.  People get "lost" in the view.  I live in Santa Monica which you probably know is on the coast by Los Angeles.  Like many of us, I've ridden Pacific Coast Highway ("PCH") between Los Angeles ("LA") and San Francisco ("SF") many times.  In the Central and Southern Coast area, it's not unusual for it to be 15*C along the coast but 32*C inland so you'll need jackets and chaps coming down the coast.

       I've ridden in LA most of my life and never had nor have seen a gang issue. They do exist but I doubt very much you'll be riding where they frequent.  So, I don't see that as a concern.  On the way to Vegas, I'd recommend taking the "back way" up Route 14, then then the Pearblossum Highway to Palmdale Road to Victorville and then up the 15 to Vegas.  Less Freeway and more scenic but about the same distance and time.  I agree with Kiwihog that it's good to stay off the 15 if possible.  Either way, LA to Vegas is about 270 miles.  To beat the heat, you'd want to leave very early in the morning.  Another route, if the weather is cool, is through Death Valley but that can be very hot!  

      If you can let us know your dates of travel, I'm sure we could get some of the So Cal members to meet up with you and escort you down from Santa Barbara or so.  Also happy to show you the Los Angeles area.  Sundays at places like the "Rock Store," "Neptunes" or the "Sagebrush Cantina" are quite the shows.  Hope this helps.  

GK