LA Training Rides - Mandeville Canyon and the 3 Bitches

Garmin Connect Link

Here is a ride I constructed that takes in several roads that the locals use for training.
Starting in an exclusive part of Santa Monica,  it starts with the wide safety of San Vicente to give access to the nice and gentle 8.4km ave 3.5% climb up Mandeville Canyon Rd.

A diversion on the return takes in the infamous THREE BITCHES.
Three short roads that linked together, give a tough 1.6km ave 9.8% workout,
 with gradients consistently approaching 17%
Check out the segment on Strava 3 bitches

If you think training rides should be all about exploding .... this is the ride for you.
Repeat as required.

Ocean Blvd, Santa Monica.
Start of the ride is nearby, in exclusive 4th Street.

View to Santa Monica Beach, from Ocean Blvd.

No worries about parking at the parking. Runners are here all day moving up these super steep stairs. Water bottles & towels are left at the top. Some do stretches and even weights from the back of their cars. I even saw trainers giving leg rubs.
The stairs are really much steeper than they look here in the photo.

Chatting between stair repeats ....

The access to the start of Mandeville Canyon goes up San Vicente, through a few streets with huge homes, then a tricky short section of Sunset Blvd..

I found a space in traffic and popped out onto Sunset Blvd for a short blast down to the junction with Mandeville Canyon Rd.

Oops, here come the cars, right behind me too ....... gotta keep up the speed.
Notice the cars parked on the left, a temporary lot for the LA Open Golf. The course is right here and the event is in progress.

Here's the start of Mandeville Canyon ..... feeling much safer already.

Arnie's family compound is off to the left somewhere here .....

Further along the houses thin out.

School's out.

Hmmm .... getting a bit  of a rural feel now.

Easy gradient, nice & steady climb ....

Off to the right, another patriotic display .....

Hey .... you've got mail.

Yep, this is a local training climb.

Close to the top of Mandeville ....

Then it is a run back down, until the road that leads off to the 3 Bitches. 

Stay right ....... and keep an eye on the driveways though.

Don't forget .... here it's a good idea to STOP at the stop signs.

First road of the 3 Bitches .... Arbutus Dr 

Arbutus gets steeper. I'm reading 13% here.

Then turn into Banyun Dr where it pitches to 16%

Next it is Cordelia Rd which maybe even pitch over 17% ...... 

Easier to take the photo looking back down Cordelia.

Cordelia T's at Westridge Rd which meets the Trailhead carpark.
Plenty of walkers still using the 3.3 mile trail out to a high viewing point.
It is now 4.00pm, getting chilly and the light has started to drain out of the day ......

No time for a 3 Bitches repeat today. But I will be back to ride this local training area again.
It can easily be ridden from Villa Brasil Motel for a 50km round urban and beach LA sightseeing trip.

After another day of exploring the streets of LA it is time to turn around at the trailhead.