Las Vegas ?

[fcambounet]

Hi everyone

I'm planning a trip through the US starting from early may. I just received a lot of ACA bike routes that will serve nicely for 90% of this trip from San Francisco to New York
You can see them here : http://bikingbad.wordpress.com/2014/03/12/adventure-cycling-maps/

However, there's one part that isn't covered : Las Vegas.

What I'd like to do is go from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, then onto Flagstaff where I can use the Grand Canyon Connector route.
I've read the existing forum discussions and looked very closely on Google maps to find a way. What I have now is this :
- starting from LA / long beach, follow the riverside freeway as closely as possible to San Bernardino
- then go north (on the I15 ?) to Victorville
- after that the I15 seems like the only way to go, with stops at Barstow, Baker and Jean before reaching Vegas
- Leaving Las Vegas, use route 93 to Kingman, then route 66 to Ash Fork

Is there a better way to do it ? Anything I should be especially aware of ?
I would do this part of the trip over late may / early june probably, is it ok vs the desert conditions at that time ? I've read a report where someone was riding at night, but it was during summer.

Thanks

[aggie]

In early June it will be warm to hot but it is doable if you carry lots of water and ride early/late to avoid the worst of the heat.  It may even be pleasant but its hard to predict the weather.

If you start in Long Beach would could ride along the coast (part of it on the Pacific Coast Highway) until you get to the Santa Ana River Trail.  The river trail will take you to Corona.  From there you travel city streets into Riverside and San Bernardino.  You can parallel the 215 through San Bernardino.  You'll come to a small town called Devore.  Go through this small town and you'll wind up on Cajon  Blvd.  This will keep you off the 15.  You do have to get on the 15 for about a mile then you get off at the 138 and go a little east to Summit Valley road.  This will take you into Victorville.  You can avoid the 15 to Barstow if you take the National Trails Highway (old route 66).  To avoid traveling on the freeway you take a few surface streets that take you through Daggett and upto Yermo.  Yermo road parallels the 15 for quite a few miles.  Then you'll have to get on the 15.  Once you get to Jean you get off the freeway and follow Las Vegas Blvd into Las Vegas.

Don't know much about the route through AZ.  Take a look as the discussion board on route 66.  I do know that some of 66 no longer exists so you'll have to get on I40.

[fcambounet]

Very clear directions to Vegas ! Thanks a lot ! I have mapped all this