I uploaded cues and updated gpx info for the "tour" route on the tourdelospadres.com website.  Also there is some info and photos on the loop option on the blog page.

I finally got around to calculating stats for the point to point race route: 60% dirt/fire road/ 20% singletrack/ 20% pavement. 

I will try to get cues for the loop route up soon.  Enjoy. 

I generally agree with your assessment of the point to point route being a better route. You are correct, the last 2 miles up Chorro Grande Trail to Reyes Peak will be a hike (not nearly as hard as Coconino's Mingus mountain though).The pavement sections were unavoidable for various reasons.  However most stretches of pavement are pretty scenic riding and are popular road biking routes (highway 33 and lockwood valley road).  The most unscenic stretch of pavement is between Ventucopa and the Carrizo Plain entrance along highway 166.  There a bunch of dirt roads on the north side of highway 166 in that area that would be a more direct connection to the Carrizo Plain, but all would require trespassing across agricultural dirt roads. 

Here is another option that bypasses Ojai, but it eliminates a lot of singletrack and adds a lot of fire road. Also finding water along this section is pretty difficult.  I figured the stop in Ojai would be essential for resupplying food and maybe hitting up the bike shop there. 

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/3797104

I updated the loop route again based on the rides and hiking I have done over the past two weekends behind Ojai.  Photos of these areas will be up on the tourdelospadres.com blog soon.  Here is the revised loop route:

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/3791766

There are two sections of singletrack (Boulder Canyon Trail and Middle Sespe Trail) that really need some bush trimming to make it fun.  The good news is the dirt is in pretty good shape, but the trails are overgrown in some areas. Both trails have two trailheads at each end, and start off awesome at each trailhead and then get bushy in the middle portions of trail furthest from the trailheads (not surprising).  It should not be that much work to get these trails back in order- probably about 4-5 miles of trail that really needs some love between these two trails. 

Yes you guessed it. Aqua Caliente road is to get to Big Caliente Hot Springs.  But for the full loop, you would want to camp at Little Caliente Hot Springs instead.  I revised the full loop GPX file to reflect this.  

-Erin

I have a had quite a few requests to make this into a full loop, and after hiking a 6 mile section of singletrack this past weekend that I had never been on, I think its definitely possible. So thanks to those of you who gave me a good kick in the ass to make this into a full loop!  

Pros of The Full Loop:

-You will see the entire southern Los Padres. The point to point route skips some very scenic sections.
-The route will go by one nice town with food, hotels and bike shops (Ojai).
-No shuttling.
-More remote.
-More singletrack.  
-Could connect with future routes in the Angeles National Forest via Liebre Mountain area.

Cons:
-The fun front country section of singletrack in Santa Barbara is skipped.  
-Full loop will reduce the rideability of the route from a 9, to a 7. Definitely more walk a bike, and a little more bush-wacking.
-If the hikers around here get their way, some of the trails could potentially become wilderness areas which means no bikes. As of 2013 though, the route is 100% legal.
-Some of the singletrack is very narrow on the full loop (but most all these narrow sections are downhill).

Pro or Con?  The loop route is way more massive!  

Sean, I am  thinking about doing this in 2014, but I am thinking of cutting it a little shorter than the entire route.  Would hell hole road be a logical place to start and end if I wanted to do a shorter loop?  Or maybe middle meadows campground?  Any chance of cue sheets for 2014?  Cheers,

-Erin

Bells are only mandatory for the Santa Barbara front country area (last day) because of the amount of hikers on some of the trails. 

I will have a loop option (actually 2 different loop options) released soon.  There is not a lot of downhill singletrack (there will be some uphill singletrack though) involved with the loop options so the point to point ride which is on the website is by far the most fun route because you will not be skipping the Santa Barbara front country singletrack.

-Erin

For those of you who were previously interested on this thread, gpx and cue sheets are now up on the Tour De Los Padres website. 

bikeroutetoaster.com was not working well and I have noticed that their website has been having problems lately.  I am now providing ridewithgps.com links on the www.tourdelospadres.com website for the GPX information.  You have to create a free account to download the GPX files, but its a much more stable site for hosting the GPX files (although I think their elevation gain and loss calculations are greatly overestimated).  

Or you can email me and I can send GPX files to you directly.   Cheers,

-Erin

If you are willing to come down to Central California, here you go.  www.tourdelospadres.com   

Brand new route. I just figured out the last 6 miles yesterday. 

Its been a few years in the making, but I finally have figured out this route in the Southern Los Padres National forest.  I have rode the entire route and got GPS data for all the tricky and confusing sections. I originally called this the "Los Padres 300", but I think the name I ended up with suits the route much better. 

I will keep this short and sweet.  All the GPX, ques sheets, blog, etc. and other information can be found on the website:   www.tourdelospadres.com

I really hope to get a good turn out for the inaugural tour and race in spring of 2014.  This project has truly been a labor of love!  Contact me with questions/ comments/ etc. 

Cheers!   Erin

Water sources:

-when you start in Flagstaff
-lodge near mormon lake (only use as emergency, as it is off route)
-ADOT hose bib just after you pass the first hwy
-Sedona
-Oak Creek just outside Sedona
-Cottonwood
This is where it could get a bit sketchy- between cottonwood and the verde river there probably wont be jack for water.  There is a spot called "coyote spring". the water is gross at the first metal reservior, but some guy said if you go farther uphill there is flowing water.  I can't confirm this.  Carry a shitload of water up mingus.  Riding between mingus and and the verde river is a good section to ride at night once you pass the highway (use less water and its not technical riding). 

-After the verde, I can't tell you of any natural water sources. I did not do stage 4 because of 3 broken spokes coming down Bill Williams mountain.  Williams has plenty of services.  Have fun!

PS- private email me and I will send you tentative routes for the TDLP.  erincarroll_land_arch@yahoo.com

haha funny you are doing the coconino!  You will have a great time.  I did it back in April (not racing).  Water will be hard to find this time of year.  Ride fast between water sources!   Mingus Mountain pretty much sucks ass going up, but it is fun on the backside of Mingus going down.   Here is my blog I did:

http://erincarrolllandscapearchitect.wordpress.com/2013/05/05/coconino-loop-april-22-27-2013-2/

I forgot to answer your question about Seymour Canyon Road-  There is absolutely no access via Lockwood Valley Road.  I rode my bike up to a point on that road until I saw at least 5 no trespassing signs and turned around. 

Its pretty lame to have these public forest roads that would make great connections for longer routes to not be open to through traffic, but it is what it is. 

-Erin

Hey simon, good to hear people actually do some of the rides i have posted. I have a few moremore moreposted on tourdelospadres.com, and also i will release a more finalized route for tourdelospadres very soon.

9N04 is not open to mountain bikers if you try to start from Lockwood Valley Road. If you want to go up 9N04, you have to take a singletrack that starts in Cuddy Valley. I was just out there a few weeks ago, so this info is up to date.  Here is an awesome "underground" Mt. Pinos loop. The beginning of this ride is not well known, but its pretty fun, flat single track that connects you to 9N04. You can download the GPX right off this link:

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=582668

This is going to be part of a new 300 mile tour/ race that I have planned for next spring.  I have about 85% of the 300 mile route ridden and mapped out, but I am not going to release the final GPX route for the 300 miler until I have it 100% ridden, which will be sometime this fall.  Hope you can join us in spring of 2014, the website is already partially up!   www.tourdelospadres.com

-Erin

damn private property owners blocking public land! 

cool, i will hit you up if I ever get around to riding in your area.  same for you if you ever come to santa barbara.  the altitudes are low and the air is thick over here!

-Erin

slhappy,  I routed out this eastern sierra loop last fall, but I could not get any of my friends to go, so I went backpacking near lake sabrina instead.  I am curious if you have done any parts of this ride?

http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=451186

http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=451176

Thanks for the strava links. Those rides look very interesting.  I love the east side of the sierras. You don't have the stupid rules of the national parks and its more scenic than the westside anyways. 

We went off route right about near the trail closure to
Pump water out of a small creek, so we didnt even notice
The closure. We met a backpacker who said she got a beer
And did laundry at mormon lake, so there are definetely
Some goods and services there, but we diknowdnt go there
So i cant tell you exactly what you can get in the way of food.
Thats all i know....

I am currently working on a route through the Los Padres NF between the I-5 and 101 freeways.  I have been riding parts of it lately trying to find the "perfect" routing.  My route could potentially hook up with yours somewhere around Frazier Park/ Gorman area.  I plan to have my route 100% ridden with GPX files and cues by this fall. 

Good luck on making this route work.  I would be interested to see what you come up with.  I would strongly suggest riding the route in 300 to 400 mile segments.  Angeles National Forest, Southern Sierras, Northern Sierras, Cascades, etc.  You would need to ride it all to find the best possible routing. 

I have discovered trails that are not on the map, etc. with the route I am working on.  The best route does not always come to you by looking at maps; you need to actually ride it. 

-Erin