Ventura Bicycle Trails

Starting at the Ventura Pier, then along the boardwalk to the Ventura river, a side trip down a single track, back to the trail to Solimar beach, then along the surf line to watch the Wind Surfers.

Filmed entirely from my bicycle!

Right click and 'save file' to watch on your media player:

High Def Bike Trail

314,995KB (About 25 min to download with high speed internet.)

Low Def Bike Trail

253,277 (about 18 min to download with high speed internet.)

Video Clips

LATV episode on Stefan training at the abandoned Foster Bowl located just off the main trail. Click on picture to go to video page.

Also Check Out More So Cal Bicycle Trails at: The Cycling Dude

Ventura River Trail to Foster Park

Kung Fu has traditionally been practiced outdoors under varying climatic conditions, in wild places, on mountains, under trees, during rain or snow, hot and cold. I have always taught my students that it is important to make this connection to nature when training in martial arts. Another useful technique for keeping training fun is to cross train. On Sundays I have a chance to do both by biking up into the mountains to train

Here's some pics from one of the bike trails I ride.

In these photos I also show my favorite secret Kung Fu training spot - Foster Bowl.

Map: The trails starts off along the beach but then turns inland and follows the Ventura river valley up to the Ojai Valley. (33) Great mountain views.

Its about 3 minutes through town to get to the starting point, Ventura Pier

Ventura Pier

Ventura Boardwalk

Surfer's Point

Here the trails turns inland and roughly follows the Ventura river.

Trail enters the Ojai valley.

Trail crosses over Ventura river to go to Foster Bowl. Ojai's Topa Topa mountains seen in the distance were immortalized as the mythical Shangri-La in the 1937 film "Lost Horizon."

This is the side entrance into Foster Bowl.

From the front Foster Bowl looks pretty spooky. Keeps most people away and more privacy for Moi.

Foster Bowl was built in the 1920's when the locals still got around on horses. By the 50's the bowl was abandoned because of inadequate parking. Some of the old hitching posts still stand.

Inside the bowl is like a small Greek Amphitheatre, great acoustics and nice private location to practice Kung Fu.

Nearby the bowl are campgrounds.

Never anyone around up here.

There is another clearing with several large boulders. Gives it a Stonehenge-like feel.

I like to time the trip so that I get back to the ocean in time for yet another spectacular sunset.