C[omp]ute

From: andrew cooke <andrew@...>

Date: Sat, 4 Oct 2014 18:35:34 -0300

20 miles (30km) - mainly on cyclepaths!

I'll describe this as I ride it, as a loop from Europa / Lyon, but if you
trace it out on a map then obviously you can start wherever you want.  Also,
since it has a "figure of 8" shape, you can break it into shorter rides.  And
I'll include an additional cyclepath that gives smaller (12m) route.


Starting from Europa / Lyon (or Antunez / Lyon), go S on Lyon (new cyclepath)
to Pocuro.  On Pocuro turn E (cyclepath) and continue to the junction with
Tobalaba.  Here you need to take some care - I cross at the pedestrian
crossing and cycle slowly across the bridge on the footpath - to get to the
other side of the river.  Then travel SE along Sanchez Fontecilla (path shared
with pedestrians for first block, til Bilbao, then cyclepath).

Continue on the cyclepath, following the canal, until the large junction at
Principe De Gales.  Here you need care again - I use the pedestrian crossings
- until you can pick up the cyclepath on the left side of Tobalaba, after the
Metro entrance (so you're heading in the same general direction as before, but
have now swapped to the other side of the canal).  La Canada is best crossed
just after the speedbump before continuing SE on the cyclepath along Tobalaba.

Continue to Larrain (which is now called Alcalde blah blah) and turn left.
There's 10 metres or so on the footpath before the cyclepath starts again.  Go
almost all the way up Larrain.  Near the end, when the gradient is steepest,
the cyclepath stops and you need to share a fairly narrow road with a fair
amount of traffic.  You could probably take the pavement at this point (almost
no pedestrians here).  Good excuse to walk...

Climb until you reach Casanova (bus stop on right) (incidentally, at this
point, if you climb a little more, you get to Parque Mahuida, with some
horse/cycle trails).

Turn right (S) along Casanova.  This is a road, but has only light traffic.
When you reach the apparent end, in a T junction with Talinay, turn left and
climb a little before bearing right, and the road becomes Casanova again!
Keep heading S (crossing an over-complicated junction with Arrieta) until
Diagonal Las Torres.  Cross Torres and you arrive at Grecia.

Turn right and go W down Grecia.  There's a cyclepath on the right (with
parked cars!), which switches to the centre (it's not easy to see, but when it
stops on the right, cross to the centre and then continue to descend on the
right hand of the central park).

Eventually Grecia meets Tobalaba.  The cyclepath stops just before, so you
need to cross back to the right of the road.  At this point, for a little
diversion you can make your way on the right of the canal, but it's a longer
route, and includes some overgrown paths and roads, so it's simpler to cross
the canal and return N along the Tobalaba cyclepath.

Heading NE and NW you retrace some of the route earlier (but only a relatively
short distance, and it's a pleasant path) before arriving back at the junction
Tobalaba / Principe De Gales.  Here, leave the earlier route and instead head
N on Ossa.  There's no nice way to do this - for one block I cycle slowly
along the pavement.

But after that one block you reach Bilbao, and Ossa becomes Vespucio, with a
central park suitable for cycles.  So navigate the junction there and head N,
NW along Vespucio.

Vespucio goes on and on [* shortcut - see below].  Currently there are
construction works near Vitacura, but you can cycle round them.  Continue
through the central park until the path stops, on the right, near a fountain
(IIRC), and just before the bridge over the Mapocho.  To your right you will
see, on the other side of the road, some blue bollards.  CAREFULLY cross the
road here (it's not easy to see oncoming traffic, which is fast).  Go through
the bollards and left, along a quiet street, which turns to the right.

Just after the turn there's a pedestrian crossing.  Turn left on that crossing
and enter the park.  Turn left again, and follow the track on the edge of the
park, going SW and then NW, climbing steeply, and going over a bridge.  Cross
the Mapocho.

On leaving the bridge, descend, bear right and climb again, turning left onto
another bridge, that takes you towards the Parque Metropolitano.  Continue NW
until you reach the road entering the park, turn left, enter, and climb to the
SW.

This is a fairly steep climb, but not as bad as Larrain, so don't worry.
Fairly soon you meet a roundabout.  Bear right (heading roughly W) and
continue to climb (less steeply).  You will reach another roundabout where you
can turn right (heading SW) and descend.  Yay!

Follow the road down to a T.  If you go right here you can go up to the
Virgen, but for now turn left and head E, following a winding road (including
a couple of hairpins) down to the exit of the park, at the top of Pedro de
Valdivia N.

Go S down Valdivia.  This is back on a road, but fairly quiet until the river.
Crossing the river and continuing S on Valdivia is then cycling in busy
traffic - you may want to use the pavement or walk.  But I cycle in the
traffic, and continue S until I get to Europa (just before Antunez).  Turning
left (E) down Europa brings me back to where I live, and the start of the
route.


[*] I said I'd include an additional route that makes things shorter.  From
Vespucio, turn left (W) down Isabel La Catolica.  This is a cyclepath that
takes you back to Pocuro / Tobalaba.


Enjoy!

Andrew