Recommend me a ride in Marin or nearby?

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lucky...@gmail.com

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Jun 10, 2024, 2:15:01 AM6/10/24
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Greetings all,

My son wants me to take him riding in Marin or the bay somewhere for a day. He’s newly experimenting with riding a semi-loaded bikepacking rig in anticipation of attempting a solo three day trip at the end of summer. He is 15 (almost 16) and will be riding on a loaner VO Piolet. I will be riding my older Atlantis set up with Super Yummy gravel tires. Any recommendations of a pretty ride that’s not just all climbing or too sketchy? My fitness level isn’t what his is.
You can reply directly if you choose.

Thanks, Liz in Sac

Wesley

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Jun 10, 2024, 10:49:32 AM6/10/24
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in my experience, Marin is generally very hilly or very heavy traffic. If you’re coming from Sac I would recommend going to Marines instead and riding into the trails above Rankin Park. There’s a steep climb to start but then it gets excellent. It’s a huge network of fire roads that are part of the Bay Trail, among others. 
-Wes (also in Sac)

Victor Hanson

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Jun 10, 2024, 12:52:35 PM6/10/24
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There a set of fire roads that go around Lake Lagunites, that the locals call the Lazy Lakes Ride.  About 4-6 miles.    You can drive to the ranger station for Lake Lagunites.  Conversely you start at Phoenix Lake and there is a pretty significant climb to Lake Lagunites.   

Have fun. 

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VIctor R. Hanson
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Piaw Na

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Jun 10, 2024, 1:45:27 PM6/10/24
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I recommend any of the Marin Headlands rides that the Western Wheelers organize. Routesheets/GPS tracks are here: https://westernwheelersbicycleclub.wildapricot.org/page-1859035#LDT_Marin_Headlands

Wesley

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Jun 10, 2024, 3:36:37 PM6/10/24
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Somehow I wrote "Marines" where I meant to write "Martinez". Dunno how that happened. Anyway, sorry for any confusion.
-W

Bill Lindsay

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Jun 10, 2024, 4:12:33 PM6/10/24
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Here's the ride I did yesterday in Marin.  I edited it just now to move the Start/Finish a few miles away from my front door:


The offroad section in the middle was quite strenuous.  IT kicked my butt.  I did it with drop bars and 55mm knobbies and no shocks and it was definitely underbiking in a few sections.  All the other bikes on the trails were full-on mountain bikes: analog and e-bikes.  

Bill Lindsay
El Cerrito, CA

On Sunday, June 9, 2024 at 11:15:01 PM UTC-7 Lucky wrote:

Cyclofiend Jim

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Jun 13, 2024, 1:41:05 AM6/13/24
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Two quick options:

Railroad Grade on Mt Tamalpais is all climbing, but it's a polite grade and the views are quite nice. 
It is south facing so can get pretty warm if the temps come up. But there are places to stop and recover. 

China Camp State Park can be a bit mountain-bikey at time, but the trails are polished and well tended. If you start at the campground end, it's a steady climb for a bit, but then a nice long-ish level descent out to Buckeye Point and back on the lower trails. Just technical enough to keep you alert. Multi-use singletrack. There is a use fee. 

Jim

On Sunday, June 9, 2024 at 11:15:01 PM UTC-7 Lucky wrote:

lucky...@gmail.com

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Jun 13, 2024, 1:44:26 AM6/13/24
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Thank you all!

On Jun 12, 2024, at 22:41, Cyclofiend Jim <cyclo...@gmail.com> wrote:

Two quick options:
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John Dewey

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Jun 13, 2024, 10:49:05 AM6/13/24
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Liz, I live in Marin and 2nd China Camp and also Paradise loop. 

But some of the areas closer to you near Petaluma and Windsor are more rural. 

You can find lots of options exploring Strava. 

JD

On Sun, Jun 9, 2024 at 11:14 PM <lucky...@gmail.com> wrote:
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lucky...@gmail.com

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Jun 13, 2024, 10:52:20 AM6/13/24
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Thanks John, I need to get Strava. My son just got an app called Ride With GPS. I need to level up my tech game in any case!

On Jun 13, 2024, at 07:49, John Dewey <john...@gmail.com> wrote:



Toshi Takeuchi

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Jun 13, 2024, 3:59:01 PM6/13/24
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RidewithGPS has a great library of rides that you can load onto your bike computer and will give you turn by turn instructions. China Camp/Tiburon is great--especially if you don't want too much climbing but get some great scenic views of the bay and some nice food in Tiburon.

Piaw's ride in the Headlands should be considered (the hill up Conzelman Rd. is worth it!) in part because the best view of San Francisco is from this ride.  You look down onto the bridge and city from an old army gun bunker (or whatever you call it).  A lot of times you may not see the city, but the bridge is sunny and poking out of the fog and that is just as beautiful.  https://www.oursausalito.com/marin-headlands-and-ggnra/battery-spencer-golden-gate-bridge.html

Railroad grade up Mt. Tam is nice too, the only thing to watch out for is traffic as it can get congested during the weekends.  I usually descend the railroad grade and go up the fire road (very doable with any bike, but I recommend 30 mm tires or wider).  I can give you GPS data on that ride too (if desired)--the special treat in addition to the views is a stop at the "pancake place" as I call it.  West point inn.  Here's a writeup from a hiker, but you can see all the bikes there.  (No road bikes pictured, but there is a kiddy Mtn bike, so you know it can't be too hard :).)


Toshi in Oakland, CA

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