Recommendations on cycling to Rivendell and around San Francisco and the Bay Area

[Ana Candela]

Hi everyone,

I’ll be attending a workshop in Santa Cruz, visiting Riv HQ, and rambling/touring around the Bay Area the first ten days or so in October. I’d like to ask for recommendations to locals and everyone who has done this before.

There are a couple threads from which I’ve already jotted down some very good ideas and suggestions (walking/transit for one day: https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/rbw-owners-bunch/9HCur_vFbz4 and driving for a couple days: https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/rbw-owners-bunch/tcDE9hIkvaA).

Now, I’ll be bringing my bike along, and I’ll be CYCLING for about a week, so any bike-specific recommendations (must-do, steer-away-from) on cycling, transit, multimodal traveling, eating, weather, camping, lodging, events that will enhance my stay will be greatly appreciated :)

Thank you!
-Ana “in Seattle, currently on the train to Portland” Candela

[dougP]

Ana:

If you plan to stay in San Francisco proper, the easiest way to Rivendell is to take BART to Walnut Creek.  Rivendell is just a 5 minute walk from the station, albeit a bit tricky to find.  Locals can chime in on taking your bike on BART. 

As to lodgings, I'm a big fan of hostels.  In San Francisco, the Ft Mason Hostel is a great location & they let you lock up your bike inside.  I've also stayed at the Marin Headlands hostel and the Pt Reyes hostel.  Pt Reyes is a challenging ride, and you need to bring your own groceries as it's pretty remote.  Also great camping Pt Reyes park.  Highly recommend rambling around Marin & Sonoma counties. 

dougP

[dougP]

BTW, I do not live in the Bay Area & have only visited.  If any locals offer any info that conflicts with mine, I defer to their knowledge.

dougP

On Thursday, September 12, 2019 at 10:41:36 AM UTC-7, Ana Candela wrote:

[Neil Doran]

Sounds like a fun trip! You probably already know that October generally provides THE BEST weather in the Bay Area region.

Wow, for ten days, you could see a lot of stuff. I would make Marin County a priority. Marin Headlands, Mt. Tam, and Pt. Reyes are all amazing. Easily 2-3 days of riding and sight-seeing, maybe more if you want to sloooooow down.

Not terribly sure about lodging...is camping in the mix? That opens options.

Along with all that rambling through Marin, find a way to take the ferry back to SF or Oakland, it is a fun diversion.

On your Rivendell HQ day, a ride up Mt. Diablo seems in order...pretty unique views of the East Bay on the way up, and you can see the Sierras from the summit on a clear day (rather rare, except when windy).

There are some fun road loops in the East Bay (Skyline/Grizzly Peak in Oakland/Berkeley hills, Three Bears through Briones Regional Park, Riv folks can direct you to more), but hard for me to say if they are really tourist-worthy...but they are some of my favorite rides.

Seems like Bay Area visitors are always tempted to hit Napa Valley wine country, but IMO those roads are really not great for cycling...very highly traveled, pretty much all year round these days, generally with narrow to non-existent shoulders. Also I find the vino-culture up there rather tedious and monotonous, but that's just me.

You can find some very nice, twisty, quite, shaded roads further north around St Helena, but you will be climbing a lot.

Oh, first weekend in October is Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in SF...if you are in any way into music, you will find something you like...all free, of course...and packed...but a pretty special social phenomenon.

[Curtis McKenzie]

The Headlands are great to explore.

Here are some lodging options.

https://www.hiusa.org/hostels/california/point-reyes/point-reyes

and 

https://www.hiusa.org/hostels/california/sausalito/marin-headlands-hostel

Have stayed at the marin headlands hostel on the bicycle and explored the city.

Enjoy,

Curtis

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[Kieran J]

Ride or hike on Mt. Tam including a stop at the West Point Inn! So awesome.

KJ

On Thursday, September 12, 2019 at 10:41:36 AM UTC-7, Ana Candela wrote:

[tc]

As for getting to Riv HQ, here's one idea:  In early July of 2018 we were in SF and had planned a short visit to Riv before renting a car and heading up to Napa for a few days.  We decided to take the ferry to Oakland (you can use Clipper Card for any mass transit, including the ferries), then got an Uber, which picked us up within 5 min and 100ft of the dock, and took us to a Hertz place in Walnut Creek (just down the street from Riv) for $24.95.

[REC (Roberta)]

Hi, Ana.

I had a great time on my trip, thanks to the recommendation of the good folks here on one of your links above.  There is so much to do, and you're lucky you have more time.  My time was limited to 2-1/2 days and one full day.  I'll be back though.

Cross the Golden Gate Bridge.  I walked it, but if you ride it, you can go farther.  Loved the walk and the views, but it's quite windy.  I also visited the Japanese Garden in Golden Gate Park (I think that was the name).  Very lovely.  My most fun time was going on a bike tour of San Francisco.  I don't remember the company name, but you can ride your own bike; I rented one.  I was the only one signed up and they required a minimum of two riders, so I paid for an invisible 2nd person and got a private tour with an ex-history teacher as the ride leader.  They know how to zigzag around the really steep hills.  Got to see lots of neighborhoods, views and history of SF.  I visited Rivendell.   I did more, but I cannot remember specifics.   I wanted to do so much more, but didn't have the time.

Probably 30 years ago, I visited and went to Muir Woods and Chinatown.

If you're a museum person, be sure to find out the days they are closed. 

I was without a bike.  I stayed at a hotel in Oakland--Hilton? Hampton Inn?-- (SO much less expensive than SF) and took the free city bus to and from the train station each day and then trained into SF.  However, there are lots of bikes there, so you could ride your bike to the station, if you're OK locking it there. I don't know the rules for bringing a bike on the train.  That line is really convenient and can take you to/from the airport and to/from Rivendell. 

Hope you have a great time and post some pics.

Roberta

[Bob Ehrenbeck]

If you want to stay local to SF, a nice way to spend a day is to ride west along the marina waterfront (away from the touristy area), explore the Presidio, ride over the Golden Gate Bridge, and have lunch on the water in Sausalito. Then, hop on a ferry back and enjoy the views on your way back to SF.

Bob E

(NJ resident but loves the Bay Area!)

[Evan E.]

Hi Ana,

If by chance you'll still be in the Bay Area on October 13, you can join a few of us Bay Area Rivendell Riders (Riv bike not required) for a pancake ride to the West Point Inn on Mount Tam. Info here:

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/bay-area-rivendell-riders/qxWmVLlBMfo

And if you won't be here then, you can still post a note on that list if you like. I imagine that with enough notice, a few of us would be happy to show you around or point you to some specific rides in the area.

Evan Elliot

San Francisco

On Thursday, September 12, 2019 at 10:41:36 AM UTC-7, Ana Candela wrote:

[Mark Schneider]

Great Ana,

North of Santa Cruz I can recommend Gazos Creek Road to Cloverdale Road to get off of Highway 1. Butano State Park is nice, but if you stay on Highway 1 Pigeon Point Lighthouse and environs is cool. Inland from 1 Pescadero Creek Road is beautiful and there are (2)cheap trail camps in Pescadero Creek County Park. Of these Shaw Flat is the nicer, a fire road can get you to either of the two.

In the Half Moon Bay area a coastal trail/path goes up to Moss Beach area you can ride a route that includes gravel and dirt around the Pillar Point Bluffs some really nice views along the way.

I work sometimes in Moss Beach at the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, stop by the main entrance and say hello, I'm often there or on the beach below.

Mark Schneider

Loma mar

On Thursday, September 12, 2019 at 10:41:36 AM UTC-7, Ana Candela wrote:

[Kellie]

Butterlap is a ride through and around SF that takes you to different area of SF (Embarcadero, Fisherman's warf, Presidio, Land's End, Golden Gate park). It's a loop with places to stop for food, coffee or bring your own. Just Google "BUTTERLAP," or search Strava, Ridegps, etc.

On Thursday, September 12, 2019 at 10:41:36 AM UTC-7, Ana Candela wrote:

[Randy Franks]

There are a whole lot ways to do long and hilly rides, but for urban and (relatively) flat--but still experiencing a lot--here are my thoughts:

Spend a couple days in SF. Make sure to go over the Golden Gate on at least one of them. Starting at the Ferry Building, go north on Embarcadero, to Beach then onto Aquatic Park/Fort Mason/Crissy field pathways, over to the Golden Gate, crss the bridge, wind down to Fort Baker. Turn around here and head back, or go further north on Alexander into Sausalito, eat soem good food, catch a ferry back to the Embarcadero waterfront.

In the East Bay, make a loop around Lake Merritt, then follow bike boulevards over to Emeryville. I like going through downtown Oakland, out 14th Ave and riding up Mandela Parkway, where the Cypress Structure was prior to collapsing in 1989 earthquake. Not a super great area, but it's short and quick. This puts you near Shellmound St in Emeryville so you can connect to the bike path of new east span of the Bay Bridge, or go north to Powell and connect to the SF Bay trail. option 1) Ride out to Yerba Buena, then return. or option 2) For more miles follow the SF Bay Trail all the way to Marina Bay neighborhood in Richmond. You can extend further to the west riding on industrial streets for ~2 miles (stay south of I-580) to the little commercial district there in Point Richmond which has food choices. Then go south to Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline and loop around Dornan/Brickyard Cove/Seacliff/Canal to head back. Of course you can do 1 and 2 on the same ride, as well.

Happy pedaling, Ana!

-Randy

On Thursday, September 12, 2019 at 10:41:36 AM UTC-7, Ana Candela wrote:

[Ana Candela]

Thank you all for your recommendations. I have been incorporating them into my planning, and now I just gave the final touches to prepping my bike. I am thinking of doing most of your suggestions, or as much as I can. I’ll be sure to post photos. Evan: I won’t be able to make it to the pancake ride, as I’ll be back home by then, but thank you!

If you see a purple Riv cruising in the Bay Area, wave or ring your bell or both! 👋 🛎 😊

-Ana

[dougP]

One more thing:  at the Main Branch of the San Francisco Public Library, a bicycle themed photo exhibit is on display.  All photos were sourced from riders, not professional shots.  I don't know where the branch is but it should be easy to find.  I've not seen it but supposed to be worth a look.

dougP

[Benz, Sunnyvale, CA]

Before we forget, welcome to the SF Bay Area! The weather for the next week or two looks to be picture-perfect! Don’t let the sunshine fool you though, and remember to bring a windbreaker jacket or vest, for those long downhills that you’ll find throughout the good riding routes here. See you on the road!

[Sean Kline]

And don’t forget the FREE Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Music Festival in Golden Gate Park October 4-6, which will have bike parking care of tge San Francisco Bike Coalition. 1,000+ Parked bikes just means you need to remember where you parked your’s!

Bike parking map: http://www.hardlystrictlybluegrass.com/2019/wp-content/themes/hsb/HSB19-bike-parking.pdf

[YQ]

Hi Ana -- I live in Santa Cruz County and there are a lot of great places to ride around here. If you have time, check out Wilder Ranch in Santa Cruz. The Ohlone Bluff Trail is a beautiful ride: https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/7011557/ohlone-bluff-trail. 

Have fun!

Yakeen

[Ana Candela]

Thank you for the recommendation, Yakeen. I’ll see if I have time when I have a break midday tomorrow. I’ll be almost all day by the Walton Lighthouse, if you want to come by to meet and see some beach calligraphy... and a nice Riv who loves the outdoors but really does not belong in the sand... hmm, or does it? 😉

-Ana

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[YQ]

No problem! Sorry I wasn't able to come by and say hello. But I hope that you're enjoying your time in Santa Cruz!

Yakeen

Noong Martes, Oktubre 1, 2019 ng 10:59:27 PM UTC-7, si Ana Candela ay sumulat:

Thank you for the recommendation, Yakeen. I’ll see if I have time when I have a break midday tomorrow. I’ll be almost all day by the Walton Lighthouse, if you want to come by to meet and see some beach calligraphy... and a nice Riv who loves the outdoors but really does not belong in the sand... hmm, or does it? 😉

-Ana

On Sun, Sep 29, 2019 at 11:26 PM YQ <messag...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Ana -- I live in Santa Cruz County and there are a lot of great places to ride around here. If you have time, check out Wilder Ranch in Santa Cruz. The Ohlone Bluff Trail is a beautiful ride: https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/7011557/ohlone-bluff-trail. 

Have fun!

Yakeen

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