OT: any great day trip rides that I should check out?

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Brett Lider

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Jun 25, 2019, 5:35:09 PM6/25/19
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Public transit (train, bus, ferry) preferred but I also have a car. I have a week or so off and between life maintenance errands I’m looking to do some long rides that can be completed in a day, including transit to and from SF. (I have negotiable parenting responsibilities at night and/or in the morning, hence the constraint.) 

With the heat, that might rule out the East Bay, but I’m open to ideas. I have a very capable gravel bike and a road bike, so mixed and single surface rides are welcome. 

I’ve ridden all the paved peaks in the area and most of the paved road on the peninsula, east bay, and up to Bolinas. So maybe some deep cuts for the discerning gentlepeeps?

- Brett

ammon

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Jun 25, 2019, 5:45:22 PM6/25/19
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That's quite a wide open question -- post your Strava cycling heat map so we can fill the gaps!

Brett Lider

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Jun 25, 2019, 5:51:05 PM6/25/19
to Ammon Skidmore, SF2G
Here you go: https://www.strava.com/athletes/5099/heatmaps/67f4e860#7/37.71859/-122.34375 - note that a lot of my East Bay riding was pre-GPS/Strava and not represented well. I've done the Devil Mountain Double course or subsets of it a bunch of times, as well as most of what I think of as the popular East Bay hill rides east of the first ridgeline (Three Bears, etc.).

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John Murphy

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Jun 25, 2019, 6:04:57 PM6/25/19
to 'Jason Thorpe' via SF2G
How can this not just be "North Bay". Especially on a weekday where SMART has more than just 4 trains. 

Take the Ferry to Larkspur, you can probably just start from there but if you want to avoid some of the San Rafael stuff you can take the train to San Marin and access Novato Blvd which will take you straight to Nicasio, then head out Chileno Valley and out through Occidental, down to Monte Rio. Go to the coast, then left at Jenner and quickly turn back up Willow Creek (climb) which is dirt (I did it on my road bike in the Gran Fondo). Shoot back through Occi and down through Graton to Russian River Brewery Windsor which is 1 mile from SMART.
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Brett Lider

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Jun 25, 2019, 6:18:52 PM6/25/19
to John Murphy, 'Jason Thorpe' via SF2G
Nice suggestion. I've done parts of that on my rides to Petaluma/Sonoma and parts during the Levi Fondo but never connected it up. Here's what I think you said: https://www.strava.com/routes/19829143

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John Murphy

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Jun 25, 2019, 6:23:14 PM6/25/19
to Brett Lider, 'Jason Thorpe' via SF2G
Pretty much. 

Darrin Ward

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Jun 25, 2019, 6:23:47 PM6/25/19
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if you are not to tired after that you can take marin route 5 back to larkspur (basically hugs the freeway).
not the most scenic but you know sometimes you want the extra miles and its minimal stop lights.

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John Murphy

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Jun 25, 2019, 6:35:34 PM6/25/19
to Darrin Ward, Brett Lider, 'Jason Thorpe' via SF2G
Side note to that - when I was riding from Healdsburg to the Ferry, when I got to Petaluma I would climb I street and descend to San Antonio, which eventually takes you to the US-101 frontage and then the bike path at Olompali.

I need to check on final completion - but either recently or within a month, a new configuration will exist. In Petaluma you can stay on Petaluma Blvd S (which has a new bike lane after a road diet) and where that sort of ends into the freeway, there is a new bike path that then links in with the frontage road you hit above. This removes the climb on I and 4-5 miles.

Brett Lider

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Jun 25, 2019, 6:59:16 PM6/25/19
to John Murphy, Darrin Ward, 'Jason Thorpe' via SF2G
John - I can't wait for that to open. I rode the north-bound version of the current route on a Friday afternoon recently (on my way to Sonoma for a wedding) and there was a ton of self-diverted traffic from 101 making riding on the 101 frontage and back roads unfun. 

Bret Lobree

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Jun 25, 2019, 9:00:43 PM6/25/19
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By self-diverted I think you mean google diverted. I always wonder if traffic planners use google’s route diversion when planning lights etc. I’m guessing not many do. 

I have some favorite Sonoma Coast routes, but they are better for TSR vacations than PT from SF. 

1t

Jon Emerson

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Jun 26, 2019, 12:22:44 AM6/26/19
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I don’t know how you feel about distance rides but there’s probably something worthwhile in covering Marshall Wall, Pt. Reyes - Petaluma past Nicasio Reservoir, and Lucas Valley rd. I have great memories doing Marshall Wall and that stretch along Nicasio Reservoir.

This would be a road ride

Jon

ammon skidmore

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Jun 26, 2019, 1:50:37 PM6/26/19
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Your Mount Hamilton summit must be pre-Strava too. Mount Umunhum isn’t on your map and only became legal in 2017, so I guess you’re missing an important climb! It's the second highest peak in the Santa Cruz mountains. Climb by road, dirt, or both. Road would be the easiest as the fire roads from Los Gatos are very steep in parts, but not otherwise technical so doable if you don’t mind a little uphill walking. Here’s a loop I did on my cx bike for all dirt to the summit and paved descent and return: https://www.strava.com/activities/1309916281. There is a road bike dirt option that skips the steep dirt. Climb Mt Umunhum Rd to 2400ft elevation and hop on the new Mt Umunhum trail which is gently-graded hard-packed single track: https://www.strava.com/segments/16075414 (highly recommended).

Just looking close to home on the pennisula, looks like you’ve never been on the Half Moon bay trail. You could do a grand Half Moon bayway mixing road-bikable dirt with the paved trail there from Moss Beach to Lobitos. A good example of connecting it all the way through the scenic new Cowell-Purisima trail: https://www.strava.com/activities/2450742878 (the rest of that ride to Santa Cruz is more for mtb).

There’s also a lot of open space cx-bikable dirt you haven’t been on. Russian ridge, Long Ridge, Montebello’s Canyon trail & Black Mountain summit, and Sanborn’s John-Nicholas trails are all must rides IMO and are non-technical enough to be fine on a gravel bike. For inspiration: https://www.strava.com/activities/366753899

Ammon

Brooks Sizemore

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Jun 26, 2019, 2:12:16 PM6/26/19
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Your heatmap doesn't show several classic rides in West Marin: Pt Reyes Lighthouse, Mt Vision + dirt connector + Limantour Rd, Lucas Valley, or Marshall Wall. If you go out to the lighthouse, take the Chimney Rock spur road and ride out to the point. It's singletrack, but doable on a road bike. For something shorter, you could make Paradise Loop more interesting by taking the ferry to Angel Island and riding the dirt and paved loops.


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Brett Lider

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Jun 26, 2019, 2:18:15 PM6/26/19
to Ammon Skidmore, Brooks Sizemore, SF2G
Brooks and Ammon et al - thanks for these great suggestions! I’ll get to work planning them out and into my schedule. 

Kurt Martin

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Jun 26, 2019, 4:45:49 PM6/26/19
to Brett Lider, Ammon Skidmore, Brooks Sizemore, SF2G
What's a cool way to tie Planet of the Apes into a longer tour?

Ammon I have to do your cool Skyline ride!

Kurt

Alexandre Passos

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Jun 26, 2019, 4:53:05 PM6/26/19
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Sweeney to PotA to dirt on the other side to purissima to grabtown to tunitas to skyline to russian ridge to page mill to stevens canyon, back with caltrain?

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Kurt Martin

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Jun 26, 2019, 5:35:34 PM6/26/19
to Alexandre Passos, Brett Lider, Ammon Skidmore, Brooks Sizemore, SF2G
Wow, that sounds great. I gotta find a day to do that. What is grab town?

Kurt 

Alexandre Passos

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Jun 26, 2019, 5:36:44 PM6/26/19
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d chang

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Jun 26, 2019, 6:16:09 PM6/26/19
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Le mer. 26 juin 2019 à 13:45, 'Kurt Martin' via SF2G <sf...@googlegroups.com> a écrit :
What's a cool way to tie Planet of the Apes into a longer tour?

or tying together some spring classics.... purissima (option to grabtown) to skyline, down 84 to old haul road to alpine, down alpine to mp caltrain. or continue towards pescadero and go over butano through big basin to skyline and down into los gatos. or brave the tweakers down 9 to bear creek and down mt charlie to los gatos. or along summit road to the demo forest loops. or stay on summit down through watsonville (?) over mount madonna to gilroy (caltrain end-of-the-line).

\p

ammon skidmore

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Jun 26, 2019, 7:04:12 PM6/26/19
to Kurt Martin, SF2G
I just rode the express that exact route on Sunday: https://www.strava.com/activities/2474853844

Hitting the big features but saving time by skipping the coastal trail.

ammon

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Jun 26, 2019, 7:10:43 PM6/26/19
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All great suggestions although sadly caltrain's Gilroy service north is only in the morning. A Santa Cruz option would be to bus to caltrain. Years ago I loaded my bike on a fast Hwy 17 bus from Scotts Valley to the San Jose station. Works out well if the rack isn't full.

John Murphy

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Jun 26, 2019, 7:19:33 PM6/26/19
to 'Jason Thorpe' via SF2G
The Coast Starlight will pick you up in Salinas at 6:28 :)

Not sure you can roll a bike on though :(
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John French

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Jun 26, 2019, 7:25:59 PM6/26/19
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Not roll-on, but the Coast Starlight has what Amtrak calls "train-side checked bicycles" meaning there's a bike rack in the luggage car and you hand your bike up to an attendant on the train before boarding, and they pass it back down to you when you arrive. You have to reserve a bike spot when you book your ticket.


On Wednesday, June 26, 2019 at 4:19:33 PM UTC-7, murphstahoe wrote:
The Coast Starlight will pick you up in Salinas at 6:28 :)

Not sure you can roll a bike on though :(

On Wed, Jun 26, 2019, at 4:10 PM, ammon wrote:


On Wednesday, June 26, 2019 at 3:16:09 PM UTC-7, dpf wrote:


Le mer. 26 juin 2019 à 13:45, 'Kurt Martin' via SF2G <sf...@googlegroups.com> a écrit :
What's a cool way to tie Planet of the Apes into a longer tour?

or tying together some spring classics.... purissima (option to grabtown) to skyline, down 84 to old haul road to alpine, down alpine to mp caltrain. or continue towards pescadero and go over butano through big basin to skyline and down into los gatos. or brave the tweakers down 9 to bear creek and down mt charlie to los gatos. or along summit road to the demo forest loops. or stay on summit down through watsonville (?) over mount madonna to gilroy (caltrain end-of-the-line).

All great suggestions although sadly caltrain's Gilroy service north is only in the morning. A Santa Cruz option would be to bus to caltrain. Years ago I loaded my bike on a fast Hwy 17 bus from Scotts Valley to the San Jose station. Works out well if the rack isn't full.


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Brett Lider

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Jun 26, 2019, 7:33:05 PM6/26/19
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That sounds pretty cool, John. Also sounds very similar to how the Swiss handle bikes on their trains, which isn't as friendly as roll on but works pretty well. 

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John Murphy

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Jun 26, 2019, 7:34:38 PM6/26/19
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This of course implies a multi day trip up to Klamath Falls and train back!

Since we're still riffing, during the Healdsburg days I got into the habit of getting up in the AM and biking to Hopland or Ukiah for breakfast and work in the coffee shop, then have lunch and get the bus back.  One bus a day from Mendo county, 12:38 in Hopland. It runs from Hopland non-stop to downtown Santa Rosa. You could probably take an early ferry then SMART to Santa Rosa then boogie up to Hopland for lunch. Piazza De Campovida in Hopland is really really amazing and it's really bizarre that it's there. It has a very nice hotel if people are looking for an under the radar close by getaway.

The cycling around Hopland and Ukiah is unreal.
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Brett Lider

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Jun 26, 2019, 7:40:59 PM6/26/19
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Riff on a riff: an artist friend of mine told me that half of Hopland is now owned by Bay Area artist-techie-non-traditonal types and trying to put it on the map. Hence the hotel and restaurants that are popping up. A well known former tech CEO officiated a wedding at that hotel a week or two ago. The new Guerneville?

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John Murphy

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Jun 26, 2019, 7:42:28 PM6/26/19
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Better weather and it doesn't flood. But fires....

Brett Lider

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Jun 26, 2019, 7:44:25 PM6/26/19
to John Murphy, SF2G
Back to the topic at hand: I haven't heard any East Bay suggestions. Does anyone have a great ridge ride out there? I've been exploring on maps how to string stuff together and have done some rides this year out there, but I'm no expert on their dirt. It seems like they still have major access issues that get in the way of good point to point riding. 

Brooks Sizemore

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Jun 26, 2019, 10:59:31 PM6/26/19
to Brett Lider, John Murphy, SF2G
You can string together many of the East Bay parks like so for an epic gravel day (don't be fooled by the distance - lots of punchy climbs in there):

Maybe not terribly hot since a lot of it is shaded.

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Christian Veer

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Jun 28, 2019, 7:06:57 PM6/28/19
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Hi there,

Curtis (cc) and I got inspired by the thread below and are planning to explore some East Bay dirt tomorrow which was advertised as "epic gravel day" below:

Anyone interested to join the fun?

We are planning to take the 9:12 BART from 16th/Mission.

Meet us there or jump on the train:
9:12am @ 16th St./Mission BART to Antioch
9:33am @ 19th St Oakland BAT to Richmond
9:51am @ El Cerrito del Norte BART Station (map)

Cheers,
Christian


Alexandre Passos

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Jun 28, 2019, 7:23:05 PM6/28/19
to Christian Veer, SF2G, Curtis Collins, Brett Lider, Brooks Sizemore
Not a +1 (will do the roaring mouse dirt ride instead, leaves the shop 9am if you're interested, less epic than this) but also consider the nifty mixty route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/7159151 (do keep in mind it's much more fun in the reverse direction)

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Eric Rhode

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Jun 28, 2019, 10:43:12 PM6/28/19
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+1 for non s1 pace :)

Christian Veer

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Jun 28, 2019, 11:26:01 PM6/28/19
to Eric Rhode, SF2G, Curtis Collins
@Eric & potential lurkers: Definitely not s1.




On Fri, Jun 28, 2019, 7:43 PM Eric Rhode <rhode...@gmail.com> wrote:
+1 for non s1 pace :)

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Matt Egan

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Jun 29, 2019, 1:44:44 AM6/29/19
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+1! I'll get on at 24th Street. Last car?

Christian Veer

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Jun 29, 2019, 1:54:23 AM6/29/19
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Last car sounds good,

We'll actually be at 24th, too.
And at Ritual at 8:45 for a coffee.

Looking forward
 

On Fri, Jun 28, 2019 at 10:44 PM Matt Egan <matt.ma...@gmail.com> wrote:
+1! I'll get on at 24th Street. Last car?

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Brett Lider

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Jun 29, 2019, 8:15:57 PM6/29/19
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How was it out there? That route is really close to the East Bay National Skyline Trail route, which I’ve hiked once but would like to go back and cycle some time. 

Matt Egan

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Jun 29, 2019, 11:35:27 PM6/29/19
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So great! Truly incredible route, hard climbs, fun descents, beautiful scenery and skyline views -- really rewarding.

I took way too many photos! I put an album up here:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/RjvdbteUkxb2hRHE9

Maybe the others can add their photos too!

Christian Veer

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Jun 30, 2019, 12:59:29 AM6/30/19
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Definitely a nice ride. Highly recommended.

Ride with GPS route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30403796 (thanks, Curtis)

@Brooks: Thanks for the inspiration!


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Brett Lider

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Jun 30, 2019, 11:43:55 PM6/30/19
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Awesome, I am glad you had a good time. 

I revisited a closely related route today, sticking closer to the East Bay National Skyline Trail. (I hiked this for my birthday last year and had always intended to return with my bike.) Track in case anyone is interested: https://strava.app.link/iDfiYbBtXX

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