Rising on Hwy 37

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Eric Norris

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Apr 30, 2026, 1:25:02 AM (yesterday) Apr 30
to Randonneurs San Francisco
Anybody have thoughts on the advisability of riding Hwy 37 between Vallejo and Novato? RideWithGPS really, really doesn’t want to let me create a route that includes the bridge over the Petaluma River.

Thanks in advance.

--Eric Norris
campyo...@me.com
Insta: @CampyOnlyGuy
YouTube: YouTube.com/CampyOnlyGuy 

Drew Levitt

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Apr 30, 2026, 11:41:47 AM (yesterday) Apr 30
to campyo...@me.com, Randonneurs San Francisco
It’s technically legal, hazardous, and deeply unpleasant. I would personally not ride there. Neither would almost anybody else, judging by the Strava heatmap. MCBC is working on improvements, but it sounds like those are decades out, if they ever arrive.

But I’ve also been underwhelmed with other routes between Solano and Marin/Sonoma counties. The stretch between Napa and Petaluma isn't manifestly unsafe, you're just riding in the shoulder of a windy, trafficky, same-y major road. And while I haven't ridden from Vallejo through American Canyon myself, I hear tell that it really sucks. (If anyone has info to the contrary, I'd be very eager to hear it.)

What's the bigger picture of what you're trying to do? Many years ago I learned the hard way that if the answer to your question is "Tequila!", you probably ought to ask a different question. Maybe if the answer to your question is "CA-37!", the upstream question similarly warrants revisiting...

 - Drew

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Drew Levitt
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William Monsen

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Apr 30, 2026, 12:04:27 PM (yesterday) Apr 30
to drew....@gmail.com, campyo...@me.com, Randonneurs San Francisco
Regarding going from Vallejo to American Canyon, one route that isn’t horrible is to take the I-80 bike path and then head down into American Canyon on American Canyon Road. Going downhill makes the section from I-80 to American Canyon somewhat less unpleasant. Riding from American Canyon toward Napa is not a joy but there are side roads that reduce the time CA-29. It looks like there are bike routes that are to the west of CA-29 that can get you from American Canyon all the way into Napa (I haven’t tried them),. Check out RideWithGPS heat maps…

Good luck.

Bill

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