Rising on Hwy 37

[Eric Norris]

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]

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

drew....@gmail.com

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Pronouns: he/him/his

[William Monsen]

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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[Stephen Zavestoski]

Riding over the Carquinez Bridge into Vallejo and then through American Canyon to get to Napa is, in my experience, is a pretty decent way to get from the East Bay to Napa. Hwy 29 through American Canyon can be almost entirely avoided except for a three mile stretch that generally has a wide shoulder. 

Unfortunately, the safest way to get from Napa to Petaluma is probably also the most challenging. It entails about 3k’ of climbing over Trinity Rd and Sonoma Mtn. Rd. after which you reach Petaluma Hill Rd and are relatively close to Petaluma if that’s your destination. 

Here’s a route I’ve used to get from the East Bay to Cazadero: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/54918669

The Vallejo-American Canyon segment is from mile 17.6 to 27.5, after which you’re almost entirely on side roads, bike lanes and bike paths into Napa. Note that after the Trinity Rd climb you can descend more directly into Glen Ellen by staying on Trinity instead of descending on Cavedale.  

The route I linked above is almost exactly 200km. I can submit it as a perm if anyone is interested in riding it. It ends at Comova Cycling, a guiding business I operate with onsite accommodations.

—Steve