Norcal Road trip bike route recommendations?

[jasonification]

Originally Posted by robt57

I read NorCal, and thought Sacramento, Redding.



If you do get that far north, lots of peaceful fun to be had along the American and Sacramento river paths IMO.

Probably not getting much further than the Bay Area unfortunately. Gotta save that for another trip!

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[MarinRider]

Some of the best rides in Marin can be found in the Pt Reyes National Seashore boundaries. Do the road rides on weekdays you will miss the car tourist traffic on narrow roads.

From Pt Reyes Station to the Point Reyes Lighthouse is about 40 miles out and back. You can add excursions to Mt Vision, Pierce Point, Marshall Beach (gravel), Limantour Beach along the way. You can easily do 80 miles & 12k feet if you like. Views are majestic.

The two most well known road rides are Alpine Dam-7 Sisters-Mt Tam and Marshall Wall. Both both worth checking out as well.

[Ken Robb]

Originally Posted by jasonification

Will be driving from Santa Barbara, and planning to do a multiday trip! Glad to hear another endorsement for this ride

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Oh, Santa Barbara is almost 4 hours north of me down in San Diego so if you leave early morning and get through SF before rush hour you could have a nice ride in the afternoon in Marin.

[weisan]

I am staying with a cycling buddy in Sonoma County last week of May and this is what he had planned for us.

1) Kings Ridge - full day
2) Geysers/Alexander Valley - full day
3) Mount Tamalpais/Tiburon - recovery day (maybe add Angel Island)
4) Cavedale --> Dry Creek--> Oakville or Lake Berryessa
5) Coleman Valley loop - recovery day
6) Santa Cruz mountains to the coast loop - full day (or Sequoia ride variation)

Appetizer rides
7) Sonoma Mountain loop
8) Annadale
9) Tomales Bay
10) Lovall Valley

I posted a thread a while ago asking for recommendations and got many good suggestions.
https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=266069

[poff]

Take a short version of Marin century, starting from downtown Fairfax and up Fairfax-Bolinas Rd:
http://marincyclists.memberlodge.com/page-170440?

Pick a couple of loops from SCMC 2018 for rides around Santa Cruz:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31760840

Use this link for rides around Palo Alto:
https://ridewithgps.com/organization...e-club/routes?

Then drive to Mt Diablo and ride it up and down until it hurts.

[cgolvin]

Santa Cruz would be #1 on my list. IMO the SCMC route linked above, while containing some very nice elements, is not optimal if you're looking for 30 miles -- Mt. Charlie is your best bet, but there are plenty of great options (sadly, Big Basin isn't one of them due to the fires).

Also high on the list would be Tunitas Creek/Pescadero, I can provide a route or ask @pdmtong.

And, if you're looking for a nice diversion on your way up, do the Prefumo/See Canyon out and back -- @Steve in SLO hooked me up with that one and it's stellar. Pozo is also very nice.

[dftjunkie]

Originally Posted by cgolvin

Santa Cruz would be #1 on my list. IMO the SCMC route linked above, while containing some very nice elements, is not optimal if you're looking for 30 miles -- Mt. Charlie is your best bet, but there are plenty of great options (sadly, Big Basin isn't one of them due to the fires).

Also high on the list would be Tunitas Creek/Pescadero, I can provide a route or ask @pdmtong.

And, if you're looking for a nice diversion on your way up, do the Prefumo/See Canyon out and back -- @Steve in SLO hooked me up with that one and it's stellar. Pozo is also very nice.

I was on Mtn.Charlie last weekend and it had the absolute worst tarmac I have ridden on. Quite dangerous to descend and very uncomfortable to climb as well. The rest of the suggestions are


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[cgolvin]

Originally Posted by dftjunkie

I was on Mtn.Charlie last weekend and it had the absolute worst tarmac I have ridden on. Quite dangerous to descend and very uncomfortable to climb as well. The rest of the suggestions are


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I haven’t ridden it in a couple of years, would never descend it, but consider the road surface part of its charm. Feel the same about Eureka Canyon.

[okayku]

I live in San Francisco and have done a bunch of riding throughout the state. #1 on your list should unambiguously be the Stinson Beach -> Bofax -> East Peak -> Highway 1 loop starting from Golden Gate Bridge. You literally see the best that NorCal has to offer in a single ride and see everything from the ocean, to beaches, to lagoons, to wooded forests, to mountain ridges, to a beautiful view of the Bay from the highest peak in Marin. This ends up being a 70 mile / 7,000 foot day. Happy to route it for you if you'd like.

#2 on your list should be the Headlands Loop (20 miles, 2,000 feet, starting from the bridge) - one of the most iconic, marquee weekday morning rides in the area.

[jasonification]

Originally Posted by okayku

I live in San Francisco and have done a bunch of riding throughout the state. #1 on your list should unambiguously be the Stinson Beach -> Bofax -> East Peak -> Highway 1 loop starting from Golden Gate Bridge. You literally see the best that NorCal has to offer in a single ride and see everything from the ocean, to beaches, to lagoons, to wooded forests, to mountain ridges, to a beautiful view of the Bay from the highest peak in Marin. This ends up being a 70 mile / 7,000 foot day. Happy to route it for you if you'd like.

#2 on your list should be the Headlands Loop (20 miles, 2,000 feet, starting from the bridge) - one of the most iconic, marquee weekday morning rides in the area.

Thanks! That #1 might be slightly outside our comfort zone..but the headlands ride might be a fun one!

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[poff]

IMHO the most scenic Marin route is taking Fairfax-Bolinas from downtown Fairfax to Ridgecrest, then after Ridgecrest get on Panoramic towards Muir Woods, after Muir Woods get on HW 1 and take it to Stinson where exit it and climb Panoramic, Pan Toll, and all the way to the top of Tam, then go down to Ridgecrest, and return to downtown Fairfax. Should be 45mi/6.5K of climbing.

[weaponsgrade]

Originally Posted by weisan

I am staying with a cycling buddy in Sonoma County last week of May and this is what he had planned for us.

1) Kings Ridge - full day
2) Geysers/Alexander Valley - full day
3) Mount Tamalpais/Tiburon - recovery day (maybe add Angel Island)
4) Cavedale --> Dry Creek--> Oakville or Lake Berryessa
5) Coleman Valley loop - recovery day
6) Santa Cruz mountains to the coast loop - full day (or Sequoia ride variation)

Appetizer rides
7) Sonoma Mountain loop
8) Annadale
9) Tomales Bay
10) Lovall Valley

I posted a thread a while ago asking for recommendations and got many good suggestions.
https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=266069

I've done 5 out of those top 6 rides and they have the potential to be huge days. All fantastic!

For the OP, I'd suggest parking in downtown Fairfax then Fairfax Bolinas road to Alpine Dam to Ridge Crest to Pantoll Ranger Station, back down to Mill Valley and then from Mill Valley back to Fairfax. I think that'd be 30ish miles. It's mostly all descending once you get done with Ridge Crest. I say mostly b/c there's still Camino Alto to climb, but you'll have plenty of places b/w Mill Valley and Fairfax to fuel up. It does cut-out Stinson, but you'll get to see it from Ridgecrest.

[slowpoke]

Ha, this has turned into a discussion of which is the most scenic experience for riding Alpine Dam + Mt. Tam.

I agree for pure scenery, southbound on Ridgecrest to Pantoll and the descent down Panoramic to Four Corners can't be beat (counter-clockwise). You're also closer to the ocean going south. But for easy riding over the Seven Sisters (series of hills on Ridgecrest), northbound on Ridgecrest is much easier (clockwise).

Another proposal for bit of "gravel", but totally rideable on 28mm tires:

Mill Valley -> Blithedale -> Old Railroad Grade (ORRG) to West Point Inn -> snacks -> top of Tam East Peak -> north on Ridgecrest over the Seven Sisters -> windy descent down to Alpine Dam -> Bolinas-Fairfax road down to Fairfax

With all this Marin talk, let's not forget all the fantastic riding in the East Bay and Peninsula as well, but #calisucksdontcome.

jasonification, are you staying in SF, or Marin?

[malbecman]

Could be getting a bit hot but a ride up Mt Diablo next to Walnut Creek should also be on one's bucket list.

https://rootsrated.com/san-francisco...diablo-cycling

Mt Hamilton in San Jose is also pretty awesome.

https://bayareabikerides.net/mount-hamilton/

Both have been part of the Amgen Tour.

[jasonification]

Originally Posted by slowpoke

Ha, this has turned into a discussion of which is the most scenic experience for riding Alpine Dam + Mt. Tam.

I agree for pure scenery, southbound on Ridgecrest to Pantoll and the descent down Panoramic to Four Corners can't be beat (counter-clockwise). You're also closer to the ocean going south. But for easy riding over the Seven Sisters (series of hills on Ridgecrest), northbound on Ridgecrest is much easier (clockwise).

Another proposal for bit of "gravel", but totally rideable on 28mm tires:

Mill Valley -> Blithedale -> Old Railroad Grade (ORRG) to West Point Inn -> snacks -> top of Tam East Peak -> north on Ridgecrest over the Seven Sisters -> windy descent down to Alpine Dam -> Bolinas-Fairfax road down to Fairfax

With all this Marin talk, let's not forget all the fantastic riding in the East Bay and Peninsula as well, but #calisucksdontcome.

jasonification, are you staying in SF, or Marin?

Generally staying in SF or Martinez!