Peninsula on Velodromedary

Nice morning to bike 40 miles to work:

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:06:54 +0000

Nice morning to bike 40 miles to work:

Peninsula Hills, Woods, Farmland

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:36:00 +0000

Yesterday a friend organized a ride from San Mateo to San Gregario (via Kings Mountain road, which I’d never biked), through La Honda (past Alice’s Restaurant), and back up Tunitas Creek (which I’d been on once before). And just for the heck of it, I decided to add on an early morning ride from San Francisco to San Mateo rather than take the Caltrain down.

The forecast for 40% chance of afternoon rain fell our way– just 10 minutes of freezing rain and misery on our way into Woodside on Skyline, but otherwise clear, sunny, and cool– great biking weather.

Kings Mountain

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 21:06:46 +0000

Kings Mountain

Got up at 5:30 to go on a 42-mile bike ride before work (as posted on all the social media...). Refreshing!

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 02:11:19 +0000

Got up at 5:30 to go on a 42-mile bike ride before work (as posted on all the social media…). Refreshing!

Pescadero ride recap

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 06:30:00 +0000

Four of us biked a loop from Menlo Park to Pescadero, mostly on low-traffic back roads, through redwood and eucalyptus groves. The 63 miles and 7000’ of elevation gain (most of it in two major hills) made it a bit of a challenge as well.

This Sunday: Menlo Park to the Ocean

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 02:55:00 +0000

As planned, the ride from Menlo Park to the ocean (Pescadero) and back is on, this Sunday.

The route is 62 miles with long hills (for example, Old La Honda is about 3 miles of 6-7% grade)– consider it “very challenging” compared to our usual rides, and plan on taking the whole day. Bring water, snacks, spare tube/patch kit, layers (it can get cold), and lights (just in case we’re out late).

Wind Harp (south SF, impromptu 17-mile ride with friend)

Sun, 01 May 2011 20:44:00 +0000

Wind Harp (south SF, impromptu 17-mile ride with friend)

Biking in Saratoga & Los Gatos

Sun, 30 Jan 2011 21:04:51 +0000

For variety, on Saturday I joined some people I know who were going on one of the AIDS LifeCycle training rides in the South Bay– a 46-mile loop, taking us from Mountain View (near the Caltrain station) through Cupertino, Saratoga, Los Gatos, and some towns I’d never heard of (Monte Sereno).

It was a good workout and way to spend a chunk of the day, with one significant hill and a lot of fairly straight rolling-hill sections where you could get momentum going (while nominally a 10-12mph pace, the pack I was riding with made some solid 20-25mph pulls on the long flat stretches and the road flew by). However, the scenery was nothing special– lots of suburbs, strip malls, cars, and Starbucks. Given that and how slow Caltrain is, I’ll probably stick with mostly SF/Marin/East Bay rides in the future, or try some of the more woodsy (and hilly) peninsula rides.

Overnight bike trip: SF -> Montara

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 07:51:00 +0000

Well, that was a great weekend.

A group of 10 of us biked from SF to Montara (on the coast, between Pacifica and Half Moon Bay, about 30 miles), stayed overnight in the Montara Lighthouse Hostel ($28/night, includes linens, fully booked most Saturday nights months ahead of time but the web site availability is often incorrect– you can call them directly to make reservations, and should if you’re going with a group), and biked back the next day.

Old San Pedro Mountain Road

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 00:45:00 +0000

10 of us rode from San Francisco to Montara this weekend, stayed the night in the Montara Lighthouse youth hostel, then rode back. I’ll post a full map and photos later (edit: Ok, the SF->Montara ride has been posted) – to start, I’m just posting photos of Old San Pedro Mountain Road, our detour inland from Highway 1.

From Short Bike Rides San Francisco (where I read about this route) “San Pedro Mountain Road is the old alignment of Highway 1 before Devil’s Slide was built.” It’s now closed to cars and overgrown, a mix of pavement, broken pavement, dirt, and light mud (still doable without a mountain bike, though). Some people in the biking community call it “Planet of the Apes Road”– not that it’s *that* decrepit, but once you know it used to be a road for cars, you can imagine you’ve come across a collapsed civilization.

Overnight ride to Montara 1/15 (& stay in lighthouse hostel)

Sun, 02 Jan 2011 01:46:00 +0000

I’m planning a ride to Montara (near Half Moon Bay), leaving Saturday morning 1/15, staying overnight in the Montara Lighthouse(!) Hostel, and coming back Sunday morning.

About 25 miles each way, some hills and deserted/derelict highways (see below), and about $30/person for the hostel. If you’re interested in joining, let me know ASAP– I got tentative confirmation of some space at the hostel but need to call back in the next few days to confirm and put down a deposit. [edit: whoa, 10 people interested so far!] [edit edit: up to 12-14]

Biked to work today (about 44 miles)

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 03:55:00 +0000

…with a few dozen people heading to various companies around the peninsula, following this route: http://sf2g.com/bayway.html

Getting up and active before 6 was painful, but the ride was very nice– misty fog, small animals, marshes, and the bay. Light traffic for most of the way.

Bike route from SF to San Bruno

Sun, 02 May 2010 05:23:56 +0000

(continuing my expansion of this site from not only documenting group rides, but also interesting or long rides I take):

Here’s a route I took today between San Francisco and the Westborough/Skyline part of San Bruno: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3691599

The 2 miles of uphill on Westborough Blvd was brutal and took me a while, but going back down was fun.

Bay trail foster city: trip report & map

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:24:00 +0000

Six of us met up at Millbrae and biked South along the Bay Trail, through the Coyote Point recreation area (where we were tempted by the smell of barbeque), past San Mateo, and around Foster City, cutting back inland to Belmont, for lunch at Cafe Mossant, and then back via caltrain. I didn’t take any photos, but if anyone did I’ll post them. I tried out GPS track recording on my phone, you should see an embedded map below: A few stats from the cycle computer:17 miles, average speed 10mph, 100 minutes of cycling time. No organized rides for the next month or so, next ride mid-August.

Laid back Bay Trail ride, Sunday 7/12

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:25:00 +0000

Details to follow.

This will be a more mosey-along ride than usual, a great starter ride. A few people have already said they’re coming on this as their first ride.

It will be fun– minimal traffic, very flat, and a relaxed pace (much of it is on a paved path separate from the street, shared with the occasional jogger), though still a respectable distance (maybe 15 miles depending where we finish).

Ride debrief, map

Sun, 31 May 2009 22:44:00 +0000

A few people from our usual group joined a group of maybe 150 bicyclists at Dolores Park at 8:30AM on a gray and misty morning (the people in the Dolores Park Cafe were confused by the crush of business). It was amusing to see another bicyclist heading to the park through the deserted streets of the mission and think “I bet I know where he’s going”. The group headed out around 9:30 (some with stereo systems, musical instruments, and other bulky objects), and took a route from Bayshore -> Tunnel -> Sierra Point -> McDonnell -> the Bay Trail south of the airport -> 3rd Ave in San Mateo. We didn’t ride on the Bay Trail itself for much of the ride– we took the slightly more direct (and wider, easier to bike on with a crowd) surface streets. The ride was at a slow pace, with a few bikes with stereos, and some periodic waiting to regroup, and we reached Maker Faire a little before noon. After Maker Faire, around 6:45, I was feeling my oats and decided to bike back on my own, trying to beat the setting sun. I took the more scenic bay trail routes much of the way, with a few accidental detours. Here’s a rough map of the overall ride. My recently-purchased bike computer says I rode 53 miles total, including getting to the park in the morning.

Heading South on Tunnel Ave

Sat, 30 May 2009 21:34:00 +0000

Heading South on Tunnel Ave

About 150 bikers at 9am on a Saturday.

Sat, 30 May 2009 16:40:00 +0000

About 150 bikers at 9am on a Saturday.

ride this saturday

Mon, 25 May 2009 18:31:00 +0000

I’m planning on joining someone else’s organized ride this Saturday, in case you’re interested – the Rock The Bike group biking to Maker Faire. http://www.rockthebike.com/node/10277 from the web page: “the ride is about 19 miles over mostly flat terrain, and we will take a leisurely pace, cruising with great music on our party bikes.” Plus, there’s valet bike parking and you get into Maker Faire at a discount. To get back without doing that length of ride again, the Hillsdale Caltrain station is just a few miles away. If you’re interested, let me know (I’ll mass-RSVP to the organizers), and meet at Dolores Park at 8:30AM.

a nice day for a ride

Sun, 10 May 2009 23:04:00 +0000

Four people came out today, two for the first part of the ride (from the ballpark South, through empty industrial back streets of Bayshore, then along the bay around Candlestick Park, and back to SF). Two of us continued South along Tunnel Ave and along the Brisbane Lagoon on Sierra Point Pkwy (a road that always feels like it’s about to force you onto the 101), along the Bay Trail, through the airport, and then back via the BART from Millbrae. See some photos below. Wildflowers were blooming along the path, and the sun was shining, though there was an intense headwind along much of the bay. Here’s a rough map, 20-25ish miles total depending on starting and ending points (I’m not sure I correctly traced all the Bay Trail, much of which was on paths).

Less scenic: McDonnell through the airport (there may be a better way)

Sun, 10 May 2009 20:15:00 +0000

Less scenic: McDonnell through the airport (there may be a better way)

Approaching the airport

Sun, 10 May 2009 19:35:00 +0000

Approaching the airport

On the Bay Trail

Sun, 10 May 2009 19:00:00 +0000

On the Bay Trail

ride this sunday: 2-part (1 easy, 1 long)

Fri, 08 May 2009 01:43:00 +0000

Part 1: Sunday Streets (http://sundaystreetssf.com/?page_id=470) route from the ballpark at 4th and King (meet there at 10:30am) down to the Bayview Opera House. Part 2: A ride as far south as we can along the Bay Trail (a separate bike path or lane some places, but also riding on the street many places). Maybe to the airport or farther to Foster City/Belmont (once we pass the airport it’s an amazing section of swampy marshes and mostly paved, car-free riding). I’m thinking an abridged version of this general route: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/San-Francisco-to-Sunnyvale