Maybe some other folks who know the roads to the south a little better than me could chime in here because I typically stay on the Iron Horse that far south. Since I ride mainly at night I don't have to deal with a lot of people, mostly wildlife
. Well the Iron Horse from PH is a slight grade then a bump up and over Ygnacio Valley Rd, from there nothing of any decent grades until San Ramon. For more of a grade you need to go east or west. We could go up Tassajara out to Blackhawk, it's a few miles of steady grade going out and turn on Crow Canyon which has some rollers heading back towards the freeway. Tassajara is nice because they have big well marked bike lanes.