Northern California - Contra Costa County

Anybody here from CoCo County? What type of riding do you do? Where do you ride? :)

(Hoooo Booooy! Love this new section here! :D )

I live up in Sonoma County. Any wineries down there? And when will it be cool enough to ride. I like 70s and under.

I'm at the tip of Contra Costa on the Richmond/El Cerrito border. I usually ride the Bay Trail or from here to Berkeley through the neighborhoods to check out the houses and their gardens.

I grew up in Lafayette but now live in the city and ride out in Marin like most everyone else here... I do get out to Mt. Diablo for a little extra climbing once in awhile. I plan to do the Mt. Diablo Challenge in Oct. !

Anyone know of a good site that has pictures of Mt Diablo?

C'mon over to the peninsula and ride with us!

Wooo Hooooooooo!!! I got responses! :D



BUT WAIT!!!

But you guys are all roadies..........you guys won't wanna play with me. :o

Oh well. Maybe you guys can form a ride without me. :(

Anyone know of a good site that has pictures of Mt Diablo?

Like http://www.chainreaction.com/diablo.htm?

There are trails at mt diablo aswell.

Hey, Siu:
I live in Moraga - just over the hill from the Montclair section of Oakland. This is God's country for riding - any kind of riding.

I'm strictly a road guy - nothing against mountain bikes or biking, just that I've never been able to get into it. I'm not a snob about it, though - at my age, size and (lack of) speed, there is no way I could get away with it.:D

Where do roadies go? Berkeley/Oakland Hills. Up Mt. Diablo. Over Morgan Territory Road and back through Highland Road. Carquinez Strait Scenic Drive. And that's just some of CoCo. There are tons of great roads in Alameda, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Napa, Sonoma and Solano Counties within easy biking or driving range, too.

As for off-road, the string of East Bay Regional Park District parks along the Berkeley-Oakland Hills ridge top have bunches of trails. As someone mentioned, Mt. Diablo has trails in addition to good road riding. I have heard there is some good MTB riding out towards Clayton (at the northern base of Mt. Diablo) but I can't vouch for it.

There are also a som good, long MUP's in the area, if that is someone's preference.

Oh, and the drivers are fairly civilized - not perfect, but they are pretty accustomed to two-wheelers and cooperation on the road is the norm.

As for me personally, a lot depends on how I feel. For climbing - which this Clyde does sloooooowly - Pinehurst and Wildcat Canyon usually feature prominently. They are very pretty, and it is hard to get tired of them. If I want flatter roads, I head in the general direction of Danville until I feel like turning around.

Come check out CoCo County. With about thirty seconds worth of planning, there is no way you could be disappointed.

Hello bikingshearer~I just saw your post, sorry for the late reply. I just tried to do the trail on Black Diamond Mines. There is gravel for the main road that is closed off to vehicles but a lot of dirt. Seems like there are really cool trails there but they had a "not bikes" sign there. I found an actual mine that was gated but unlocked - I saw a sign saying that bikes are allowed. I was really tempted to open the gate and go in. It was amazingly cold and dark and I felt in an adventurous mood. The smell was kinda neat. All musty.

I chickened out. This place is nothing but climbing. My asthma started to kick in and I called it a day. Last time I pushed myself I ended on the side of the road with my bike on top of me. I have never been here before and didn't know what to expect. Now I know and will be better prepared for next time.

Thank you for listing the places to ride. I'm still learning for I have not much time to ride and I try to do the best I can by getting a kinds of info from others. I met a guy who used to race downhill and he promised to take me to Black Diamond Mines for some beginner lessons. Actually, that is why I came here, to scope out the place......:)

For the MTB'ers you should try Rockville Park at least once. It's in Fairfield, maybe 20-30 minutes from the east bay. Great little park with trails for all levels. Tons of single track looping all around the park. Its not huge but you can ride for 1.5 - 2 hours before coming back to the same point. There's plenty of technical stuff and the rock park is awesome (the views are sick!) I have since moved from FF but still go there once a week.

But you guys are all roadies..........you guys won't wanna play with me. :o

Oh well. Maybe you guys can form a ride without me. :(

Wasn't that guy named NoFear supposed to set up an mt. bike group ride in the Bay Area? What happened with that?

I broke my rib when I crashed into a tree and couldn't make it, and I don't know what happened after that.

has anyone rode across the Carquines Bridge into Vallejo before?

Anyone know of a good site that has pictures of Mt Diablo?

Well, there's my bike blog (http://diabloscott.blogspot.com/):

http://diabloscott.blogspot.com/

For the MTB'ers you should try Rockville Park at least once. It's in Fairfield, maybe 20-30 minutes from the east bay. Great little park with trails for all levels. Tons of single track looping all around the park. Its not huge but you can ride for 1.5 - 2 hours before coming back to the same point. There's plenty of technical stuff and the rock park is awesome (the views are sick!) I have since moved from FF but still go there once a week.


I still live in Fairfield, and they have made some of the trails very technical. There are still plenty for beginners as well. I would suggest you check it out if you're ever out this way.

Wasn't that guy named NoFear supposed to set up an mt. bike group ride in the Bay Area? What happened with that?
That's me. I'm had a hell of a time trying to get a ride scheduled. I tried twice, and before both sbw got injured and the other people who acted like they wanted to do a ride never responded to pms.

Coming to this thread late, but I live over in San Ramon and enjoy both road and mountain biking.

As far as mountain biking is concerned, Contr Costa County has mostly regional parks to offer - which means mainly fire roads. That being said, a couple of favorites of mine are Morgan Territory (http://www.bahiker.com/eastbayhikes/morgan.html) and Sunol (http://www.bahiker.com/eastbayhikes/sunol.html).

Of the two, I like Morgan Territory best, but that's probably because I'm most familiar with it. The main fire road consists of ups and downs, so you'll get a good mix of climbing and descending, and you'll have fun. Plus, the scenery is spectacular, and at the far end of the main loop you can look out over the Central Valley and beyond, and get a very nice view of both Diablo peaks. It is quite a vista.

I can post some pics if you like when I get home.....

as promised, a few pictures of Morgan Territory. These were taken in the springtime, when everything was still green:

Central Valley view from the back of the park:

http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/8580/valleyview1hj4.jpg

One of the climbs:

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/148/firstclimbuv3.jpg

A view of Mt Diablo:

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/8208/mtdiabloqd5.jpg

Although I live in Alameda, I still end up going out on group rides up in Oakland and Berkeley. The Montclair section of Oakland is an absolutely great place to ride! We usually end up riding through Montclair on our way over to Grizzly Peak.

My town is okay if you want to ride on flat, short, windy routes. The only thing close to a "hill" in my town is the bike bridge that gets you from the main island to a smaller island.

I have been thinking about getting back into riding on trails and doing some serious mountain biking, but can't find the necessary funds for a new mountain bike. :(

My parents live in Orinda, and I'll be there over the holidays. With my bike! Can't wait to summit Mt. Diablo!!!

We really should try to get together like the So Cal group....

I would be interested.

who else?

I might be coming up to the Richmond area on business. I have the "West of the Hills" bike map, and it looks like I could do a loop either Alhambra Valley/Bear Creek/San Pablo Dam, or San Pablo Dam/Wildcat Canyon/Arlington. I'd be doing either of these before work (around 5:30 AM) or after work (around 6:30 PM), with lights this time of year, any comments on weekday traffic and road conditions?

I'm in but I gotta rode more to be able to keep up with you people.

I might be coming up to the Richmond area on business. I have the "West of the Hills" bike map, and it looks like I could do a loop either Alhambra Valley/Bear Creek/San Pablo Dam, or San Pablo Dam/Wildcat Canyon/Arlington. I'd be doing either of these before work (around 5:30 AM) or after work (around 6:30 PM), with lights this time of year, any comments on weekday traffic and road conditions?
Where in Richmond will you be? If you will be at Chevron or out at Pt. Richmond, or pretty much anywhere that is not by San Pablo Dam Road, drive to the Dam Road before you start to ride. I would not in a million years ride a bike, especially a nice one, through pretty much any other part of town, especially in the dark. It just isn't safe, and I'm not talking about the traffic.

San Pablo Dam Road is a pretty major commute artery. It has wide paved shoulders except for a few short stretches (mainly in downtown El Sobrante), so it is safe, but it can have a ton o' traffic. The commute direction is Richmond to Orinda in the a.m., Orinda to Richmond in the p.m. None of the other roads should be too bad, traffic-wise.

To get from Wildcat to the Arlington: after going through Tilden Park on Wildcat Canyon, go straight at the intersetion with Grizzly Peak and down the hill on Euclid - the pavement here can be sucky, and a number of the corners are more slick and more treacherous then they look, especially if damp, so take it easy the first time. Do not, do not, *do not* turn right on Marin to get to the Circle where the Arlingtron starts - it is scary steep downhill, narrow, with cars parked on it, and you are asking to die. Instead, keep going a little further down Euclid to Los Angeles (the street, not the city) and turn right. It will take you to exactly the same Circle. Your brakes and your bowels will thank you.

Another possibility is out San Pablo Dam, up Wildcat, left on Grizzly Peak, left on Shasta, right on Wildcat Canyon at the bottom of a short but to-the-point drop, return to Richmond the way you came.

I got a new pickup for Christmas. What on earth am I going to do with my old Thule rack with four bike mounts? Any ideas?

I got a new pickup for Christmas. What on earth am I going to do with my old Thule rack with four bike mounts? Any ideas?
Congrats on the truck. As for the rack, are any of the parts useable on a truck mount? If so, use the useable stuff from the old rack on some new hardware. (I use Yakima, myself, but I'm sure Thule makes some sort of rack system for pick up truck beds.) As for the old stuff you can't use, sell it on eBay or Craig's List.

I ride in East Contra Costa, home of the cellphone-talking starbucks-sipping never stop at a right on red, Hummer driver. Life is too exciting here. I wish the bike trails were a lot longer. Sometimes we take the mtbs to Black Diamond, but I'm a roadie at heart.
Anyone do the Martinez-Crocket loop? I haven't done it since the early 90's. Is it still rideable?

I ride in East Contra Costa, home of the cellphone-talking starbucks-sipping never stop at a right on red, Hummer driver. Life is too exciting here. I wish the bike trails were a lot longer. Sometimes we take the mtbs to Black Diamond, but I'm a roadie at heart.
Anyone do the Martinez-Crocket loop? I haven't done it since the early 90's. Is it still rideable?
I know some folks who work at the oil refinery in Rodeo and they still see roadies riding by on the weekends.

Congrats on the truck. As for the rack, are any of the parts useable on a truck mount? If so, use the useable stuff from the old rack on some new hardware. (I use Yakima, myself, but I'm sure Thule makes some sort of rack system for pick up truck beds.) As for the old stuff you can't use, sell it on eBay or Craig's List.

Craig's List works! First call came in just a few minutes after I put it up, but the potential buyer needed one that wouldn't require taking off the front wheel (dept store bikes). Second call later that day, and the third call the next day made the sale.

$100 for the Thule rack and my new Performance pickup rack was only $60 complete with two bike mounts.

I ride in East Contra Costa, home of the cellphone-talking starbucks-sipping never stop at a right on red, Hummer driver. Life is too exciting here. I wish the bike trails were a lot longer. Sometimes we take the mtbs to Black Diamond, but I'm a roadie at heart.
Anyone do the Martinez-Crocket loop? I haven't done it since the early 90's. Is it still rideable?
The short answer is "Yes." The slightly longer answer is that it may have more vegetation growing out of the increasingly cracked asphalt than you remember, but is otherwise pretty much the same, down to the car-proof but not bike-proof gates (3 total) and the one or two sections where you have to do about 20 yards of singletrack where the road slipped away back in the 80's (not an issue except when really wet).

Do you have a route slip for the loop?

My in-laws live in Fairfield. If you guys do a ride at Rockville Park, or whatever it was called, on a weekend I'd like to go. I can see if i can borrow my bro-in-laws bike since my old GT has no suspension and is heavy. :)

Wooo Hooooooooo!!! I got responses! :D



BUT WAIT!!!

But you guys are all roadies..........you guys won't wanna play with me. :o

Oh well. Maybe you guys can form a ride without me. :(

Don't worry, after they repaved San Ramon Blvd, I understand you need large tires to soak up the vibrations now.

Don't worry, after they repaved San Ramon Blvd, I understand you need large tires to soak up the vibrations now.

Huh? What part of the blvd is this? I ride there all the time - if there's a bad stretch I haven't seen it yet.....

Huh? What part of the blvd is this? I ride there all the time - if there's a bad stretch I haven't seen it yet.....

Hmmm, two years ago we rode from Castro Valley out via Redwood Rd, Pinehurst Canyon, and back on the Blvd. Hit the Blvd just north of Danville. You're probably familiar with the route. They had just sealed the road and it felt like chip seal. It was so bad I thought I would jar a tooth loose. It was smooth as glass before that. Maybe they rolled it out since them. I've been off the bike for a kee injury for over a year, so I'll have to get in touch with a friend and ride out there again to check it out.

... Hit the Blvd just north of Danville. You're probably familiar with the route. They had just sealed the road and it felt like chip seal......

My turn to say "hmmmm....". I don't recall anything as bad as you're describing just north of Danville. After you pass the high school heading south into town, there're some cracks and stuff just as you pass the hot dog stand on the east side and the bike shop on the west side. But that's just on the edge of the road, and moving left takes care of that. And it is only for a short distance - say 20-30 yards or so.

Maybe it's bad, and I'm just used to it.......... :D

After you pass the high school heading south into town, there're some cracks and stuff just as you pass the hot dog stand on the east side and the bike shop on the west side. But that's just on the edge of the road, and moving left takes care of that. And it is only for a short distance - say 20-30 yards or so.
i was under the impression he was speaking of danville blvd. through alamo, which was repaved in recent years (maybe 2-3 years ago). i was not riding before that time, so i'm not familiar with the condition of the pavement prior to repaving, but as it is now, it is a bit rough, at least compared to the road once you roll south into danville (oh so smoooooooth). and maybe it's just me, but the bike lane seems to ride rougher than the "regular" travel lanes; the conspiracy theorist in me likes to think it's a ploy to prod bicyclists in the direction of the trail :p

and hartz ave., between railroad and linda mesa in downtown is FUBAR. okay, maybe it's not that bad, but i'd call it uncharacteristic for danville, which seems to have some of the better road surfaces in the area. as that area is redeveloped, i think the road condition will improve.

and hartz ave., between railroad and linda mesa in downtown is FUBAR. okay, maybe it's not that bad.....

When I go through downtown Danville, I go center lane all the way. Usually, I'm going at or faster than the speed of car traffic so I can catch a nice draft from a Chevy Tahoe or something...... :D

There are a lot of monitoring wells and assorted utility access hole covers on Danville Blvd that have been poorly paved around. The surface of the road isn't bad but then you have these small craters that can dent your rims.

I'm also in San Ramon - just getting back into road biking. I'm not in great shape, so I'm doing the Team in Training routine to get back in shape. I'm aiming for the Tour of the Ca. Alps ride in July, so hopefully I'll round back into shape pretty quickly.

JB

. . . . so hopefully I'll round back into shape pretty quickly.
I don't have to round into shape - I'm already plenty round.;) In fact, I'm trying to get less round.

I don't have to round into shape - I'm already plenty round.;) In fact, I'm trying to get less round.


Looks like that makes three of us. Let's do a ride!

I ride in East Contra Costa, home of the cellphone-talking starbucks-sipping never stop at a right on red, Hummer driver.
Until I got to the part about stopping and the Hummer, I thought you were describing the cyclists!

I have lots of flexibility in my schedule, and would really like to get out on morning rides during the week. There's a few people that i hook up with but not regularly enough. Anyone interested? I'm working mostly on my base, so I'm thinking 50-60 miles rides with some, but not a huge amount of climbing (like the loop through Livermore that the House of Pain cycling team rides on Saturday mornings, or going from San Ramon down to the Calaveras reservoir and over into Milpitas/ returning via Niles Canyon). If someone wants to get a little more serious on the climbing, there's always Palomares. I can climb it, but I won't be fast!

JB