I tried a route slip. Does this look like a good route from my work (Sunnyvale, CA) to home (Fremont, CA)?
I avoided the expressways, not sure if bikes are legal on them.

http://www.routeslip.com/routes/45711

Looks good. Fair Oaks doesn't have much shoulder room to work with, and depending on what time you leave, it can get a little bit dicey.

Isn't Routeslip.com a pain to use? I hate doing that dot to dot thing. I saw somewhere that there is a site which will actually follow a winding road between 2 points, but when I tried it, any route over 10 miles was too large and it wouldn't save it.

JB

PS one tip - you can click on a point at an intersection, and then enter info (ie, turn left, turn right, street name, etc).After you've done that for each turn, then click on the route slip preview tab and it will give turn by turn directions. If you don't you just end up with a map and a climbing profile.

PSS - one more tip (maybe you figured this one out already) - under map options, you can center the map on a zip code, rather than zooming in and panning to find your starting point. Took me a while to figure that one out (instructions are what you read when it didn't go together the first time).

Isn't Routeslip.com a pain to use? I hate doing that dot to dot thing. I saw somewhere that there is a site which will actually follow a winding road between 2 points, but when I tried it, any route over 10 miles was too large and it wouldn't save it.

JB

PS one tip - you can click on a point at an intersection, and then enter info (ie, turn left, turn right, street name, etc).After you've done that for each turn, then click on the route slip preview tab and it will give turn by turn directions. If you don't you just end up with a map and a climbing profile.
bikely.com is another alternative, but just as painful.

Routeslip took me a few minutes of trial and error before I got it. Today I did this route to go home, little different the theroute above. 19.35 miles, and a whole 100 ft of climbing.
http://www.routeslip.com/routes/45745
I left work at 3:15 pm and arrived at home at 4:50 pm. Brutal head wind the whole way. Felt like I was on top of some mountain on a National Geographic magazine shoot, World's windiest peak backpedaling. McCarthy road, Fremont Blvd, Blacow all blew, literally. Didn't see another bicycle commuter going the way I was going, must be an easier route or they all opted for the ACE Train.

Routeslip took me a few minutes of trial and error before I got it. Today I did this route to go home, little different the theroute above. 19.35 miles, and a whole 100 ft of climbing.
http://www.routeslip.com/routes/45745
I left work at 3:15 pm and arrived at home at 4:50 pm. Brutal head wind the whole way. Felt like I was on top of some mountain on a National Geographic magazine shoot, World's windiest peak backpedaling. McCarthy road, Fremont Blvd, Blacow all blew, literally. Didn't see another bicycle commuter going the way I was going, must be an easier route or they all opted for the ACE Train.

It will be better if they ever put in the trail between Dixon Landing and the south end of Fremont Blvd.

Agreed!!!!
Today's ride was'nt very bueno, traffic, bad roads, tight lanes, etc..
Would be real nice if the city planning depts would have invisioned a paved bike bath along the bayfront, away from traffic, connecting most of the bay cities for commuting via bikes..

I believe I saw a small trail that goes along McCarthry today, not sure, still have to check it out, called Coyote Creek Trail, doesn't look like it goes very far..and not sure if its paved?


It will be better if they ever put in the trail between Dixon Landing and the south end of Fremont Blvd.

Yeah.

I tried riding along the bayfront from Mtn View to San Mateo in the past, and it was bad.

Everything after the bike path (that comes after Bayshore) sucked big time.

The roads in the East Palo Alto portion were terrible, the head wind was insane!!

I don't know how it was over the bridge and on to Fremont, but I can tell you the conditions just prior to the bridge continued on for a while after. The frontage road north of 84 is crap comparde to the nice one along Mtn View and Palo Alto.

Agreed!!!!
Today's ride was'nt very bueno, traffic, bad roads, tight lanes, etc..
Would be real nice if the city planning depts would have invisioned a paved bike bath along the bayfront, away from traffic, connecting most of the bay cities for commuting via bikes..

I believe I saw a small trail that goes along McCarthry today, not sure, still have to check it out, called Coyote Creek Trail, doesn't look like it goes very far..and not sure if its paved?

Welcome to commuting! Your commute considerably overlaps mine as I also commute from Fremont to San Jose. The afternoon northbound ride on Milpitas/Warm Springs/Osgood is typically into heavy winds through the end of June.

Coyote Creek Trail does parallel McCarthy from the shopping center to just below Dixon Landing. You can avoid more traffic in the afternoon by making a left from Tasman at Baypointe and another left at Zanker/Center. Follow Zanker over 237. There is a somewhat overgrown path/road (Milpitas/Alviso Rd.) on your right just past the intersection that parallels 237 and connects to the Coyote Creek Trail. Just watch out for ground squirrels!!! I take that route in the morning - as do many other commuters. http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Fremont-Base-AM-Commute

I would also consider taking Osgood/Driscoll to Paseo Padre and going up Paseo. Traffic is slightly better than the Fremont Blvd/Blacow route.

Thanks Sparky for the tips...Looking forward to revising my route.

Agreed!!!!
Today's ride was'nt very bueno, traffic, bad roads, tight lanes, etc..
Would be real nice if the city planning depts would have invisioned a paved bike bath along the bayfront, away from traffic, connecting most of the bay cities for commuting via bikes..

I believe I saw a small trail that goes along McCarthry today, not sure, still have to check it out, called Coyote Creek Trail, doesn't look like it goes very far..and not sure if its paved?

That trail ends, I think at Dixon Landing. EBBC has been pushing for continuation of the trail system through that section. It might even be a half mile in length. The easiest and maybe cheapest way would have been to include it in the freeway work going on there. Leave the concrete barrier wall there with pavement on the other side from traffic.

Have you considered heading north on Fair Oaks, left on Crossman, right on Moffett Park Dr, across Mathilda, becomes Manila, left on Ellis, and right on Middlefield Rd?

Have you considered heading north on Fair Oaks, left on Crossman, right on Moffett Park Dr, across Mathilda, becomes Manila, left on Ellis, and right on Middlefield Rd?
Great suggestion..


I have plotted out a route very similar to what you mention that includes the dumbarton bridge etc, it comes out several miles longer, I am sure I wil try it eventually though as an alternate. The bridge looks like a rush...
http://www.routeslip.com/routes/45711
This route was my first, I might have to edit it a bit and possibly update it with some of the connecting roads you mentioned..