Northern California - San Francisco to Sacramento

Has anyone gone from San Francisco to Sacramento or close to it? Not that I plan to but always wondered what would be the best bike roads? I looked on Google maps but it doesn't tell what roads can be ridden by bike.

Thanks..knotty

Google Maps has a new "avoid highways" option.
I don't know how rideable all it's suggested routes are though.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&saddr=san+francisco,+ca&daddr=sacramento,+ca&mra=cc&dirflg=h&sll=38.17545,-121.955405&sspn=1.58911,2.636719&ie=UTF8&ll=38.019968,-121.959229&spn=1.592498,2.636719&z=9&om=1

Hey BlastRadius good to see you, hope all is well!

That Google feature is very interesting, I'll play with it. I don't know why, I've always thought about riding to Sacto, I guess it's the ride through many small towns along the way.

Thanks..knotty

Hey BlastRadius good to see you, hope all is well!

That Google feature is very interesting, I'll play with it. I don't know why, I've always thought about riding to Sacto, I guess it's the ride through many small towns along the way.

Thanks..knotty

Awhile back a friend of mine rode out to Tahoe and took a couple of days, staying at bed and breakfast's. He had a great time. I wouldn't mind doing it some day.
Pete

Actually, I've read a lot of accounts of "coast to coast" tours where people have dipped their wheels in the water at Ocean Beach, then ridden to the Embarcadero and taken the Ferry to Vallejo. From there, the general route is Lake Herman road to 680 and then there's a frontage road along 680 to Fairfield.

Fairfield then presents many options to get to Sacramento, ranging from the Berryessa-Winters route over the mis-named Cardiac Hill, to the virtually flat route that skirts Travis AFB (or goes through it as I can) and arrives in Davis via Dixon.

If you really want to ride the whole distance, I believe most people take the GC bridge and go through Marin. Highway 37 is actually bikeable or you can take a more Northerly course through Napa/Sonoma. Then you would most likely go up to Berryessa, so this is what you do if you like hills.

Another way, would be to take BART to Pittsburg and go along the Delta.

+1 to going north over GG Bridge... heading south is all very urban.

Thanks Knotty,
I'm just recovering at home.
I can get walk but I'm not supposed to drive or cycle :( till my Dec follow-up with the spine/neuro-surgery dept. Still have some double vision too.

Another way, would be to take BART to Pittsburg and go along the Delta.

I've gone from Concord BART up to Sac this way. I give it a thumbs up. Extremely scenic and less-travelled, although the shoulder can be a bit daunting and grading vibration hammers you in a few spots.

sounds like a nice ride... bike to Sac and back or just bike it there and then Amtrak it back ;) .Hmm maybe this would / could be a nice group ride thing.

Thanks all for the tips, sounds like across the GG bridge to 37 would be the way I would like to go. All the previous years I've ridden, never even considered going toward Sacto, don't know why. Actually, the Delta with it's old towns like Locke and Walnut Grove might be even more fun than Sacto. Well, I've got to get more miles under my belt for Sacto, only been riding 4 months now after a 17 year layoff.

knotty

sounds like a nice ride... bike to Sac and back or just bike it there and then Amtrak it back ;) .Hmm maybe this would / could be a nice group ride thing.

I've done that ride, starting at the Amtrak station in Martinez. From there it is about 85 miles through The Delta to Old Town Sacramento. We each lunch there, and take the train back to Martinez.

Going to Sacramento is a nice, scenic, fun ride. Riding back can be a b!tch, because of the prevailing headwinds. That's why we start at Amtrak - so we can take the train back. :)

Riding back can be a b!tch, because of the prevailing headwinds. :)
Yeah! Definitely, definitely.

I've done that ride, starting at the Amtrak station in Martinez. From there it is about 85 miles through The Delta to Old Town Sacramento. We each lunch there, and take the train back to Martinez.

Going to Sacramento is a nice, scenic, fun ride. Riding back can be a b!tch, because of the prevailing headwinds. That's why we start at Amtrak - so we can take the train back. :)

I'd sign up for a ride like this! (hint, hint)

Actually, I've read a lot of accounts of "coast to coast" tours where people have dipped their wheels in the water at Ocean Beach, then ridden to the Embarcadero and taken the Ferry to Vallejo. From there, the general route is Lake Herman road to 680 and then there's a frontage road along 680 to Fairfield.

Fairfield then presents many options to get to Sacramento, ranging from the Berryessa-Winters route over the mis-named Cardiac Hill, to the virtually flat route that skirts Travis AFB (or goes through it as I can) and arrives in Davis via Dixon.

If you really want to ride the whole distance, I believe most people take the GC bridge and go through Marin. Highway 37 is actually bikeable or you can take a more Northerly course through Napa/Sonoma. Then you would most likely go up to Berryessa, so this is what you do if you like hills.

Another way, would be to take BART to Pittsburg and go along the Delta.

Exactly how do you get across to the Delta? Surely not over the Antioch bridge?:eek:

Exactly how do you get across to the Delta? Surely not over the Antioch bridge?:eek:

Yes, the Antioch Bridge. I was horrified when it was first suggested, but other than the nasty crosswind it ain't that bad. It is an easy, quick climb, the bike lane is decent, and the traffic seemed pretty light (on the Saturday I did it).

I'd sign up for a ride like this! (hint, hint)

Yeah? Let me see if I can dig out the route slip. It's an all-day deal, but a lot of fun.

Exactly how do you get across to the Delta? Surely not over the Antioch bridge?:eek:


You can also cross over the new bridge between Crocket and Vallejo --- Hwy 80

You can also cross over the new bridge between Crocket and Vallejo --- Hwy 80

If you start at the del norte bart station you can just take san pablo ave all the way to carquinez bridge. From there you can go to vallejo and head up to sac.

New to this forum thing, but have ridden to Sacramento at least once a year for the last five years. Each time I bagan at Pittsburgh/Bay Point BART. Ride along the trail to Antioch, then over the Antioch Bridge, Along parts of highway 160 with some nice sections off of 160 too. Great lunch stop in Rio Vista (and a great weird dead animal bar to check out), good taco truck closer to Sacramento too. The Delta is a great ride. Really pretty especially with the tailwind. The next time I ride it I want to vary the route a bit so I ride through the Consumnes River Preserve area.

Once the Benicia Bridge takes bikes from Martinez, you could ride into Fairfiield, the Montezuma Hills towards Rio Vista, then continue along the Delta. If ever riding in the Montezuma Hills area, stop in Shiloh ( I think) and have a beer at the bar, the bar still serves [eanuts in the shell and the floor is can sometimes be covered in shells. Plus all this great memoribilia on the walls too.

You could also begin in Berkeley/Oakland area and ride the whole way now that the Carquinez Strait bridge to Vallejo has a bike path over it.

Nick

I'd sign up for a ride like this! (hint, hint)

Add me to that ride! :rolleyes:

What time of year are SW winds the most likely? I'd be up for such a ride (of course, I'd take Amtrak to Martinez and ride home).

I've ridden to Sacramento in the Spring, Summer, and Fall. Each time the winds have been more tail than head. Is posting ride cues o.k. on this site?

....good taco truck closer to Sacramento too.....

That would be the taco truck at the Courtland bridge. I stop there every time I pass through.

What time of year are SW winds the most likely? I'd be up for such a ride (of course, I'd take Amtrak to Martinez and ride home).

The SW wind is definitely more reliable during the spring/summer. I rode the delta every day from June to September and the delta breeze was in my face the first half just about every day. It changes a lot this time of year. You're most likely to have SW winds all year long on the beginning of the trip but then when you approach Sacramento you could have N wind. Today it's all SW but it varies from 18mph in Rio Vista down to 6mph a few miles north in Walnut Grove. Yesterday it was 6mph SW in Rio Vista and 6mph N in Sacramento. The delta gets odd changes.

Once the Benicia Bridge takes bikes from Martinez, you could ride into Fairfiield, the Montezuma Hills towards Rio Vista, then continue along the Delta. If ever riding in the Montezuma Hills area, stop in Shiloh ( I think) and have a beer at the bar, the bar still serves [eanuts in the shell and the floor is can sometimes be covered in shells. Plus all this great memoribilia on the walls too.

You could also begin in Berkeley/Oakland area and ride the whole way now that the Carquinez Strait bridge to Vallejo has a bike path over it.

Nick

Whatever you do, don't ride Highway 12 between Suisun and Interstate 5. There's little shoulder, lots of traffic, and lots of accidents/death.

The shoulder between Fairfield and Birds landing area is pretty wide. Just a ****ty headwind most all the time as one heads west.

Check out adventure cycling associations western express route.

my bro and i have a show in sac town, and we are from san jose, does anyone know a good way to get there on bike? we checked mapquest and it gave us a route i wanted to see if anyone has done it from the SJ area?