Northern California - Devil's Slide

Need some help - what's the best way to ride down from SF to Half Moon Bay? I don't like Devil's Slide on Hwy1 - has anyone actually ridden it? Is it safe?

Is it better to take Skyline Dr? If so, what's the best route around 280?

Thanks!

Interesting, because Vance, in SoCal BF, was just asking what is the best way to get from SF to HMB.

Skyline to Sawyer Camp Trail --> Skyline (watch out for cars at offramps :) ) --> 92 -- HMB.
Or
Skyline to Sawyer Camp Trail --> Skyline --> Canada Rd --> Woodside --> OLH --> 84 --> 1 --> HMB.

Need some help - what's the best way to ride down from SF to Half Moon Bay? I don't like Devil's Slide on Hwy1 - has anyone actually ridden it? Is it safe?

Is it better to take Skyline Dr? If so, what's the best route around 280?

Thanks!
I usally just wait for a break in traffic and jam down. It sometimes takes two shots. I read in a book that there is a trail that will get you close, but I can't remember. I hate the climb out of Pacifica mostly, no shoulder on a blind curve, no fun.
Pete

I guess that's all going to change when the build the new route.

If motor home rental season, I take Skyline to Sharp Park Road. Is that still good? Always seemed to work well for me.

Thanks for the help, guys. So rte 1 is called Devil's Slide? Is there a reason I should avoid this (traffic, no shoulder, etc)? I was just assuming I would take 1 down to HMB for the scenery, but I'm not a fan of getting hit.

Thanks for the help, guys. So rte 1 is called Devil's Slide? Is there a reason I should avoid this (traffic, no shoulder, etc)? I was just assuming I would take 1 down to HMB for the scenery, but I'm not a fan of getting hit.

The area near Pacifica is very scenic, but not much shoulder room. I actually have not ridden near Devil's Slide, just because of the name. But I'll let others near the area chime in.

If motor home rental season, I take Skyline to Sharp Park Road. Is that still good? Always seemed to work well for me.

Not really... Sharp Park Road will land you in Pacifica well north of Devil's Slide.
Technically, bike traffic is not allowed on westbound SPR. Technically.

As mentioned elsewhere, the climb out of Pacifica is narrow, blind, and has no shoulder.
Devil's Slide itself is also a very narrow and largely shoulderless road.
I haven't ridden it and won't. People in cars are just in too much of a hurry.

Thanks for the help, guys. So rte 1 is called Devil's Slide? Is there a reason I should avoid this (traffic, no shoulder, etc)? I was just assuming I would take 1 down to HMB for the scenery, but I'm not a fan of getting hit.
The only incident I actually heard about Devils slide and Cyclist's was a couple of years ago a guy in his 50's flew off the cliff! (no! It wasn't me:( ) and lived to see another day. Like I said I just wait for a the traffic break, due to the red light in Pacifica and just Jam half way down there's a turn out, and wait again for the traffic break. I had a Rice Rocket scare the crap out of me one time though, the guy was flying and I was way in the middle of the road, never heard him coming up on me.
Pete

Once you climb out of Pacifica, going DOWN Devil's Slide should be fun if you like curvy downhills. After you get past that few miles Highway 1 opens up with a fairly decent shoulder most of the way.
If you want to avoid Pacifica/Devil's Slide, instead of going west on Sharp Park Road, continue down Skyline to Sawyer Camp Trail as I described above.

If I'm right, you could take 35 from around the Zoo in SF all the way to just South of San Bruno Ave, get on the San Andreas Trail that runs parallel to 280 as far south as Millbrae Ave, then you have to ride along the frontage road East of 280 down to Larkspur Ave, where you can cross under 280 and get on the Sawyer Camp Trail down to the Dam at Crystal Springs and Skyline. Take Skyline South and you get to 92. Take 92 to HMB.

Oh, sorry Henry. I see you already posted that.

Careful near the coast end of 92, the construction eliminates the shoulder with some cones, followed by water-filled barriers :eek:

Otherwise 92 is fine.

I'd say that depends on your definition of "fine" :D

The only part of 92 I'm willing to ride is the half mile or so between Canada and Skyline.

Actually they widened the shoulder, and the best part is between Skyline and just before HMB.

Doug, that could actually be a quicker "coast and back ride" for our neck of the woods.

Crys Spr -> Skyline -> 92 -> 1 -> Tunitas -> Skyline -> Home

Nice, let's do that sometime.

Nice, let's do that sometime.

Ends up being 45 miles with a start/end @ 20th Ave and Alameda.

So Around 55 total for you.

Cool thing is climbing 92 is cake. So you wont be burnt out for Tunitas. So this ride could be done in like 3.5 hours or so, not taking up your whole day.

I'd like to try it too.

Nice, let's do that sometime.

Hey gang. Now that I've gotten to know you guys, I actually care about you staying alive.

I drive Hwy92 all the time, as you would expect from someone living in HMB. I wouldn't recommend to my friends to ride along there. The climb up from Canada to Skyline is about 2 miles, has a lousy shoulder, is full of trucks who barely fit in the road, and a steady stream of traffic going around 50mph. Ummm, you don't have to be a biotech scientist (gratuitous nod to MsIncredible and Genejockey;)) to figure out that's not ideal cycling circumstances.

I hardly ever see cyclists out there. When I do, I'm always thinking "Boy, I'm glad it's not me riding out there."

So, stay smart and stay away. Unless it's like 6am on a Sunday morning and the drunks are in bed.

I dunno, Marco - the last time I drove on 92, just a couple weeks ago, the section between the bottom of the hill and HMB itself seemed pretty narrow and busy. I'm too old to die! ;)

I DID notice how much wider the downhill section is - that part's nice. If only they'd widen it all the way to HMB....

+1 on not riding on 92. I've been on that road many times and there are no shoulders to talk about and its filled with really impatient drivers.

Why not a ride up Hamilton instead. A prologue before the Tour of California, BF style?

Yeah, I guess you're right... which is too bad.

I just drove it a few times this past couple weeks, and was amazed how nice the shoulder was.

But, I guess I take greater notice of the positive things.

I just did a "virtual ride" on 92 using Google Street View, and I want to say around 40%
of 92 still sucks.

Some of it looks really good now, though. Hopefully a sign of things to come for the rest of the road.

I remember the last (and only) time I ever rode 92 (around late summer of 2003), the WHOLE THING had a crappy and/or non-existent shoulder

I'd be up for a coast ride sometime soon. But let me suggest that, instead of 92, we go up OLH, then Skyline to 84, take that to the Coast (though I'd be happy if someone could suggest a more fun road than the interminable last 5 or so miles between the fast downhill bits and the Coast - Pescadero?), then take 1 (or Stage and 1) to Tunitas, down Kings to Woodside and home.

That should be a real long, and very tiring day. :)


I just did a "virtual ride" on 92 using Google Street View, and I want to say around 40%
of 92 still sucks.

Hey, did you notice the cyclist waiting at the stoplight at 92 and Canada on Google Street View? I wonder if it's anyone we know...

Need some help - what's the best way to ride down from SF to Half Moon Bay? I don't like Devil's Slide on Hwy1 - has anyone actually ridden it? Is it safe?

Is it better to take Skyline Dr? If so, what's the best route around 280?

Thanks!

BTW, I might also point out that one should be careful when making the distinction between Skyline Drive and Skyline Blvd. Two, quite different beasts. I'm sure you meant Skyline Blvd.

I'd be up for a coast ride sometime soon. But let me suggest that, instead of 92, we go up OLH, then Skyline to 84, take that to the Coast (though I'd be happy if someone could suggest a more fun road than the interminable last 5 or so miles between the fast downhill bits and the Coast - Pescadero?), then take 1 (or Stage and 1) to Tunitas, down Kings to Woodside and home.

That should be a real long, and very tiring day. :).

Pescadero is a good choice, that's a nice road.

I have to admit I don't take the full length of 92 too often, when I'm on the Ducati I tend to cut over to 84 on Skyline. Actually I've been known to do that in my car, it's good on the twisties too.

Hahaha... Street View is CRAZY!

Don't know the guy:

http://mail.google.com/mail/?attid=0.1&disp=emb&view=att&th=1163be6d89f8f1df

I would normally suggest a BF ride for this, but since I'm going to be in SoCal during this time, it might make logistics of this a little difficult.

Hey, did you notice the cyclist waiting at the stoplight at 92 and Canada on Google Street View? I wonder if it's anyone we know...

Doesn't look like anyone I know.

http://blastradius.home.mindspring.com/streetview-1.jpg

I rode this three years ago (heading South to Santa Cruz). It was no fun. In fact it was terrifying. One lane in each direction, blind curves, and a rock wall where the shoulder should have been in many places (although, I must say, the drivers were surprisingly polite). The going down was great, faired recumbent at 44 MPH with four panniers, but it was not worth the danger of trip up. Next time, I'll stop in Rockaway beach and pay a guy with a pickup truck $20 to take me to the top of the hill.

Tom