Northern California - In Search Of The Alp d'Huez In S.F. Part 1

San Francisco Alpe d'Huez Part 1

(for altitude/speed) Bicycling.com site http://bicycling.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip.aspx?tripId=298148

Alpe d'Huez is the most famous mountain climb in the Tour de France. While the tour route varies from year to year, l'Alpe d'Huez has hosted a stage finish almost every year since 1976.

Today my bike buddy Ramon and I decided to find a little Alpe d'Huez in our own backyards!

* Climb 1: Arguello Blvd. Park Presidio
* Climb 2: Twin Peaks
* Climb 3: Dalewood way (25% grade)

* Climb 4 San Bruno Mt.


We began at Sports Basement San Francisco. (plenty of parking/Bike supplies). We headed up Arguello blvd without a warmup. You could always take a nice ride down to the Golden Gate Bridge and back. That would give you a nice 15 minutes of riding before the climb.

Keep following Arguello out the gate and its a straight shot South to Golden Gate Park. Go past the Acadamey of Science and take a left which will lead you up 9th Ave.

L on Irving go 2 miles (turns into Carl)
Right on Clayton start ascending continue up.
Right on Twin Peaks Blvd. Follow to the very top of Twin Peaks

Spend a little time here and drink in the views! In every direction there will be an amazing Vista...Can't beat that! (drink some water BTW, climbing has just begun.

Next enjoy your zoom down Twin Peaks Blvd. and hook right onto Portola for 2 miles.
L on Juanita
R on Lansdale
L on Dalewood- Welcome to the toughest climb of the adventure...3 blocks of 25% grade!

Take a breath and drop down to Portola and head West (left)
R on Sloat
L on the Great Highway. Take a little break at the restrooms for water and a beautiful view of the beach. Continue on the Great Highway and it will become Highway 35, coninue for 4 miles.
L on Westridge
L on Southgate
R on 87th ave. Continue all the way to Mission Street, Daley City.
R on Mission
L on Guadalupe parkway, follow all the way to the top of San Bruno Mt. Daley City's Big secret.

This is a great training ride, especially since I will be racing up San Bruno January 1st.

If you want to get back to the city. We always have a cup of coffee to celebrate at the famous "Velo Rouge" on Arguello and Mcallister...just follow the water from back to Golden Gate Park and go left on Arguello. (A very comfortable bike centric coffee shop!

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa292/taxi777/Ramon-1.jpghttp://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa292/taxi777/PeteSBmt.jpg
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa292/taxi777/Ramonhat.jpg
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa292/taxi777/Dalewood3.jpghttp://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa292/taxi777/Dalewood.jpg
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa292/taxi777/OceanBeach.jpg
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa292/taxi777/TwinPeaks.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa292/taxi777/PeteRamoncoffee.jpghttp://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa292/taxi777/VeloRouge-1.jpg
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa292/taxi777/Scene1SBmt.jpghttp://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa292/taxi777/Scene2.jpg

That looks like an awesome ride guys - congratulations. I've a morbid fascination with climbs >20%, probably because I've not done any yet, and know that I need to (Marin in Berkeley comes to mind).

BTW Pete, your link takes me to a "Bad Trip" message - something 'bout the route being marked Private?

Doesn't anybody take a day off from riding anymore?

Glad to see the camera is still working, Pete. In fact, the pictures are turning sharper?

That looks like an awesome ride guys - congratulations. I've a morbid fascination with climbs >20%, probably because I've not done any yet, and know that I need to (Marin in Berkeley comes to mind).

BTW Pete, your link takes me to a "Bad Trip" message - something 'bout the route being marked Private?

I went back and clicked the shared routes button, so it should be ok now!

You can come with us anytime...Ramon comes up with these sick climbs...I'm just a "Partner in Crime":eek:

Doesn't anybody take a day off from riding anymore?

Glad to see the camera is still working, Pete. In fact, the pictures are turning sharper?


Uhhh actually that's my old,old broken Canon...It weighs the same as a brick but it has fill flash...I'm going to bring my 35 MM Rebel next BF ride!

I went back and clicked the shared routes button, so it should be ok now!

You can come with us anytime...Ramon comes up with these sick climbs...I'm just a "Partner in Crime":eek:

Uh oh, I might have to take you up on that...

I'm starting to realize that perhaps a good (?) 2009 goal for me might be to ride the Berkeley Hills Death ride in all its glory. Maybe you guys can get me some practice across the bay one of these days.

Hey thanks for the route, I was looking for a new, challenging ride close to home in the days of likely rain.

Uh oh, I might have to take you up on that...

I'm starting to realize that perhaps a good (?) 2009 goal for me might be to ride the Berkeley Hills Death ride in all its glory. Maybe you guys can get me some practice across the bay one of these days.

I've got the route sheet if you want it. We did that one as part of our DR training last year. I skipped the upper part of Marin to save something for what was in store for us later on. There's a couple of other brutal routes in the Oakland/Berleley hills; the "Nifty 10/50" gets you 10,000 ft in fifty miles and the "Vicious Hill" which I didn't complete last time has some of the same hills but many lesser known jewels. All of these are old Grizzly Peak Cyclists routes. A friend of mine is a member and he has a morbid sense of fun and I'm fool enough to go along with him. This year I'm ready with a XTR MTB derailleur, a 11-34 cassette on my Trek triple.
jw

I've got the route sheet if you want it. We did that one as part of our DR training last year. I skipped the upper part of Marin to save something for what was in store for us later on. There's a couple of other brutal routes in the Oakland/Berleley hills; the "Nifty 10/50" gets you 10,000 ft in fifty miles and the "Vicious Hill" which I didn't complete last time has some of the same hills but many lesser known jewels. All of these are old Grizzly Peak Cyclists routes. A friend of mine is a member and he has a morbid sense of fun and I'm fool enough to go along with him. This year I'm ready with a XTR MTB derailleur, a 11-34 cassette on my Trek triple.
jw

That would be awesome JW. I've not tried Marin, it's bad enough in a car. I've done Lomas Cantadas a few times, and would probably rate it as one of the toughest climbs I've made to date -- how does it compare?

The other routes sound v. interesting - I'll take whatever you've got.