Northern California - Patterson Pass 1/31?

I haven't noticed any rides planned for the end of this month, so I'll plan one. This will go over Patterson Pass, with a real scenic view overlooking the windmill farm near Altamont Pass. We will then return via Altamont Pass, then go over Flynn Road, before heading back to Pleasanton. I pieced together portions of routes I did before, but not sure about how rideable the route is.

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Windmills-of-Patterson-Pass

I'd like some comments about this route. Any changes I should make? Otherwise, I plan to do this ride, 66 miles, starting from Pleasanton Bart Station, 9 am.

Thanks.

...I'd like some comments about this route...

Clockwise would be a tougher ride. Plus, you'll be riding on Highland & Manning earlier with the possibility of less traffic.

BR

I know, I just want to see if the route is rideable, and if there are any skittish areas due to traffic. So with this route, traffic-wise it shouldn't be a problem?

Are you in for this Ben? I mean Jim? Soooo confusing ... :p

I second the Altamont, Midway, Patterson Pass, Flynn direction too. Its much more satisfying.

--------------------------------------------
Wanna buy some Single speed Steel Goodness ?
http://www.zensurweb.com/bikes/Kona_unit/Kona_Unit.htm

Sorry I can't make that one Ron, I've got family coming into to town at the end of the week. It looks like an interesting route and I do need get to know more of the bay area this year.

I know, I just want to see if the route is rideable, and if there are any skittish areas due to traffic. So with this route, traffic-wise it shouldn't be a problem?

Are you in for this Ben? I mean Jim? Soooo confusing ... :p

Weather permitting, prolly am in! I might bring some non-BF'ers too.

BR

Geez, Ron, you're early season form must be pretty good if you're tackling Patterson already! I'd love to join you, but I'm already committed to a 3 Bears ride with some TnT folks.

JB

Looks interesting, I think I've only been out there once before, but was a long time ago. I might join, if I don't go skiing.

About how much total climbing is there?

Jonathan,
I'm just trying to keep up with Ramon and Marco. Besides, I've got Solvang Double coming up really quickly at end of March.

Donald,
According to bikely, it's roughly 3500 feet climbing, so it's not bad.

The only potentially dodgy traffic will be getting from the BART station to Foothill Road in Pleasanton and the last part of Tassajara Road to the BART station. Heading out from BART shouldn't be too bad because it'll still be relatively early morning. Coming back in will be worse because the shoppers will be out and you will have to navigate a major shopping area. The roads should be wide and with more than adequate shoulders - just be aware of right hooks and other such Stupid Car Tricks.

The rest looks to me to be anywhere from light to virtually non-existent, traffic-wise (unless Altamont has gotten worse in recent years).

Don't forget - west on Altamont = headwinds. Generally speaking, the later in the day, the worse the winds. On the other hand, east on Altamont = faaaaast, even without the headwinds.

As for you folks who want to do the loop clockwise (Flynn and Altamont first, Patterson Pass second) do you reallywant to deal with the Mother of All False Summits on the east side of Patterson?

Regardless of which way you guys do it, the is no way in God's green Earth that you can get me out for that ride this early in the season with that fast a group. But it should be very pretty out, if the weather cooperates. Have a great ride.

Regardless of which way you guys do it, the is no way in God's green Earth that you can get me out for that ride this early in the season with that fast a group. But it should be very pretty out, if the weather cooperates. Have a great ride.

Oh come on!!!! Who is going to care for all the road kill on the road?

Assuming I can get the day off I will be in for this ride.

I'll try to do it!

We can see if Pete can break the sound barrier going down Patterson Pass ... lol

NOw I have to do it!

Oh come on!!!! Who is going to care for all the road kill on the road?

I guess the dead things are just going to have to stew in their own juices this time. :p

Hey, I just took a closer look at the route. You need to make a couple small changes to the route.

First and most important: do NOT ride on Vasco Road. There is a much safer, less trafficked way to go.

After you come down Flynn Road and have turned onto Greenville, go under the freeway and immediately left onto Altamont/Northfront, as your route says. Take the 2nd right onto Herman Ave. Then take the 3rd left onto Scenic Ave. Go straight across Vasco (there's a traffic light and a Starbucks on the other side of it). Take the 3rd right onto Broadmoor Street. Broadmoor ends at Dalton. Turn left and you are back on your mapped route. Trust me, this is better and pretty much zero change in overall distance.

Second: You do not have to cross the 580 freeway to get back to the BART station at the end of the ride. Instead of turning left at Hacienda and dealing with freeway on- and off-ramps, stay straight on Dublin Blvd. There will be a BART entrance a half mile or so ahead on the left.

Hmm, I'm almost kind of tempted, but it's probably too much for me at this point. I should try some climbing on my own first. I wish I could just jump right back in where I left off! :)

Hmm, I'm almost kind of tempted, but it's probably too much for me at this point. I should try some climbing on my own first. I wish I could just jump right back in where I left off! :)

Ya know, it might help if you take your bike off the trainer, and ride it on the "road". :roflmao2:

I rode it on the road on Saturday. It's so flat around here, I rode 33 miles with a grand total of a few hundred feet of climbing. :rolleyes:

Other than that ride, a few miles the weekend before, and maybe 15 miles in Boulder on New Years Eve, I haven't ridden at all since October.

so are you going to update the bikely route, ron?

i might be tempted to meet you out there at 9am...

so are you going to update the bikely route, ron?

i might be tempted to meet you out there at 9am...

I'll update it before Saturday ... busy with registering myself as TofC volunteer ... fun stuff!

I plan on riding to the start from the peninsula. If anyone else will be riding in from that direction then how about we meet at Niles Canyon Rd and Mission at 7:45am. It's 16 miles from here to the official ride start which should be an hour of riding, maybe a bit more.

I am pretty sure I am going to Join you guys on Saturday.

I plan on riding to the start from the peninsula. If anyone else will be riding in from that direction then how about we meet at Niles Canyon Rd and Mission at 7:45am. It's 16 miles from here to the official ride start which should be an hour of riding, maybe a bit more.

Sounds good, I'll meet you there (if I don't go to Tahoe).

I'll be there too at Niles/Mission 7:45 am ...

What is the official starting point of this ride? The first bikely lists Dublin as the starting point.

The official starting point is still at Dublin/Pleasanton Bart at 9am. But a few of us wants a few more miles and will ride to the start. We'll meet earlier at Niles/Mission in Fremont at 7:45.

Since I would prefer to start at 9am myself, based on that first bikely I could follow that route and near the latter part of the ride make a right on Camino Tassajara and take that to Blackhawk to Mt. Diablo and climb to the summit via south gate. Bikely shows that as an additional 19 miles and 4900'.

Since I would prefer to start at 9am myself, based on that first bikely I could follow that route and near the latter part of the ride make a right on Camino Tassajara and take that to Blackhawk to Mt. Diablo and climb to the summit via south gate. Bikely shows that as an additional 19 miles and 4900'.

That is tempting in a sort of masochistic way. 66+19 = 85. Need to find an extra 15 miles :-)

That is tempting in a sort of masochistic way. 66+19 = 85. Need to find an extra 15 miles :-)

You can always loop around Morgan Territory. That should get you to a full 100. :D

My bad, it's 19 miles there so that would be 38 round trip. A concern would be the time at the start of the climb up Diablo, it will be later in the day and the sun goes away early. That and general fatigue having this nearer the end and not beginning of a ride.

That is tempting in a sort of masochistic way. 66+19 = 85. Need to find an extra 15 miles :-)

I think 19 is one way. So 66+19+19 = 104

I've been wanting to join ya'll for a ride and this one looks fun but I can only get away on Sundays.

I am going to do this Sunday starting from Alameda though. :)

http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ca/alameda/487440491949

Kevin

I'd like to join in. It's been a while since I've done a ride with any of you guys. This route passes within a few yards of my house. Are you still planning on a CCW route? If so, and you're leaving the BART station around 9, I'll start looking for you guys at Vineyard & El Capitan in Pleasanton around 9:30.

-Glenn

Bikely updated with cue sheet.

OK. I'm in. But you guys need to wait long enough for me that I don't get lost. Here I am almost a native to the area and I've never ridden Patterson Pass. It is now time.

I know once there was a problem meeting at BART, folks waited on opposite sides. So, exactly where at the station are we meeting?

Count me in too, I'll be at BART at 9:00. I can't pass-up the chance to see the windmills up close.

OK. I'm in. But you guys need to wait long enough for me that I don't get lost. Here I am almost a native to the area and I've never ridden Patterson Pass. It is now time.

I know once there was a problem meeting at BART, folks waited on opposite sides. So, exactly where at the station are we meeting?
usually it's the south side

I'll be at the Bart station at 9am as well. Glenn, it's good to have you back posting again.

OK. I'm in. But you guys need to wait long enough for me that I don't get lost. Here I am almost a native to the area and I've never ridden Patterson Pass. It is now time.

I know once there was a problem meeting at BART, folks waited on opposite sides. So, exactly where at the station are we meeting?

Yes, we are meeting at the south side of Bart. And the problem meeting at Bart? Oh, that was me. :)

I'd like to join in. It's been a while since I've done a ride with any of you guys. This route passes within a few yards of my house. Are you still planning on a CCW route? If so, and you're leaving the BART station around 9, I'll start looking for you guys at Vineyard & El Capitan in Pleasanton around 9:30.

-Glenn

Yup, CCW route. I may try the CW route at another time, but for this time, it will be CCW.

Yup, CCW route. I may try the CW route at another time, but for this time, it will be CCW.

Will we be stopping for refreshments on the route?

M.

If anyone knows of any on the route then yes.

I, for one, will definitely need to stop for sustenance at some point. I'll probably buy a couple items at the little snack stand at BART and then one other food stop along the way would be good.

Yup, CCW route. I may try the CW route at another time, but for this time, it will be CCW.

Cool, thanks. See you guys tomorrow. BTW, if you're interested we can bypass some traffic and lights in South Livermore and take a paved trail that cuts through some vineyards.

Regarding food stops, looking at the route there's nothing much between about mile 12 and 48.

-Glenn

We pass a Starbucks at the Junction of Vasco and scenic in Livermore (same one we stopped at for the Steel is real ride).

Cool, thanks. See you guys tomorrow. BTW, if you're interested we can bypass some traffic and lights in South Livermore and take a paved trail that cuts through some vineyards.

Regarding food stops, looking at the route there's nothing much between about mile 12 and 48.

-Glenn

I'm all for suggested routes ... I mainly wanted to climb Patterson Pass. I don't claim to know the area that well. Hopefully my Blackberry will have accurate Google maps. :rolleyes:

We pass a Starbucks at the Junction of Vasco and scenic in Livermore (same one we stopped at for the Steel is real ride).

Cool ... sounds like a plan. Most of the climbing will be done by that point anyways.

Regarding food stops, looking at the route there's nothing much between about mile 12 and 48.

-Glenn

That's pretty much correct. If you are willing to go an extra mile and a half or so on Patterson Pass Road toward Tracy to the I-580 freeway overpass and then backtrack the same mile and a half or so to Midway Road, there is a gas station with the inevitable SnakShop. But that is it unless you go all the way into Tracy. Here's a hint about going into Tracy - don't.

There is a nice little restaurant for brunch on Tesla just before Greenville, but I don't think you want to load up just before you take on Patterson Pass . . . .

Otherwise, once you leave the Livermore outskirts, there is pretty much nuthin' until you get back to Livermore.

Oh, and don't blow everything you've got on Patterson Pass. The climb on Carrol/Flynn from Altamont Pass to the freeway is, shall we say, not insignificant. Once you are over the freeway, though, it is a gentle climb through pretty pastures and tons o' windmills, followed by a fun descent.

Have a good one, all. I'm looking forward to tales of derring-do.

I've gotta bail on this ride; have to be back in the City by 5pm. :(