Northern California - Easy east bay ride

Any recommendations for a moderate east bay ride (preferably a loop) for Sunday? My partner and I are a bit rusty and are newbies on a tandem. I reside in SF and am not very familiar with with the area.
Thanks in advance!

Some more info on how you perceive "moderate" or "easy" would help. A couple of generic suggestions from Orinda BART that might appeal:

1) A loop involving Pinehurst Road in Canyon. Broadly you'd go from Orinda BART to Moraga then Canyon. Turn right and wind your way through the gorgeous redwoods of Canyon and climb to Skyline then proceed along Skyline to Grizzly Peak (great views of the bay all along this stretch) and then cut back through Tilden Park to descend Wildcat Canyon and back to Orinda). I'd guess ~25miles or so, probably in the range of 2500ft of climbing at a guess.

2) The 3 bears loop, 3miles or so North of Orinda BART there's a 19mile loop with ~1600ft of climbing, mostly in 3 climbs (the bears) which aren't terribly difficult. Most of the route is quite and there's some really nice scenery to ride through.

There are multiple options to extend/add to either scenario, depending on what you're looking for.

Thanks, I'll give one of them a try...appreciate it.

Here's a couple of bikely routes for you - for some reason it through in a strange wiggle coming back towards BART but you can ignore that in both loops. Looks like my guesstimates weren't bad.

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Orinda-Pinehurst-WildcatLoop

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/3Bears-fromOrindaBART

Edit: depending on the weather, it's worth noting that there is no water on the 3bears loop, but you can get water at various parks along the way for the first route - at Sibley and several points in Tilden, especially our BF favorite watering hole by the Steam Trains at the junction of Grizzly and Lomas Cantadas.

There is nothing like a cruise through GG Park, especially on a Sunday. You can go all the way to the beach and enjoy the ocean. Walk it up the hill past the Cliff House and head over to the Presidio. Wherever you live in SF, you can get back without many hills. If you say where you're starting from, we can give you a route to avoid them.

it's worth noting that there is no water on the 3bears loop,

You can get water at Briones Regional Park. (I place marked the water here (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=37.927619,-122.158762&sll=37.927619,-122.158762&sspn=0.000592,0.001034&ie=UTF8&ll=37.926808,-122.160147&spn=0.004739,0.008272&t=h&z=17).) If you are doing the loop clockwise it is just before the last long climb (Papa Bear?). Turn right off of Bear Creek Road, go a couple hundred yards and then left at the gate (you don't have to pay if you are on a bike) and head over to the restrooms. Water fountain is 100 feet to the right of the restrooms.

You can get water at Briones Regional Park. (I place marked the water here (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=37.927619,-122.158762&sll=37.927619,-122.158762&sspn=0.000592,0.001034&ie=UTF8&ll=37.926808,-122.160147&spn=0.004739,0.008272&t=h&z=17).) If you are doing the loop clockwise it is just before the last long climb (Papa Bear?). Turn right off of Bear Creek Road, go a couple hundred yards and then left at the gate (you don't have to pay if you are on a bike) and head over to the restrooms. Water fountain is 100 feet to the right of the restrooms.


Thanks! Had no idea that was there.

Thanks! Had no idea that was there.

Didn't we stop there the day we did happy valley? I know that I at least pointed it out.

Didn't we stop there the day we did happy valley? I know that I at least pointed it out.

I recall heading round the 3bears and peeling off before papa bear to climb Happy Valley, but I don't recall stopping off.

Of course I always ignore everything you tell me anyway, so it might just be that :thumb: