Northern California - Biking in Stockton?

I may be attending U. of the Pacific in the Fall and was wondering if anyone has had any experience biking around the campus or Stockton. How's the terrain? Bike lanes? Any bad areas to look out for? I'd really like to do some trips to Yosemite if I end up moving there. I won't have a car so I'll be biking everywhere.

Yeah, most of Stockton. lol The terrain is flat, some streets have bike lanes, but if I remember correctly most don't. Unless you find some friends with a car I don't think trips to Yosemite are going to happen.

For trips to Yosemite w/o a car take Amtrak and their thruway bus.
Can't help much else with Stockton or UOP other than it is flat, hot in the summer and the Delta is great for skiing and partying.

Our club (Valley Spokesmen) does an annual ride from Dublin to Yosemite in April that passes just a few miles south of Stockton. As already mentioned, the Stockton area is very flat but you'd be doing a fair amount of climbing to ride to the park. We ride into the park on Hwy. 120 summiting at Crane Flat at about 6300' before dropping back down to the Valley at 4000'.

While there are a few bike lanes around town, nothing note worthy. There is a MUP along the Calaveras river but, it passes along some rather rough parts of town, usually has broken glass along it so, best to stay away from it. Nice flat rides head north on Pacific to Thorton or Davis roads and head up towards Lodi. There are some very nice hilly rides east of town in the foot hills such as Ione, Wallace and Plymouth. Check out the local bike club http://www.stocktonbikeclub.org/

Stockton has a very vibrant biking scene. There's Delta Velo (http://www.deltavelo.com/), a top notch cycling team. Stockton Bicycle Club (http://www.stocktonbikeclub.org/) & Erma's Diner (http://www.ermasdiner.com/) are two very good cycling clubs around the area. And there is a very happening Single Speed movement going on.

When daylight savings starts, so do the Tuesday & Wednesday afternoon rides. Tues is w/ DV and Wed is w/ SBC. Both are very lively and spirited. UOP students are more than welcome to join the fun. We have several students on these rides.

Weekends are full of rides ranging flats to the hills. The bike lanes throughout town are virtually non existent. Head west on the MUP from UOP and you make a good training route. Heading east may be a bit sketchy. Head north and soon you will find yourself in the Wine country of Lodi with a lot of empty roads. From this area you can turn a flat ride into a hilly ride as you go up into the foothills.

Good luck,

BR

Every spring, several members of the SBC ride up to Yosemite, so don't listen to anyone that says it can't be done.

There's a lot of places in Stockton to ride. If you're going to UOP getting around town shouldn't be an issue as everything you need will be close to you as you'll have two major shopping malls, grocery stores, restaurants in less than a mile away and a lot Here's a map of the bike lanes in Stockton:

http://www.stocktongov.com/parks/otherfacilities/bikeandjogging.cfm
http://www.stocktongov.com/parks/otherfacilities/documents/BikeTrailMap2.06.pdf

Wow. I"m glad to see a growing network of bike lanes and paths in Stockton. There certainly weren't many when I grew up there.

UOP! Good school and beautiful campus.

Don't know much about actually riding in Stockton since I don't live there, but my friend who graduated from UOP a few years ago (and more recently moved out of Stockton) said that she wouldn't ride her bike around the area. Yeah, some neighborhoods are questionable, but it's not much better in Modesto and I ride here with no real issues.

There are some great places to ride in the general central valley area though if you can get to them. Out highway 4 towards Copperopolis and Angel's Camp is nice, as is Knight's Ferry (south east of Stockton).

Good luck!

Hi! I am a student a UoP. The cycling is a bit rough here compared to my home in the sf bay area. But there is some cycling around. I have a 10 and 18 mile loops from school that go through nice safe neighborhoods. There are a few up and downs for levies and overpasses, so you just do sprints up them to try and keep some climbing legs. Then on the weekends I try and head out east and do more distance and more climbing. When you get here, come find me and I will show you around!

-Chris