Northern California - South Bay & Peninsula Flat Distance Routes?

So I'm getting back into road cycling after over a decade of not riding much at all. Part of getting back into riding shape is racking up some miles on (mostly) flat rides. I'm far from ready for hills at this point, but most of the routes I've seen posted on various sites all involve some degree of climbing. Can anyone recommend some flat routes/loops that are 25-30 miles or longer? If the routes manage to avoid streets with heavy traffic, that'd be a big plus.

I've done a bit of googling already, but like I said, everybody always wants the hills, it seems.

Thanks

There are some ideas in this thread: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/727156-The-Peninsula

There are even more choices in the farm and reservoir country south of San Jose.

There are some ideas in this thread: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/727156-The-Peninsula

There are even more choices in the farm and reservoir country south of San Jose.

I don't know how I missed that - thanks!

The creekside paths -- Stevens Creek and San Tomas Aquino Creek -- are great routes, safe from cars and Stevens Creek path is pretty shady as well. Stevens Creek leads to Shoreline Park and you can ride easily from, say, from downtown Mountain View up the creek, west along the bay past the Palo Alto Airport and golfcourse and back -- would be about 25 miles.

The creekside paths -- Stevens Creek and San Tomas Aquino Creek -- are great routes, safe from cars and Stevens Creek path is pretty shady as well. Stevens Creek leads to Shoreline Park and you can ride easily from, say, from downtown Mountain View up the creek, west along the bay past the Palo Alto Airport and golfcourse and back -- would be about 25 miles.

Yep, I once in a while ride up the Stevens Creek trail to get to Shoreline Park from Sunnyvale. I was pleasantly surprised to see some nicely paved trails that don't seem to have a lot of users (at least not in the evening). Not a lot of dog walkers, joggers, only a handful of bicycles.

Generally I prefer to stay to the roads otherwise.

Yep, I once in a while ride up the Stevens Creek trail to get to Shoreline Park from Sunnyvale. I was pleasantly surprised to see some nicely paved trails that don't seem to have a lot of users (at least not in the evening). Not a lot of dog walkers, joggers, only a handful of bicycles.

Generally I prefer to stay to the roads otherwise.

Weekends are crowded. Weekdays aren't bad.

The Coyote Creek Trail, starting at Hellyer Park and riding south to Morgan Hill, is around 15 miles each way. Lovely scenery, and no roads involved. It can get busy with joggers, dog walkers, horses, and cyclists on nice days!

I ride the Bay trail frequently and it's flat and about 40 miles back and forth from Foster City to about Brisbane. It's a nice safe ride.

http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/9a92/0a30/4d91/944a/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20110514-0900.kml

Thanks for the suggestion I'll give it a try soon. Well maybe not that soon :p climbing guadalupe canyon to get home at the end doesn't exactly fill me with glee.


I ride the Bay trail frequently and it's flat and about 40 miles back and forth from Foster City to about Brisbane. It's a nice safe ride.

http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/9a92/0a30/4d91/944a/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20110514-0900.kml

this is a nice ride Almaden lake park to mckean road in San jose. the first part is a MUP trail so it can be busy...but generally not as busy as los gatos creek. and you can keep going as long as you like and then come back


http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=mckean+road+san+jose&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1165&bih=687&wrapid=tlif130757692636610&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x808e25407e5f5fe7:0x3057ca90359cdf8a,McKean+Rd,+San+Jose,+CA&gl=us&ei=hQrwTcDLFoS6sQOTqq2fDg&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CBcQ8gEwAA

http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/9a92/0a30/4d91/944a/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20110514-0900.kmlThanks for the map! I ride the exact opposite direction from almost exactly the same location (within a couple of blocks), most every day. Also pretty flat & safe.

Assuming CalTrain doesn't kill anyone today, I think I'll try your route, or some part of it, tonight & then take the train back to the south bay :thumb:

Assuming CalTrain doesn't kill anyone today, I think I'll try your route, or some part of it, tonight & then take the train back to the south bay :thumb:
So I rode to SFO (http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/13153943) -- holy cow, you didn't warn me about the headwind! Must have been 15-20 mph as I came around Seal Point. Toughest "flat" ride I've ever had, zowie!

(And yeah, CalTrain did hit someone around 4-5pm -- allegedly a drunk passed out on the tracks)

Yeah, the bay winds will get you every time.

And no one is on the Stevens Creek Trail in the evening because of the bugs. :)