No traffic or low traffic bay area routes
01-13-09, 12:25 AM
#26
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Thanks for all the input on this.
What about living in or near Orinda and accessing the san pablo dam road or a route like this? Many cars?
https://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path...Arlington-Loop
Are there low traffic routes through tilden park or wildcat canyon park or are the roads not long enough there?
I imagine I'll drive some of these routes to get a feel for the roads, traffic etc.
And yeah I'm used to climbing 3,000 feet or more in a ride but flat rides are nice too
.
The cool thing about the place I used to ride in dallas, besides being a low-traffic park road, is that it's a 10 mile loop so cyclists pack in there almost like a velodrome so there are often groups to ride with and it's flat, so the speeds are high. I liked it because I could just go down from my apt, get on my bike, get a quick 10-30 mile ride in with other fast cyclists, not worry about many cars and be done with my ride for the day without wasting a bunch of time driving to and from a ride. but.. I like living in the bay area and I like the hills out here.
What about living in or near Orinda and accessing the san pablo dam road or a route like this? Many cars?
https://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path...Arlington-Loop
Are there low traffic routes through tilden park or wildcat canyon park or are the roads not long enough there?
I imagine I'll drive some of these routes to get a feel for the roads, traffic etc.
And yeah I'm used to climbing 3,000 feet or more in a ride but flat rides are nice too
.The cool thing about the place I used to ride in dallas, besides being a low-traffic park road, is that it's a 10 mile loop so cyclists pack in there almost like a velodrome so there are often groups to ride with and it's flat, so the speeds are high. I liked it because I could just go down from my apt, get on my bike, get a quick 10-30 mile ride in with other fast cyclists, not worry about many cars and be done with my ride for the day without wasting a bunch of time driving to and from a ride. but.. I like living in the bay area and I like the hills out here.
) and the roads are pretty crappy. I would normally ride the three bears loop at Castro Ranch which you can find on this bikely and written up as the benchmark for GPC rides. It's not too steep, or too much climing, but has some really nice scenery on well maintained roads with not much traffic.https://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path...reat-descent-a
https://www.grizzlypeakcyclists.org/RideRating.html
The best bet from the East to Tilden is the climb up wildcat canyon, not very difficult and a really pretty climb. Again, you can ride for several miles through Tilden to Grizzly Peak - either on Wildcat (flat), Golf Links (bit more climbing) or South Park (steeper yet). In the summer, a short a ride up wildcat then golf links, followed by the 50mph descent on South Park is a great way to wake up. (closed nov-apr I believe). Those would be good ~20milers.
If you do come down to check that out, you should also take a look at the Pinehurst/Redwood loop - it's very pretty and quiet, and there is a nice (false) flatish part through Canyon. RoboCheme is organizing a ride this Saturday that will go through many of these areas - could be worth your while to check it out.
01-13-09, 12:28 AM
#27
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Orinda would be a sweet little town to live in. It's fairly quiet, small, pretty, and about 30 minutes from SF via BART. Or... 15 minutes from other larger cities. Finding a place in Orinda to live in would seem difficult, but that's just me assuming.
Wildcat Canyon is a SCREAMING descent, but also a worthy climb. I've almost died on that road 15 times or so. Not because of traffic, but because I'm an idiot on corners. Bear Canyon road is a popular road for bikes (three bears) and San Pablo Dam Road has the best shoulder you'll ever see. I passed a car on San Pablo Dam Road going 45, car was going around 40. Love it!
Another place you should look into, assuming you make hella money.... Fairfax in Marin.
Wildcat Canyon is a SCREAMING descent, but also a worthy climb. I've almost died on that road 15 times or so. Not because of traffic, but because I'm an idiot on corners. Bear Canyon road is a popular road for bikes (three bears) and San Pablo Dam Road has the best shoulder you'll ever see. I passed a car on San Pablo Dam Road going 45, car was going around 40. Love it!
Another place you should look into, assuming you make hella money.... Fairfax in Marin.
01-13-09, 01:10 PM
#28
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Crescent City.
01-13-09, 01:15 PM
#29
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I don't find SPDR too sketchy (it has a big shoulder in most places), but I am not a huge fan either, mainly because the speed differential is so high. The speed limit is 50 mph and I think many cars are going faster than that. I always worry that a car could drift into the shoulder and take you out very quickly. There are a few sections where the shoulder is dodgy and there is currently construction work at the bottom. On the fast downhill part approaching Castro Ranch, I usually move out from the narrow shoulder into the right side of the lane. I don't want to get stuck in a narrow shoulder at 28 mph and have to dart into the lane at the last minute to avoid an obstacle or pavement disturbance.
01-15-09, 12:22 AM
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I own an Internet-based software company, with remote employees, so I can live virtually anywhere. I've been living near Napa for the past several years, but the area doesn't meet my needs. Here's what I'm looking for -- if you can think of specific bay area cities or neighborhoods that fit, suggestions would be much appreciated!
-Warm to hot climate, low rain
-Safe road cycling: I grew up in Dallas, where I rode daily around a 10 mile lake called white rock park -- it was safe, low car traffic and 25mph speed limits, and partially bike-path only. I'm looking for something similar in the bay area. Someplace I can ride every day and not fear cars, but straight out and back bike paths are boring for me and I like routes with other (fast) cyclists too so it's not so boring. So, someplace where I can do like a 10-20 mile loop right from my door without having to put my bike in the car, either on very low traffic roads or nice bike paths (that don't have stop signs every block like the walnut creek trail).
Most Saturdays, I drive to Los Altos and do the Alto Velo B ride (foothill, alpine, portola, OLH, canada, whiskey hill, sandhill -- that area), and it's a great group ride, but I want to live in an area where I can ride daily and not worry about cars. There have been far too many car vs. bike accidents along those routes (especially sandhill/280/woodside) for me to feel comfortable riding there every day.
So, any specific routes, daily group rides, bike paths, that come to mind?
-Warm to hot climate, low rain
-Safe road cycling: I grew up in Dallas, where I rode daily around a 10 mile lake called white rock park -- it was safe, low car traffic and 25mph speed limits, and partially bike-path only. I'm looking for something similar in the bay area. Someplace I can ride every day and not fear cars, but straight out and back bike paths are boring for me and I like routes with other (fast) cyclists too so it's not so boring. So, someplace where I can do like a 10-20 mile loop right from my door without having to put my bike in the car, either on very low traffic roads or nice bike paths (that don't have stop signs every block like the walnut creek trail).
Most Saturdays, I drive to Los Altos and do the Alto Velo B ride (foothill, alpine, portola, OLH, canada, whiskey hill, sandhill -- that area), and it's a great group ride, but I want to live in an area where I can ride daily and not worry about cars. There have been far too many car vs. bike accidents along those routes (especially sandhill/280/woodside) for me to feel comfortable riding there every day.
So, any specific routes, daily group rides, bike paths, that come to mind?
I'm in Woodland, next town north, and love the fact that my house is two blocks from farmland. There's farmland in every direction.
Did I mention that we don't get much rain? And that it gets hot?
01-15-09, 01:49 PM
#31
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01-16-09, 09:56 AM
#33
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If I could really remote to work and it didn't matter where I lived, I'd probably move to West Marin or Sonoma - Nicasio, Woodacre, Tomales, something like that. That's where we ride all the time, and it would cut out the 15 miles or so of flat urban riding we have to do to get to the REAL ride. 
Occidental is also wonderful, but I would get too fat from the proximity to that Wild Oats bakery.
Occidental is also wonderful, but I would get too fat from the proximity to that Wild Oats bakery.
01-18-09, 08:56 AM
#34
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Orinda is a nice community with access to alot of backroads. But still, during commute hours, the cars can be brutal.
01-22-09, 03:01 PM
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Farther south
I've ridden throughout the Bay Area, and if you can go a little further south, to the Monterey Bay area, you'll be in cycling heaven. I live in San Benito County (Hollister) and ride a lot here and in neighboring Santa Cruz and Monterey counties.
Hollister: 13 inches of rain annually, on average. Predictable afternoon northwest winds. Population of about 55,000 spread over 1,396 square miles, nearly all of them in the northernmost area of the county. 40 minutes driving from the beach, 90 from San Francisco. Average daily high in summer: 80.5, and average yearround low 47.
From my door, I'm on very lightly traveled two lane roads inside of five minutes. I find drivers to be patient and courteous. I've got the option of loop rides ranging from 12 to 40 plus miles from my driveway. Good independent local bike shop.
The community is friendly, but more conservative than I wish it were.
The town of Hollister is at about 280 feet in elevation, and there are climbs to 3,000 plus from town, if that's your thing.
Wildlife and landscapes are amazing. I couldn't begin to list the birdlife, but I did ride within a long arm's reach of a golden eagle while we both coasted down a mountain road. I've encountered badgers, elk, antelope, lots of deer, coyotes, bobcats, skunks, and lots of snakes, of course. I've not encountered honking drivers, drivers who cut me off on purpose, that sort of thing. It's pretty nice.
Hollister: 13 inches of rain annually, on average. Predictable afternoon northwest winds. Population of about 55,000 spread over 1,396 square miles, nearly all of them in the northernmost area of the county. 40 minutes driving from the beach, 90 from San Francisco. Average daily high in summer: 80.5, and average yearround low 47.
From my door, I'm on very lightly traveled two lane roads inside of five minutes. I find drivers to be patient and courteous. I've got the option of loop rides ranging from 12 to 40 plus miles from my driveway. Good independent local bike shop.
The community is friendly, but more conservative than I wish it were.
The town of Hollister is at about 280 feet in elevation, and there are climbs to 3,000 plus from town, if that's your thing.
Wildlife and landscapes are amazing. I couldn't begin to list the birdlife, but I did ride within a long arm's reach of a golden eagle while we both coasted down a mountain road. I've encountered badgers, elk, antelope, lots of deer, coyotes, bobcats, skunks, and lots of snakes, of course. I've not encountered honking drivers, drivers who cut me off on purpose, that sort of thing. It's pretty nice.
01-22-09, 03:27 PM
#36
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Hollister has a lot of earth movement. Do the roads show that?
01-22-09, 04:09 PM
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In a few spots. Mostly the older downtown areas. I was once following a couple on a tandem down a short, steep downhill, and they hit a spot where the roadbed had slumped a little. I saw daylight under both wheels for a second or two.
All in all, most road damage is related to lack of maintenance funds and weather, not quakes.
All in all, most road damage is related to lack of maintenance funds and weather, not quakes.
