ROJA

I would like to do a safe, fun ride on that route. Mileage and hills OK up to about 50 miles. Thanks for any leads!

bikingshearer 

You'll need to check maps and milkeages, as I am at my office and don't have access to such. Depending on where you are in Hayward, I suggest:

1) Head for Castro Valley and Castro Valley Blvd going east. It will parallel and then go under I-580.

2) Head south on Palomares Road. There is a short connector road between CV Blvd and Palomares the name of which I do not remember. A decent map will show it. Palomares is a beautiful road. The descent will be a screamer, about 5 miles long, the last half or so in a narrow, twisty canyon. Pay attention, because it ends rather abruptly at Niles Canyon Road (SR-84), which can be trafficky.

3) Turn left on Niles Canyon Road. The (very small) town of Sunol a few miles along provides a place to stock on goodies if need be.

4) Continue on past Sunol, stay on 84 at the three-way stop.

5) Continue straight under the freeway (I-680) onto Calaveras Road for miles of a pleasant valley, a climb past a dam, and miles of twisty, up and down bliss along side a reservoir.

6) At the bottom of a short, steep, fast downhill (careful), either (a) turn right to stay on Calaveras into Milpitas or (b) turn left for what I hear is a bear of a road that ends up circling around into eastern San Jose. Either way, at this point, you are off my radar and on your own.

Hope this helps. If you can do it, both Palomares and Calaveras Roads offer scenery that will make you wonder how you could be so close to a major metropolitan area.

ROJA

Thanks, I will check that out. I found this site as well: https://bikemapper.mtc.ca.gov/BikeMapper/index.jsp

tubs

Left turn is into felter road which has some steep sections and also leads to Sierra Road that is being used in the Tour of California. It is a very technical and wicked descent so be careful there. Starting from the left turn there is probably another 4 miles of climbing. At the bottom of Sierra you end up on Piedmont Road.