I remember that problem well from my decades just west of you in Davis. The first hour or more of each ride, and the return, consisted of pancake-flat terrain. At least everyone learned well how to ride in large groups.

To answer the OP, my closest decent climb is about two miles from my door, but my typical 40 mile short loop starts and ends with six miles of flat and has 3000 feet of climbing in the middle 28 miles.