Sears Point question?
 

I’m on CA37 here, or looking at it’s bridge rather. This turns into Sears Point Road (wasn’t there a car track named that?), which eventually gets you to the North end of the Golden Gate Bridge. 😎

Can I legally ride my bicycle there? It just has a weird vibe, like the CHiPs might be watching ya, lol. 🤔😁
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...18b77eff7.jpeg

Call CHP. They'll tell you if ok.
Rest of us are guessing

Sears Point Raceway is just north off of CA37, on CA121/Arnold Dr.

Highway 37 is one of the worst/most dangerous/least advised roads in the Bay Area to ride on. Some of it is legal and there's a shoulder, some of it is freeway and not legal. We get this question sometimes in the NorCal forum... no one ever disagrees with this evaluation.

It sucks, but there's no good way to get from Vallejo to Marin by bike.

Years ago when it had passing lanes I sometimes heard it referred to as "the death highway".

Feeling lucky, punk?

Seriously: that and Nicasio road east of Sir Francis Drake are basically suicide.

(Gilda Radner voice): “Well-never-mind-then!”. 😁

Too late with your foolish warnings, I’m halfways to Sears Point now. 😎

These pics were from the Vallejo bridge, as I shall now call it. There are a heck of a lot of birds in that Wildlife Refuge. They like to pretend you’re disturbing them or something. 😁
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5aeb9f668.jpeg
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Heading west from there the road has decent shoulders from what I recall, as much of it used to be 3 lanes and now all of it is 2 lanes. I have never ridden it on a bicycle though...

I used to ride that bridge to Mare Island and it was not too scary; drivers used to expect to see us in the shoulder. I don't think you're half way to Sear's Point though where Infinion Raceway or whatever they call it now is. You have a long stretch of divided highway with crappy shoulder, insane winds, big trucks, and fast inattentive drivers, followed by another bridge that is going to present a much bigger risk to your life.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f8d8fc5028.jpg

It's now Sonoma Raceway FWIW.
fun track

I dunno if they built a new track, or just renamed the old one, but Sonoma is where Sears Point shows, on the map.

I’m at the old El Camino Real bell, taking a break, before trying out this bridge. It looks like it might be the scary one you posted. 😲😉

When I get in a place like this, I just pay attention to how heavy the traffic is. When there’s a lull, you go like crazy, and make sure you take a break if you need it, before starting across. 🙂
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...251e2e2fa.jpeg
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Where you coming from? Going to the GG bridge, I'd have taken hiway 29 across the Carquinez bridge and then west over the San Rafael bridge.

do a lap with Strava on and see if there is a segment leader, or create one.

I'm wishing you good luck. Be extra on-point, drivers are fast and crazy on that stretch.

Sacramento a few days back, rode the Green Valley yesterday. 🙂

Well, I ain’t dead, lol, taking another break at the Shell station, on highway 101. 😎


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d5e3475a0.jpeg

Sacramento a few days back, rode the Green Valley yesterday. 🙂

Well, I ain’t dead, lol, taking another break at the Shell station, on highway 101. 😎


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d5e3475a0.jpeg

Touring on a Veloce....classy.

Why, thank ya kindly, ma’am. 😎 That little Nitto rack just isn’t gonna hold much weight, but it holds a light tent & sleeping bag just fine. 👍

I guess I’ve progressed to credit card (or debit card) touring now, & didn’t realize it. 🤔😁

Well, hats off to you. Marin is much more bike friendly. If you are in no hurry, take N San Pedro around China Camp.

And in case anyone’s still wondering, I finally made it to the bridge. 😎

Now all I gotta do is cross it, lol, and it looks kinda long-ish. 😲🙄😉
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...aa00b96a4.jpeg

Doggone it, I took a wrong turn, & crossed the 580 bridge, instead of the Golden Gate! 🙄😩 I’m pretty sure it wasn’t my fault, lol, but here’s San Francisco, from the other side of the bay. 😁

I stopped and ate on the other side, then promptly fell asleep for several hours. Didn’t plan the sleeping part, lol, I guess I needed it. 😉
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Was just going to suggest that myself. Richmond/San Rafael has been open since last November, I believe.

Boxing Day, 2019

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3139ca53e0.jpg

First time in the Bay Area, I assume?

I ride that bridge twice a day four times a week. It's smack dab in the middle of my commute and when the wind kicks up, it can be a stone b*tch.

What!? I ride that stretch of Nicasio road all the time. It's a fine road to ride. Not even remotely as hazardous as the road in question. Also, Nicasio Road heads north from Sir Francis Drake Blvd, not east. I will say that Sir Francis Drake a few miles west of that intersection is scary enough that I won't ride it.Do you perhaps have your roads mixed up?

Got my directions futzed up. I meant north of SFD.

https://goo.gl/maps/9eq5CT76j5Pe5D1GA

I drive that road quite often to get to Novato from Fairfax and I've seen some very hairy close calls with cyclists. I know there's a couple organized century rides that use this road. I can't remember if they close it down for charity rides or not.
I certainly wouldn't feel safe riding it.
Glad you like it, tho.

Where's that confounded bridge...yes, that's the Richmond/San Rafael. By the shadows it was morning. Where did you spend the night?

Now that you're in the East Bay you could take the Oakland Ferry to San Francisco and ride the Golden Gate back to Marin.
Brent

For all intents & purposes, yes. Plus I think my bad eyes are getting worse. 🙁

But here’s what I was after this morning, proof of my having passed by San Quentin Prison. 👍 Some-a-youse might remember I passed Folsom not long ago as well, and posted a pic somewhere, of the Johnny Cash Trail. I think Johnny Cash is trying to communicate with me, man!!! 🙄😎😁
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3752485e1.jpeg

Obviously, I made it back across, to San Rafael, lol, fixing to bite a Whopper now. 😘

Wonderful trip on your own, but with the wealth of knowledge, both local and general on this site, consider announcing your trip here before you leave. You'll be amazed at how many local riders will meet up with you, give you tips on your route during planning stages, buy you a beer, meet up for a meal, even harbor pilot you through unknown areas, bypassing the worst, riding the best, plus the great feeling of making a new friend.

For me, the very best thing thing about this forum, personally meeting a great group of people in several states.

We're attracted first by the bikes, then the rides, but at the end, it's about the people.

BTW, I was on that exact path on my TdMIL 2019. It had been a couple of years since I last rode with [MENTION=325157]davester[/MENTION], [MENTION=175208]gaucho777[/MENTION]. I met both of them by announcing I was going to be in the Bay Area a year or so before. @73StellaSX76 lives in Redwood City, where I came from prior to moving to Oregon, and I got to spend time riding with him as well. I caught up with [MENTION=202770]djkashuba[/MENTION] later the next day and was escorted through the Russian River for a coupla dozen miles.