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looking for a South Bay loop route

Old 01-16-09, 12:28 PM
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looking for a South Bay loop route

I'm planning a bike ride around the southern end of the SF bay. We'd like to start in downtown Mountain View, ride throuhg Palo Alto and over the Dumbarton Bridge to Fremont, then back around the bay through Milpitas and Alviso. We know how to get to the Dumbarton. Does anyone have a good turn-by-turn route through Fremont, Milpitas, and parallel to Hwy 237 back to Mountain View? We'll be doing this on a weekend, so traffic should be light. I know there are some bike paths near Hwy 237, but there has also been a lot of construction work in that area, so I don't know what is open right now. Thanks much.
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Old 01-16-09, 12:50 PM
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From Stanford Cycling, not quite turn by turn:

"Around the Bay: Down Palm Drive and University Avenue, through the same hustle and bustle of downtown Palo Alto, across 101, through East Palo Alto and onto Dumbarton bridge (aka 84). Battle some wind and road debris (good for time trialling!). Take Marshlands Rd to Thornton Ave which turns into Paseo Padre Pkwy. Left on Ardenwood Blvd, and then onto the bike path along levee. Follow Alameda Creek till Niles Junction (intersection with Mission Blvd). Take right on Mission into Milpitas. Right on Calaveras Blvd.Get on the bike path that parallels Hwy 237 (with one necessary detour onto the other side). Sunnyvale Baylands County Park. Moffett Park Dr., Moffett Blvd, W. Middlefield, Charleston, Foothill. ~60 miles."

Honestly, this sounds like an ugly, smelly ride. From Mountain View I would prefer to go west and get out of the traffic. Aside from the path that parallels 237 you're going to be alongside cars this entire route.

Let me know when you're going though, I live in Mountain View and would tag along, just to say I've done it!

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Old 01-16-09, 01:05 PM
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How recent is that route description? Is the Hwy 237 bike path completely open right now?
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Old 01-16-09, 01:15 PM
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Sorry, I can't help you with that. Like I said, I always head west.

The last time I went that direction we rode on Central/Montague Expressways. That's doable, but not scenic in any sense of the word.
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Old 01-16-09, 01:31 PM
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I did a version of that loop a couple years ago. It was fun to do once for exploration's sake and the town of Alviso is quirky enough to warrant checking out. I can't vouch for the current condition of bike paths

Here's the route I took (starting in Palo Alto). My route through Fremont was to take Paseo Padre to Ardenwood and then jump on a MUP and follow it all the way to Mission Blvd. Not the shortest or fastest route by any means but it was an easy way for me to not get myself lost

I do remember the part along 237 being a little tricky and I had to cross it multiple times to stay on some combination of road or bike path. Just study google maps satellite view before you go and draw out a map to bring with you and you should be fine.
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Old 01-16-09, 05:31 PM
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I found this map of the Hwy 237 bike paths. Looks like there are 3 separate paths with a couple of miles of on-street riding between them.

https://www.sjparks.org/Trails/Hwy237/Hwy237.asp
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