road suggestions around the Bay area

[2dealdrive]

Hi,

a few of us from region 4 are coming to region 1 to ride and have fun.  We'll be in the SF Bay area for a week and the only plan right now is to go to Laguna Seca for Friday.  We have a couple of mad maps so we have some loops in mind, but I thought I'd see if there were some other roads we shouldn't miss beyond the obvious ones like the PCH or the mad map loops.  

thanks!

Dan

[bluepoof]

Oh my.  There are so many good roads in the Bay Area that you'll need to narrow it down for us a little bit (and no, I'm not being a smart ass).

* Are you staying in the Monterey area during the week (i.e. close to Laguna Seca) or closer to SF?

* How long of a loop is a good day ride for you guys? (We can recommend 100 mile loops up to 500 mile loops )

* On-road only?

* Preference for amazingly-scenic-but-fairly-easy roads vs not-much-scenery-but-technical-twisties?

* Preference for including touristy stuff (i.e. SF) or just good riding out in the boonies?

If it were me, I'd stay mostly south of Monterey.  There will be a metric crapton of bikes between SF and Monterey for the races -- fun stuff, but the roads will be crowded.  South of Monterey are some awesome roads that won't see a lot of action.  

[Orson]

I lived in Napa, so most of what I know is in the north Bay.

From what little I saw of the south Bay, I preferred the north Bay rides...but that's just me  

[Chick]

If you head north of SF, you can ride Stewarts Point/Scaggs Springs Rd, Hwy 29 over Cobb Mountain, 128 to Mendocino, Lake Berryessa, etc.  Hwy 1 through Big Sur is a PITA with the fires right now, hope it will be OK bu race time.  It is a spectacular ride, but the Winnebego factor makes it slow.
If you head south, there are a lot of roads between King City and Lake Nacimiento, Moro Bay, etc.  
Have fun.

[Jeff N]

Mt Hamilton.

Just be aware, it's open range country so the cattle could be on your line.

[2dealdrive]

thanks everybody for pitching in so far with ideas, I appreciate it.  

If you head north of SF, you can ride Stewarts Point/Scaggs Springs Rd, Hwy 29 over Cobb Mountain, 128 to Mendocino, Lake Berryessa, etc.  Hwy 1 through Big Sur is a PITA with the fires right now, hope it will be OK bu race time.  It is a spectacular ride, but the Winnebego factor makes it slow.
If you head south, there are a lot of roads between King City and Lake Nacimiento, Moro Bay, etc.  Have fun.

thanks Chick, we will be north in Mill Valley.  We're also going to keep an eye on the Big Sur fire.  I'm looking over my maps now for the roads you've suggested.

Mt Hamilton.  Just be aware, it's open range country so the cattle could be on your line.

roger, cattle on Mt Hamilton, sounds challenging    I'll scope out Mt Hamilton on a map and pack my bbq grill, thanks Jeff.

I lived in Napa, so most of what I know is in the north Bay.  From what little I saw of the south Bay, I preferred the north Bay rides...but that's just me  

we're staying north Bay, so what do you suggest?

Oh my.  There are so many good roads in the Bay Area that you'll need to narrow it down for us a little bit (and no, I'm not being a smart ass).

* Are you staying in the Monterey area during the week (i.e. close to Laguna Seca) or closer to SF?

* How long of a loop is a good day ride for you guys? (We can recommend 100 mile loops up to 500 mile loops )

* On-road only?

* Preference for amazingly-scenic-but-fairly-easy roads vs not-much-scenery-but-technical-twisties?

* Preference for including touristy stuff (i.e. SF) or just good riding out in the boonies?

If it were me, I'd stay mostly south of Monterey.  There will be a metric crapton of bikes between SF and Monterey for the races -- fun stuff, but the roads will be crowded.  South of Monterey are some awesome roads that won't see a lot of action.  

we're in Mill Valley, north bridge. Friday is the only day we have set for going south to Laguna.  Sorry to hear about the crap load of traffic headed that way.  Preference are;

- longer loops, 300+ miles

- a mix of touristy/technical rides, both sound fun, but we'd lean to more of the technical, twisty stuff in the boonies

thanks for the suggestions so far!  

Dan

[nwconk]

Just came back from the Bay area and I would second, or third the Mt. Hamilton road.  Really a lot of fun.  all the way out to San Antonia Valley and Mines road to Livermore.  It is all good.  A nice way to leave San Jose.  

--chris

[Explorer]

If you have never done it? You MUST!!! ride Hwy 1 From Mill valley all the way to Legget( 1/101 T)
You can do this ride in one day from Mill Valley. The fun section of 1 is from West Port to Legget. Just picture 366 turns in 22 miles!!! If this doesn't put a   on your face nothing will.

Some other roads in your area, that you can connect in any way you like. Hwy 175, 20, 128, 253.
Mt.view Rd, / Pan toll Rd, / Panoramic HWY / Skaggs Springs Rd. / Adler point Rd. / King's Mt. Myers grade Rd. / Colman Valley Rd. / Mt Home Rd. / Lucuss Valley Rd. / Fair Fax Bolinas Rd. Hwy 166 out and back from 101. You get the idea right? It's hard to pick a bad road out here.
If the day's workout I might even be able to play tour guide for you I just need the date's you will be out this way


jim

[Chick]

+1 to Hwy 1 to Legget.  It is a hoot.  In fact, I will be coming home that way today.  One of my favorite day trips around here, through Fort Bragg to Legget, down 101 to Willits, 20 back to Fort Bragg, head down to Mendocino and home via the Comptche/Ukiah road.  That is a lot of chicken strips getting killed right there y'all.  

[Orson]

we're staying north Bay, so what do you suggest?

What Explorer & Chick said.

if you can only ride 1 road before you die, that road would have to be the PCH north of the Golden Gate  

I disagree with Explorer on making it from Mill Valley to Legget in one day. A first timer will be stopping wayyyy too many times to take pictures  

closer afield, my personal local ride out of Napa was Highway 121 going up to Lake Berryessa, also called Monticello Road. That is one excellent bit of pavement  

I could do several different loops lasting less than an hour to several hours. Almost all the roads between Lake Berryessa and Highway 29 that runs north to south between Napa & Calistoga are good riding roads.

Highway 28 from Calistoga to the coast is nice. As you get closer to the coast, you run through awesome redwood groves...always a treat  

[Explorer]

+1 to Hwy 1 to Legget.  It is a hoot.  In fact, I will be coming home that way today.  One of my favorite day trips around here, through Fort Bragg to Legget, down 101 to Willits, 20 back to Fort Bragg, head down to Mendocino and home via the Comptche/Ukiah road.  That is a lot of chicken strips getting killed right there y'all.  

This is a fantastic route Comptche/Ukiah Rd. is a hidden gem that most don't know about.

[Chick]

This is a fantastic route Comptche/Ukiah Rd. is a hidden gem that most don't know about.

SSHHHHHH!  We wanna keep it that way!  Even the CHP doesn't know about it.  

[2dealdrive]

What Explorer & Chick said.

if you can only ride 1 road before you die, that road would have to be the PCH north of the Golden Gate  

I disagree with Explorer on making it from Mill Valley to Legget in one day. A first timer will be stopping wayyyy too many times to take pictures  

closer afield, my personal local ride out of Napa was Highway 121 going up to Lake Berryessa, also called Monticello Road. That is one excellent bit of pavement  

I could do several different loops lasting less than an hour to several hours. Almost all the roads between Lake Berryessa and Highway 29 that runs north to south between Napa & Calistoga are good riding roads.

Highway 28 from Calistoga to the coast is nice. As you get closer to the coast, you run through awesome redwood groves...always a treat  

Man you guys/gals are awesome!  Thanks for the inside scoop, while you have to ride some "tourist" roads while you're there, we prefer the little known, off the beaten path gems.  If you ever make it to Michigan, we'll take you on some roads in northern MI, including the mini Laguna Seca corkscrew on M-88    

SSHHHHHH!  We wanna keep it that way!  Even the CHP doesn't know about it.  

Don't worry Chick, I wont tell anyone   especially not Ponch and Jon