e-mail: jake@stxandstones.com
Berkeley Hills Road Ride (from Walnut Creek) For intermediate to advanced riders
This is a great 40 to 55 mile road ride with challenging climbs and awesome descents. Begin by
heading west on Olympic Blvd towards Lafayette. Turn left on Reliez Station and make a quick right
onto Beechwood Drive. Turn right onto Hawthorn Drive and then left onto Moraga Blvd. Head West and
make a left onto Moraga Road. Turn right onto Brook Street and go West. Turn right onto Mountain
View and go down to Mount Diablo Diablo and make a left. Keep going West to Acalanes Road and turn
left. Merge onto Glorietta Blvd. and enjoy the steep switchback at the top. After the first climb of the
day, continue on Glorietta to Moraga Way and turn right towards Orinda. Go past Orinda and continue
to Wildcat Canyon Road and make a left. Wildcat is a sustained climb to Inspiration Point. Once at
Inspiration Point, the road flattens out a bit past the Brazil Room at Tilden Park. Continue on Wildcat
Canyon to Grizzly Peak Blvd and make a left. Grizzly Peak Blvd. is the third climb to the steam trains at
the top of Tilden Park and then descends towards Fish Ranch Road. Cross Fish Ranch Road, continue
on Grizzly Peak Blvd. and climb towards Skyline Blvd. Once on Skyline Blvd., the road flattens out
again. Turn left onto Pinehurst Road and watch your speed in the turns. The top of Pinehurst is steep,
so be careful!. Once you make the right hand switchback toward the bottom, test your power and
continue down Pinehurst which flattens out though Canyon. Turn left onto Canyon Road towards
Moraga. Canyon Road turns into Moraga Road. Continue on Moraga Road to Lafayette and enjoy the
last descent into Lafayette. Pay attention to the mid line on the descent. Once in Lafayette, back track
your way back to Walnut Creek.
For extra miles, descend down Claremont Ave, towards the Claremont in Berkeley and climb Old Tunnel
back to Skyline Blvd. This route adds another amazing descent and climb. Count for an extra 6 miles
and and extra hour of riding.
Martinez to Crocket Road Ride For intermediate to advanced riders.
This ride is best done on early weekend mornings. Cummings Skyway provides a big bike lane along
side fast traffic during prime commute times. The ride is rated intermediate only because of the McEwen
climb. The alternative route is to take Carquinez Scenic Drive all the way back to downtown Martinez.
The road is cut off to traffic at one point due to a washed out road, but is still open to bicyclists.
Climb up Franklin Canyon Road in Martinez to Cummings Skyway. Turn right at Cummings Skyway.
These climbs are great for training as well as casual riding due to their shallow grades. Turn right onto
Crocket Boulevard. The descent down Crocket Boulevard is fast with big sweeping turns. Go down to
the dead end and make a right onto Pomona Street. Pomona Street turns onto Carquinez Scenic Drive.
Continue on Carquinez Scenic Drive and turn right up McEwen Road. The climb up McEwen is very
steep at the beginning, but levels out towards the top. McEwen will burn both your legs and lungs. After
surviving the McEwen climb, continue on McEwen down towards Franklin Canyon Road. Turn left on
Franklin Canyon Road back home. The descent back down Franklin Canyon challenges the power in
riders' legs as the bottom is a false flat. Maintaining speed all the way down Franklin Canyon challenges
all riders.
Local Mountain Bike Rides
Joaquin Miller Park
Joaquin Miller Park offers some of the only legal single track riding in the East Bay. Joaquin Miller Park
is off of the Joaquin Miller exit on Highway 13 in the Oakland Hills. You can literally ride on marked trails
through out the park. Some trails are marked, "No Bikes," but Joaquin Miller Park offers plenty of trails
for mountain bikers to have fun. Most of the climbs lead back to Sequoia Bayview Trail which leads to
the equestrian arena near the upper parking lot. It is very easy to find your way back to the car from
anywhere in the park.
The Big Trees Trails are good beginner to intermediate descents. Chaparral and Cinderella Trails are
great intermediate to advanced trails. Chaparral is more technical with bigger rocks and railroad ties.
Cinderella is definitely faster. Upper Palos Verdes is another good intermediate descent. Take the
Sunset Trail at the bottom of the descents back to Sequoia Bayview Trail.
For added mileage, ride to Joaquin Miller Park from Skyline Gate (at Redwood Park). Take the West
Ridge Trail to Chabot Space and Science Center and cross Skyline Blvd. to Joaquin Miller Park. This
adds about 40-60 minutes to the ride.
Auburn Ride (intermediate to advanced) Yes, it is a bit of a drive, but one of the best rides in Northern
California.
From Highway 80, take HWY 49 South to Cool. Park at the bottom of the Confluence (head straight
instead of turning right at the bridge to go to Cool). This ride could be done many different ways, but
the description below takes you up Stagecoach, down Manzanita, up Clementine, and down the Culvert
Trail. The ride is rated for intermediate riders because the climbs are long, but never steep. The
descents are single track, and the technicality increases with speed. In other words, the faster you go,
the gnarlier they are; however, beginners have conquered these descents. Total ride time can be
anywhere from 3 to 4.5 hours depending on fitness.
Climb up Stagecoach trail to upper parking lot at Russell Road. When you get to the parking lot, turn
left onto Russell Road and turn left at the second street. The street ends where the dirt picks up. Go
through the gate and turn left onto Manzanita Trail, it's the first single track on the left. Take Manzanita
back to Stagecoach and keep going back down towards the car. Once at the bottom again, go left over
the bridge and climb up Clementine Trail towards Clementine Road. After the first gate, continue up the
road. Turn right into the next gate and another immediate right up towards Culvert Trail. You have
reached the top when you get to the oak tree on the left. Descend down the trail through the culvert.
When you get to the street, cross the street and proceed down toward the Mammoth Bar OHV area.
Turn right at the first trail on right. This trail goes back to the car.
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