San Francisco to Santa Cruz..Which Route?

Xandre

Hey guys..just wondering if any of you Bay area riders have had any experience riding to Santa Cruz, either from San Francisco or Marin...I'm just looking for a good route that's used by cyclists a lot...good places to rest...not too much traffic..etc...I'm gonna go and check with my LBS soon... Thanks guys...I'll be doing it in one day...

Sidi

Take the PCH.
Pacific Coast Highway.
NIce ride along the coast.

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Sidi

Its been three years since i lived in santa cruz so i am a bit rusty but you could take 101, i think it was, through 'Frisco and down south. Go through san jose and then over highway 17 by bus or snake through the mountains.
Those mountains have some of the steepest grades i have seen.
Check out Alba Road.
If you need more info and stuff let me know ill keep an eye on this thread.

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Pat Lee

I agree, this is the most practical route.

If you're bold and strong, you can ride CA 35 (Skyline Blvd.) down the peninsula after transferring up one of the climbs from the coast (CA 92, Tunitas, CA 84 or La Honda Rd, Alpine Rd, etc). Once on 35, you can take CA 9 to Santa Cruz. These are well traveled routes by cyclists.

PCH is the least challenging of your options, by far.

Email me if you have questions.

Xandre

Thanks guys....anyone here actually ever done this route?

Pat Lee

I have not done the stretch between SF and Half Moon Bay. It is quite narrow in parts with some sketchy turns, actually. Perhaps early in the AM, it wouldn't be so bad, but this is just a guess. Most traffic would be going north on CA 1 at that time.

I've done most of the stretch between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz. It's pretty much tailwinds with rolling (50-100 ft.) hills. It can be pretty fast. My partner and I rode the stretch from Half Moon Bay to the Pidgeon Point Lighthouse averaging over 20mph once (lightweight road bikes). I maxed out around 45mph on some of the downhills.

Half Moon Bay is a good stop.

Also, if you go 0.25mi up CA 84 to the San Gregorio Market/Post Office/Bar/Bookstore, plenty of cyclists stop there for a break. If I were to stop in one of the places mentioned here, this is the one. You can get there by taking Stage Rd. (all downhill) from the North, as well. It's at the intersection where the two roads cross. There's also a fruitstand across CA 84 from there about 150m East.

Pescadero is another good stop. If you follow Stage Rd. south, you'll run right into it. I believe access is easier (less hilly by a long shot) from CA 1. There's a great Italian Deli at the North end of town. It has locally baked bread and a big wine selection as well as some boutique foods for the deli.

I believe the last bit (5mi.) is mostly flat into S. Cruz.

If I look at a map, I might be able to remember more. If you have specific questions, let me know.

Isn't it getting kinda late in the year for a ride like this? I guess not… I remember a century just covered that route the other weekend.

--Pat.

Sidi

Highway 9 is a nice road from San Jose but if you are not accustomed to alot of switchbacks with alot of blind corners then stick to 1.
I got nailed by a car at 45 mp/h on 9 by a driver who had just moved to cali and had no idea about the roads and lost control around a blind switchback when he veered into my lane.
Coming down 9 into Santa Cruz is nice you will pass my old stomping ground, a little town called Felton about 5 miles from Santa Cruz.

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Xandre

ya....i know its a lil late in the year for a ride like this...but I'm training myself...I'll be getting a sweet road bike sometime by the end of the year, $$$$$--and I have a friend that I want to visit that lives in Santa Cruz, so I would like to build myself up a lil bit so I can try and do the ride in one day! WHEW!! I'm just wondering how far I'd get on my MTB right now...I'll probably just drive down there first...take some notes, see which routes to take...rest stops, etc etc...I really do appreciate all the info Sidi and Pat Lee, keep em coming if you guys know more...I'll post back here again after I test myself out...Thanks guys

Pat Lee

I'll keep feeding this thread as I think of stuff, Xandre.

About the back way. You can do a bunch of loop rides between HM Bay and Pidgeon Point to stave off the boredom. Stage parallels the coastal route and so does Lobolitos Rd. and Lobolitos Cutoff. This is key when you ride the coast since I believe it takes you out of a headwind that is reputed to blow from the North most of the time. It's worked quite well for my riding partner and me over this summer.

Your mantra should be, "south on PCH, south on PCH." At least that's how I understand it.

About your MTB: I got some Ritchey Tom Slicks (1" x 26") for mine, since it's replaced my road bike. It has significantly reduced the amount of energy it takes to cover a given distance and the bike is much faster. Highly recommended. Apparently, these are the narrowest tires available for a(n) MTB.


More later… must charge batteries in laptop. B-bye.

Sidi

Put some slicks on your MTB and pump up to max inflation.
That will help a bit in preparation.

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keruk

I rode this route several years ago. Highway 1 can be a bit tight between Pacifica and Half Moon Bay. We went up to 35 out of Half Moon Bay on a whim. It was quite the hike for sure. However the downhill was awesome into Santa Cruz. We rode back Hwy 1 the next day and it was at best a moderate ride. It was fairly easy compared to the day before.

If I remember correctly there were not many stops on 35. Come prepared and well hydrated.

Pat Lee

There are a couple of little stores between 92 (to the North) and Highway 9 (to the South). a popular stop is the market at the Junction of CA35 and CA 84, across the street from Alice's Restaurant. You'll find lots of motorcyclists in the parking lot doing the standard bench racing and posing routine.

If you choose 35 (Skyline), you'll have a climb on the way to Page Mill/Alpine Rd. Once you arrive at CA9 intersection, if you choose to go into SC by making a right turn, you'll pass through Boulder Creek, Ben Lomond, and Felton (in no particular order). All of these little towns service the smallish communities in the surrounding areas and have good services for travelers.

If you're going on Skyline all the way to Bear Creek Rd., you'll climb from the intersection with CA9 to approximately Black Rd. Black is the start of a pleasant but very narrow, lightly travelled part of Skyline all the way to Bear Creek. You can follow Bear Creek into Boulder Creek and then continue on CA9 to SC.

--Pat.

Xandre

cool...thanks a lot...i'm driving down there next week to check out the different routes..thanks a lot...sounds like a nice ride!

Pat Lee

May the Force be with you! Good luck!