HEARTCYCLE BICYCLE TOURING CLUB
BAY AREA SUMMITS
Dates:
Orientation meeting: Friday, April 21, 2017. Riding: Saturday April 22 thru
Friday April, 28. Departure: Saturday April 29, 2017.
Miles: Approximately 430 miles with 38,000 vertical feet of climbing.
Rating: Advanced/Expert. Daily average mileage: 72. Range: 60-89 miles.
Daily climbing: 6,300 ft. Range: 5,400---7,500 ft
Riders: 26
Price: Total: $1,825 (double occupancy). $600 at registration. Balance due by December 20, 2017.
Single Supplement $2,830 (~+55% due to higher than normal hotel rates).
Due to limited # of riders, Single Supplements will be confirmed as space is available after
January 1, 2017.
Cancellation: Due to hotel contracts: before December 21, 2016, $25; December 20, 2016 to January
20, 2017 – 50% of deposit; after January 20, 2016, no refund (unless a replacement is
found by 2/20/17, then 50% of total). Travel insurance is strongly advised.
OVERVIEW
This is a new tour for Heartcycle, combining a circumnavigation of the San Francisco Bay with
excursions into Marin County as well as the San Mateo and Santa Cruz Mountains. The route includes
a number of the roads used in the Tour of California, most notably the two highest climbs in the Bay
Area: Mount Hamilton and Mount Diablo.
The tour is rated Advanced/Expert due to the climbing density. There is a wide variation in the length
of the climbs. Most are 3 to 5 miles; however, Mount Hamilton is 18 miles and Mounts Diablo and
Tamalpais are 11 miles each. Average grades throughout the tour are 5--7%, but some sections exceed
10%. Additionally, riders will be challenged with multiple technical descents on narrow, twisty roads.
Since the tour takes in a wide range of Bay Area locations, roads will range from rural/remote with
little traffic to some city/urban congestion. Many of the roads do not have a shoulder; however, road
surfaces in general are good. On the last day, we will be deep into the Santa Cruz Mountains on old
logging roads, which tend to be bumpy.
Hotel accommodations are included on the last night of the tour.
HIGHLIGHTS
In the first three days we summit three of the highest and best known peaks in the Bay Area: Mount
Hamilton (4,200 ft.), Mount Diablo (3,850 ft.) and Mount Tamalpais, (2,500 ft.). While not high by big
mountain standards, all start at or near sea level, so there is
appreciable vertical gain. Day 3 includes two crossings of the Golden Gate Bridge.
We will spend three nights and our off day in San Francisco with our hotel just two
blocks from Fisherman’s Wharf and other San Francisco attractions.
Days 5, 6 and 7 include a long stretch of the San Mateo Coast and miles and miles of riding under the
redwoods. Additionally, we will hit the highest paved sections of the San Mateo and Santa Cruz
Mountains. (2,500 ft and 3,100 ft, respectively.)
Day 0: Friday, April 21
Meet in Saratoga, California at the Inn at Saratoga. If you are flying to California, it is recommended
to fly into the San Jose Airport which is only 15 miles from our hotel. (San Francisco Airport to the
hotel is over 40 miles.). Orientation meeting is tentatively at 5:00 PM.
Day 1: Saturday, April 22
Saratoga to Livermore via Mount Hamilton; 89 Miles 7,500 ft of climbing.
The ride begins big with the longest day of the tour. While the total is 89 miles,
the first 18 miles are down hill to flat as we leave Saratoga and cross the Santa Clara
Valley to begin the climb up Mount Hamilton to the Lick Observatory.
The climb is 18 miles with 4,500 feet of vertical gain. After a rest stop at the top and time to enjoy the
view, we head down the backside and out through the San Antonio Valley. Assuming average winter
rainfall, we should be treated to rolling green hills and the possibility of wild flowers. Don’t let the
term valley fool you though. There are two notable climbs and some shorter ones that will add 3,000
feet of vertical gain to our total. The riding does get easier after mile 59 as we descend 2,500 feet over
the next 30 miles to our hotel in Livermore.
Day 2: Sunday, April 23. Livermore to Orinda/San Francisco via Mount Diablo. 68 Miles 5,600
ft of climbing
The ride on Day 2 is split into three distinct segments. The first 25 miles travel through both semi-rural
and residential areas and gain 1,500 ft; the middle 25 miles includes the climb and descent of Mount
Diablo and the final 16 miles travel on mainly residential roads to Orinda.
The summit of Mount Diablo is considered to have one of the best panoramic views in the Western
United States. The climb starts at roughly 600 ft and finishes 11 miles later at 3,800 ft. While most of
the climb is reasonable at 5-7%, the final 200 feet pitch up to 15-17%.
Most of the day’s riding will end in Orinda. From there we will take public transportation (BART)
across the bay to San Francisco. BART is the well known train system which connects most of the Bay
Area. The ride from Orinda to San Francisco will take approximately one hour. When we exit BART,
there is a short 1.7 mile flat ride along the Embarcadero to our hotel, which will be our home for three
consecutive nights.
Day 3: Monday, April 24 San Francisco to San Francisco. 70 miles 6,800 ft of climbing
The day begins with a warm up along the San Francisco Bay before crossing the Golden Gate Bridge.
Once across the bridge, there is a one mile climb of the Marin Headlands with outstanding views of the
Bay and San Francisco. Following a dramatic descent off the Headlands, there is some rolling terrain
through Sausalito and the big climb of the day up Mount Tamalpais. Mount Tam is considered to be
the birthplace of mountain biking.
After descending Mount Tam along the 7 sisters, there are multiple climbs of about one mile each,
before we head south and ride through the many small towns of Marin County and back across the
Golden Gate to San Francisco. The last twenty miles is mostly flat, with a couple of climbs totaling
approximately 700 ft of elevation gain.
Day 4: Tuesday, April 25: Rest Day in San Francisco
Today is a well deserved day off. Our hotel is only few blocks from Fisherman’s Wharf,
Pier 39, the Red and White Fleet (San Francisco Bay Tours and Sight Seeing), Ghirardelli Square, the
cable cars and more. Spend the day enjoying your preferred activity.
Day 5: Wednesday, April 26: San Francisco to Palo Alto. 85 miles; Climbing 6,900 ft.
Following the rest day, we tackle the second longest day of the tour. Heading west from the hotel, we
hug the coast along the outskirts of The City. The 50 mile ride down the coast passes such land marks
as the Legion of Honor, the Cliff House, Devil’s Slide and Half Moon Bay on our way to Pescadero.
Most of the climbs along the coast are a mile or less and gain only 300-400 ft. each. However, they are
numerous and add up to over 3,300 ft of vertical gain.
At Pescadero Beach we head in-land and back through the redwoods. Eight miles from the coast is
where a big portion of the day’s climbing begins. Over the next 12 miles there are two climbs totaling
2,800 feet. The first is Haskins Hill (800 feet) and the second Alpine Road (2,000 feet.) Locally, and
for good reason, these climbs are known as the “one-two punch.” topping out at 2,400 ft. From the
summit, the next 15 miles are mostly downhill to the hotel.
Day 6: Thursday, April 27:Palo Alto to Capitola. 65 miles; Climbing 6,000 ft.
Day 6 begins with an easy 14 mile warm up down the Santa Clara Valley. Along the way
there is the opportunity to see the “Apple Garage,” the house where Steve Jobs grew
up and where Apple was founded.
After the warm up, we tackle a series of climbs adding up to 3,500 ft of gain in 11 miles. The high
point is 3,100 ft. along Summit Road, the highest paved section of the northern Santa Cruz Mountains.
While climbing, there are views of Silicon Valley and the distant peaks of the Diablo Range, which we
climbed on Day 1.
The ride along Summit Road has great views of the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Monterey Bay. All
the climbing is rewarded with 10 miles of downhill, some of which is on a technical, curvy road which
drops off the side of the mountain on the way to Lexington Reservoir.
We’ll ride the roller coaster eastern shore of the reservoir before beginning the final climb of the day
up the Old San Jose Highway. Following the climb, we get to enjoy the seven mile descent of San
Jose-Soquel Rd., considered to be the best descent in the Santa Cruz Mountains. After the descent we
spin out the legs in Capitola along Cliff Drive, soaking in views of the Pacific Ocean.
Day 7: Friday, April 28: Capitola to Saratoga via Eureka Canyon Rd. 60 miles 5,400 ft of
climbing.
Day 7 wraps up a week of Bay Area vertical challenges. Starting at sea level in Capitola, the first 18
miles are a series of undulations to warm up the legs prior to hitting the challenging Southern Santa
Cruz Mountains. The climb begins on Eureka Canyon Road and continues along aptly named roads
such as: Highland Way, Summit Road and Skyline. Once over the high point
on Summit Road, we finish the week with a 10 mile descent to out hotel in Saratoga.
Lodging for the night is included in the tour.
TOUR LEADERS
For questions contact:
Bob McIntyre [email protected]
Bill Buckley
[email protected],