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I have a business trip coming up where I will be near San Jose over the entire weekend. I can bring a road bike or mountain bike.
Any suggestions for things to do, besides sitting alone in my hotel room feeling sorry for myself?
Nearest proper off road riding is Demo forest, but I'd quite like to do something different. Done Skyline.
Thanks!
Rent a nice Santa Cruz from the factory and ride the UCSC trails.
Just rode Soquel Demo last weekend for the first time and, while we enjoyed it, it seems a hell of a lot of climbing (both at the start and end of the loop) for the descent and I probably wouldn't make a point of driving far to go there again. Maybe it was we were just tired as it was the last day of our 19-day roadtrip? Preferred the Ridge/Flow to the DH trails.
We drove past Henry W Coe park that also has trails now so that maybe an option?
Off Road
Wilder Ranch (outside Santa Cruz) - big wide open trails and great views
UCSC - flowy singletrack if you can find it (mailboxes!)
Demo Forest - the original loop of Braille, Tractor, Sawpits is really good, but lots of climbing
On Road
Santa Cruz to Half Moon bay (and return) - awesome Highway 1 scenery
I'd combine 1 day in Wilder, and 1 day in Demo forest. You can hire bikes from Santa Cruz themselves (3hrs max I think), or Another Bike Shop (that is their namne...) will do a demo bike for a day/weekend
I won't be able to bring my MTB after all(*), so the road bike is coming. I think I'll see how far I can go North from San Francisco before I run out of weekend.
(*) Riding SDW on the weekend before I go, and just can't face packing it up the night before I leave.
There's a great loop (day ride) from Sausalito up to Point Reyes and back down Hwy 1, up and over Mt Tam. 60 miles, 4000ft. If you ride from SF you get to cross the Golden Gate bridge for bonus points.
Hi - I ride around there quite a lot, mostly road as it's easier to fit in with business trips. The riding out from San Jose is fantastic, as it is north of SF. Here's some quick ideas, shout if you'd like more details and GPX routes:
1 - from Palo Alto, out past Stanford, up Sand Hill Road to the brilliant Old La Honda Road climb to Skyline Blvd. Loads of options from there, cross 35 and head down the other side (still OLH Rd) to Hwy 84. Either head back up and down 84 to Woodside or keep going downhill. Turn Left on Pescadaro Creek Road and head back up to 35 on Alpine or keep going down 84 to San Gregorio (good store/cafe). Turn right, do a short stretch of Hwy 1 (yes, THE Hwy 1) and head back up Tunitas Creek to 35. Awesome riding, all of it.
2 - From San Jose, head inland up Hwy 130 to Mount Hamilton (4000' climb at 5%-ish all the way). Either turn around and enjoy the descent or bash on for a big day by dropping off the back of the mountain, turn left onto Mines Road all the way down to Livermore, loop back along Calaveras Road past the reservoir. That's a hundred mile day and can be hot.
3 - From Saratoga, head up Hwy 9 to Hwy 35, keep going down to 236, loop back around our crack on down to Santa Cruz for another big day.
4 - Drive up to SF, cycle over the bridge to Sausilito and then there's yet more options. Google Paradise Loop for a easier option, bash up to Fairfax, up Bolinas Road to Ridgecrest and follow that south to Panoramic Hwy, down to Mill Valley and back over the bridge via Sausilito.
There's loads to go at and it's well worth the effort. Enjoy.