3949dxer

I'm thinking of cycling from San Francisco to Sac'to in June, via Marin. The SF-Marin part is easy but can anyone offer suggestions for the rest of the route? I grew up in the Bay Area and remember that Hwy. 37 was sometimes called Blood Alley -- I don't know if it's even possible to cycle it, much less halfway safe. I don't mind a few hills but would prefer to stick to the flats, on lesser trafficked back roads when possible. But maybe that's asking the impossible.

My wife would probably pace me in the car and we'd stay at a hotel or two along the way -- no camping.

Thanks in advance for any help.

linberl

Supposedly the San Rafael bridge is going to have a bicycling lane at some point, if the PTB ever stop arguing. Don't know if you will be able to take advantage this summer, though. Assuming you can, or that you do the ride at a later point, it would be a simple thing to ride across to Richmond, then go the Vallejo-Davis-Sacramento route.

bikingshearer 

Instead of going through Marin, I'd suggest taking BART to somewhere in the East Bay and go over East Bay hills (up Old Tunnel and down Pinehurst from Rockridge; or up Spruce and down Wildcat Canyon from Berkeley or North Berkeley), over the Antioch Bridge and through the Delta. If you go through Marin, you have to go up to somewhere between Novato and Petaluma before there is a reasonably safe route. Highway 37 is on my list of "just don't" roads. You would probably make it, but at what cost to your nerves and sanity?

caloso

Take BART to Antioch, 160 North along the bank of the Sacramento to West Sac, right on West Capitol, cross the Tower Bridge, welcome to Sacramento.

3949dxer

Thanks a lot for the suggestions. Sounds like everybody agrees that Marin is not the way to go, though I would have enjoyed passing through there. BART to Antioch or the ferry to Vallejo seem like good bets, or maybe shuttle to Treasure Island and then ride to the East Bay.

For after that yeah, I was looking at the roads along the Sacramento River after Rio Vista. They don't have much shoulder but it looks like traffic is light and the river would be a nice distraction while riding through the flat lands.

anotherbrian

If you've got the time to stay at a hotel or two along the way, go north young man.

Antioch Bridge and the delta makes for a quick day route (if you do go that way, make sure your route includes riding the ferry's [Caltrans run in lieu of putting bridges in, they're free]).

With a couple days though, and if you can manage some hills, go north to Rohnert Park then east to Glen Ellen, east again on Trinity to Oakville, east again on Sage Canyon Rd passed Lake Hennessey to Winters, country roads to Davis, then the protected bike path across the Yolo Bypass to West Sacramento, the Tower Bridge, and the capitol.

Other "day" options are Vallejo to Davis via Lake Herman Rd and then up the frontage roads along 680 (SF Randonneurs have a nighttime 200K that is an out-and-back from Hercules to Davis that follows the route) or Altamont Pass or Patterson Pass east from Livermore to Tracy, then north to Sacramento. I haven't ridden the latter route yet, but it looks the least appealing.

I've had a randonneuring point-to-point "Free Route" penciled up that went from Sacramento to Pleasanton, and all of the east bay'ish options (Lake Herman Rd, Antioch Bridge, Altamont Pass) are more or less the same mileage. Based on the season and wind direction one might be much more enjoyable than the other.

bikingshearer 

Speaking of wind, as did anotherbrian, Bay Area to Sac is the way to go perhaps 75 days out of 100 (as opposed to going Sac to Bay Area). Generally speaking, the prevailing is some version of west-to-east. It can vary to coming from anywhere from NW to SW, depending on the day and your exact location. In some places, that wind can be significant (the Vallejo-Fairfield- Vacaville area and Altamont Pass leap to mind). The wind is stronger later in the day than earlier in the day.

Because of geography, if you go through the Delta (Antioch to Sac) on the 75 days out of 100, you are likely to experience some tailwinds, some crosswinds and some headwinds, but the wind will help more than it will hinder.

For 5 days out of 100, the wind turns around , comes from the east or northeast, and is hot and even dried than usual. Then the reverse of all of the above is true. This can happen any time of year, but is most common in the autumn; the October 1991 Oakland Hills firestorm occurred on just such a day. On those days, you are likely to be hating life if you go Bay Area to Sac.

The remaining 20 days out of 100, the wind is a minimal factor.

Hope this helps. Enjoy your ride. Yo have a number of good options.

Leinster

In a similar vein but with less climbing, turn right at Petaluma. Take 116 and 12 through Napa to Fairfield, and then follow frontage roads of the 80 to Sac.

There are plenty of parallel options along the way; Watmaugh Road near Sonoma, Ramal Rd through Carneros, take Mt George/Monticello Rd to climb out of Napa rather than Jameson Canyon which may have a bike lane but I don’t trust it.