sapporoguy

We have a thing to attend in Fresno in April. We thought: Why not ride there from San Francisco on the tandem over several days, on rural roads through the Central Valley. We've driven through many times, and some of the rural roads seem quite tourable.
Has anyone done this? If so, can you share your route?
We could start in SF, or take the ferry to Oakland, or perhaps start by taking BART to Dublin or Berryessa and ride over the hills.
Ideas welcome!

irc

I crossed the central valley from Sunset Beach State park going over the coastal hills via Pinoche Rd. About 2000 ft of climbing. Very low traffic. Once over the hills and into the central valley I went through Firebaugh and Chowchilla. No issues just following quiet roads. I was heading for Yosemite but I don't think heading south would be a problem.

I left SF via the Pacific Coast route. I guess starting at San Jose area would save time/distance but I'm not sure what the roads are like from there to Hollister.

Darth Lefty 

If you just do Google Maps they have suburban roads around 101 and farm roads in the central valley and connecting those across the mountains is the interesting part. The upper route they show is named Comstock that appears to turn into a jeep road and the lower one is Pinoche that irc mentions. Looking at the routing around 101, I think I'd try to get to Gilroy before starting the ride

irc

Pinoche Rd is lovely. A vehicle every 5 or 10 minutes. When I was climbing it at one point a car pulled over and an elderly guy asked if I could use any water. I finished off one of my 1L bottles and he refilled it. I finished a small bottle of green tea he had as well. After a short chat he went to get back in his car and I signaled for him to drive off first. He replied, "No I'm going back down to my house", "I saw you riding past and just drove up to see if you needed anything." Bike touring really let's you see how many good people there are

djb

popped in here out of curiosity, rode down the west coast eons ago and have fond memories of the trip.
IRC, your anecdote is one that most of us have experienced and yes, it is so true how many good people there are. I've had this sort of thing happen in so many countries, and the most touching times were in places like Mexico where a truck driver had pulled over, and was going to buy drinks for us at a roadside stand. Another time a Guatemalan in a car pulled up and gave us bottled drinks on a particularly hot day, and then returned shortly afterwards with some Cokes. Same sort of things have happened here in Canada, the States and France.
These sort of encounters are certainly a really neat part of bike traveling and warm the heart dont they?

sapporoguy

Thanks, this looks very promising (as does your pic).

mschwett 

if i was doing this i'd start with the treasure island ferry, to get the cool descent over the bridge, and some nice east bay hills before the central valley flats. the more direct route would be to take tesla and patterson pass, more or less from the end of the iron horse trail, and then ride along the california aqueduct. i've always wanted to do that. dead flat and possible crazy boring, but where else in CA can you find 50+ flat miles with no cars?

211 miles / 5,100 feet
vs
235 miles, 7,600 feet

if you do it, report back! due to various traffic armageddons over the last 30 years i've driven tesla, patterson, and panoche but never ridden them. they all look similar to me, low-ish speeds but mixed pavement and no shoulders for the most part, including stretches with those awful rolled curbs right on the edge.

sapporoguy

Will do! I need to map out all these options. The ferry to Treasure Island would be the most honest way to go, riding as much as possible from SF. We’ve taken that ferry the other direction after a 3 bridges loop, GGB to Richmond B to Bay B.

mschwett 

same, i've never ridden it TO treasure island! that climb up over yerba buena island is short... but STEEEEEEEEEEP.

Calsun

I would not recommend doing this. You will be going through the bay area and all its traffic and freeways that are not open to bicyclists. In the country areas the roads are narrow two lane affairs with drainage ditches on the edges. If a large truck passes you it will be easy to end up in a ditch. This is also red neck country and lots of truckers will pull past with a tractor rig and then swing back with their trailers and force you off the pavement. I had truckers do this to me and my riding buddy 4 times in less than 15 miles of road.

These days with so many distracted drivers busy looking at their smartphones it is much more hazardous for bicyclists. Whole groups have been killed by motorists not paying attention and going on to the side of the highway.