Small Bike Ride for a Change

It had been several days since the rain, and the biting cold was just starting to abate, so I took advantage of the late afternoon hours to ride up on the usual loop to Tilden Park above Berkeley.

Of course, this is California, so "biting cold" means something like 45F.  But today was great; short-sleeves and all!

Took Claremont Ave to the top of the hill, then Grizzly Peak Rd up to the steam trains, then the trail up to the top of Vollmer Peak.  Claremont's steep and each trip up brings numerous close shaves by passing cars, but it's the fastest way up to Vollmer.  (For the first time today I saw a roadie going up it, even.  They usually opt for the more sane Tunnel Rd.)

Up on Vollmer at about 1900', it was a great view.  There were low misty clouds to the east, and Mount Diablo was poking up through.  The near-full moon was rising.

Downhill from there along Seaview Trail!  All that pavement climbing and this is the payoff.  The trail was dry and fast, though there were quite a number of hikers out and that kept speeds down.  Said hi to everyone; they all said hi back.
Reached the stone circle (actually concrete--remnants of an old observatory or something?) and looked out to the west.  The sun was just about to set and San Francisco Bay and the Berkeley shore shone blue in the fading light.  The low tide had actually exposed a sand bar in the Bay between Berkeley marina and Emeryville marina.  One of my sailing buddies had told me about that, but I'd never seen it.  I guess one of the sailing clubs actually goes out there and has breakfast on the thing sometimes!

I had no light, so didn't tarry.  Down through the corkscrew, through the forest, and on along the ridge.  I zigged down Big Springs Trail, and zagged back Quarry Trail down to the Quarry picnic area.

From there, a short paved stretch got me to Inspiration Point for another view northeast, and then down Curran Trail turning right on Meadows Canyon trail.

This was my departure from the ridge down into the park canyon-proper, and the temps got lower as I dropped down between the ridges.

Sometimes after heavy rains, this trail can turn into a total mudbog.  Today the bog was only slightly tacky dirt, so it was no biggy.  The trail twists along the hillside down into the canyon alternating between oak and grass.  The closer to the parking lot I got, the more the trail was pockmarked by hikers and horses, but its still in decent shape.  It's luxury compared to some of the cattle-ridden trails in Wildcat Canyon.

Passed a lot more friendly hikers out there...but I was the only bike I saw on the trail.

A steep-but-short climb out Canon Dr to Summit Reservior, then down Spruce to the University, and through downtown to home!