3 posts tagged “bike”
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!
I know you are going to think all I do is blog about biking, but that's simply not true. It's just what I've been doing a lot of recently, that's all.
And I was jonesin' for a ride on the dirt since the last one didn't quite pan out, so I set my sights on the Mount Diablo Region. Looking at the maps, there are a number of parks and open-space preserves out there near Walnut Creek BART, and I planned out a route that would take me through three of these parks over the course of several hours.
First stop, however, was the bike shop, where I picked up a Shimano/SRAM chain tool, as promised earlier. This I added to my kit, which this time was near full-strength. I had a first-aid kit, tire repair stuff, tools for everything on my bike, and an extra bottle of water. Additionally, I threw in a couple PBJs, my homemade food of choice for riding.
Excessive? Nah--I didn't fancy pushing my broken bike 15 km when a simple tool could have saved me.
Got on BART and journeyed to Walnut Creek without incident. The weather was excellent, with 50% scattered puffy cumulous clouds and the sun shining through from time to time. Upon arrival, I pulled out map #1 which would help me navigate to the start of the park.
Yeah, I love maps, so I had four of them for this trip.
The park begins with a small historical park called Howe Homestead Park, which has been preserved as a homestead from the 1930s. Old farm equipment was on display around the farmhouse, and there was a large active community garden on the grounds, as well.
I didn't see signs for no bikes, and the map seemed to say this was multiuse Kovar Trail, so I took off up it. Riding past the garden, the trail narrows to singletrack and starts heading up into Shell Ridge Open Space Preserve.
The singletrack ran behind a number of homes, did two easy switchbacks and one sharp switchback before cresting the short grassy Joaquin Ridge. From there, it cruised along a sandy downhill to intersect the Briones-to-Diablo Trail. No, wait, it was the Fossil Ridge Trail. The map was giving me all kinds of trouble for some reason.
I was already loving the rock outcrops that were exposed around these parts, and the best was yet to come!
It didn't take long to realize why the trail was called Fossil Ridge: there were tons of shell fossils embedded in the rock all over! Wonderful old seabed, right here in my backyard! I stopped and took more photos. Sometimes I would only ride three meters before stopping again. I would have been the worst bike buddy ever this day.
Fossil Ridge Trail hits a parking area (with water), and then turns back north and dives into Indian Valley (which is more of a creek ravine.) Indian Valley pond was dry at the bottom, though oak-shaded picnic tables nearby would still offer a fine picnic area.
There were a lot of some kind of critter running around. Looked like a squirrel, but there were a helluva lot of them. Coming out of Indian Valley, I saw a number standing on their hind legs scoping me out before running into underground burrows. Prairie Dogs?? Do we have those around here? Turns out we do! Lucky day for our birds of prey.
The next intersection put me on Briones-to-Mount Diablo Trail, and I turned to the east. It climbed slowly but steadily, with the grassy Shell Ridge towering to my left, and the Indian Creek ravine full of leafy oak below to my right.
At the next intersection, I turned north to cut through Ginder Gap, a saddle in the middle of Shell Ridge. It's interesting to note that most of the oaks grow on north-facing slopes, while south-facing slopes are usually grassy. So the minute I passed through Ginder Gap, the tree cover increased tremendously.
I misread the map again at this point, and turned left on Costanoan Trail for a short side trip before returning and making my intended left onto Sulfur Creek Trail. This trail descends steeply into Sulfur Creek ravine and Sulfur Creek Pond, which sports a sign that says "No Swimming, No Fishing, No Dogs, No Drinking". And with a name like Sulfur Creek, you'd probably do well to obey.
Not that it mattered now, since the pond was just a bed of dry cracked mud.
The trail climbed again following the creekbed, with huge numbers of Prairie Dogs inhabiting the slope opposite the creek. They'd run out, see me go by, and run back in again.
I pedalled up through the oaks, and eventually Sulfur Creek Trail rejoined the eastern arm of Costanoan Trail via Flat Top Trail. I finally got my first view of Mount Diablo since getting off BART! Costonoan Trail wound down toward it through the grass and tree-covered hills, and I followed it down to the bottom.
There were some chalk marks on the trail around here, including one that said "1 M". Must be a race, I thought, and sure enough packs of high-school runners were soon in evidence. Some sort of big meet it seemed like, since the picnic area down at Borges Ranch was completely taken-over. So much for eating lunch there!
Borges Ranch is another historical site kept in early 1900s condition. There is a small farmhouse, a barn, and a blacksmith shop, with a lot of rusted farm equipment nearby. It's neatly tucked in a small canyon in the hills.
Which meant more climbing for me. I followed a pack of running girls up Borges Trail until it once again intersected Briones-to-Mount Diablo Trail, and I turned east. My goal here was to reach Diablo Foothills Regional Park, and since the trail was through a flat meadow here, I got there in short order.
Crossing the gate and leaving the runners behind, I rolled through open space with a number of ups and downs, riding past another dry pond on the right, until I crested a small saddle, and entered Mount Diablo State Park.
At this point, I was really feeling like I'd gotten away from the city. I couldn't see any structures from this vantage, I'd been riding for an hour or so. A brace of oaks kept me company to the left as the wind whistled through the rusty gate and barbed wire that marked the state park boundary. I pushed it open with a creak and wheeled my bike though, riding down into my third park of the day.
It was immediately apparent that cattle used this land, since the trail was pitted and gouged like nobody's business. But that was forgotten as I spied a ridge of strange rocks off to my right, and ventured up there to check it out.
Yup, there were cows here, all right. And cow-mines as well. They gathered around a nearby pond and mooed at me while I examined the rock ridge.
The ridge was obviously thrown up by a fault and then exposed by weathering, but I had no idea what kind of rock it was. I'm going to guess limestone. It was wonderfully etched and dissolved by the elements. The wind was coming through here quite smartly, and I crouched in the shelter of the wall to keep from getting too chilled while I ate my first PBJ.
Snacking complete, I was unsurprised to continue climbing along the trail. After all, I was heading up Diablo's southwest flank, so there was bound to be more climbing than not.
I turned left and continued climbing up Wall Point Road and crossed over Pine Ridge dropping into an unnamed oak-filled ravine over a dry creek. Then continued climbing to the east. It was really really steep. I could handle the climb technically, but there was so much of it, it was really wearing me down. Look at the profile of the ride starting about 13 km, and you'll see it.
Passed another cyclist (who was walking up the hill) and a ranger on a quad going the other direction. I thought the ranger was going to cite the cyclist for not having a helmet, but I guess it's not a regulation here.
At the top of the stretch, I met the ranger again, and chatted with him about what trail I was on. Turns out I wanted to make a left way back there. But now that I was up at the top, I would ride a little farther. I was high enough in elevation that pines were starting to grow, and also at this point, you could look back to the west and see the Castle Rock Area.
I also asked him about a tunnel I'd seen on the topo map but he hadn't heard of it. He was enthusiastic about all the mining in the area, so he said he'd check it out, and told me of a number of other mineshafts north of Diablo.
So I followed the trail east for a flat stretch, with a sharp drop off to the right and rock outcrops all over, until it started looking like it was going to do some mad climbing. I then turned around and headed back down to the proper intersection, now going right onto a connector trail to BBQ Terrace Road/Stage Road. The connector was moderately steep downhill over smooth rock outcrops and sand, curving to the right as it ran through the trees.
My GPS said I was closing on the tunnel, and I easily found the small cove where it was hiding. But it was collapsed, I'm sorry to say, either naturally or deliberately.
And now it was 5pm! Yikes! Time to head back!
Stage Road is a great easy downhill along the bottom of Pine Canyon. It cuts over the dry creekbed, and then you reach Pine Pond, highly grown over with tall reeds, but the first place I'd seen with any appreciable water in it.
Dropping past the earthen dam, the trail twists through the trees, and crosses the now-wet creek several times, each good for a splash. In the shade of Pine Ridge and gnarled oaks twisting overhead, the atmosphere was a little spooky!
So when I saw something sizable sprinting on all fours across the trail in front of me, I hauled on the brakes and pulled up short to see what was before me. It is mountain lion country, after all.
But this was too small. And it had a bob-tail. A bobcat! Maybe the third one I've ever seen in my life. He crouched at the bast of a tree near the edge of the brambles ready for a quick escape. I talked soothingly as I pulled out my point-and-shoot camera and attempted to get it to perform under these conditions. The cat's eyes reflected back at me.
I got back on my bike and left before he did--a great rare encounter!
Giving him space, I passed back into Diablo Foothills park and stopped at yet another dark and spooky picnic area for my last PBJ, giving me energy for the trip back to BART.
Looking through the trees to my right, the Castle Rock area was quite a grand sight! Titanic weathered outcrops towered far above near Castle Rock itself, a pinnacle topping out at 296 meters elevation.
The weathering on the stone was excellent, and it had formed caves and cavities in some places. Maybe if the area weren't so seismically active, we'd have more legitimate dissolution caves around here. Some of the holes in the rock formed perches high above the trail. I wondered how many pounds of pot had been smoked up there over the years.
It was time to get back on the main trail home. I turned left on Shell Ridge Loop Trail, climbed left on an unnamed connector trail, and then rejoined Briones-to-Diablo Trail at the Shell Ridge boundary where I'd left the runners. As I broke out over the top of the climb, I was greeted by the bright orange glow of the setting sun, a sharp welcome contrast to the gloomy dark oak forest along Pine Creek.
With lots of downhill before me, the trail went by quickly and before I knew it, I was back at the singletrack, to Howe Homestead, and back home!
For a quick bit of pleasure reading to tide you over until the next time I decide to write, here is a mountain bike ride report from Briones Regional Park two days ago. You can also view a map and profile of the ride.
The weather was showing a menacing storm cloud hovering off the coast, and general overcast, so this might have been one of the last chances of the season for a good dry ride. The overcast was keeping it cool, too, which was good since I figured there'd be the usual UP and DOWN of your standard Far East Bay park.
Started from the Lafayette BART station and headed up Happy Valley Road to Panorama Road. A short but good warmup, this, climbing about 60 meters.
Panorama climbs hard, and then keeps climbing hard as you turn off on Mariposa Trail on the dirt. I passed the westbound Mariposa turnoff, and opted for straight northbound. Lots of dry tall yellow grass on both sides, with groves of oak here and there. Fantastic gorge views toward Layafette ridge to the right, and the trail even narrowed to an obvious ridge at one point.
More serious climbing on Mariposa until it intersected Russell Peak Trail, which continues up to Russell Peak, elevation 413 m (maybe 250 m up from the start of Panorama Road.) And then it eventually turned into Briones Crest Trail.
Up until now, I'd been generally unhappy with the ups and downs. It's far from my favorite type of riding. But I was pleased to find that things generally improved once up past Russell Peak.
(Maybe next time I'll try coming in from Lafayette Ridge Trail, instead, even though the last climb on that up to Briones Crest looks daunting.)
There are a few cattle gates on this route. One of them, a beefy one just south of the Seaborg/Briones Crest intersection, has a broken hinge.
And there are a few cows, too. I stopped for a pick-me-up powerbar after the intro climb was over and had a chat with three cows that were sitting under a nearby tree chewing their cud, my partners in preprocessed culinary delights. They were non-responsive.
Back on and feeling renewed, the ups and downs seemed a little less crazy than before.
Clipping along toward the Crescent Ridge turnoff, I spotted a baby snake in the road ahead, repeating patterns on its back and sides! I swerved and brought my snake-leg high, avoiding him smartly. But of course I had to turn around to look. :)
(A week before, we'd had a run-in with a 1 m rattler in Ventana Wilderness between Redwood and Sykes Camps, so I was a little nervous!)
But this time, it was just a gopher snake. Probably. I didn't ask for a venom sample.
Overcast skies kept me cool as I arrived at the Briones Crest/Table Top Trail interchange. I had originally planned to stick to Briones Crest, but I'm a sucker for a view, and Table Top was looking like it had a view.
Good decision! I cranked up there, and enjoyed a nice relatively-flat ride along this great grass-lined trail, with views of Mount Diablo, Concord airport, the Benicia Bridge, and the Mothball Fleet. The delta dominated the distant horizon.
Curving back west, I rejoined the Briones Crest Trail and after a small dip, crested at Briones Peak (elevation 552 m.)
From there, it was all downhill to the Maricich Lagoons. The trail bent and twisted easily down the grassy hill. I passed a jogger and his pup, the first person I'd seen in the park (save a hiker and her two dogs I'd seen just exiting the park on Panorama Road.)
I got to the bottom of the hill and for once didn't get my map out, thus making the only wrong turn of the day. (By the time I sorted it out, I didn't feel like going back just to see the water fountain at the north end of the park.) As such, I didn't see the Maricich Lagoons, but turned northwest to stay on the Briones Crest Trail, instead of transitioning to the Old Briones Road Trail like I'd originally intended.
But I did see the more-impressive Sindicich Lagoons instead! These were beautiful reed-lined ponds, complete with ducks lazily paddling back and forth, wakes cutting silently over the dark surface of the water.
Up a mild hill to the (other) Lagoon Trail turnoff, I was greeted with more sweeping vistas, this time more northward. On a clearer day, it might have been even more magnificent, but today I was glad to not have a 1pm sun beating down on my back.
At this point, I decided to depart Briones Crest Trail, and headed down Abrigo Valley Trail to check out the group camps that were down there. This trail was steep and loose, and included the steepest and loosest terrain I saw, both in the same 20 m stretch of trail! It looked like maybe a grader had been out there recently.
(In retrospect, I would have stayed on Briones Crest, and then turned south on Santos Trail to get down to the same point, presuming Santos Trail is better... and then I would have had more of a chance to enjoy those Briones Crest views.)
In short order, I was down at the bottom of Abrigo Valley, and came to the Wee-Ta-Chi Camp nestled in a grove of oak. Filled up my water bottle, and continued down the valley, curving gradually to the left. Crossed the Abrigo Valley creek, but it was bone-dry.
This is a great little valley, with oak groves and grassy meadows. The gradual downhill makes it a joy to coast through.
The next group camp was Maud Whalen Camp, where I unfilled some of my water. (It looked like the bathrooms at Wee-Ta-Chi were locked, but not so at Maud Whalen.) This camp has a covered firecircle with capacity for probably 30-40 people.
Continuing down the valley, it's a quick downhill 1.5 km to Oak Grove and Newt Hollow picnic areas near the main entrance.
Here I met the second person of my trip, a jogger who was just starting her run. She asked me how to get to the view, and I gave her the reverse of my route. I wish I knew more, but it's only the first time I've been here!
With names like Oak Grove and Newt Hollow, which would you eat lunch at? Of course, Newt Hollow. There was a big grassy area with a flat concrete pad 2 m in diameter in its center... I presume this is newt country? There were no newts to be found this day, however.
I sat down and ate my peanut butter sandwich lunch, which had been comically flattened in-bag by the heavy-duty bungee-lashing I'd applied. Oh well.
No one was in the parking booth as I rode by, and headed up to Seaborg Trail, destination: Archery Range. (I love the name of this trail, by the way.)
Since I'd been thinking about getting back into archery, I wanted to check out what the Bay Area had to offer, which is actually what led me to this park in the first place. So I pedaled the short distance up Seaborg (!!) to Crescent Ridge Trail, and then to the range.
There was already one gentleman there from the Briones Archery Club, named Carl. He gave me the complete scoop on everything that had to do with Bay Area and Northern California archery, which was most excellent.
The atmosphere on the archery range is much much different than on the shooting range. The range itself is nestled in a small oak-lined canyon under Crescent Ridge. I like it.
From there, it was back to Seaborg, where I intended to have a look at the less-developed Homestead Valley Camp. But instead I was distracted suddenly by an giant herd of goats coming out of the camp road!
I stopped my bike and got off, having no idea if you could actually spook goats, or what. They didn't seem scared, but were definitely gravitating toward me. Must have been the tasty-looking brake cables.
Fortunately, before any taste-testing could occur, the two goat-dogs intervened and herded them away to the west. The shepard (goat-herd?) said hi, and told me I could keep on riding--I guess goats aren't easily spooked after all.
I was so impressed by the skills of the dogs, and by the fact that a few lonely raindrops were starting to fall out of the darkening sky, that I forgot about the Homestead Camp, and just kept heading up the canyon past the broadleaf trees growing out of the seasonal creek next to the road.
Seaborg is an easy trail until the last bit, where it basically shoots straight up the hill. Ugh. Very powdery trail, too, but not so much you can't pedal up.
It might be steep, but that part's mercifully short. And I was back on Briones Crest Trail again, this time heading home. One final climb up Russell Peak (because once a day just isn't enough, I guess!) and then it was down the crest back to Panorama Road. The light rain was just enough that I was starting to flip mudflecks into my face (haven't been able find my sunglasses since the Ventana trip) but the firetrail was still solid.
Panorama Road and Happy Valley Road were damp (downhill muddy tires wet asphalt woo), but it was easy from there back to BART and home!
Overall, this is a mighty fine park, I think. There's a lot of opportunity for a lot of big loops. I'm even willing to forgive the up-downiness, and that's saying a lot.
I'd rate the ride as moderate exercise, low technical difficulty. 23.6 km.
