Mori Ridge trail to Sweeney Ridge

Wednesday September 30th, PM. Time is running out for post-work daylight exploring this year. Took a little detour from Daly City to Pacifica, climbing back up the Mori Ridge fireroad to Sweeney Ridge while avoiding Highway 1. Used the beater road bike and its triple wasn't enough to prevent the need to walk a few steep sections. Road bikes are fine for most the trip, but I wouldn't wear SPD-SLs.

History lesson: Sweeney Ridge is the spot where the Portolá Expedition discovered the San Francisco Bay. There's even a monument up there south of the abandoned Nike missile site SF-59L.

Most of the way up, past the last steep bit:

View of sf & San Bruno Mountain from Sweeney Ridge:

Hungry white bunny at the Sneath Ln gate:

Click on the map link below for more pictures & stats. Other dirt bits: fireroad off Carter Dr along Skyline, trail connecting Lundy Way with the Orchid Gardens to avoid Hwy 1, and a short bit of dirt connecting Skyline with Crestmoor Dr.

San Bruno's pockets of dirt

Tuesday August 25th, PM. This commute 1-upped Cross loops by Crestmoor by adding 3 sections of dirt (done on the road bike of course):

- trail between Skyline and Carter Dr starting just south of King Dr to Westborough Blvd

- fireroad between Skyline and Fleetwood Dr from College Dr almost all the way to Sneath

- old Helen Dr fireroad through Junipero Serra County Park. Too bad bikes aren't allowed on any of the other dirt in this far-underutilized park -- it's rare to see someone there on weekdays.

Now the only way to 1-up this ride further would be to descend Sharp Park Rd to Pacifica, do some loops at the recently-improved Mori Point, and then climb the Mori Ridge trailhead at Shelldance Orchid gardens to Sweeney Ridge and descend the Sneath Lane trail.

Friday Night Track Racing

Friday August 14th, PM. Took a super low-traffic route to Hellyer Park Velodrome to watch the track races. Cut through two parks to get to the bike/ped trail along Lawrence, which happily includes some dirt for a tiny semblance of epic. Then the ped bridge connecting Bucknall Rd and Rincon Ave. Ends with a nice creekside trail from Tully Rd to the track. I suppose that Homestead to San Thomas Expy to Hamilton would be shorter and much faster, but with a lot more speedy traffic. Meh it's friday.

Cyclocross loops by Crestmoor Elementary

Thursday, August 13th PM. Took the high road from Colma and looped 5 times on the dirt by Crestmoor Elementary. Not sure who owns that dirt, and there's no fenced attempt to keep people out of it. The loop is rather hilly and requires hiking at the bottom over a stream to complete. Some parts could using pruning to curb the invasive blackberry, and check out the large invasion of fennel in the picture below:

Mouse ride on dirt to cut to Page Mill, then solo on Montebello to work

August 2nd, AM: mouse cross ride on dirt through the trails along Cañada, Manzanita, Portola, and Arastradero to Paseo del Roble Dr and Page Mill. Regroup and then solo on Montebello and Coyote Ridge Trail off to work. All on the road bike.

Coyote Ridge Trail was steeper and hotter in the exposed sun than I was expecting, but it was all clearable on the road bike. These pictures are from the nice segment after the climb from the reservoir.

After a quick spell at work, rode to Timpani Crit and then to Lawrence Caltrain stop via dirt that is not recommended (I had hoped it would go under 101).

Jefferson to Alpine to Canyon Trail to Stevens

July 24th solo on the road bike, and August 4th on the cyclocross bike with @eaceaser. On the cross bike, multiple trails along Cañada, Manzanita, and Portola Roads were hit. It was Ed's first real experience on dirt, and he endo'ed in glorious style on Canyon Trail's descent.

Ed on Manzanita Way:

Canyon Trail descent:

"Planet of the apes" scouting

Saturday July 18th. Not technically a commute, but this ride passes as scouting for a future epic commute. Rode from home south to the Chris Hipp memorial ride at 92&Cañada, and then rolled back north with the group. On Sawyer Camp trail my road bike's rear derailleur cable snapped so I single-speeded it home. Quickly swapped over to the cross bike and hoped to catch up to the group by "cutting through" Sweeney Ridge. I never saw them again, and mountain bikers on Pedro Mountain Rd told me I was about 20 mins back from the "large group of road bikers". After passing tons of stuck traffic on Hwy 1, climbed Higgins Purisima Rd into the park, taking the Purisima Creek trail all the way to Skyline. Had a nice lunch at the Woodside cafe, then rode the dirt trail along Cañada for the portion where there aren't any "no bikes" signs, before heading back to the road where eventually Timmay, Julie, and Paule came up from behind cutting through the headwind at the end of their roadie ride. Great day.

Terrain verdict:

- Baquiano trail has a very steep descent close to Fassler Ave. I'm not sure that road tires will be able to get enough traction to slow down. I wonder if descending Mori Ridge trail from Sweeney Ridge is better. Even if it is, crossing Hwy 1 at the Shelldance Orchid gardens could be annoying, making Sharp Park the best bet.

- San Pedro Mountain road, a shell of its former glory, is ridable on road wheels. Sure there's potholes, some singletrack, and dirt, but nothing too terrible and the grade of the climb and descent isn't that bad.

- Purisima Creek Trail was a hot, tough climb at a steady grade. Doable on a road bike with low gearing and a strong will.

iPhone's battery cut out near the end. Finished the ride by taking Skyline to Larkspur's descent to right on Helen, cutting through Junipero Serra park on the fireroad, and descending Crystal Springs on home.

Pedro Mountain Road: