#1 FAVORITE COAST LOOP
(Woodside/Pescadero/San Gregorio/Tunitas Creek, about 52
miles)
52.12 miles. 5410 feet of climbing.
Spectacular scenery. What's not to like?
As with virtually all
rides on our website, this one starts out at Olive Hill & Canada.
Today we head south into Woodside, passing part of a large
Sunday-morning group.
Old LaHonda looks so
peaceful & inviting at the base! The bridge is the traditional
start point for those who like to time their climbs, but that's for
another day.
Old LaHonda never goes
beyond a lane and a half, making it a favorite for bikes because
it's so lightly-used by cars.
Once at the top of Old
LaHonda, it's down the other side! This is the reverse
direction of our regular Tues/Thurs morning
ride.
The
Pioneer Market in LaHonda is your first shot at buying food & drink,
but you probably don't need it yet.
The infamous Flamingo
House, on Pescadero Road a few miles out of Pescadero.
Infamous because it's impossible to get a good shot of the hundreds
of Pink Flamingos!
Entering
the coastal town of Pescadero via North Street.
Don't remember the
name, but this is the market/bakery everybody stops at.
Today it's the Webcor Team in full force.
Heading towards the
first peak on Stage Road I encounter a number of riders heading in
the opposite direction.
It's hard
to believe there are cyclists who have never ridden Stage Road.
This is heading North, looking down into the valley between the two
peaks. You could choose to ride Highway 1 instead, but
why???
Two Webcor guys who had
spent the morning trying to chase me down, finally passing me on the
final climb. I wish! They were just out for a good time,
hardly working at all.
The Webcor group headed
back up 84 from San Gregorio, while I continued on Stage Road, which
hooks up to Highway 1 before Tunitas Creek.
Hard to
believe a storm would move into the area a few hours later!
This is on Highway 1, descending towards Tunitas Creek. One
hand on the bars, the other holding the camera... what would life be
without a few thrills?
Tunitas Creek starts out so nice & friendly, rolling along through a
valley that probably doesn't look much different now than it did 50
years ago. Since that, coincidentally, is also the last
time they paved parts of the road, Tunitas is definitely a better
climb than descent.
And climb it does! That's Rich, one of our customers I met
along the way, cruising up the infamous (for its steepness) middle
section.
Tunitas is
like Old LaHonda, only better. Less traffic, better scenery,
and a babbling brook (that would be Tunitas Creek) that keeps you
company on the way up. The final third of the climb is very
easy, providing you're not riding with somebody who decides to
really push the pace to the end. Fortunately, that wasn't the
case today.
Descending King's Mtn
into Woodside. Be careful riding Kings Mtn on weekends, as
there's a lot of traffic into Huddart Park.
Finally onto Olive
Hill, part of the cut-off from Kings' Mtn that allows you to avoid
the worst of Woodside Road, and ends at Canada.
Directions
for this ride:
As with most rides on this website, it starts at Olive Hill & Canada
Road, which is about one mile north of the town of Woodside.
All that really matters is that you find a way to get to Woodside;
if driving, you could park at the Park & Drive on Woodside Road near
280, about half a mile east of town.
From Olive Hill, head south on Canada Road to the center of Woodside
(where Roberts Market is, where Woodside Road, Canada and Mtn. Home
all come together. If you go roughly straight across from
Canada, you're on Mtn. Home (which is a quieter little road that
crosses a small bridge just south of Robers Market). Proceed
on Mtn. Home until it merges with Portola Road (don't know if
there's a sign actually saying Portola Road); continue straight
until it dead-ends at Sand Hill. If you're really old (OK,
over 40) you may remember this as the entrance to Searsville Lake
from back in the day.
At Sand Hill you go right, about half a mile, and turn right onto
Old LaHonda, which will be the first right turn you can make.
Proceed up Old LaHonda about four miles to Skyline Blvd, and then go
down the other side another three miles or so until the road ends at
Highway 84. Be very careful getting across 84; you're right
next to a curve that cars come flying around.
Head down 84 past the town of LaHonda and you'll come to a large
intersection with Pescadero Road heading off to the left (which is
where you're going). Stay on Pescadero for quite a few miles,
making a left turn onto North Road just before you come into
town. If you miss it, no biggie, just ride into town and make
the right at Stage Road.
Stage Road heads north towards San Gregorio, crossing over two
moderate hills and subsequent descents. At San Gregorio you
can load up on food & drink at the General Store before heading up
the final climb on Stage Road that hooks you up with Highway 1.
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