It's not too tough...less than 20 miles, no steep hills, but plenty of rolling stuff to give you a good workout if you want.  The roads are all fairly safe & wide, with exception of Arastradero Road, found between #3 and #4 on this map.

Starting at Stanford (#1), head south on Junipero Serra to the stoplight at Page Mill.   Head right (west) a very short distance and take the narrow pathway onto Old Page Mill Road.  This is a very scenic little road that has no outlet for cars and is therefor wonderful for cyclists!  You'll merge back onto the main Page Mill just prior to the freeway 280 crossing.  After 280, take the first right onto Arastradero...this twisty little road begins nicely but does get a bit narrow as you hit the hilly section.  After a mile or two you'll end up at Alpine Road, where you head left, up a slight grade that takes you into Portola Valley.  At #5 on the map, turn right onto Portola Road.  As you head past Portola Valley, pay attention to #6 on the map, which is the entrance to Old La Honda road...one of the nicest climbs up to Skyline Blvd.  You might not be ready for it yet, but you will soon!

As you cruise over the "top" of the loop, get ready for a fun descent down Sand Hill Road (and no, I'm not really sure where Portola Road changes into Sand Hill)...but it ends all too quickly and you have a moderate climb that's going to take some work.  At the top of Sand Hill you'll see the prize...a long descent back down to Junipero Serra!

If you want to see photos and more descriptions of the roads on this ride, check out our Big Loop ride, which this is a subset of.

Check here for an overview of the various different rides on our website.