AdvTraveler: August 2018

Saturday, August 25, 2018

Santa Cruz Mountains Ride August 25, 2018

I live in the East Bay of the San Francisco Area and have not really explored the Santa Cruz Mountains so today was the day. I am sure there are many more roads in that area that I did not get a chance to ride, but what I did ride was great.

I left my home around 8:00 in the morning and headed over the Bay Bridge to California State Route 35 which is better known as Skyline Boulevard. What an epic road. Started out in the fog, but turned into a nice day.

Stopped by the famous Alice's Restaurant. I did not go in side or eat anything, but maybe next time. Looked like the it was still a little early, but quite a few people and bikes.

I was having so much fun I just got back on the bike and continued south on Skyline Boulevard.

Skyline Boulevard at the end turns into almost a single lane for the last few miles. From there I took Bear Creek Road to Summit Road to State Route 17 down into Santa Cruz. I surprised a few deer on the way.

Once down to Santa Cruz I hit State Route 9 to head back home. I stopped in Ben Lomond at a store to grab a sandwich for lunch. There was no where to sit and eat so I decided to head up State Route 236 to Big Basin Redwood State Park to find a place to stop and eat. The campground was not too full so I pulled into an empty site and made myself at home.

Big Basin State Park is the oldest California State Park and has the oldest span of old growth redwood trees south of San Francisco. Great place and need to take my son there to check it out.

State Route 236 reconnects to the 9 so I did the loop and from there got back on Skyline down to Page Mill Road. At that point I jumped on the 280 freeway and back across the Bay Bridge to home.