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Cruising Oakland's Bike Trails
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Kathy Hrastar
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Last Updated on June, 26 2008 at 01:53 PM
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I discovered Oakland’s diversity while riding my bike.
Oakland and its environs offer some of the best cycling in the country.
Four seasons a year, we have options. Hilly or flat. Trees or
waterways. Roads or trails. Urban or not-so-urban. Go a bit further and
you can choose your climate. Too hot? Take your bike on BART or a ferry to San Francisco for the refreshing fog. Cold? Travel east over the ridge and soak up the warm sun. |
I discovered Oakland’s diversity while riding my bike.
Oakland and its environs offer some of the best cycling in the country. Four seasons a year, we have options. Hilly or flat. Trees or waterways. Roads or trails. Urban or not-so-urban. Go a bit further and you can choose your climate. Too hot? Take your bike on BART or a ferry to San Francisco for the refreshing fog. Cold? Travel east over the ridge and soak up the warm sun.
The terrain and scenery here are as diverse as the city’s culture. Two of my favorite rides demonstrate this diversity.
UP THE HILLS:
The classic Redwood-Pinehurst loop has become almost a weekly habit. I recently turned a friend onto the route and now she’s addicted, too. From my Temescal neighborhood, the 30-mile loop takes me up to the Oakland hills, and then down through cool redwoods.
As I pedal up and out of town, I watch traffic edging towards the Caldecott Tunnel. I’m teased up hills with weird road graffiti not noticeable from a car (Dan. Dan. Dan. Hair Dan!!!!) and rewarded at the top with glorious vistas of the Bay. I zoom down open roads and practice cornering around the twisty turns.
The roads are paved the entire way, and with my skinny tires and “granny” gears, the trip takes me about two hours. I’ve occasionally seen riders dismount and walk up some of the steep pitches. It may be steep for some, but another seasoned cyclist told me he’d never do this loop unlesshe was sick or injured—it’s too easy to be worth his trouble.
Whatever your level, it’s a great way to lose yourself in the semi-rustic scenery and fresh air—salted with eucalyptus and evergreen. You’ll pass plenty of park entrances to sneak a bathroom break or to refill water. Still, parts of the ride are remote, out of range of both cell phones and public transportation. So at least bring the tools—and the knowledge—to fix a flat. If you don’t have an older brother (or equivalent) to show you how (Thanks, John!), you can learn at a local workshop.
On my 30-mile getaway, door-to-door, I encounter all of five traffic lights. And I also follow five roads. Up Broadway (and cross over Highway 24), up Tunnel, along Skyline, left on Redwood, left on Pinehurst. Then I climb out of the canyon, back up to Skyline, and coast home.
For details, I suggest the quintessential cycling maps for the East Bay, put out by the East Bay Bicycling Coalition. The two maps—Map1: West of the Hills, and Map 2: East of the Hills—highlight preferred routes for bikes, including elevation alerts. (Watch out for roads marked with four red arrows.) Each map costs about $10, worth its weight in gas.
If you’d rather ride with your fellow human beings than with paper maps, consider hooking up with an organized club. Check out the Oakland Yellowjackets or try the link at Mike’s Bikes for group rides.
ALONG THE SHORES:
When I’m ready to switch gears, I trade my clip-in shoes for Converse sneakers and escape to explore the shore. I’m off to chase a slice of the Bay Trail. Unlike the previous loop, this tour is flat, urban and flexible.
Starting at Jack London Square, I have options. Follow the trail along the Embarcadero to Alameda and circle around Bay Farm Island. Or go the other direction, taking 3rd Street to that sweet swath of bike lane on Mandela Parkway, which leads to Emeryville and beyond.
The route follows the shoreline as closely as possible, mostly on paved multi-use paths and roads. But to navigate the occasional gravel patch, or traverse those railroad tracks, I prefer fat tires.
It’s relaxing to roll along the flat terrain, breathing the bay breeze and a little bit of city grit. Look offshore, and the world-class skyline rises above the water, marking the horizon. Look inland, and you’re likely to see warehouses or a freeway, reminding you that you’re never far from a city. And that can be convenient. If you lose track of time gawking at the view or get a flat and don’t feel like fixing it, you can always hop a bus home.
Each AC Transit bus is equipped with a rack in front that accommodates two bikes. To see how easy it is to load up your bike, check the instructions or watch the video at AC Transit online. And remember to bring some cash: the fare covers you and your bike.
You could coast the coast for days, with nothing but the wind to push you and with no particular destination in mind. Or you can consult a map. A set of six colorful maps will help you cover the entire San Francisco Bay Trail, a network of routes from Redwood Shores in the South Bay to Napa up north. For my tour, I use the individual East Bay map — pocket-sized, durable and full of way more information than its price of $3.50 plus $1 postage and handling.
In fact, I noticed a part of the Bay Trail in Oakland that I just tried recently: out 7th Street to Middle Harbor Shoreline Park. On a weekday, truck traffic makes the route nerve-wracking. It's better to go on a weekend. From the park, the view of that world-famous skyline is spectacular.
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OAKLAND
ZOMBIE STORY
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