Low-traffic roads and lush, tree-lined thoroughfares highlight this 38-mile loop through the foothills surrounding the San Francisco Bay.
From McKenzie Park in Los Altos, head northwest through residential neighborhoods on Fremont Avenue to begin your ride, says Bicycling.com mapper Russ Stevens. Your push into the country begins with an easy climb up Concepcion Road near mile 5. This quick, 0.8-mile ascent is one of many brief and mild uphills throughout the route, which is devoid of any sustained climbs.
Pass through the Arastradero Preserve, a wilderness refuge home to coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions and deer, before heading north through a lush, tree-lined corridor on Portola Road. Refuel at the Woodside Store, then head up Canada Road to begin the ride’s longest climb (2.2 miles). The manageable ascent culminates in an overlook offering wide-ranging panoramas of the San Francisco Bay with Mt. Diablo protruding from the horizon’s edge.
From here, it’s a swift 5-mile descent to the Canyon Inn, a classic roadside burger joint and perfect mid-ride lunch stop. Return to Los Altos by pedaling along Alameda de las Pulgas, a favorite thoroughfare among local cyclists. With only a few doses of light climbing remaining, you’ll pass through Redwood City and Menlo Park before back to McKenzie Park via the Fremont Expressway.
More map details at http://bicycling.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/542228
