M2 Riders Tackle the Tour of California

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Route: San Francisco to Santa Cruz
Date: Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Check-in: 7:00 – 7:45 at GG Park north windmill/Ocean Beach.
Starting Point: Roll-time is 8 am from Ocean Beach.
End Point: Seabright Brewery, 519 Seabright Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz.

Registration is currently full but we can accept riders for a wait list.

Tick, tick, tick!  Our date with Lance, Levi, and the professional peloton is almost here. See below for important details:

  • We need all riders to sign-in.  No sign-in = you ride your bike roundtrip! There will be a vehicle which we will use to transport your fresh post-ride clothing.  It might be helpful to have a name tag on your bag/gear.
  • Starting Point Roll-time is 8am from Ocean Beach.
  • End Point is the Seabright Brewery on 519 Seabright Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz, where your bike will be gathered, and our bus will be parked to transport us back to SF at 515pm.  We have a patio area reserved for M2 riders and there is a tasty menu with nice specials.
  • Shower tip: there are public outdoor showers on the beach by the Boardwalk, and which is 3/4 of a mile prior to reaching the Seabright Brewery.
  • Rules of the Road are to be obeyed – as with any ride, let’s all be good road citizens; ride single file where appropriate, respect stop signs, cross-walks, bring water/gels to M2, etc.
  • Rider Support, although the ride is self-supported, we will have a van at various points of the course to assist with mechanical issues, as well as to have refueling provisions.   Riders can look for the van at the Pacifica turn-off, Tunitas Creek turn-off, Pescadero Road/Cloverdale Road junction, Davenport enclave just before Bonny Doon climb.
  • Bus for return to SF tentatively scheduled to depart at 500pm – it is the rider’s responsiblity to make it to SC by this time.

Route Options – Riders can choose any route they wish and modify as they go.

All riders will begin on the Great Highway and will drop down through Pacifica.   The route for such sees us enter the onramp for Hwy 1 and where there is a bus-stop and pedestrian path that drops you onto quiet neighborhood roads to the coast.  Bike Route signs will steer you through Pacifica and evenutally merge back onto Hwy1 where it is then again legal to ride.   We will have the van stationed near the bus-stop indicate the direction.

  • Two Taco route is the shortest and most direct – a straight shot down the coast on Hwy. 1, follow signs for Boardwalk when you reach SC.
  • Fajitas Route http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ca/san-francisco/462127370293563504 is straight shot down the coast and where at the 65 mile mark just after the small enclave of Davenport (General Store on the left) you tackle the Stage’s signature climb, Bonny Doon.  Last year’s winner Levi Leipheimer raced up in just under 29 minutes, so riders should plan on a solid 30min of climbing.  Right turn on Empire Grade near the top for a fast descent to the finish.
  • Grande Burrito http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/ca/san%20francisco/370127370360631447 Riders will tackle the first climb Tunitas Creek at 35 miles.   The climb begins gradually and gets steeper as you go.  Right hand turn at the top on Skyline at 42 miles, continue to Rt.84 (General Store) and right hand turn down 84, left turn on Pescadero Road at 57miles (General Store), note that Pescadero road forks right about 3/4 mile up the hill, left hand turn on Cloverdale Road at 68 miles and which winds you to the coast.  Bonny Doon Climb is just after the small enclave of Davenport (General Store) or option to ride Hwy. 1 to SC.
  • Super Grande Burrito route climbs Tunitas and at the top drops down the backside on Kings Mtn Road into Woodside (General Store), right at Stop sign end of descent, continue until you climb up Rt84 back to Skyline, and then follow Grande Burrito route.

SAFETY TIP! There is a railroad track crossing on Hwy.1, just north of Davenport that can be dangerous for cyclists because the tracks cross at a diagonal.  Crossing the tracks perpendicular sends you out into traffic UNLESS you pull far right onto the shoulder to then safely cross in perpendicular fashion.  Crossing straight over them you run the risk of getting stuck in the track grooves.