# Route Help : Sunnyvale to Foster City



## NEthingbutlast (Nov 16, 2002)

Hi...

I was wondering if there is a way to bike on the east side of 101 from Sunnyvale (Moffet Field) to Redwood Shores without having to cross over to the west side of 101.

I see a trail along the east side of 101 when I drive North, but not sure it connects all the way down to Sunnyvale.

This would be done during commute hours.
I have a cyclocross bike as my commuter so i can take dirt trails for safety/fun if necessary/allowed.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!


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## robwh9 (Sep 2, 2004)

*Middlefield Road*

Middlefield Road goes all the way to Redwood Shores. It starts out west of 101, but ends up east. Just head west a couple blocks from Moffet.


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## mohair_chair (Oct 3, 2002)

The Stevens Creek trail is probably what you see off of 101. Not sure where you live, but it basically runs along 85 until it hits 101, then goes under. It goes all the way out to the bay (very windy!), the turns north and goes through shoreline, eventually coming out to where you see it along 101. It doesn't go much further than that, so you are back on surface streets. It also goes inward, under 101, into Palo Alto. I worked very briefly at Microsoft and used to ride the entire trail every day attempting to stay sane.

http://davisfields.com/sct_tour/


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## johnny99 (Apr 2, 2004)

You used to be able to ride around the east side of Moffett Field, but someone blocked off that route a couple of years ago. I'm guessing that the Cargill Salt company closed it in an effort to pressure the Feds into buying the land. Now that Moffett is being converted to commerical use, I understand that the city of Sunnyvale is working to open a public bike route from the Sunnyvale Shoreline Park (aka the sewage treatment plant) to the Mountain View Shoreline Park (aka the amphitheater). Until this route is available, you need to cross 101 (Ellis is a good point), head north parallel to 101, then take the Stevens Creek Trail back to the amphitheater.

From Mountain View Shoreline Park, there are bike paths along the bay shore through Mountain View and Palo Alto. When you get to Embarcadero Road, cross the street to Geng Road and follow the bike path over the bridge into East Palo Alto. In EPA, you can take back streets or University Ave. out to the bay (near the Dumbarton Bridge and the Sun campus). From there you can find more bike paths that will take you north all the way to the San Carlos airport (adjacent to Redwood Shores). The route through the Redwood City marina is a little hard to follow. If you miss a turn, you will find yourself at the Redwood City police station and/or the Redwood City jail. There is also a short dirt section over a bridge in the middle of nowhere (the "bridge to nowhere"). The bike path that you can see along the east edge of Hwy 101 (between Whipple and Holly) was just completed last year and probably doesn't appear on any maps yet.

From Redwood Shores, if you cut through Oracle, you will find more bike paths that continue around Foster City and under Hwy 92 up to the Bayshore Park in Millbrae (close to the SFO airport).


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## johnny99 (Apr 2, 2004)

robwh9 said:


> Middlefield Road goes all the way to Redwood Shores. It starts out west of 101, but ends up east. Just head west a couple blocks from Moffet.


Middlefield Road never crosses to the east side of Hwy 101. Also, Middlefield ends in southern Redwood City, well south of Redwood Shores.


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## NEthingbutlast (Nov 16, 2002)

*Cool! I have choices!*

hey everyone...

thanks for all the feedback!

i don't have any reason not to cross over to the west side of 101, but figured it'd be less crowded on that side of the highway.

i'm definitely going to try the way johnny99 suggested.

QUESTION : does middlefield have a bike lane all the way up from sunnyvale to redwood city?

thanks everyone!


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## johnny99 (Apr 2, 2004)

NEthingbutlast said:


> QUESTION : does middlefield have a bike lane all the way up from sunnyvale to redwood city?


No. There are bike lanes in Sunnyvale. In Mountain View, there is a shoulder that cars are allowed to park on at certain hours. The shoulder completely disappears in mid-town Palo Alto and is intermittent from there on north. The section of Middlefield through Atherton and Redwood City can be pretty "exciting" during rush hour because there is lots of cross traffic, on-street parking, narrow lanes, and no shoulder. I strongly advise you to study this route on a weekend before attempting it during rush hour. El Camino might be easier because the lanes are wider and there is less cross traffic.


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## johnny99 (Apr 2, 2004)

Did you try it? Which route did you take?

One thing I forgot to mention is that some of the bike paths on the bay side of 101 are prone to flooding during high tide and heavy rain.


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## NEthingbutlast (Nov 16, 2002)

No...

I didn't have a chance to try it this weekend.
Now it raining and I don't want to experiment during the weekdays.

But, it looks like I can take the steven's creek trail from moffet, up through shoreline, follow some dirt trails up to EPA, then go along the bay up to redwood city. not sure how to get around seaport blvd where the boat harbor is.

any suggestions?

from there, i think i can get to redwood shores once i'm by the airport.

thanks again for all the suggestions....


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## mohair_chair (Oct 3, 2002)

NEthingbutlast said:


> No...
> 
> I didn't have a chance to try it this weekend.
> Now it raining and I don't want to experiment during the weekdays.
> ...


At Seaport/Woodside Road (hwy 84), you have to cross over 101 again. Take Blomquist past the cement plant and Malibu Grand Prix, then turn left at the end, where the Redwood City police station is. There's an overpass there which is infinitely safer than trying to navigate under 101 at Seaport.


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## johnny99 (Apr 2, 2004)

NEthingbutlast said:


> But, it looks like I can take the steven's creek trail from moffet, up through shoreline, follow some dirt trails up to EPA, then go along the bay up to redwood city. not sure how to get around seaport blvd where the boat harbor is.


Like I said the last time, the only confusing part is cutting through the Redwood City marina. If you find yourself at the Redwood City Police Station, you took a wrong turn so go in and ask someone for directions. Once you get through EPA, there are not many choices of roads between 101 and the bay, so you're not going to get too far lost.


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## NEthingbutlast (Nov 16, 2002)

*I'll let you know how it goes...*

Thanks again for all the tips everyone!

Can't do it this weekend, going to Sea Otter.
But...will give it a shot the following weekend.

I'll let you know how it goes!


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