# Tunitas Creek, Old La Honda and Stanford



## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

<p>This is the 4th time my Ritchey Breakaway is going to Bay Area. It was a great day, with the weather in mid-70ies. I started from Woodside, a town filled with cyclists of all types, shapes and sizes - they were everywhere, most of them finishing their rides (I got there around 1PM). I assembled my Ritchey and was ready to ride - I was going to follow the route described in one of the Bay Area cards - they look like this (the one shown below is for the ride I plan to do tomorrow):</p>
<p><img height="240" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-CQeeidVYtDU/UDRHGTG_jjI/AAAAAAACmaI/T5w_p81_baM/s640/DSC01144.JPG" width="320" /><img height="240" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-xnbijvrowSw/UDRHIaZGlVI/AAAAAAACmaQ/uHcAEvi7R2A/s640/DSC01145.JPG" width="320" /></p>
<p>The cards are fantastic because they show a simple map with all important turns and mile markers and orienteering points indicated clearly, along with elevation, water/food stops and other details relevant to cyclists. They also fit in the back pocket of a jersey and are sweat-resistant. Highly recommended.</p>
<p>The climb up Tunitas Creek (along Kings Mountain Rd.) towards Skyline Blvd. was gorgeous.<img height="480" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Ytg8X5eJpAs/UDr2iEC_qKI/AAAAAAACnKc/YnoaUjvjyu8/s640/DSC01580.JPG" width="640" /></p>
<p><img height="480" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-tfMnXPWs1P0/UDr2gtpPlMI/AAAAAAACnKM/oUp9D3tFycY/s640/DSC01575.JPG" width="640" /></p>
<p>The descent was fast and a bit tricky - the road is narrow, and there is a blind corner after blind corner - rarely do you see further than 50-100 yards.</p>
<p>After the descent I got on Cabrillo (Hwy 1) that runs along the coast.</p>
<p><img height="480" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-SBDq68qF7ls/UDr2lzb3JiI/AAAAAAACnLE/E6L-MJ8kFcI/s720/DSC01595.JPG" width="720" /></p>
<p><img height="481" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ntqkjAAAxIE/UDr2oYIo0LI/AAAAAAACnLk/YX7zYIjW9rY/s720/DSC01607.JPG" width="720" /></p>
<p><img height="481" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-17CZpx_u0Bg/UDr2pjl1D8I/AAAAAAACnL0/PyKnr8qwtVw/s720/DSC01596.JPG" width="720" /></p>
<p><img height="481" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fflyt4zKmXo/UDr2qXGbN3I/AAAAAAACnL8/yRMovzlk4ZA/s720/DSC01611.JPG" width="720" /></p>
<p>After riding through some gorgeous farmlands I started to feel the 90-mile 7,000ft club ride I did the day before - my legs were sore, I was getting tired and hungry.</p>
<p>I stopped at La Honda market (kindly indicated on my map card) for some lunch.</p>
<p><img height="481" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FLBFIhI5Z4s/UDr2uErQBiI/AAAAAAACnMk/-VFixjjKClM/s720/DSC01625.JPG" width="720" /></p>
<p><img height="480" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-4zkwP5IbGv0/UDr2tdKC-LI/AAAAAAACnMc/FyzVA9lnzDY/s720/DSC01622.JPG" width="720" /></p>
<p>Yes, it is a dog-day afternoon - this is how I feel too.</p>
<p><img height="468" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9pCJU8N77L8/UDr2uw0e1VI/AAAAAAACnMs/CXhMDwYtOaE/s512/DSC01629.JPG" width="512" /></p>
<p>Soon I was refueled and up and riding on La Honda Rd.</p>
<p><img height="483" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-TTlpulOUVDo/UDr244G4kTI/AAAAAAACnNU/2Sgj-U3Nw2E/s720/DSC01633.JPG" width="720" /></p>
<p>I took the Old La Honda Rd., famous among local cyclists - except I was doing it backwards and going at touring pace (easy and with a lot of photo stops).</p>
<p><img height="480" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-nkguuHhLmP4/UDr3AwdmtfI/AAAAAAACnN8/DWasbTV6iCc/s640/DSC01655.JPG" width="640" /></p>
<p><img height="343" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-yLXYba0OSXA/UDr3HtQ8BeI/AAAAAAACnOc/LABCA37Qjdw/s800/DSC01661.JPG" width="800" /></p>
<p><img height="481" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Y6KrW2CGlGE/UDr3I17002I/AAAAAAACnOk/-jFD5nGOJSw/s720/DSC01668.JPG" width="720" /></p>
<p>A herd of deer at the top of Old La Honda Rd. I almost hit one on the descent.</p>
<p><img height="481" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1fEd6CeDQxU/UDr3PM2sWfI/AAAAAAACnO8/lfzHdO1mt3M/s720/DSC01676.JPG" width="720" /></p>
<p>After a quick descent I was on Sand Hill rd. heading towards Stanford campus/Palo Alto.</p>
<p><img height="478" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-j0-Z0GDCo7A/UDr3QjwIlhI/AAAAAAACnPE/ks0m8PgKfMA/s720/DSC01682.JPG" width="720" /></p>
<p>View of Palo Alto in the distance.</p>
<p><img height="482" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9vfwUWpqOOQ/UDr3R6TRc3I/AAAAAAACnPM/6Yv_yvX5tl4/s720/DSC01685.JPG" width="720" /></p>
<p>The photo above is of Stanford Linear Accelerator (3Km long). </p>
<p><img height="480" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-vKYnUuY-n3s/UDr3Uu_FJxI/AAAAAAACnPc/OmP3olQMQPA/s640/DSC01688.JPG" width="640" /></p>
<p>Stanford campus: Palm Drive.</p>
<p><img height="481" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-yn_HhP8wMHs/UDr3WFwfLqI/AAAAAAACnPk/wrh0yIF5Akk/s720/DSC01689.JPG" width="720" /></p>
<p>We need more Bicycle Boulevards like this one in Palo Alto!</p>
<p><img height="512" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-zVHAH9A7zPs/UDr3fqRDogI/AAAAAAACnQU/IR_VlKJ7xec/s512/DSC01710.JPG" width="384" /></p>
<p>Eventually I have had enough of exploration and rode back to Woodside. It is virtually impossible to get lost with those little card maps. 56 miles and almost 5,000 ft climbed, but felt longer and tougher.</p>


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

Cool report. I've ridden a lot of those roads while visiting my wife's family down there. Cool stuff.


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## Henry Chinaski (Feb 3, 2004)

Nice! Funny, just took my Ritchey Breakaway down to Palo Alto, too. Love that ride. Used to do it a lot.


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## iclypso (Jul 6, 2011)

Great pics. Don't give away the location of the secret surf spots, though 

This time of year, it's hard to imagine any place more pleasant weather-wise than Palo Alto.


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

You did the whole ride backwards! It should be up OLH east, down OLH west, down 84, north on Stage, north on Highway 1, up Tunitas Creek, and then down Kings Mountain! This route is a Bay Area classic.

Enjoy your second day of riding out here.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

hard to believe that is in the us of a. looks completely foreign to us land-locked flatlanders.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

Great pics. Looks like a nice ride.


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## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

Very cool - where do you get the route cards? Do they make them for other areas?


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## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

nonsleepingjon said:


> Very cool - where do you get the route cards? Do they make them for other areas?


I got them in a local cycling store, I think Mike's Bikes in Berkeley.
You can also order them through amazon:
Amazon.com: Bay Area Bike Rides Deck: 50 Rides for Mountain, Road, and Casual Cyclists (9780811865265): Ray Hosler: Books

I have seen hiking and just simple walk-around-city map card decks like these too (you can search for them in amazon) but never for cycling, except for bay area. It may exist.


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## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

ukbloke said:


> You did the whole ride backwards! It should be up OLH east, down OLH west, down 84, north on Stage, north on Highway 1, up Tunitas Creek, and then down Kings Mountain! This route is a Bay Area classic.
> 
> Enjoy your second day of riding out here.


thanks, I will do the backward (or the regular) option of this ride next time I am visiting Bay Area!


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