# Max elevation gain ride.



## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

As summer winds down, I want to ride to get some elevation gain. I'm thinking 12-15,000 feet in the Peninsula area.

Any suggestions on how to do it? I want to minimize the miles and the flat sections. I've got no problem with doing some hills over.

I just want to climb for the sake of climbing. Suggestions?

francois


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## Merlin (May 6, 2002)

francois said:


> I want to ride to get some elevation gain. I'm thinking 12-15,000 feet in the Peninsula area.
> I just want to climb for the sake of climbing. Suggestions?
> 
> francois


You feeling OK? Yeah it's doable, but why? Why not do the University road race, that will hurt you.
Just giving you a hard time Francis have fun


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

Merlin said:


> You feeling OK? Yeah it's doable, but why? Why not do the University road race, that will hurt you.
> Just giving you a hard time Francis have fun


mid-life crisis I think... just turned 40. I just want to ride hard for 8 hours and get the gremlins out of my aged body.

fc


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## Merlin (May 6, 2002)

francois said:


> just turned 40. I just want to ride hard for 8 hours and get the gremlins out of my aged body.
> 
> fc


Your still a kid! Too bad you missed the Death Ride that will get the gremlins and just about everything else


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## mohair_chair (Oct 3, 2002)

You could climb Hamilton a couple of times. It's about 4500 feet from bottom to top, in 20 miles. Do it three times and you get 120 miles (20 up, 20 down) and 13,500 feet of climbing, with almost no flat. Even better, from the top, go down the backside until the bridge, then turn around and come back up.

If you are willing to travel, the Sierras are your best bet for long climbs. Also, down in Santa Barbara is one of my favorite climbs, Gibraltar Road. It's about 4,000 feet in 11 miles, plus more along the ridge line. Come down Painted Cave and San Marcos. You can make some fairly small loops (about 30 miles) and do it multiple times.

Other than that, it's hard to come up with a ride that doesn't have a lot of flat or rolling hills. You could one of my favorite loops, up Hwy 9, down to 84, down to the coast, over Stage to Pescadero, then up to Skyline via Pescadero Road and Alpine. We then ride back to Hwy 9 and descend it. It's a big ride. Just for fun, turn left at Skyline, go down to 84 again and descend to the valley side, then go up Page Mill and ride back to Hwy 9.


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## Jed Peters (Feb 4, 2004)

Do University. I promise you'll get enough climbing in.

My most was like 3700m over 160km one day in Italy two years ago (when I actually rode).


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## goose127 (Jun 9, 2004)

*Climbing*

I guess you have been drinking too much coffee. I think doing Monte Bello, and highway 9 will get you almost half way to your goal. Maybe if you start out at Monte Bello, do an up and down, take Pierce over to hihgway 9. Take skyline to page mill, go down and then back up page mill, take sky line to 84, 84 to OLH. If that is not enough, then take 84 and do Kings. Then call you familly to pick you up!


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

Jed Peters said:


> Do University. I promise you'll get enough climbing in.
> 
> My most was like 3700m over 160km one day in Italy two years ago (when I actually rode).


Ahh Santa Cruz... I'm interested. Is there a course map and profile map?

fc


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## Jed Peters (Feb 4, 2004)

francois said:


> Ahh Santa Cruz... I'm interested. Is there a course map and profile map?
> 
> fc


Nope! This is a Velo Promo classic though, part of the Cal Cup.

Course goes straight up then straight down. SUPER brutal.

http://www.velopromo.com/univ-ent.htm


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*hardest race on the planet!*



Jed Peters said:


> Nope! This is a Velo Promo classic though, part of the Cal Cup.
> 
> Course goes straight up then straight down. SUPER brutal.
> 
> http://www.velopromo.com/univ-ent.htm



I did that race (University Road Race in Santa Cruz) once, and I'll never go back. It's like doing intervals with less rest than the work interval. Sprint up a hill, come back down, up again, repeat until you vomit. 

Oh, don't do this one unless you can keep up with the main pack. They'll pull you; they did me, with 1 lap to go. I was pissed.

Mount Diablo is good.

Come to Fresno. I'll show you some climbing. I can ride from my house at 300 feet to Kaiser pass at 9,200 feet. There's a section that has 12,000 feet of climbing in 65 miles.


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## goose127 (Jun 9, 2004)

*Mount Diablo Challenge*

Maybe it would be a good idea if we had a RBR group showing at the Mount Diablo Challenge, certainly plenty of climbing.


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## robwh9 (Sep 2, 2004)

*Google Mr. Bill's Wild Ride...*

I think it was once a yearly ride put on by the Western Wheelers. It's something like: Up Page Mill, down 9 to Saratoga, up Bohlman, down Montevina, up Black and Gist, down E. Zayante, up Alba, down Ice Cream Grade (?), up Mountain Charlie (?), and down ? to Silicon Valley. I can't remember exactly where it went after Alba. Maybe they threw a Jamison Creak in there somewhere.


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## robwh9 (Sep 2, 2004)

*Oops, make that Mr. Bill's Nightmare....*



robwh9 said:


> I think it was once a yearly ride put on by the Western Wheelers. It's something like: Up Page Mill, down 9 to Saratoga, up Bohlman, down Montevina, up Black and Gist, down E. Zayante, up Alba, down Ice Cream Grade (?), up Mountain Charlie (?), and down ? to Silicon Valley. I can't remember exactly where it went after Alba. Maybe they threw a Jamison Creak in there somewhere.


http://www.sonic.net/~bushnell/bike/ride_stories/mr_bills_nightm.1994.05.08.htm


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## mness (Feb 9, 2005)

*Here's your ride...*

A group of us did this "Peninsula Death Ride" of five big hills in June when we were training for the Death Ride. 105 miles, about 14,700' of climbing.

Started in Portola Valley - Page Mill, Montebello, Redwood Gulch / Hwy 9, Old La Honda, West Alpine.

Here's the full route sheet...

Start at Corte Madera School, 4575 Alpine Rd, Portola Valley	Miles	Cumul	
Leave the School for Alpine Rd	0.1	0.1	
Left at Alpine Road	3.0	3.1	
Left on Joaquin Rd	0.3	3.4	Gear down! Steepest grade today
Right on Old Spanish Trail	0.5	3.9	
Left on Vista Verde	0.3	4.2	
Right on Ramona	0.6	4.8	
Right on Los Trancos Rd	2.0	6.8	
Right on Alpine Rd	0.5	7.3	
Right on Arastradero Rd	2.1	9.4	
Right on Page Mill	8.2	17.6	Water at Foothills Park - Fill up here

Left on Skyline Blvd	6.4	24.0	
Left on Hwy 9	5.5	29.5	Water/Vending at Fire Station just before Highway 9 - Hot Dog Vendor usually at Parking Lot
Left on Pierce Road	1.0	30.5	
Left on Mt Eden	2.3	32.8	
Right on Stevens Canyon	1.3	34.1	Water at Small Park on Left if you go Left on S. Canyon about 100 Feet
Left on Montebello Rd	7.0	41.1	Adjust for your actual miles up this

U-Turn at the top	7.0	48.1	Food option - go down Stevens Cyn/Foothill toward Steven Creek BLVD - Liquor Store about 1 mile below dam
Right on Stevens Canyon	1.2	49.3	Water at Small Park on Left 100 Feet after Right Turn
Stay on Stevens Cynn at Mt Eden	1.7	51.0	
Left on Redwood Gulch	1.4	52.4	
Right on Hwy 9	3.0	55.4	Water at same Fire Station, Food at Hot Dog Vendor in Parking Lot

Right on Skyline Blvd	13.6	69.0	
Right on Hwy 84	3.3	72.3	Food, water at the store before you descend 84
Sharp right on Portola Road	0.6	72.9	
Continue right on Portola Rd	0.2	73.1	
Right at T intersection	0.5	73.6	
Right on Old La Honda	3.3	76.9	Time yourself from the bridge

Go directly across Skyline Blvd	2.4	79.3	
Left on Hwy 84	4.0	83.3	CAUTION: Blind intersection
Left on Pescadero Rd	1.1	84.4	Food, water in La Honda
Left on Alpine Rd (at triangle)	3.9	88.3	
Bear left at road to State Park	3.4	91.7	Restroom at top on left, no water

Cross Skyline, descend Page Mill	8.0	99.7	Water at Foothills Park shortly after you pass Moody Rd
Left at Arastradero Rd	2.1	101.8	
Left on Alpine to Corte Madera School	1.5	103.3	Success! For extra credit, do the first loop of the day the reverse direction. I dare ya' …


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