# Cantelow Road, Vacaville, out of commission



## Rushfan (Apr 20, 2003)

Solano County has closed Cantelow Road north of Vacaville west of Pleasants Valley Road to through traffic. Part of the road is sliding off the hill, with big nasty cracks on the west side near the bottom. If you ride this area, don't go fast down Cantelow or you'll run into trouble.

Once they fix it, Pleasants Valley Road/Cantelow Road is a great ride, with an epic climb up Mix Canyon if you want to test your legs.


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## CFBlue (Jun 28, 1999)

*Zebra?*

Isn't Cantelow where the zebra lives? I saw it when I got lost last fall. I've heard that there are some other exotics around Vacaville, but I've not seen them yet.

Mix Canyon is amazing, don't go up w/o a very good set of brakes.


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## Rushfan (Apr 20, 2003)

CFBlue said:


> Isn't Cantelow where the zebra lives? I saw it when I got lost last fall. I've heard that there are some other exotics around Vacaville, but I've not seen them yet.
> 
> Mix Canyon is amazing, don't go up w/o a very good set of brakes.


I've never seen a zebra on Cantelow, but I did have to stop for a flock of wild turkeys. Fortunately, I was going up at the time.


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## slitespd (Nov 2, 2004)

Cantelow is closed but you can still get through there. We went down last Saturday and walked around the barriers at both ends.


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## Rushfan (Apr 20, 2003)

slitespd said:


> Cantelow is closed but you can still get through there. We went down last Saturday and walked around the barriers at both ends.


Just got this:

"To Local Bicycle Clubs: 
I wanted to let you know that Cantelow Road in Solano County is closed about 
half a mile east of Pleasants Valley Road due to a slippage in the hillside. 
Because of the severity of the damage it is likely to remain closed for several 
months. 

Although it is posted as Road Closed, many bicyclists are cutting through the 
closed part of the road. Can you spread the word to your bike club about this 
problem, and ask your members not to use that part of Cantelow Road? I know that 
this is a popular route with bicyclists, and I ask for your patience and 
cooperation until the problem has been fixed. 
Thank you for your help. 
Paul Wiese 
Engineering Manager 
Solano County Public Works Engineering"


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## sgrenholm (May 15, 2006)

I think the Zebra resides (or did) on Pleasants Valley Road, just a bit toward Vacaville from the intersection with Cantelow. Haven't seen it for a while...
It does seem polite to follow Mr. WIese's reasonable request. But it begs the question: what's the suggested way onto Pleasant's Valley Rd - I was coming from Midway Rd through Cantelow, and there certainly aren't many options without a long roundabout. And - if Mr. Wiese reads this - Browns Valley Rd. is a death-trap and I don't recommend cycling it - ever. Either traffic abatement needs to put in place, or significant widening for the traffic which gets ever worse.
On to happier things - without a through route on Cantelow, there are almost no cars, not that there ever are. In addition to the turkeys in the road, I saw two peacocks crossing in front of me, a deer, and of course numerous hares.
And no, I didn't regret missing Mix Canyon (_just not ready for that one yet this year._..)


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## Rushfan (Apr 20, 2003)

sgrenholm said:


> I think the Zebra resides (or did) on Pleasants Valley Road, just a bit toward Vacaville from the intersection with Cantelow. Haven't seen it for a while...
> It does seem polite to follow Mr. WIese's reasonable request. But it begs the question: what's the suggested way onto Pleasant's Valley Rd - I was coming from Midway Rd through Cantelow, and there certainly aren't many options without a long roundabout. And - if Mr. Wiese reads this - Browns Valley Rd. is a death-trap and I don't recommend cycling it - ever. Either traffic abatement needs to put in place, or significant widening for the traffic which gets ever worse.
> On to happier things - without a through route on Cantelow, there are almost no cars, not that there ever are. In addition to the turkeys in the road, I saw two peacocks crossing in front of me, a deer, and of course numerous hares.
> And no, I didn't regret missing Mix Canyon (_just not ready for that one yet this year._..)


On Midway go west until it dead ends, then turn left to Cantelow. Turn left again on Gibson Canyon and go over the hill. Right past the Elks Lodge to Vaca Valley Parkway, then out to Pleasants Valley.

Gibson Canyon isn't the greatest to ride on because of traffic, either, but I've done it several times without any real problems. To make it a little more interesting and reduce traffic, keep going on Cantelow to Steiger Hill, then left on Steiger Hill until it ends on Gibson Canyon, then right on Gibson Canyon.


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## acousticmotorbike (Jun 18, 2003)

*yum, tasty sweaty cyclists*

This could add a little zip to the ride.

Author: Brian Hamlin/Senior Staff Writer
Article ID: 
Date: May 24, 2004 
Publication: Reporter, The (Vacaville, CA) 
Residents in the Steiger Hill-Cantelow Road region of Solano County are concerned about a series of recent mountain lion sightings in the region. Longtime rural Vacaville resident Bryant Stocking said he's spotted adult mountain lions on or near his property several times in recent months and feels there may be more than one of the big cats prowling the area.. "I'm seeing lions way too much out here," Stocking said.


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## Rushfan (Apr 20, 2003)

acousticmotorbike said:


> This could add a little zip to the ride.
> 
> Author: Brian Hamlin/Senior Staff Writer
> Article ID:
> ...


Yeah, when that story came out, I took a break from riding Cantelow. But I've seen dogs and wild turkeys up there since, and haven't heard of any new sightings, so I feel prety comfortable on those roads.


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## CFBlue (Jun 28, 1999)

*Any Update*

on the road closure?

as a side note, I was surprised to find Paradise Dr, a major bike route in Marin County, to have a washout and closure. Quite a winter we had in the Golden State


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## SadieKate (Feb 22, 2006)

I have not been over Cantelow since May 20. However, the road is just fine until half way down the west (and steep) side. There is a cement barricade, then 75 ft of a pavement/gravel section which is about 2 ft lower than when installed, about 50 feet of intact pavement, then around the corner (where you can't see it) another cement barricade. The barricades are just those standard cement divider barricades you see on the highway during construction. You can lift a bike over them. Lots of other cyclists were out doing the same. As long as you are expecting it, it's not that big a deal but don't speed because the barricade at the lower end is around a blind corner.

Now that it is dry, it is easy to walk through. We're just treating it as a cyclocross section and since we're riding east to west, stopping and walking is easy. I would not want to stop, walk and try to remount going uphill on the steep side, so we're just planning our rides to go up from the east.

I imagine that back in April that it was a mess and it was not appropriate to walk through. They obviously got some equipment in there to dig some drainage and install a drain hose. I'm curious about when it will actually be repaired. The closure doesn't prevent residents from getting home as it is really easy to go down and around via Vaca Valley or north to Winters on either side of the mtn range.


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## slitespd (Nov 2, 2004)

Just ride it folks. We aren't doing it any harm by walking around the barricades. Call me a radical but I don't see the reason that Paul Weise (Engineer) wants us to avoid this section.
The sky is falling........................the mountain could come down on us. 
No disrespect to Rushfan but we just see it differently.


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## Rushfan (Apr 20, 2003)

slitespd said:


> Just ride it folks. We aren't doing it any harm by walking around the barricades. Call me a radical but I don't see the reason that Paul Weise (Engineer) wants us to avoid this section.
> The sky is falling........................the mountain could come down on us.
> No disrespect to Rushfan but we just see it differently.


No worries. I wouldn't want to be caught by surprise coming down, that's all.

As for why Solano County doesn't want anyone on it, that's pretty obvious in this litigious society.


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## cy1 (Dec 7, 2004)

*Any Updates?*

Any updates? Has the road been officially opened yet? or are the barricades still there?


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## SadieKate (Feb 22, 2006)

The cement barricades are down but the gravel patch is still there. The gravel is rideable but is deep on the downhill end. Until the gravel portion is fixed, we are riding only east to west as I really don't relish the idea of riding the section uphill on skinny little tires.


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## Trail Punk (Feb 15, 2005)

*Is the road repair complete yet?*

Any new info?


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## SadieKate (Feb 22, 2006)

Nope. Same conditions were there on Monday. It's rideable except for a very short stretch. The drop from the pavement to the dirt/gravel is getting pretty deep on the uphill end from the car traffic, so be careful. Otherwise, don't let it change your ride plans.


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## Rushfan (Apr 20, 2003)

SadieKate said:


> Nope. Same conditions were there on Monday. It's rideable except for a very short stretch. The drop from the pavement to the dirt/gravel is getting pretty deep on the uphill end from the car traffic, so be careful. Otherwise, don't let it change your ride plans.


It's probably safer to ride up from Pleasants Valley Road so when you go through the gravel section, you're heading uphill. But I did it a couple of weekends back without any problems.


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## RedRex (Oct 24, 2004)

"probably safer to ride up from Pleasants Valley Road so when you go through the gravel section, you're heading uphill."

agreed. But still, I rode up from Pleasants Valley through the gravel, took a nap on the top, (I was on a 160 mile ride, ugh), and rode really, really slow through the gravel on the way down.

I mean, really slow, like less than 5mph, and I still almost went over the side. I would probably walk my bike if I went through there again. It sure doesn't look very dangerous, but sure enough I almost slipped over the side.


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## Trail Punk (Feb 15, 2005)

*When repaired?*

This is taking too long. It's getting ridiculous. What are they waiting for? A big storm to wash out the gravel?


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## SadieKate (Feb 22, 2006)

Have you seen the amount of winter storm damage to the roads/bridges all around Northern California? This is a pretty minor road that doesn't keep anyone for accessing their home. The road repair crews have their hands full with a multitude of repairs on more heavily traveled roads and Winter isn't all that far off given the amount of damage still to repair.


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## Trail Punk (Feb 15, 2005)

*Updates*

Any recent repairs?


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## SadieKate (Feb 22, 2006)

We rode over yesterday. The roadbed had been filled, rolled and graded so the deepening ruts are repaired but it is still dirt and gravel. It's only about 100 feet long and with the repairs it is very rideable - why not just ride it? It's so short I wouldn't change ride plans because of it.

Peaceful Glen continues to be under repair. Two weeks ago, it was dry, hardpacked and rideable. Yesterday we encountered road crews again. They were controlling traffic as it was down to one lane. The bigger problem is that they were again using water which turns that clay into a mess. If you approach Cantelow from the east by riding Peaceful Glen, just be ready to turn around and go south on Timm down to Cantelow.


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## SadieKate (Feb 22, 2006)

sgrenholm said:


> I think the Zebra resides (or did) on Pleasants Valley Road, just a bit toward Vacaville from the intersection with Cantelow.


It is actually, I think, a Somali Wild Ass and it lives at the ranch across the street from Pardhesa's Store at the corner of 128 and Pleasants Valley on the north side of Lake Solano (where you start the climb up to canyon to Lake Berryessa). For years there was a camel at the same ranch. 

There is also a Somali Wild Ass on one of the ranches on the Bike Around the Buttes route. I looked it up after this year's ride because I was curious.


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## Rushfan (Apr 20, 2003)

Hit both Cantelow and Peaceful Glen today. Cantelow is hard pack, much safer to ride down. I went slowly down that section, but it's worlds better than before. Peaceful Glen was dry, but the work crews were there controlling traffic. It was pretty rideable, too. Work will continue on Peaceful Glen at least into November-it's cut two feet below the previous road and will need to be filled...


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## Trail Punk (Feb 15, 2005)

*Repairs complete?*

A novice rider at work just asked me if the repairs on Cantelow were done...told him I didn't know.

Any updates? 

Thx.


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## Rushfan (Apr 20, 2003)

Trail Punk said:


> A novice rider at work just asked me if the repairs on Cantelow were done...told him I didn't know.
> 
> Any updates?
> 
> Thx.


Got an email this week saying it was finished, but I haven't seen it.


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## SadieKate (Feb 22, 2006)

Yes, Cantelow has been "fixed" but there are already a couple of potholes leaking gravel.

The first switchback on the east side where there was a gravel patch is paved and the construction on Peaceful Glen looks to be completed.


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## slitespd (Nov 2, 2004)

Forgive me for pointing this out, but it may be time to put Cantelow to "bed". Just ride it like you might ride any other ride, with your eyes open and expecting the unexpected. Keep the rubber side down folks and be safe out there!! And watch out for the snow- leopards in the 3rd tree on the right, just past the crooked mailbox.


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## SadieKate (Feb 22, 2006)

Pardon me, slitespeed for intruding on your perfect and peaceful existence. I was merely providing requested information. If you read above, you'll note that I also advocated just riding the thing. After it dried out, the situation was never a deterrent to riding.

However, Peaceful Glen was a different matter. Dry it was just fine, but wet it was a dangerous clay mess. The construction crews were very stressed trying to keep cyclists safe on these days. They were very nice but were obviously worried that someone would be injured on their watch. 

If you don't want to be bothered, don't read the thread.


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