# Long straight flat in East Bay?



## pavedroad (May 3, 2004)

I'm looking for long straight flat routes around East Bay, or maybe a flat loop, where I can do some long fast intervals. Any ideas?


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## Chef Tony (Mar 2, 2004)

*How long?*

Not a whole lot that I know of.

- Alameda Creek MUT in Fremont, starting in Coyote Hills Park, is a fairly level stretch of several miles (>5?). On weekdays its pretty empty so you can get some speed up. 

- San Ramon Blvd btwn San Ramon and Walnut Creek is also a few miles of pretty straight flat road, but with traffic, lights, side streets, etc. 

- the longest uninterrupted stretch of the Bay trail from Emeryville-Richmond is only 2-3 miles from emeryville to University. Usually many other folks on it.


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## walrus (Jan 29, 2004)

Not too many flat roads around here, I like San Pablo Dam Rd between Orinda and Pinole. Along the dam it's a wide open road with a good smooth surface. Danville Blvd. from Walnut Creek South is flat and goes for a long way, but there are a lot of trafic lights.


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## pavedroad (May 3, 2004)

I've been using Moraga/Camino Pablo and Danville Blvd, and those seem to work OK. I think I'll try continuing down Camino Pablo past Wildcat as it turns into San Pablo Dam Rd. I've come up the other way, but never tried going down because of the downhill. It's funny, because I start on Moraga at St. Marys, and it's a 6.8 mile stretch to the corner of Wildcat. Two ~9min intervals and I've covered the whole stretch. I miss Socal where I could just go around the Rose Bowl.


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## Rushfan (Apr 20, 2003)

You might want to consider a short drive to Solano or Yolo County. Might be similar out in the delta, but I don't know those roads.

Slight rolls along the frontage road along 680 on the way to Fairfield, plus it can get extremely windy.

East of Vacaville, country roads run flat north south or east west for miles-it'd be easy to put a loop together if you look at a county map.

A little farther north in Yolo County is where I'm at, and it's all flat country lanes. My typical loop is 18 miles, 7 stop signs that I normally blow through. And in Yolo, most drivers are pretty respectful since there's so many cyclists.

If you want details on roads, post & I'll dig some out.


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## AlexCad5 (Jan 2, 2005)

pavedroad said:


> I'm looking for long straight flat routes around East Bay, or maybe a flat loop, where I can do some long fast intervals. Any ideas?


Danville road isn't long enough. It's only 2miles between Danville-el cerro and Alamo's Stone Valley road. With one or two semi-operational lights in between.
Out of Livermore: Corral Hollow going out to I-5 is a decent (I can hold a steady 28-30+mph alone without much problem for 5miles- I'm 35++ cat5), and the reverse is a false flat, which sometimes is into the wind. No cross traffic. That is a good place, if a little far away, for some serious work.


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## TurboTurtle (Feb 4, 2004)

pavedroad said:


> I'm looking for long straight flat routes around East Bay, or maybe a flat loop, where I can do some long fast intervals. Any ideas?


That's funny. Here north of Chicago we would kill for just one hill over a mile long within a 2 hour ride. - TF


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## AlexCad5 (Jan 2, 2005)

TurboTurtle said:


> That's funny. Here north of Chicago we would kill for just one hill over a mile long within a 2 hour ride. - TF


 Guess my geography is poor. Thought north of Chicago was in the middle of Lake M. 
We do love our hills, but it makes following interval training directions, or fitness tests very challenging. Because of this I've never been able to detemine my MHR. Could always just spend the money on the test, but what's the fun in that?


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## johngfoster (Jan 14, 2005)

Rushfan said:


> You might want to consider a short drive to Solano or Yolo County. Might be similar out in the delta, but I don't know those roads.
> 
> Slight rolls along the frontage road along 680 on the way to Fairfield, plus it can get extremely windy.
> 
> ...



I don't know how far you are willing to drive, but you can take the I-580 to Tracy (becomes I-205). This area is in the south Delta. Just did a 40+ mile loop yesterday--all flat except for when the road goes over a levy/canal. Also later in the day the delta breeze picks up which usually means a headwind when riding west and a tailwind when riding east. Anywhere on the delta you should be able to find a nice deserted stretch of road to map out a loop of some sort. Just avoid major highways like 4 and 12.


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