# Why do people climb Hwy 84 from Woodside??



## ziscwg (Apr 19, 2010)

I was taking some people visiting from Europe up for a mtn bike ride at Skeggs. Around 10 am (Sunday, 11-15), we see 4 guys climbing hwy 84 from Woodside.

Climbing 84 baffles me. No shoulder, mega traffic. Sure it's technically legal, but it sure is not logical.

We have Old La Honda road and Kings Mountain rd right in that same area. Those are a lot more safe to climb up to 35. 

Am I missing some thing on why they'd climb 84/La Honda vs the safer routes?


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## Ullr (Oct 30, 2013)

Maybe they don't know the area, but after driving 84 they thought it would be a cool road to ride.

I saw a bad wreck there at one of the hairpins involving a bike and a car. It's not my ideal place to ride.


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## ziscwg (Apr 19, 2010)

Ullr said:


> Maybe they don't know the area, but after driving 84 they thought it would be a cool road to ride.
> 
> I saw a bad wreck there at one of the hairpins involving a bike and a car. It's not my ideal place to ride.


I assumed they did not know the area either. That's the only reason I could think of. It's not the first time I have seen it. 

I was guilty of "didn't know the area" thing when I went to Texas. However, when it got dangerous, I flipped around and found a safer route.


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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

I rode up 84E once, when I first moved to the peninsula from the east bay back in the 80s. It sucked and I vowed to not do it again.

I used to see Jobst Brandt ride up 84, when he was old and too weak to do Kings or OLH. He always had a big smile on his face.

OTOH I've ridden down 84E about 700 times.


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## jetdog9 (Jul 12, 2007)

That is still one of my favorite graphics that I've seen here recently. Did you pour honey on them?

I rode a local road in my area (Concord, blah) last week where there was a Strava segment that showed a decent short climb, but not many people had tried it. So I decided to give it a go and found out why right away... those connector roads with no shoulders where people are commuting from one town to another... never again.

Plus I really wish they'd make the Niles Canyon section on 84 between Sunol and Palomares Road safer.... it'd be an awesome loop if not for that one stretch of sheer terror.


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## twain (May 18, 2004)

*You are right!*

There should be a sign at the bottom saying "do not ride"! 
The locals who live there drive like F1 drivers, let alone the folks testing their performance machines. 
It is really not advised to bike up it.


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## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

I did it the first time I went up to Skyline because that was the only road I knew about. I never went up there again. One theory might be because they see it as being very popular on the Strava global heatmap (it's not directional) so they are assuming people climb it as well.


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## ziscwg (Apr 19, 2010)

deviousalex said:


> I did it the first time I went up to Skyline because that was the only road I knew about. I never went up there again. One theory might be because they see it as being very popular on the Strava global heatmap (it's not directional) so they are assuming people climb it as well.


Humm, don't they see on the heat map where the climbs seem to end before they reach the top????................................because they got hit or stabbed


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## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

ziscwg said:


> Humm, don't they see on the heat map where the climbs seem to end before they reach the top????................................because they got hit or stabbed


I'm not sure what you mean.


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## ziscwg (Apr 19, 2010)

ziscwg said:


> Humm, don't they see on the heat map where the climbs seem to end before they reach the top????................................because they got hit or stabbed





deviousalex said:


> I'm not sure what you mean.


Sorry, in another post I said how insane it is to ride 84 up. I mention you either get hit by a car or stabbed by the bikers for slowing everything down.


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