# Help on getting from San Mateo Fairgrounds to 35 (Skyline)



## ziscwg (Apr 19, 2010)

I'm going to be at the San Mateo fairgrounds and want to ride home to Campbell. 

I plan just to get to Skyline and cruise that to Hwy9 and down.


What is the best way to get to Skyline for mid San Mateo? Best means safest for cycling and not getting lost. It does not have to be the fastest. 

As for getting to Skyline,
92 looks like it has a shoulder the whole way, but lots of cars.
Canada rd to Kings mtn road looks possible too.

I have ridden up hwy 9 many times, so the climb does not appear nothing I cannot handle.

Here's a pic of the route mapped
View attachment 257721


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## howdoesseanroll (Mar 27, 2012)

ziscwg said:


> I'm going to be at the San Mateo fairgrounds and want to ride home to Campbell.
> 
> I plan just to get to Skyline and cruise that to Hwy9 and down.
> 
> ...



Are you planning on doing this frequently or just a one time/weekly ride? I live in the area and can tell you Skyline isn't a fun ride (2000ft) if you plan on commuting. And you're right, Canada/Kings Mtn Road is great, but also a climb up King's. You could ride through stanford to foothill and take that to cambell. 

If this is going to be a frequent ride you may want to try taking Alameda De Las Pulgas all the way down, it links up with other roads in the South Bay to take you to Cambell much more safely than the El Camino.

edit: if you want the_ safest _ ride, Skyline is not the ticket - Alameda De Las Pulgas is (or Canada through Stanford). Skyline is gorgeous, but winding as hell and you'll have motorcyclists flying by you at 70+ MPH. Not a lot of visibility for you when you're on the road.


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## 4Crawler (Jul 13, 2011)

One tip in Google maps is to click on the "Get Directions" button them click on the bicycle icon on the right and it'll highlight the bike-friendly roads and paths in green. I find that handy for picking routes through city areas. It is not fool proof but I find it works fairly well.


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## ziscwg (Apr 19, 2010)

4Crawler said:


> One tip in Google maps is to click on the "Get Directions" button them click on the bicycle icon on the right and it'll highlight the bike-friendly roads and paths in green. I find that handy for picking routes through city areas. It is not fool proof but I find it works fairly well.


I did kind of use that for this. Although, it did want to take me through a part with dirt roads. I don't mind riding on dirt roads if I know they are smooth enough not to slash my tires. I avoided that park since it's unknown.

Thanks


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## ziscwg (Apr 19, 2010)

howdoesseanroll said:


> Are you planning on doing this frequently or just a one time/weekly ride? I live in the area and can tell you Skyline isn't a fun ride (2000ft) if you plan on commuting. And you're right, Canada/Kings Mtn Road is great, but also a climb up King's. You could ride through stanford to foothill and take that to cambell.
> 
> If this is going to be a frequent ride you may want to try taking Alameda De Las Pulgas all the way down, it links up with other roads in the South Bay to take you to Cambell much more safely than the El Camino.
> 
> edit: if you want the_ safest _ ride, Skyline is not the ticket - Alameda De Las Pulgas is (or Canada through Stanford). Skyline is gorgeous, but winding as hell and you'll have motorcyclists flying by you at 70+ MPH. Not a lot of visibility for you when you're on the road.


This is a one time, maybe 2 times ride. I can make the climb up Kings ok. I took your suggestion and looked around that Stanford area. Maybe I'll stay low through Woodside and cruise through to Portola rd and maybe pick up PageMill to Skyline. I do want the climb workout.

I have my Garmin 800, so I can't get that lost.

Good info thanks


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## 4Crawler (Jul 13, 2011)

Yes, that is one place it sometimes falls short, I think it is more road bike friendly routes, although it'll display some gravel and dirt roads, like around the bay. I use the bike route map to get me to and from an area where there might be a fire road or single track MTB trail, then will use something else to figure out the dirt part of the ride. On many of my rides, I try to make loops heading out to the hills on pavement, then doing some off-pavement section then back on pavement for the return. I try to maximize the distance off of streets. So I work out which bike trails I can ride and where are the transition points to bail out of one path and hop over to another path are.


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## look566 (Aug 19, 2011)

*Suggestions for route*

I live in the area. Here's what I'd do for that route: 
1) I'd not ride on El Camino Real, you can take Pacific Blvd/Old County, which parallel the RR tracks on the East side.
2) Ride up Ralston isn't the best, bunch of traffic and bike lane comes and goes. Consider:
a) Go up the dirt fire road at Waterdog park (I do this all the time on a road bike) then you can connect with the bike bridge to Canada. Or if you do go up Ralston, take Belmont Canyon, which parallels it at the top.
b) Use Brittan or something to connect with Alameda de las Pulgas and use that to head south. Alameda connects with Juniperro Serra, and then you can get onto Foothill if you want the "middle route". High route is Skyline, Low route follows train tracks south (boring).
3) Skyline to 9 is a nice road, but you might get buzzed by the high speed motorcyclists, that's the part that I don't like about it, but it is a good ride.


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## howdoesseanroll (Mar 27, 2012)

look566 said:


> 3) Skyline to 9 is a nice road, but you might get buzzed by the high speed motorcyclists, that's the part that I don't like about it, but it is a good ride.


Sucks that my experience isn't unique. Drivers/Riders can be so dangerous without realizing it at all.


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## Sworker (Jul 22, 2010)

I ride on Skyline to get from Tunitas to Highway 92. One thing I learned, have BIG flashing lights on both front and back!!!


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