[East Bay] Sunday A-ride 10/19 - Berkeley Hills

Welcome to the East Bay Alto Velo A ride.

This Sunday, we will head to the Berkeley Hills via Redwood Road. We’ll do one loop of the Berkeley Hills Road Race route and then continue up Grizzly Peak Blvd. We’ll aim to maintain a good pace (~3 W/kg). You’re always welcome to push hard on the climbs — we’ll regroup at the top.

You can take BART: it’s about a 10-minute ride from the Castro Valley BART Station to the start. We’ll also pass the Orinda BART Station around 10 a.m., so you can join us there (at Camino Pablo Street).

Route: https://www.strava.com/routes/3399651446337075422

Summary: 82 miles / 7,400 feet

Start: Castro Valley Community Park

Time: Meet 9:00 AM, Leave 9:10 AM

Ride etiquette: https://www.altovelo.org/ride-rules 

Ride Leader: Vasyl Stokolosa

Saturday A -10/18/25 - LKHC Purisima Creek

It's looking like we'll have a beautiful, dry, warm day this Saturday -- let's hope for some dry trails!

This week's LKHC is Purisima Creek: a road-bikeable dirt alternative to Tunitas Creek. While it is certainly off-road, in the sprit of fast climbing everyone should be ok riding it on a road bike. Just look for easier gearing and lower pressures as you can slip getting out of the saddle on the steeps. Richard did it on a 25mm tire and made it up just fine if you trust that precedence.

We'll start the day getting some morning sun on Page Mill before descending West Alpine toward Lobitos. We'll stop at the base and top of the main climb for folks to do as they wish with their tire pressures and such. After Purisima Creek, we'll regroup and keep together across Skyline down to Canada and take the Spectrum route back at an inevitably spicy pace before heading back to Summit.

On the flats and rollers we'll be keeping it "endurance" pace (~3.0 W/Kg) to keep the legs fresh for the main climb. Feel free to take the climbs (Page, Purisima Creek) at your own pace; we'll be regrouping over the top of each.

Water refills at The Bike Hut and probably Woodside. See you all out there!

https://www.strava.com/routes/3402895477176204834

Summary: 74 miles / 6800 feet: Summit Bicycles > Page Mill > West Alpine > 84 > Lobitos > Purisima Creek > Skyline > 92 > Canada > Alpine > Summit Bicycles

Start/End: Summit Bicycles, Palo Alto

Time: Meet 9 AM, roll out 9:10 AM

Ride etiquette: https://www.altovelo.org/ride-rules

Ride Leader: Kevin Kauffman

Sunday A-ride 10/12 - Big Basin via PageMill

This Sunday we will head to Big Basin through Pagemill. This is a good opportunity to stretch the legs and accumulate some miles before the expected next week’s rain forecast.

We will remain in lower Endurance pace in flat/roller sections (~ 2.5 W/kg pace) . Feel free ride the two longer climbs (Pagemill and Bear creek) at your own pace. We will have a quick water stop at the fire station on skyline before the 4 corners, a 10 min stop in Boulder Creek for food/water, and another quick water stop at castle rock.

Route: https://www.strava.com/routes/3343760593285469472

Summary: 82 miles / 8,200 feet: Summit Bicycles > Page > 35 > 9 > 236 > Boulder Creek > Bear Creek > skyline > 9 > Foothill

Start: Summit Bicycles, Palo Alto

Time: Meet 9:00 AM, Leave 9:10 AM

Ride etiquette: https://www.altovelo.org/ride-rules 

Ride Leader: Shai Traister

Saturday A Ride 10/11 - Mt. Vision LKHC (FROM SF)

Hello hill climbers, this week we’re targeting a brand new climb for LKHC, Mt. Vision! We will meet at the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center at 8:30am and leave at 8:40am. The plan is to roll there with minimal effort (not without a quick coffee stop in Fairfax, of course), attack the segment as hard as you can, and then roll back down Hwy 1 and enjoy a chill bofax/seven sisters climb.

The first half of the Mt. Vision segment is the steepest, averaging around 9% with some hairpins exceeding 10-12%, but then it flattens out to like 3-4% so it may serve you well to have a wheel to follow in the latter half. The road surface is a little bumpy which is more of a concern for the descent back down afterwards. As with any ride from SF, there is free and ample parking at Crissy Field, and also remember to register for LKHC if you haven’t already http://lowkeyhillclimbs.com/2025/index.html.

I hope you will join us for a proper smashfest!

Route: https://www.strava.com/routes/3401471698089872606 - 96mi / 7950ft

Start: Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center, San Francisco. Meet 8:30 AM, Roll 8:40 AM

Ride etiquette: https://www.altovelo.org/ride-rules 

Ride Leader: Richard Red

AV A Endurance - 10/04/25 Pacifica and Tunitas

Hello everyone,

This Saturday the A Endurance ride is headed North to Pacifica via Portola Valley, La Cañada, and Skyline. We’ll drop down Sharp Park, pass through Pacifica, Devil’s Slide, Half Moon Bay, and cruise south on Highway 1 to the base of Tunitas.

Flats and rolling roads will be 2.5 - 3.5 w/kg, climbing at 3.5 w/kg

We’ll meets at 9am, roll at 9:10am at Summit Bicycles in Palo Alto

See you there!

Route: https://www.strava.com/routes/3400932259950910090

Summary: 80 mile route with 6,000 ft of climbing. Summit Bicycles > Junipero Serra > Sand Hill > Mountain Home > La Cañada > Skyline > Sharp Park > > Devil’s Slide > Highway 1 > Tunitas Creek > Kings Mountain Road > Tripp > Portola Rd > Alpine Rd > Arastradero Rd > Page Mill Rd

Start: Summit Bicycles, Palo Alto

Time: Meet 9 a.m., Leave 9.10 a.m.

Ride etiquette: https://www.altovelo.org/ride-rules

Ride Leader: J Evans

AV A ride-10/05/25: LKHC MB + Boulder Creek: Start 9 AM

Note we are returning to 9 AM start this Sunday.

This Sunday the A ride is going to Montebello for 1st climb of LKHC. We will stash our stuff at the base, do an all-out effort on the climb, descend MB and then head to Boulder creek through RWG/9/Castle rock/Bear Creek. After a 20 min coffee stop we will head back through highway 9/skyline/page.

Pace:

You can go do your workouts on Montebello and both sides of Highway 9 climbs but please stay with the group on all other segments/rollers/short climbs ( expecting 2.5-3 W/kg everywhere else).

Route: https://www.strava.com/routes/3409399489274178946

Summary: 84 miles / 9,300 feet: Summit Bicycles > Foothill > MB > Stevens Canyon> RWG > Hwy 9 > Skyline > bear Creek > BC > 9 > 35 > Page > Summit

Start: Summit Bicycles, Palo Alto

Time: Meet 9 a.m., Leave 9:10 a.m.

Ride etiquette: https://www.altovelo.org/ride-rules

Ride Leader: Hoss Hayati

A Ride - 9/27/25: Recruitment Ride

Are you interested in racing with the Alto Velo Racing Team in 2026, or just looking for a fast ride that isn’t Spectrum? If so, join us this Saturday 9/27 at 9:00 AM at Summit Bicycles for our 2026 Recruitment Ride! This is your best opportunity to get to know the team and show off your strengths on the road. We should have something for everyone from fast climbing to fatigued end of day sprints, so be sure to pack a generous amount of nutrition and sunscreen. If you are interested in racing and haven’t already applied to AVRT you can do so here.

For this ride, we will head out from Summit Bicycles East via Sand Hill, go up Old La Honda, and come down 84 to the Woodside Store on Tripp for a regroup/water stop. We will then do an out and back on Cañada to spin the legs before heading back to Portola Town Hall for another regroup. From here we will follow a classic pop-up crit course of a Mountain Home Whiskey Hill Triple, ending past the Windy Hill Guardrail with a firehouse sprint.

Route: https://www.strava.com/routes/3405044347849089246

Summit Bicycles > Sand Hill > Old La Honda > 84 East > Woodside Rd > Tripp > Cañada > Mountain Home > Portola Town Hall > Mountain Home Whiskey Hill Triple > Alpine > Shake Shack

Start: Summit Bicycles, Palo Alto

Time: Meet 9:00 AM, Leave 9:10 AM

Ride etiquette: https://www.altovelo.org/ride-rules

Ride Leader: Clark Penado

Summary: 65 miles / 4,283 feet

A Ride 09/21/25 Redwalbzayante

Short regroups at the top of each major climb but this is the A ride so we will try to keep it moving. I will try my best not to get dropped. Climb however hard you want but the group will probably settle into a fairly hard but manageable pace. Food/water stop in Felton before we continue up Zayante and an optional stop in Castle rock for water refill.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/52734177

Summary: 89 miles, 9280 feet

Summit Foothill RWG 9 Alba, Zayante Skyline Page Home

Start: Summit Bicycles, Palo Alto

Time: Meet 8 a.m., Leave 8:10 a.m.

Ride etiquette: https://www.altovelo.org/ride-rules

Ride Leader: Leo Minami

AV A Endurance - 09/20/25 Big Basin and Bear Creek

Hi everyone,

This Saturday the A Endurance ride is headed to Big Basin! We will keep a steady pace at 2.5-3.5 W/kg on the flats. Feel free to ride the two longer climbs (page mill and bear creek) at your own pace as long as you don’t mind waiting at the top where we will regroup

The plan is to ascend Page Mill Rd then go South on Skyline to the junction at Highway 9. We’ll then descend 9 all the way to Big Basin. After riding through Big Basin we will continue to Boulder Creek with a short stop for water and food at the gas station. After ascending Bear Creek Rd, we’ll go back on Skyline toward Castle Rock for another water stop. We’ll descend Highway 9, and then take Pierce and Mt. Eden to Foothill to return to Summit.

See you there!

Route: https://www.strava.com/routes/3185812399725735510

Summary: 86 miles / 8,750 feet: Summit Bicycles > Old Page > Page Mill > Skyline > Highway 9 > Big Basin > Boulder Creek > Bear Creek > Skyline > Highway 9 > Pierce + Eden > Foothill > Home

Start: Summit Bicycles, Palo Alto

Time: Meet 9 a.m., Leave 9:10 a.m.

Ride etiquette: https://www.altovelo.org/ride-rules

Ride Leader: Jeremy Besmer

AV-A Ride Sunday 9/14/25: (Orange and) Blue Train

This week we’re mixing it up and heading south for a *flat* ride to Gilroy via the classic “Blue Train” SJBC Saturday route. Without any major climbs, the hope is that we can keep the pace high and the group together without frequent stops to regroup. We will start with a nice easy roll down Foothill, weave our way through Cupertino, Saratoga, Los Gatos, and South San Jose before making a food/water stop at the 76 gas station on the corner of Camden and Almaden. We will pick up the pace for a nonstop loop around Uvas Reservoir/Gilroy before regrouping at McKean and Almaden. We can stop again at the same gas station for food/water on the way back up to Summit if needed. Be prepared for a fast , efficient, and atypical A-ride!

Reminder: The A-ride meets at Summit Bicycles on California Ave in Palo Alto at 8 am Sunday

Route: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/402652242

Summary: 107 miles, 4000’ : Summit Bicycles > Foothill > Cupertino > Saratoga > Los Gatos > Kennedy > Camden > Almaden > McKean > Oak Glen > Day Rd  > Gilroy >  Hwy G8 > McKean > Almaden > Camden > Shannon  > Los Gatos > Cupertino > Foothill > Summit Bicycles

Start: Summit Bicycles, Palo Alto

Time: Meet 8:00 AM, Leave 8:10 AM

Ride etiquette: https://www.altovelo.org/ride-rules 

Ride Leader: Andrew Ernst

AV-A Ride Saturday 9/13/25: Cloverdale to AV Picnic!

Join us for another Saturday A ride.  It looks like another perfect day to play bikes so let’s go to the coast and do a Cloverdale loop.

I designed the route to finish on Kings Mountain where we can meet at Huddart Park for the Alto Velo Picnic which starts @ 3pm. If you have not signed up yet please do here. 

The bonus Lobitos Creek section will be optional depending on if we are early or late to the picnic.

Please bring plenty of carbs!! Let’s try to stick together :)

Route: https://www.strava.com/routes/3401322226272041182

Regroups:

Top of Kings: ~5 mins

Water at skylonda: ~5mins

Top of haskins : brief to regroup if needed

Pesacadero (second time thru after cloverdale): 20 mins for coffee & pastry

Summary: Summit Bikes > Kings > Skylonda > W84 > Haskins > Cloverdale Loop > Pesky (for coffee) > Tuni > AV Picnic!

Start: Summit Bikes Palo Alto

Time: Meet 9:00 AM, Leave 9:10 AM

Ride etiquette: https://www.altovelo.org/ride-rules 

Ride Leader: Jack Lund

Saturday A Ride: 8am choose your own adventure

It’s been a looooong time since the Saturday ride went up Bohlman, so no better time than a crisp fall morning to do it. We will start by going down foothill and through Stevens Creek Reservoir, stopping for water/bathrooms just before hopping over Mt. Eden and going down into Saratoga. If the group is up for it, we may choose to go up Redwood Gulch instead to get more Highway 9 descending time. Our time in Saratoga will be short, as we will immediately climb up Bolhman, with an optional On Orbit detour for the extra brave. A short gravel section will follow to connect us to the stunning Montevina descent. People tend to have no issues road biking this, but since gravel is now my personality I am bringing my gravel bike. We will then scoot around Lexington reservoir and climb the beautiful Old Santa Cruz highway and descend Bear Creek to get back to another brief gravel section connecting us to Los Gatos for a water/bathroom stop, and coffee/pastries if the group so desires before a lovely foothill paceline back home. Looking forward to exploring some new roads with you all! Please note the 8am meet time :)

Strava: https://www.strava.com/routes/3398526226863930744

Summary: ~68 miles/6.4k feet

Start: Summit Bikes Palo Alto

Time: Meet 8am, leave 8:10am, 9/6/25

Ride etiquette: https://www.altovelo.org/ride-rules 

Ride Leader: Wil Gibb

Saturday A Ride- Big Basin + Shake Shack

Saturday looks like better weather than the last big basin ride- so we’ll try take two on this. We’ll regroup at the top of page mill and bear creek, and probably take a quick stop in Boulder Creek. Additional water stops can be the fire station at Saratoga and Castle rock if needed. After the loop, we’ll descend 84 and head to Shake Shack. Pace is a somewhat arbitrary 3.5W/kg because that’s what everyone says for this ride, but lets keep it together on the flats/rollers.

Route: https://www.strava.com/routes/3396387280076036414

Summary: Foothill, Stevens Canyon, Highway 9, Skyline, Bear Creek, Big Basin Way, 236, 9, Skyline, Page

Start: Summit Bikes Palo Alto

Time: Meet 9:00 AM, Leave 9:10 AM

Ride etiquette: https://www.altovelo.org/ride-rules 

Ride Leader: Steph Hart

Saturday A Ride 8/23 - Native Sons and Purisima Creek

Hello friends, this week we’re exploring some roads I bet most of you have never been on: Star Hill Rd (as far down as we can go) and Native Sons Rd. Brief history lesson: the Native Sons of the Golden West, an old ‘fraternal organization’ which actually first coined the term “The Golden State”, has a somewhat racist past. (From Wikipedia) In 1920 their president wrote that “California was given by God to a white people, and with God’s strength we want to keep it as He gave it to us.” Furthermore, “The Native Sons openly opposed Chinese, Mexican, and Japanese immigration and waged an unsuccessful legal battle for Japanese-Americans to be disenfranchised during World War II”. So anyway, with God’s strength I’m going to climb up Kings Mountain and pedal my Chinese ass right to their doorstep 😂

After Kings we’re doing those two out-and-backs before descending Tunitas to Lobitos/Higgins to Half Moon Bay. We’ll enjoy some coffee and snacks there (and maybe a big sandwich? Haha just kidding… unless….?) before climbing back up to Skyline via Purisima Creek (yes it is dirt but in theory it should be very smooth and road bikeable) and then descending down to 84 for WOLH. There doesn’t seem to be an abundance of water fountains on this route aside from HMB but it shouldn’t be too hot and we can refill at sky londa before going down 84.

I hope you will come offer me some protection against the Native Sons!

Route: https://www.strava.com/routes/3389693898329498506 - 82 mi / 9,200 ft

Start: Summit Bicycles, Palo Alto. Meet 9:00 AM, Roll 9:10 AM

Ride etiquette: https://www.altovelo.org/ride-rules 

Ride Leader: Richard Red

AVA-E 8/16 Big Basin

Hi all,

We’ll be riding the classic big basin loop for Saturday’s A ride.

Water at Jamison Creek and Castle Rock. Regroup at top of Page Mill, Jamison Creek, Big Basin, Skyline climb, Castle Rock. 3-3.5W, no drop on flats and rollers. Split at intersection to continue down Skyline or down HWY 9 depending on where you live and how you want to get back. I will be going down HWY 9.

Meet at Summit Bicylces 9:00am, roll out 9:05am.

Remember to sign the waiver for non-members. Hope to see you all there!

Route: https://www.strava.com/routes/3391547923162796754

Rachel

Alto Velo Sunday A Ride 8/10/2025 - OLH - Tunitas - San Carlos Hills?

Come on down this Sunday for a classic Old La Honda to Tunitas A Ride. Do we ride OLH and Tunitas a lot? Yeah we do. But you know what, people would kill for roads like these. SO WE'RE DOING IT OKKK??

After ascending Tunitas, we will come down skyline north to 92 east. Then, we’ll bop and weave through the all-to-underrated hills of San Carlos.

We can stop at trading post if needed. We will definitely stop at bike hut. Pace is whatever your heart desires on the climbs and “ohana means family” everywhere else. Hope to see you Sunday! Brad

Route: https://www.strava.com/routes/3389052121764649978

Summary: 70 miles / 6700ft climbing

Start: Summit Bicycles, Palo Alto

Time: Meet 8:00 AM, Leave 8:10 AM

Ride etiquette: https://www.altovelo.org/ride-rules 

Ride Leader: Brad Lovegren

Saturday A - 8-9 A (for Adventure) Ride to the North - Part 2

Part 2 - 86 Miles + 8600 ft of climbing + Mt Tam = Perfect
The plan is to meet at Arsicault Bakery in San Francisco by 8:30, get in line, and get a pastry and roll by 9:10. This should give you all plenty of time to park and have a pastry before we roll.
This is the route:
https://www.strava.com/routes/3388560060279656210
Cafe/Lunch stops in Olema and Fairfax.
I’m excited! Get excited!
Yay Bikes!

Sunday A Ride - 8/3 Half Moon Bay

Route for Sunday A ride will go to Half Moon Bay via Kings and then meander down the coastal canyons to come back via 84 and Page Mill. I plan to ride endurance pace, maybe into tempo on the climbs but everyone is welcome to push however hard they would like on the two main climbs and we can regroup at the top. Water stops in Half Moon Bay and at the Bike Hut

Route: https://www.strava.com/routes/3386462238244538174

Summary: 71 miles / 7,200 feet: Summit Bicycles > Sand Hill > Whiskey Hill > Kings > Skyline > 92 > HMB > Higgins Canyon > Purisma Creek > Lobitos > Tunitas Creek > Hwy 1 > Stage > 84 > Alpine > Page Mill > Summit

Start: Summit Bicycles, Palo Alto

Time: Meet 8:00 AM, Leave 8:10 AM

Ride etiquette: https://www.altovelo.org/ride-rules 

Ride Leader: Jon Wells

Saturday A - 8-2 A (for Adventure) Ride to the North - Part 1

This ride will be led by Bernardo.
The plan is to meet at Arsicault Bakery in San Francisco at 8 a.m. and roll by 8:30. This should give you all plenty of time to park and have a pastry before we roll.
This is the route:
https://www.strava.com/routes/3385117869377500834
*Note that the goal will be to complete the double metric century, or the mileage of most days in the TDF, which they have to repeat 21 times. However, I am only asking for one day, so it's no problem.
Lunch will be at a burrito shop in Petaluma.
Maybe two cafe stops. Olema/Fairfax - Additional cafe stops may be available upon request.
I’m excited! Get excited!

**Also Note that this route follows a long part of the Marin Century Route that starts at six which is uncivilized!

Yay Bikes!

Sunday A -ride 7-27 Big Basin & Zayante

This Sunday the A ride is going to Big Basin and Zayante.

Pace:

You can go do your workouts on Highway 9 and Zayante climbs but please stay with group on all other segments/rollers/short climbs ( expecting 2.5-3 W/kg everywhere else). We will have a 20 min food stop in Felton, and water stops in Steven Canyon and Castle rock. Plan accordingly for food/water.

Route: https://www.strava.com/routes/3383862347082158646

Summary: 91 miles / 9,000 feet: Summit Bicycles > Foothill > Stevens Canyon> RWG > Hwy 9 > BC > Felton > Zayante > Skyline > Castle rock > 35 > Page > Summit

Start: Summit Bicycles, Palo Alto

Time: Meet 8 a.m., Leave 8:10 a.m.

Ride etiquette: https://www.altovelo.org/ride-rules

Ride Leader: Hoss Hayati