AV-A Ride May 31st, 2025: EARLY Page Mill to Pancakes, Big Basin Counterclockwise
AV-Aer’s,
It’s Cal Fire’s Annual Pancakes & Coffee Fundraiser time! To say thank you to our hard working firefighters we’re going to head up Page Mill first and then stop by Station 21 on Skyline early in the ride and enjoy some pancakes and coffee. To accommodate this stop we will be MEETING AT SUMMIT BICYCLES AT 8:30 AND ROLLING AT 8:35AM. They’ve had trouble with their internet this week so bring a little cash if you can so as not to rely on Venmoing them. If possible, we will try to cap this stop at 30 minutes. If anyone forgets about the early roll time this should give you enough time to catch us at the fire station before we continue the ride!
After fueling up early we will descend the backside of the mountains! I figured since the A-Ride did Big Basin clockwise 4 weeks ago we would do it the other direction this week. After the down, up down, up, down through the Redwoods we will do a shorter stop at The Tree House Cafe. Then it’s time for the long climb of the day. We will do a quick regroup at the top of Bear Creek where we turn left on Skyline and a full water stop at the Castle Rock Parking Lot right after we’ve crested the top. We may only see 80’s in the hills but once we descend Highway 9 to Redwood Gulch to Stevens Canyon it may be 90 degrees on Foothill Expressway so let’s please all stop and make sure we have water in us before we start the trek back to the Palo Alto.
I will be maintaining a 3 watts/kg ride at least until we get to the Bear Creek/Skyline climb. Feel free to push up the climbs as hard as you want but please note the 5 stops we will be making as a group. I know rolling a half hour early is more difficult for some than others (I drive up from San Jose myself). I hope to see lots of you bright and early so we can support our firefighters, get some good miles in before it warms up, and enjoy Big Basin together!
Non-members are always welcome, but please complete the waiver once a year.
Please make sure to familiarize yourself with the ride rules as well.
Ride Leader
Kessler
Start / End Location
Start and Finish at Summit Bicycles, 392 California Ave, Palo Alto
Route
Link to Ride with GPS Route File
82 miles, 8,900 feet
Start Time
Meet: 8:30 AM
Leave: 8:35 AM
Regroups
Regroup at top of Page Mill - Mile 12
Pancakes/coffee stop at Cal Fire CZU Station 21 - Mile 18
Regroup at The Tree House Cafe - Mile 42
Regroup at top of Bear Creek/Skyline intersection - Mile 52
Water stop at Castle Rock Parking Lot - Mile 60