Alameda Creek Trail - Saturday April 29

[bikerz]

Hi all!
Looks like we have a nice group lining up for a ride on Saturday (forecast is clear and sunny!)

Current count (I think):
BikerZ
Jobob
Snapdragen
Winddance
Trek420
PABadger (?)

anyone else? Mel?

Jobob suggested the option of adding on a little more mileage (8) to the ATC 24 round-trip, and "not too hard" hill (Mission) and a snack at the Mission Coffee house - how does that sound?

Finalized details:
Meeting place: Niles Canyon staging area - see excellent instructions below

Meeting time -10:00 am


This will be really fun - I'm looking forward to seeing everyone!

[jobob]

Hi gang -

There are a bunch of places we could meet to ride the AC trail. For those not familiar with it, it runs from Niles Canyon eastward to the bay.

I suggest we meet at the east end of the trail, at the Niles Canyon staging area (directions below). In that way, we could ride the length of the trail out to the bay (~ 11 flat miles) and loop around Coyote Hills park (~ 3 miles with gentle rollers ).

[ side trip: If anyone would like to do a side trip up my nemesis hill, which is about a half-mile total, with a gradient of 8-12% followed by 3-5% followed by 10-14% followed by 0% and then a final kick of about 8-10%, you're welcome to give it a try but it's competely optional. ]

Then we could ride back along the trail towards Niles Canyon, and near the end of the trail we'll get on to Mission Blvd (or, if anyone want to bail at that point, we'll be very close to where we started). We'll go a few miles up Mission Blvd which will include a shallow climb of a mile or so at about 3%. But once we get to the top, near Mission San Jose, we hang a right onto Washington Blvd. and have a well-earned snack stop at Mission Coffee - you didn't think I'd go on a ride without a snack stop, did you???. Then it's a shallow but fun descent back to where we started.

This arrangement has the advantage of missing out on the inevitable west-to-east headwinds which whip up in the afternoon.

I'm guessing the total mileage will be on the order of 35 or so, ~ 25 if you just do the AC trail. But I'll double-check that.

Here is a link to a Google map of the location of the Niles Canyon staging area, with a small parking lot, picnic benches and porta-potties*.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...04884,0.107803

The general location is 700 Old Canyon Rd Fremont, CA 94536 if you want to map-quest directions. Or feel free to PM me.

10 am sounds good to me.

How's that sound to you all?

( *No guarantees as to the quality of said porta-potties, but there are quite a few at various places along the trail so we're bound to find acceptable ones. And I don't live very far from the mid-point of the trail if the need arises.)

[winddance]

This sounds great! Thanks for posting the directions. I'm really looking forward to riding with you all.

This arrangement has the advantage of missing out on the inevitable west-to-east headwinds which whip up in the afternoon.

But bikerz and I love headwinds...!

[snapdragen]

Egg cell ant!

I'm looking forward to it....mmmmm Mission Coffee......

[bikerz]

Jo - thanks for great directions!

[jobob]

I've never actually driven to the Niles staging area so I thought I'd do a recon on my way home from work tonight.


From I-880, take the Mowry Ave. exit in Fremont.

Head east on Mowry Ave until it ends, at a T-intersection with Mission Blvd.

Turn left onto Mission Blvd.

Cross over the bridge and take a right at the first stoplight, onto Niles Canyon Road.

Very soon after you turn onto Niles Canyon, take your first right onto Old Canyon Road.

You'll cross a small bridge, then soon thereafter you'll see a sign low to your left which says Niles Staging Area*. Drive into the driveway.

(*Unless you're like me and drive past it. Here's a hint: the entrance is directly across from a small side street on the right side called Canyon Oaks. It's also near the 700's, not the 500's as I said before. Not that it makes that much difference.)

There aren't a whole lot of parking spaces there but I've never seen it filled. If I'm proven wrong, it looks like you can park along the street.

- Jo.

[Trek420]

spazzdog? any chance you'd meet us at the mission cafe? we'd like it best if you ride, ACT is a nice route but if you really don't want to ride come to the meal after puhleeze?