SF classics day one - Old La Honda, Tunitas ck rd and more 30th August

I had originally planned to ride the Old La Honda road - Tunitas creek road loop the first afternoon in SF; yesterday's LAX debacle put an end to this idea. As I didn't want to miss these West bay classics, I've decided to stay an extra day in SF so I could still ride these and a few more on my first full day. The rim fire out near Yosemite made staying an easy decision, as air quality around Markleeville just south of Lake Tahoe is extremely poor due to the smoke. So I'll now bypass the 'Death ride' climbs here and continue straight to Bishop.

Although I woke reasonably early, I only finally load the car and leave at at 10:30am for the Woodside park and ride car park. The ride to the start of the first climb is a pleasant roll through leafy streets, all using on road bike paths. Bike infrastructure looks to be high on the agenda in the bay area!

Old La Honda (5.47km  7.3%) first off the rank is a well trafficked short sharp test piece. The road is a very narrow and quiet strip of perfect hot mix . Even though I have a very full ride schedule over the next three weeks, I couldn't help myself and went hard to post a time. I'm happy with my 20:44 as 20 minutes is a benchmark time. I think this would be achievable as held back just a little for the later climbs and was fully loaded with two full bottles plus didn't know the climb.

Old La Honda 

I continued down Old La Honda road West to link up with La Honda road on my way to the coast. I wouldn't be heading straight there though and took a left turn onto Pescadro Creek road which traversed beautiful redwood and mixed forest areas to Pescadro. 

Old La Honda West

Pescadero creek road 

From town I took Stage road north, a very quiet option running parallel and slightly inland from highway one. Only issue was the road was being resurfaced so I endured a few kilometers of gravel and scraped bitumen on scenic coastal hills. Shortly after San Gregorio Stage road joins Highway one for a very fast descent to the turnoff for Tunitas creek road. 

Stage road sights: Fog and roadworks

Old San Gregorio store

Last climb to Highway one

On the way I stopped at the viewing spot only to find a upright piano! One of the tourists who had also stopped sat down to play. It was very surreal to having a mini performance overlooking the sea!

Piano with a view 

Tunitas creek road (11.9km 4.7%) started pleasantly enough till the valley narrowed and we hit the redwoods. Here the road changes mood and threads steeply up the hill with the small creek not far to one side. Absolutely stunning scenery and very secluded road; had a deer cross a few metres in front of me and scuttle up a steep bank. This steep middle third soon relents and continued upwards at a more moderate grade again.

Tunitas creek road

Once we hit Skyline road, I still had enough energy to fit in one more climb; therefore descended Kings Mountain road immediately opposite. At the base I turned around and climbed back up though more forest (6.75km 6.9%) to Skyline road. This I traversed south to the intersection with La Honda road which was my final descent for the day.

View on Kings Mountain road

 Really great first day. Seeing the elevation gain from what were relatively short climbs shows much of the ride was climbing and made me a little less concerned with why my legs were sore...

Ride details:

Distance 110.27 km

2719m elevation