Wednesday, July 29, 2015

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This ride goes up through the beautiful redwoods on Panoramic Hwy and Pan Toll Rd to the saddle of Mt Tam. It rolls along the top of Bolinas Ridge on Ridgecrest Blvd before dropping down through Pike Count Gulch on Fairfax Bolinas Rd onto Hwy 1. Continue south along the Bolinas Lagoon into Stinson Beach on Hwy 1 for lunch at the beach. Climb up along the coast on Hwy 1 for the return into Mill Valley.

Exit Safeway and head up Miller Ave to Throckmorton Ave.

The turn on Cascade Dr takes you through the redwoods around Old Mill Park to Marion Dr. Marion Dr winds up along the canyon through a beautiful residential neighborhood with homes nestled in the woods; it climbs up to Edgewood Ave with gradient ranges of 6-9%.

Edgewood Ave continues to climb up through the neighborhoods with an average grade of 5.5%.

Head south on Sequoia Valley Rd to Panoramic Hwy at Four Corners; the climb is 0.6 mile with an average grade of 6.3%.

The next 4+ miles on Panoramic Hwy takes you along the ridge as we weave our way through the residential neighborhoods. There is a short section of steep climbing with grades of 9-11% before you reach Mountain Home Inn.

Panoramic Hwy continues winding along the ridge before gently dropping down into the redwoods around Mt Tam State Park.

The road continues to twist and turn as you make the gentle climb under the canopy of pines and redwoods up to Pan Toll Rd.

The climbing continues on Pan Toll Rd up to the Rock Springs parking lot. Look around and enjoy the views along the way! The average grade on this 1.4 mile climb is at around 5.5%.

Turn left onto W Ridgecrest Blvd; this is one of the most beautiful roads in California! The rolling terrain on the ridge provides many opportunities to take advantage of the breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean, Stinson Beach, and the chaparral covered ridges and grasslands.

The road drops down from the ridge into the redwood forests to the junction at Fairfax Bolinas Rd.

The twisty 4.5 mile descent on Fairfax Bolinas Rd drops down through Pike Count Gulch onto Hwy 1 at Bolinas. The flat terrain on Hwy 1 S rolls along the scenic shoreline of Bolinas Lagoon into Stinson Beach.

Turn into Stinson Beach GGNRA and follow the main road to the picnic area for lunch.

Exit Stinson Beach to Hwy 1.

Continue on Hwy 1 S for the climb up to the first high point at Steep Ravine near Rocky Point Rd; it’s 1.5 mile with an average grade of 5.5%.

Enjoy the fantastic coastal views!

Hwy 1 S continues along the coastline with a sweeping descent and short rolling climbs from Lone Tree Creek to Slide Ranch. The coastal views are magnificent!

The climb from Slide Ranch to the upper ridge is 0.4 mile with an average grade of 8.4%.

Hwy 1 S continues along the ridge with marvelous views coastal mountains!

Hwy 1 S winds down along the edge of the Golden Gate Nat’l Recreation Area to Muir Beach.

The road narrows as it climbs out of Green Gulch to the high point at the eucalyptus stands; it’s 1.9 miles with an average grade of 6.1% and steep pitches of 8-10%.

The twisty descent leads you down to Tamalpais Valley Junction at Richardson Bay. Turn left on Almonte Blvd; the road name changes to Miller Ave as rolls along the bay back to Safeway.

This is a wonderful short scenic loop up to the saddle of Mt Tam-you’ll love the roll along Bolinas Ridge, the fun flat stretch along the Bolinas Lagoon into Stinson Beach and the climb up the coast back to Mill Valley!

Garmin Stats:
35.5 Miles with 3883′ of elevation gain
Max elevation: 2012′
Max grade: 12%
Terrain: Extremely hilly

Weather: Sunny and warm inland with coastal fog. Temps ranged from the low 60’s to the high 80’s with NE winds

View the interactive RGPS route map & profile

Follow this route for today’s ride: