Training Ride 8/9: Monthly Grizzly Peak Cyclists "Allegretto" Route

For my training ride today, 8/9, I joined the monthly Grizzly Peak Cyclists group ride.  There are various groups that go a variety of distances and speeds.  I joined the "Allegretto" group, which is the middle group.  All groups started together in the cold and wind at the Orinda BART station.  From there we headed down San Pablo Dam Road/Camino Pablo.  Fortunately, the sun came out here and stayed out, but didn't get too hot.  We took Castro Ranch Road and then Alhambra Valley Road.  My group continued over Pig Farm Hill to Reliez Valley Road.  We had a break at a golf course off Grayson.  We continued on Reliz and then took a number of streets and in Walnut Creek got on Danville Blvd.  This road changes its name a number of times.  We stopped for lunch just before the intersection with Norris Canyon at Diablo Deli.  By then, I think it was San Ramon Blvd.

After lunch we went around the corner to Norris Canyon and then on to Crow Canyon.  Crow Canyon Road doesn't have that much shoulder, no bike lane, and a lot of car traffic going very fast.  It was good we didn't spend too much time there.  We moved on to Cull Canyon and then Hayer to take us to Castro Valley.  We turned up Redwood Road and did a little climbing before a second break at another golf course.  We continued up Redwood for a classic cyclist climb.  At the split, we went up a little further on Pinehurst before a fun descent.

In Moraga we took some side streets to avoid some of the traffic, but returned to Camino Pablo to head back to the BART station.  By then the wind was up and the fog was returning.

I didn't do a very good job of taking pictures.  I was pretty busy just trying to keep up!  Here's me at the end.  No before picture, just after.

This is the jersey the Arthritis Foundation as sent me.  All participants will wear it on the first and last day of the tour.

Stats:
64.47 miles
4.079 feet of elevation gain