Training Ride 7/24: Three Bears

It is my training goal to get in 130 miles per week until time to leave for the bike tour down the Oregon coast.  To hit that goal this week, I made a last minute decision to do a short ride by myself; I didn't have other plans on Friday afternoon and knew I would likely  fall short otherwise.

After lunch I started riding right out my front door and headed out to do the "Three Bears."  I road through El Cerrito and Richmond to San Pablo Dam Road (SPDR).  There was a lot of traffic and some contruction on SPDR, which made some of the worst traffic conditions I've experienced on that road.  It was a relief to turn off on to Castro Ranch Road.

By the time I got to the bottom of Castro Ranch and over to Alhambra Valley Road, I could feel the temperature going up.  I was concerned that the clothing I had chosen that would be too warm, especially on the climbing, but it turned out to be about right.  I enjoyed turning on to Bear Creek Road, knowing that I wouldn't have to climb Pig Farm Hill again (yet).   

This stretch of Castro Ranch is full of all these crazy tire tracks.  A lot of people must come out here to try all the driving stunts they see in movies.  A lot of people also dump garbage on this road.  It is really a shame.

 Thanks to the folks at the cemetery who let me use their restroom so I didn't have to go in the bushes or wait through most of the climbing.

Bear Creek Road fruit stand sign.

There are "three" bears (hills) to climb on Bear Creek Road, however, because of false tops, it feels like more.  The first is mama, then baby, and last is papa.  After papa, it is all down hill back to SPDR except for the very end where there is an unpleasant little hill.  It is very short, but pretty steep.  It feels a bit unfair in that location.

I crossed SPDR and went up Wildcat Drive to get back home.  There was a pleasant breeze on Wildcat, especially above El Toyonal.  I did a quick spin around the parking circle at Inspiration Point to look at the view back toward the reservoir and then continued to Grizzly Peak where I went through Kensington to 
go home.

Inspiration Point sign.

 Stats:
31.70 miles
2,562 feet of elevation gain