HillsRUs

This weather is begging for a comparatively cool, coastal ride and the Bike Hut Classic is ending this week, so the choice is clear.

For something starting in Los Altos, this will be as no frills of a Bike Hut ride as it can be: leaving from Shoup, we'll go out to and up Old La Honda, down WOLH/84, out to San Gregorio and have lunch at the Bike Hut. Then with leaden lunch legs, we'll try to ride our best times up Tunitas. From there we will descend Kings Mountain Road, and return back through Portola Valley by way of Mountain Home.

There aren't many easy bail outs for this ride, but it can be cut a bit shorter by starting and ending somewhere on the lollipop stick of this route. Somewhere like Portola Valley town center where we'll regroup, arriving there around 9:40. That saves 18 miles and 1300', and ends about 5 degrees cooler.

Regroups at Portola Valley town center, the top of OLH, La Honda, San Gregorio (probably very briefly), the top of Tunitas/Kings, and Portola Valley town center again.

Starting Location: Shoup Park (park along University or Lincoln Avenues as a courtesy to the park users)

Start Time: 8:45 for a 9 am departure.

Distance: 59 miles
Elevation: 5500 feet

Lunch: BYOL to eat at the Bike Hut

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50004397

Cue sheet: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50004397/cue_sheet

Weather: https://go.randoplan.com/e4vDxi

Ride Leader: Mark Huie

Let's do another one of Don's HRU favorites that's also a favorite of mine.  West Alpine can be a hot box in the summer, so I like to take advantage of days when it's cool with a little overcast, and the forecast for this Wednesday looks pretty ideal.  

Assemble at the Shoup for a 9AM departure.   

52 miles, with 5500+ feet of climbing.  

Lunch at the duck pond at the top of Alpine, which has water, but no food, so BYO.  

Route

Weather from Randoplan (on the cool side, but not cold)

Ride leader - Steve Rempel (sitting in for Shawnery)

Hills - R - Us

July 1st, 2026

C+/D/4(7456)/68

The Social climbers can skip Portola Redwood State Park. By skipping this section you will cut out 7 miles and 1300’ of climbing, for a total of 61 miles and around 6100’ of climbing.

Meet at 8:45am for a 9:00am start at Little People's Park, in Portola Valley Town Center.

Lunch: Will be in Pescadero.

68 miles, 7456’ of climbing.

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55899033

Weather by Randoplan: https://go.randoplan.com/d9DLvi

Leade

r: Shawnery Hardin 

This week's ride is a counterclockwise coastal classic ascending Old La Honda, riding north on Skyline to descend Tunitas, and taking a classic Stage, 84, West Alpine, and Page Mill return.

As a nod to the recent solstice, there's an option to make the ride a bit longer (12 miles) to use this extra bit of daylight we have (ignoring the fact we're not starting any earlier to use All The Daylight). Before descending Tunitas, continue on Skyline and descend Hwy 92, return to Woodside on Cañada Road, then do the usual cut through Huddart Park and up Kings Mountain Road to continue the rest of the route down Tunitas.

Regroups at Portola Town Center, Skylonda, the top of Tunitas, the Bike Hut, and the Alpine/Russian Ridge restrooms. The longer ride can also stop at Skyline & 92, Pulgas Water Temple, and at the Sequoia area in Huddart Park (though we all know the faster group isn't going to wait long at either). Additional conveniences available at San Gregorio General Store, and La Honda Market, a bit off route.

Starting Location: Shoup Park (park along University or Lincoln Avenues)

Start Time: 8:45 for a 9 am departure. Moderate rain cancels.

Distance: 58 or 81 miles

Elevation: 6350/8750 feet

Lunch: BYOL to eat at the Bike Hut

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55786942 
Extended route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55724979

Cue sheet: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55786942/cue_sheet  and https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55724979/cue_sheet, respectively

Weather: https://go.randoplan.com/cWGbxb and https://go.randoplan.com/JJ8SpF

Ride Leader: Mark Huie standing in for Steve

Now that school is out and we can park by Lexington School, I'm reprising Don's Eureka with a twist ride from last year, with a non-twist option. One problem with Lexington School is there are no open restrooms. The nearest restroom on the route is the porta potty at the Summit Store, 7 miles into the ride, though no official regroup is there.

Also note: flying bugs seem to be out in force this week along parts of Summit. Consider bringing eye protection (I assume most riders do anyway) and fully zipping your jerseys.

68 miles with 5800 feet of climbing, or for those who don't want the twist, 56 miles with 5200 feet of climbing.

Starting Location: We are leaving from Lexington School (not the usual start by Lexington dam). 

Directions: take the Bear Creek Rd exit off of Hwy 17, go across Hwy 17 and turn RIGHT on Old Santa Cruz Hwy and go 0.9 mi and turn right on Lexington School Rd. Park on the gravel area immediately to your left. (Note: if this area is full you can park 0.6 mi back in the dirt area off of Old Santa Cruz Hwy.)

For those of us riding there who do not want to ride 3/4 of the way around Lexington Reservoir, there is a slightly rough singletrack trail at the top of Alma Bridge Road right by Hwy 17. The fork to get to the intersection of Bear Creek Road and Old Santa Cruz Hwy is an acute right turn that is easy to miss. The trail continues to Old Santa Cruz Hwy, but I have never taken it, so I do not know what condition it is in. It takes 10-15 minutes to ride from the top of the dam to Lexington School.

Start  Time: meet at  8:45 for a 9:00 departure. Longer distance riders will depart first followed by the Social Climbers.

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55660787 
Shorter route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55660826

Cue sheets: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55660787/cue_sheet and https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55660826/cue_sheet, respectively

Weather: https://go.randoplan.com/95A1UD and https://go.randoplan.com/iudGQH

Lunch:  Bring or buy lunch to eat in Corralitos

Ride Leader: Mark Huie

Big Basin via Bear Creek

June 10th, 2026

C+/D/4(6939)/62.8

Meet at 8:45am for a 9:00am start at Monte Vista Park.

Lunch: Will be in Big Basin State Park.

62.8 miles, 6939’ of climbing.

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55502365

Weather by Randoplan: https://go.randoplan.com/uvyYXz

Leader:

Shawnery Hardin 

Throwing in some stuff on this side of the hill for Wednesday. Lunch is relatively late in the route but it's all a bit front loaded and thus. There's a lot of up in this route, but one can certainly choose to skip the West Bear Gulch out and back and cut out a bunch of it.

Route

Weather

Leader: Brian Feinberg

Let's do one of Don's HRU favorites that's also a favorite of mine.  

Assemble at the Lexington reservoir parking lot for a 9AM departure.   

53 miles, with 5000+ feet of climbing.  

Lunch at Shugart/Siltaner Park in Scotts Valley, which has water, but no food, so BYO.  

Route

Weather from Randoplan (on the cool side, but not cold)

Ride leader - Steve Rempel

I've been meaning to lead a climb up Bohlman since November, but rain was in the forecast whenever I remembered, and that is not a road to descend in the wet.

We'll leave from Shoup Park and head straight down Foothill and Stevens Creek to Monta Vista park and pick up anyone there. Then we'll take the maze, up the hard way to the end of Bohlmann via Norton, Kittredge, Quickert, On Orbit. Return via Bohlman and Pierce/Mt. Eden to Rancho San Antonio for lunch. Then finish via Mora, Moody, and Foothills Nature Preserve.

This is a route with many bailout options:

• Easiest, but not nearly as much fun, would be to meet up with the group as it rides by Monta Vista Park, and finish there on the way back. That almost halves the distance, but retains most of the climbing- 25 miles and 3300 feet.

  We will not be stopping, so people should be at the intersection, ready to go by around 9:15.

• Anyone who wants to skip lunch at Rancho San Antonio can return via Foothill Expressway, the previous HRU Bohlman route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30107145- 36 miles and 3600 feet.
• Doing lunch, but skipping Foothills Nature Preserve saves 9 miles and 1100 feet. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55182330- 40 miles and 4200 feet.

Regroups at the cemetery at the base of Bohlman (both directions), at the bottom of Mt Eden Road (bathroom and water close by), and Vista Hill in Foothills- remember to get water and use the bathroom by the park entrance on the way in because we do not pass it on the way out.

Starting Location: Shoup Park (park along University or Lincoln Avenues)

Start Time: 8:45 for a 9 am departure. Moderate rain cancels.

Distance: 49 miles

Elevation: 5300 feet

Lunch: BYOL to eat at Rancho San Antonio

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55182040

Cue sheet: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55182040/cue_sheet

Weather: https://go.randoplan.com/Tpkj1Q

Rider Leader: Mark Huie

Life's a Beach

May 13th, 2026

C+/D/4(6785)/66

Meet at 8:45am for a 9:00am start at Lexington Reservoir. Parking in the lot, I think, is 10 dollars, but there is free parking across the road. The free parking usually fills up fast, hint!!

Lunch: Will be at Steamer Lane Supply, near the Lighthouse but across the street.

66 miles, 6785’ of climbing.

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55060013

Weather by Randoplan: https://go.randoplan.com/shiqRK

Leader:

Shawnery Hardin