Primavera Century Travel Log

The ride starts at James Logan High School and proceeds from Union City south into the Niles district of Fremont. Fremont was incorporated in 1956 from the townships of Niles, Mission San Jose, Irvington, Centerville, and Warm Springs. The ride goes through the center of Niles. Niles was established in the 1850s and was a junction point of the Southern Pacific Railroad lines from Oakland to San Jose and southern coastal points. Vallejo's Mill, located in Niles, was the first working flour mill constructed and completed in this country. It operated by water conducted in a long flume from Alameda Creek. Niles at one time was noted for the location of the California Nursery, the largest nursery in California, with the largest rose plantation in the state.

In 1912, Essanay Studios was at the height of its movie making fame. The studio, owned by Broncho Billy and Charlie Chaplin, made famous movies of the time starring Chaplin, Wallace Beery and Ben Turpin. Many cowboy adventures were filmed around Niles Canyon and along the main streets of Niles. Hollywood had more days of sunshine, and later became more popular for making films.

Taking a right turn on the recently repaved Mission Boulevard, the ride travels along the foothills, gently climbing to the Mission San Jose District. After crossing under the freeway, about a half mile on the left, is Mission San Jose. Founded in 1797, it is the fourteenth of the 21 Spanish Missions in Alta California. The mission church was destroyed in the earthquake of 1868, and was rebuilt in the last century. The building just past the church is original and is the oldest building in Alameda County. At its height, the Mission had over 100 buildings, 12,000 cattle, and an equal number of horses and sheep. It was considered the most prosperous Mission in Northern California. Past the Mission buildings are rows of olive trees planted by the first missionaries.

The ride continues along Mission Boulevard towards the Warm Springs district of Fremont for about 3 miles. Before the left turn onto Paseo Padre is Stanford Lane. Originally, Leland Stanford owned vineyards in the area. Through much of the twentieth century, the Wiebel Winery was located on Stanford Lane, and is probably best known for its champagnes. Now, large custom houses occupy the property.

A left turn on Paseo Padre Parkway and a short uphill reveals a great view of the Bay. It is worth a quick stop. After that, it's a fast downhill through a signal and left onto Warm Springs Boulevard. The signals onto Paseo Padre and Warm Springs Boulevard are sensitive enough to be activated by bicycles.

Warm Springs Boulevard is about a 1% downhill, straight and smooth. This is when you want to be in a paceline for a few miles of easy pedaling. Then it's left on Scott Creek Road and a gentle-to-medium uphill. Under the freeway is a small stretch of Paris-Roubaix-like road, then a right on Park Victoria for a few more feet of uphill and another nice, gentle downhill for some more paceline work. As the road starts downhill, there is a park on the left (Jose Higuera Adobe Park) with bathrooms for those who can't wait another 4 miles. After some rollers, it's a left on Evans for some more rollers and then another left onto Calaveras Road for the first major climb of the ride. It is 3 miles and 1000 feet of climbing to the top of "The Wall". The Wall is a short section with a 17% grade. The Tour of California has gone both up and down The Wall as the route has varied. Just remember as you are either working your lowest gear, or pushing your bike, the Pros went up at 16 to 18 miles per hour. But before tackling The Wall, a break with 70% of the climb behind you is in order at the first rest stop at Ed Levin Park. Home-baked breads and cookies are always a favorite at this rest stop. Many people start off the ride with just one water bottle so they don't have to carry extra weight up Calaveras Road. New for 2012 is the ability to drop clothes at both this and the next rest stop. Just put those extra layers in a bag with your name, registration number and cell phone number on it.

Continuing on to the top of The Wall, the road winds its way around Calaveras Reservoir. In addition to sweeping views of the reservoir and dam, some spring visitors, a pair of nesting bald eagles, are visible from the road. There should be a sign pointing out the nest atop the power pole; you may be lucky enough to see one in flight. The reservoir was the largest earth-filled dam in the world when it was constructed in 1925 as a water supply for San Francisco. The dam is being replaced for seismic concerns, as the Calaveras Fault is nearby.

After leaving sight of the reservoir, you approach a summit and a long, fun downhill, then some very gentle rollers. This is another good section for pacelines and enjoying the views. Many nurseries are located along the valley, along with a couple of aggregate plants to mine the gravels in the valley. Then it's under the freeway and into Sunol. The Tour of California Route went up the freeway off ramp going the wrong way to get to Livermore; you'll be glad to know that we've planned a different route. There is one more sight before heading towards Sunol. At the stop sign, take a look to the left and you'll see the Sunol Water Temple. The temple, built in 1910, (open weekdays 9 to 3), sits on a mixing point of three water sources. Along with its twin, located at Crystal Springs Reservoir, these temples are the symbol of the Hetch Hetchy Water System of the San Francisco. They are modeled after the ancient Temple of Vesta in Tivoli Italy (Tivoli is where much of the waters that fed Rome converged in the foothills of the Apennines).

Sunol School hosts the second rest stop. This rest stop crew always has a theme with costumes and music. No one knows what it will be this year, or at least they are not letting anyone know. Those doing the 70K ride head down Niles Canyon along the route of the transcontinental railroad. Niles Canyon Railway runs vintage trains from Niles to Sunol and back on many Sundays, including the day of the Primavera.

The longer routes make a couple of quick turns through Sunol and onto lovely Foothill Road. After a couple of rollers, it's good to be in pacelines along this tree-lined road with beautiful houses. The 100K Ride continues up Foothill, while the 100-Milers make a right turn and then a left on Sunol Boulevard, skirting Pleasanton and onto Vineyard Drive for some more smooth roads into Livermore. The route travels through vineyards south and west of town to the rest stop at Cedar Mountain Winery, Livermore's first certified green winery. After a nice rest and nourishment it is north on Greenville Road, past Lawrence Livermore Labs and under highway 580. Then comes the second major climb along the Altamont Pass and over the freeway at its highest point onto North Flynn Road, and a little more climbing past wind turbines. These lonely roads offer great riding, even if there are 700 feet of climbing involved. By then you've worked up a good appetite and another stop at Cedar Mountain Winery and more nourishment. For those who want more than the 100K and less than the 100 Mile, skipping Altamont is an option, but it is a nice route.

From Cedar Mountain Winery (the second time), the ride continues through Livermore on Tesla and the quiet College Avenue and Murietta Boulevard and back north of Pleasanton on Stanley Boulevard. This is probably the least interesting three miles, but that is a small price to pay for all the other treats. For the industrial types, there are rail sidings and another gravel quarry. The recreational areas on the left side of the road are mined out quarries that are now swimming, boating and fishing lakes. Once in the north part of Pleasanton it is more tree-lined roads and parks (with bathrooms) to Foothill, rejoining the 100K Route. A left on Dublin Canyon Road and it's up and over the Dublin Grade. In the afternoon, the breeze comes off the Bay and riding in pacelines help to break the wind. It is then downhill to the Palo Verde Rest Stop. Now is the time to break out those energy gels and get some sugar in you for the last hill of the day! It's exactly 5 miles to the top of Palomares Road. The mileage signs help you pace yourself to the top. It really is a pretty road and enjoying the beauty makes one forget about the slight uphill. An easy uphill turns steep the last half mile before the top, with the last quarter mile being the steepest. Fortunately, the redwood trees shade the road and make the last half mile bearable. Then it's 5 miles of mostly downhill, past a couple more wineries, to Niles Canyon. Niles Canyon is definitely a single file zone with passing only where the shoulder widens. Alameda Creek runs down the canyon. This area once was a weekend retreat, accessible by rail from San Francisco in the first half of the last century. Projects are now in place to promote steelhead trout that once made their way up the creek.

Niles Canyon Road runs past the site of the Viejo grist mill and through Niles back to Union City and to the high school for a post ride meal and swapping stories of the day's adventure.

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