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TiredTriDude
4 Posts |
 Posted - 08/30/2003 : 07:34:26 AM
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Hi Guys - I've been lurking on your board for quite awhile but decided to break the ice. I'm a newbie road cyclist that logs about 50 miles a week. My wife and I are looking for some nice longer rides that we can do starting in Antioch. I was wondering if anyone has any feelings one way or the other about riding on Vasco road. I've driven it a lot, and it looks like it has good pavement and wide shoulders (up to Alameda County at least), but I'm not all that thrilled to be fighting strong winds for the whole ride. Any advice?
Thanks in advance! |
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starstryke
USA
37 Posts |
Posted - 08/30/2003 : 08:54:18 AM
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From my experience as a stupid 14 year old rider (7 years ago) I was forced off Vasco 3 times. I know a lot of firefighters who also have to respond to the multitude of car wrecks along that road and let's just say there are a lot more there than well... any highway. If you value your life don't go, but if you want to make road cycling an extreme sport, then go for it!
I personally prefer riding Morgan Territory road, and around Tilden Park. You can ride to both if you want but going up Kirker Pass Road is sometimes a mood killer for Tilden. Go down Deer Valley Road, turn right onto Marsh Creek Road (try not to go during traffic and watch out for cars) follow that all the way to Morgan Territory Road and enjoy, it turns into a single lane road and if you want to be really adventurous you can ride down into Livermore I believe.. can't remember.
-Bryon Wright
illegitimi non carborundum |
Edited by - starstryke on 08/30/2003 09:05:02 AM |
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Jay K.
Belgium
65 Posts |
Posted - 08/30/2003 : 10:52:26 PM
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Vasco Road is the s***ts. A few months back we did a ride over Morgan Territory and came back Vasco Road--wide shoulder but lots of cars whizzing by--real disgusting. Like riding on the side of a highway. A few hours later on the news was a report of a major fatality crash on Vasco, entering Brentwood, which occured about an hour after we passed by.
For my $$$, the nicest ride that you can do out of the greater Antioch area is Marsh Creek (after rush hour) to Morgan Territory, go up Morgan (down to Livermore if you want to do more climbing) and go back the way you came in. Only negitive--bombing downhill on chewed up Contra Costa side of Morgan. But great tailwind pushing you back on Marsh Creek. Another good one, though did it years ago, was from Brentwood to Altamont.
IMO-Rides in rest of Contra Costa much nicer, with less traffic than anything around here. THE BEST--is Tilden, Redwood Regional Park Loop. Another good one is back and out over Pig Hill and the Three Bears-from Martinez to Orinda. And of course Mt Diablo, though short.
Best
Jay
GP-Just Ride Baby
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TiredTriDude
4 Posts |
Posted - 08/31/2003 : 2:58:17 PM
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| Thanks guys - you confirmed what I suspected since I've never really seen any bikers out on Vasco. I appreciate the tips on the long rides too. I'll give Marsh Creek a try - I've been a little nervous to try that since I've only driven it during rush hour and just getting up Deer Valley in my car scares the hell out of me with that much traffic. Sounds like it slows down quite a bit during the off hours though. Thanks again! |
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Veronica
48 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2003 : 05:50:53 AM
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Thom and I actually like coming back over Vasco - maybe it's because we're on the tandem.  We've never had any problems with cars on it. Going down into the Livermore side from Morgan Territory is a blast. If you climb back up that way though - there is no shade. If you really want to torture yourself - you can go back through Danville and go up to the Ranger Station on Mount Diablo. It's about a 90 mile ride from our house.
Veronica |
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mfdemicco
USA
13 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2003 : 10:17:14 AM
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I don't have a problem with Vasco Rd., providing it is not during commute hrs. It has a nice, wide shoulder except the last stretch going down to Livermore. The winds can be brutal, especially into the headwind (avoid the Southerly direction). Marsh Creek, while a very scenic road, is narrow with lots of blind corners and fast drivers. I feel safer on Vasco. YMMV.
My favorite local ride is out Empire Mine (a great road, but alas its days may be numbered), Deer Valley, Marsh Creek, Camino Diablo, then Old Vasco Rd. out to the Los Vaqueros Reservoir dam. Climb the road up to the top of the dam.
All that said, I don't like road bike riding in this area. I prefer mountain bike riding at Black Diamond. On weekends, I drive out of the area (usually to the Napa Valley) to ride road bike.
Mike DeMicco <[email protected]. |
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daroy
USA
44 Posts |
Posted - 09/02/2003 : 05:29:17 AM
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Have you tried? Golf Course to Empire Mines and back, if you need more at the end of Empire Mines go out to the dam then back. It's a nice safer ride. Have fun!
Maurice J. Daroy |
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TiredTriDude
4 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2003 : 10:29:12 AM
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My wife and I took your advice and did the Empire Mine to Deer Valley to Marsh Creek ride last Monday. We really enjoyed it! I would love to join in on a club ride sometime, but my work schedule is pretty brutal.
Unfortunately this summer, most of my riding has pretty much been limited to the Pittsburg BART station for work and back with a few shorter training rides for some short distance triathlons. Thanks again to all of you for your suggestions. |
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Veronica
48 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2003 : 6:05:46 PM
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Another nice ride is go out to the Delta and ride the levee roads. You can go across the Antioch bridge - it's really not that bad. But we decided we didn't like the roads to get to the bridge, so we usually park at Windy Cove and ride from there. If you go across the Rio Vista bridge and make the first right it takes you down to the ferry. Once you cross the river again you can ride for miles without seeing a car. We think it's pretty - all the farmland and the river. You do end up with quite a headwind on the return trip at times. 
Veronica |
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TiredTriDude
4 Posts |
Posted - 09/16/2003 : 11:56:24 AM
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| Thanks Veronica - that is a great suggestion. I've driven on a couple of roads out there and wondered how they were for biking, but have been a little leery of how narrow they seemed. It's nice to know that there is little traffic to worry about. Maybe I'll give that a try this weekend. I just got a brand new beautiful bike and I want to get out there and start putting some miles on it!!! |
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Veronica
48 Posts |
Posted - 09/16/2003 : 8:48:01 PM
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| We went out there on Saturday, saw maybe six cars. We saw more once we got back on 160 of course, but there's a great shoulder there. Had kind of a freaky north wind though that we were beating ourselves against on the way out and never seemed to get much benefit from on the way back. Ahhh well, just makes us stronger riders, right! |
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Newbie Question
