Big Basin Forest Ride

4 1/2 hours, 75 miles, steep climbs, shady

I was a little worried that this ride would take up to 6 hours, but it turned out to be just over 4. On a day when the rest of the cycling world was at Redlands, I decided to see some redwoods myself. Big Basin National Park always delivers on that, and in fact I had forgotten how beautiful Highway 236 through the forest was.

Up Stevens Creek and Highway 9, both getting easier as I ride myself into shape, and then down the backside of 9 for the first time in at least 2 years. It’s one of the only descents you can actually get speed acclimatization (remember that from driver’s training?). By the time you get to the first intersection with 236 and the curves get sharper, you’ve forgotten just how fast you’re going. But you get exactly 6 miles of descent before that, and even a few after, so it’s really ok…

5 miles right on 236 brings you to China Grade, where signs warned me of closures “1.85 miles ahead”, but it turned out the construction was already finished (well, I wasn’t going to turn around anyway). Then up the steep slopes of China Grade to 236 again, where a right turn brings you onto one of the most fun sections of road I’ve ridden in Northern California. Completely unique, it twists and turns, mostly downhill, through thick forests on a road almost completely devoid of cars. That dumps you straight uphill onto 9 again, where a gently graded 6 mile climb (went faster than I remember this time) brings you to the top again. Page Mill was quicker and more fun home, the clear skies giving a view all the way to the whitecaps on the ocean on this windy day.