Mount Hamilton Loop Clockwise

Saturday, April 29, 2006

Not having registered for the annual Mt. Hamilton Challenge this year, I decided nevertheless to ride this classic loop, that includes visits to San Jose, Mt. Hamilton, Livermore, Sunol, and Milpitas. Since I wasn’t constrained by the ride organizers’ schedule, I decided to start at the leisurely hour of 9:00a and ride the loop clockwise, reverse of the Challenge direction. See map.

I headed out across Santa Clara and San Jose to Milpitas, climbed the steep part of Calaveras Rd., then the twists and turns of Calaveras Rd. as it heads north along Calaveras Reservoir. I stopped a couple of times to take pictures of some wild turkeys near the road (1, 2).

While I was enjoying an uncommon tailwind on the northernmost section of Calaveras Rd. I decided to take Vallecitos Rd. to Livermore instead of the usual route through Pleasanton. Vallecitos Rd. required a short trip on I-680 followed by a couple miles of wide-shouldered road, followed by a short climb without a shoulder, then a fast descent into Livermore. Traffic was moderate but polite, even where the shoulder disappeared.

When I got to Livermore I took the southern route across the city to South Livermore Ave., then stopped to take a short break at the restrooms at the Little League field before starting the long climb up Mines Rd.

Along Mines Rd. I found myself amongst cyclists riding the Devil Mountain Double (DMD), an organized ride that climbs both Mts. Diablo and Hamilton (and quite a few others). I also started seeing cyclists on the Mt. Hamilton Challenge route heading the other way.

The first climb on Mines Rd. is moderately steep, but after about 800 feet of rise, the grade lessens and becomes almost pleasant. By the time I reached Mines Rd. the wind direction had changed and was now blowing from the north, almost strongly enough to push me up the hill.

I stopped briefly along Arroyo Mocho to say, “Hi,” to Lisa Antonino and John Langbein who were riding the Mt. Hamilton Challenge. While I was stopped I saw Tom Lawrence riding the DMD heading up the hill in my direction, but he didn’t seem to want to break his rhythm.

The wind had died by the time I got to Eylar Summit, and I could tell that the temperature had gone up at least 10 degrees F. The descent into Blackbird Valley looks different from this direction, and the climb out is easier, being a short bump up to the broad curve near the source of Sweetwater Creek.

The Junction cafe was bustling with activity. Aside from the normal weekend crowd, the DMD had set up their lunch stop at the tables outside. I managed to get a seat at the bar and ordered lunch. I was rather looking forward to sitting down and eating some real food instead of energy bars and water the rest of the day.

About 45 minutes later I was heading south through San Antonio Valley. I stopped several times to photograph animals or wildflowers, but I noticed that this year they were less variegated than last year. As the road heads south it descends into Upper San Antonio Valley where the wildflowers are usually the most spectacular. Compare with last year's display.

San Antonio Valley Rd. eventually leaves the valley and heads over the ridge to the west, followed by a long gradual descent along Arroyo Bayo, one of the sources of Del Valle Reservoir in Livermore.

But, the easy riding eventually comes to an end. The road climbs a false summit between Arroyo Bayo and Isabel Creek before making the hardest climb of the day, 2000 feet in about 4 miles, the climb up Copernicus Peak, often called the backside of Mt. Hamilton, seen here as this frowning ridge that must be ridden over to get home.

The first half of the climb is the more difficult, being hotter and slightly steeper. At the halfway point marked by a spring by the road at mile marker 3, I stopped to chat with Dennis Del Norte who owns the land uphill and downhill of this spring and had just finished cleaning silt from its plumbing. But, I didn’t take on any water here as I still had enough to get to the summit, and I didn’t want to carry the extra weight.

About a mile from the top of the climb I came upon a small rest stop for the DMD. One of their guys offered me a can of V8. At first I refused, not wanting to freeload their supplies since I hadn’t entered their event. But he insisted, and I couldn’t refuse. He asked me if I was hot in there (under the fairing). I told him that the fairing is more like an umbrella than a jacket.

By this time the sun was beating less directly on the road and combined with the altitude, the temperature was comfortably in the 60’s F. I stopped briefly for water at the spigot on the outside wall of the old dining hall where San Antonio Valley Rd. becomes Mt. Hamilton Rd.

The descent down Mt. Hamilton and the trip home across the valley went without incident, and I arrived home shortly after 7:00p.

Ride Stats:

Distance: 119.7 miles

Climbing: 8000 feet

Calories burned: 4460

Find the full picture gallery: here.

©2006, Bill Bushnell

Please do not publish or distribute for profit without permission.