Sierra Road Climb, a Few Photos

A few days ago I climbed Sierra road again... it's for sure one of the steepest climbs in the Bay Area (Category 2)! The foot of Sierra Road begins at the Piedmont intersection, where a steep grade continues a little past a red church on the roadside. For me, this first part usually serves as a test to see how fast I'll do the climb- if I'm hurting and taking it slow, the rest of the climb is probably going to be slow. Take a slight left, and you're headed up the hill! This next segment continues for around a mile until you're about halfway. My halfway point is a cluster of trees with a great view of the Bay Area. I usually reach this point 18 minutes into the climb. After, it's usually a deadly sprint up to the top of the hill. The only reason I stopped to snap a few photos was because my bike was not exactly cooperating with me (the day after a bumpy race in the Central Valley).

This is the view facing West, at the top of the Sierra climb. Yep, 2,000 feet up. These hills are usually dry and bare, but it finally rained here in the Bay. I went right after a nice rainfall a few days before, so I'm not surprised that the hills are now lush.

This view is facing to the north and back down Sierra. While I have ridden down Sierra, I definitely don't recommend it. A total waste of brake padding and brake line after riding it a couple of times! Instead, take the Felter route down Calaveras, and back to Piedmont Road. Much cleaner and more miles with only a little bit more elevation gain.

And finally, the view facing Felter Road, my usual return route. The scenery on this road is just as beautiful as the scenery you can find on Sierra. If you plan to climb Sierra Road, from Piedmont and returning via Felter and Calaveras roads, set aside about two hours. For a joy ride, maybe two hours and thirty minutes. Enjoy the photos!