Tagged: bay trail

Mission Chilaquiles to Ghost Pepper IndoChinese

This easy 28.9 mile ride from the Mission District in San Francisco to IndoChinese food in San Carlos is a variation of the Bay Trail. Instead of taking a winding route along the airport, this inland one is easier to navigate. What you’ll miss in jet fuel fumes will probably be made up in automobile fumes before you shoot out along the bay for the last third of the stretch. Getting out of San Francisco is the most challenging part of this ride – there are three small climbs before you hit San Bruno. From there, it’s all downhill, and you can take Caltrain back from the San Carlos station. Total elevation gain is a mere 438 feet.

Don’t tell your gang about Red Cafe (2894 Mission St at 25th) – okay, maybe tell your closest brunching biker pals. The chilaquiles are out of this world! They’re a million times fresher, crispier, and tastier than the ones at the Saturday Ferry Building Farmer’s market. And a little insider tip from my friend Vincente – order the casamiento style refried beans and rice – not a lot of places in SF serve it. Add a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice, and you’ve got enough energy and protein to take you on a long ride.

Red Hot Chili Pepper (1125 San Carlos Ave at El Camino Real) in San Carlos is the end destination. Yes, they use Ghost Pepper, 3x hotter than a habanero, and the world’s hottest naturally grown pepper. Yes, we tried the Devil’s Vegetables. Yes, they were hot! It was a slow burn on the palate, with an onset of about 10 minutes before the full effects were felt.  I didn’t get the heartburn I anticipated, and it was okay going through the rest of my GI tract. The Vegetable Coins in Manchurian Sauce were my favorite dish – a sweeter, earthier contrast to the Devil’s Vegetables. The decor here is a swanky modern Asian, so it felt a little funny strolling in wearing a chamois and covered in road dirt.

Directions

START at Red Cafe (2894 Mission St at 25th). Head EAST on 25th Street. Continue reading →

Golden Gate Bridge to Sol Food Puerto Rican


This easy 31-mile ride from the Golden Gate Bridge to San Rafael and back is perfect for the casual rider who wants to tackle a few small hills, and whose desired cuisine extends beyond Sausalitan Fish and Chips. With 2,000 feet of total elevation gain, the frequent rolling terrain makes the uphills very manageable. To do half the ride, take public transit home.

The bike side of the Golden Gate Bridge is closed through April; bikes and pedestrians currently share the eastern pathway. Start your morning early so that you’ll have a little more room for the way there, at least. If you venture onto the bridge in the afternoon, beware of wandering children, dazed tourists, aggressive roadies, and large bicycle tour groups. Call out, use signals, and proceed slowly, especially if you see someone not paying attention. We got lucky with sunshine galore, but faced strong headwinds over 25 mph on the road home.

Sol Food features a fantastic array of home -roasted, -braised, and -stewed Puerto Rican food. The decor is vibrant, and floor-to-ceiling windows make the space airy during the day. Seating is family style. Order at the register, and they will speedily bring your meal. Highlights are their Veggie Deluxe sandwich, and their Bistec steak sandwich. Their tasty drinks are served in large mason jars and include their delicious home-brewed Te Helado orange mango iced tea. Their salad is dressed with a garlicy vinaigrette, and if you like their secret recipe hot sauce, you can order a bottle to take home with you. We arrived before 12 and didn’t see a line, but you can order to-go next door if the wait is too long.

Directions

From the Marin side of Golden Gate Bridge, take your pick of the following routes to Sausalito.

  1. While the western bike lanes on GG Bridge are still closed, you will see designated bike lanes through a parking lot and signage towards Sausalito and Tiburon. Either follow the cyclists or signs down Vista Point Rd. Continue onto Alexander Ave for 1.3 miles. Continue reading →

Bay Trail to Ramen

For the pork-eaters out there, a tasty bowl of ramen can be excellent motivation to hit the Bay Trail on two wheels. If you like San Francisco’s Katana-ya, Izakaya Sozai, or Hapa Ramen this easy 20-mile ride to Ramen Dojo or Ramen Parlor (both brought to us by chef-owner Kazunori Kobayashi) will blow you out of the water.

The scenery on the way down is quite something to behold, following a short portion of the 500-mile pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly Bay Trail. Although sections of it are spotty and still under construction, the section of it past the airport down the peninsula is in excellent condition.

This ride is relatively flat, with one minor climb on San Bruno Ave shortly after exiting San Francisco, and a slight downhill grade towards the peninsula for the remainder of the ride. Much of the trail hugs the bay and water. During summer, wind-surfers dot the water, and fennel aromas saturate the air.

Nestled one block apart from each other at the end of the ride on South B Street, Ramen Dojo (Wed-Mon 11:30 am – 2 pm, 5:30 pm – 9 pm) and Ramen Parlor (Wed – Mon 11:30 am – 2 pm, 5:30 – 9:15 pm) are worth the burned calories. Although neither restaurant offers vegetarian entrees, you might just reduce your carbon footprint enough on your human-powered bicycle to justify a slice of smoked pork. (If not, please refer to other rides with more vegetarian options, or post your favorite San Mateo veggie spot in the comments!)

Ramen Dojo is my personal favorite; the ambiance is Japanese underground, the ramen broth is stewed with bones and spiced to perfection, and therein lives the best and freshest Wakame Salad I have ever tasted. However, it is nearly impossible to get a seat on weekends, with the line forming well before doors open. If you do manage to nab a seat, it’s almost certain that they will be sold out of their signature pork flavor. The trick to success is taking a personal day off work M-F and starting your ride very early.


If you decide to venture on the weekend, 200 feet away lies Ramen Parlor, offering a similar menu with a seafood twist. Make room for an entire series of ribs rather than a single one when you order a premium side. My favorite dish was the crisp and zingy Daikon Radish salad with Nori.

Luckily, both restaurants are located near Central Park and the San Mateo Caltrain station, so you have your choice of places to stretch your legs and let the food coma work its magic.

A few things to look out for: you will encounter strong headwinds passing the airport, along with the unpleasant smell of jet fuel. If you decide to ride back to San Francisco along the same trail, there will be even stronger traffic-related headwinds and sections of green paved bicycle lanes that intersect highway on-ramps. Cars do not pay attention to the green lane and will cut across in front and behind you.

Directions

START 24th Street BART station, head EAST. RIGHT on Potrero Ave.

Follow Potrero Ave through the underpass and look for signs for bike route 25 southbound (Candlestick). You will end up on Bayshore Ave. In about 1 mile, turn RIGHT on Silver Ave and immediately LEFT on San Bruno Ave. Continue reading →