Marin County All-Road
Two routes, two separate riding partners, and one great day of all-road riding in beautiful Marin County
By the Numbers
The main climb was up the fire road on Mt Tam, otherwise a bit punchy
I had long wanted to ride in Marin, birthplace of mountain biking and constant location of adventures in my Strava feed.
I had the good fortune of having two friends ready to ride, so I tackled two separate routes, with two separate riding companions with very different profiles.
The ride started from beautiful Fairfax, nestled in the shadow of the hills, with Point Reyes Station as the final destination. The ride included a nice section on the Cross Marin Trail through the Samuel P. Taylor State Park among the massive redwoods.
Leaving the trail system, we made our along quiet roads, finally arriving at Tomales Bay State Park. I was told by L. during a high tide the surf would reach nearly where we were standing; while we there the tide was clearly out. In town we stopped at Brickmaiden Breads, scoring a delicious ginger scone for me and a sandwich for L. The area had a very familiar feel for me, simultaneously reminding me of home while also making me envious of the coastal towns. After a quick tour of the town it was time for me to depart for route #2.
I rode back more or less the way I came, essentially a long lollipop, with another opportunity to marvel at the trees and enjoy the scenery. It was getting warm at this point and I was in TT mode (at least for me) so while there wasn’t a lot of climbing I definitely felt the effort under the sun.
I met up with E. in Fairfax and we rode together towards Mt Tam, eventually leaving the paved road for the fire road and its chunky gravel climb to the top. What an effort! The Mt Tam climb easily makes the list of one of my favorite gravel roads. I enjoyed the challenge of finding a smooth line on 38mm slicks and the great views off to Oakland and SF. I was thankful the long stretches under the canopy because when fully exposed to the sun it was hot!
We finally arrived at the summit, refilled bottles at a drinking fountain, and made our way down the mountain, along the lakes, and back to Fairfax.
It was an exceptional ride, with two great riding partners, and a perfect taste of the all-road possibilities in Marin County. I am excited for a return trip.
