Special Edition: MTB Tour Guide
I think you'll like this one: the pilot episode of a new, exciting video series!
Let’s Ride: Special Edition
There are plenty of videos of ripping POV footage for nearly every trail on the planet, but the Point-Of-View that I’m looking for is this: Where should I get coffee before the ride? Where are the best post-ride burritos? What do the locals know that I don’t?
I put a ton of effort into making this video, I really hope you like where I’m trying to go with this format. If you’re reading this and watching the video, please leave me a comment on the YouTube video to suggest where we should go next!
Uncovering The SF Peninsula’s MTB Trails
A huge thank you to local riders Paul Jackson and John Paradine for joining me on the rides! Keep scrolling down if you want links to all the trails and spots we visited while I was on the San Francisco Peninsula.
Where We Rode
Here are all the Trailforks links to the trails we rode, specifically. While we did our best to show the majority of trails in the video, each trail system had plenty more to offer!
Day One
⛰️ San Pedro Mountain: This is the access trail to the top of the trail system, a mix of gravel and (sort of) paved that gradually climbs to the top.
🙌 Old Colma Road: Follow this trail for a scenic view (seen above) that overlooks the Pacific Ocean. Fun and flowy!
😳 Mile: Not for the faint of heart, experts only. Make sure your suspension isn’t locked out before you drop in. Don’t make the same mistake I did!
🚀 Boy Scout: Jump trail, but the jumps are not mandatory. Easy to hike back up to get more time in the air!
Day Two
🐕 Waterdog Lake: Multiple trails here, plenty of options to choose from with good parking and warm-up area. Tucked into a residential neighborhood, you’d never know it was there without the map!
🌳 Methuselah Tree: Not a trail, but worth the stop, right off the side of the road (and a good place to meet up for a ride).
💯 Skeggs: Extensive trail system, solid mix of doubletrack trails for chill rides with your friends - but plenty of singletrack to mix it up! Tafoni rock formation is in this trail system, too.
Where We Ate
Soul Grind: Coffee shop in Pacifica, owned by a mountain biker and right near the trail system. The food here is incredible, the menu is stacked! Coffee is roasted onsite, too. Definitely stop here!
Taco Bell Cantina: The best Taco Bell in the world, ranked #1! Hard to pass up an oceanfront dinner spot, but if Baja Blast isn’t your thing, you could check out Humble Sea Brewing, right down the street.
Caffe Mezzaluna: Super quick coffee/pastry spot right in Half Moon Bay. This was right around the corner from our hotel and delivered the goods.
Buck’s Woodside: The legendary Silicon Valley restaurant where the founders of PayPal used to meet, the original iPhone was lost, and plenty of multi-billion dollar deals were closed. Oh, and the food was good, too.
Alice’s Restaurant: This spot is only a few minutes away from the Skeggs parking lot, making it an ideal post-ride meal spot. Go on a weekend to check out rare cars that frequently meet up in their parking lot.
Where We Stayed
Oceano Hotel - Half Moon Bay: This hotel was within walking distance of everything Half Moon Bay has to offer, plus it had free parking. The Half Moon Bay zone was a perfect place to stay, we could do quick drives to all the trails (including a small bike park that we didn’t have a chance to ride on this trip).
Have You Seen This?
Check out this video of Paul Jackson absolutely ripping in Pacifica! I was so stoked that we got to ride with Paul on this trip, he’s such a fun rider to watch - I think you’ll agree after watching this edit.
Thank You
Thanks for reading this special edition of the Super Rider newsletter! I hope you enjoyed this video, and that this travel guide comes in handy the next time you find yourself in the San Francisco area. Maybe we should organize a ride here before Sea Otter?
A massive thank you also to our friends at San Francisco Peninsula. They helped us make this project happen. Their website is awesome for researching more stuff to do in the area if you’re planning to visit.