Get Out and Ride

The bridge to bridge ride is a popular destination for a scenic ride in the Bay Area, thanks to the Benicia Bridge walking path. With consistent training, it is a good challenge for anyone starting out. 

I recommended you get a bike tuneup, brush up on your bike tire changing skills and have the necessary tools to fix a flat tire. This week, it is time to get out and ride. Below are three great Benicia rides to start you on your way to crossing the bridges.

Start with a bike ride through the Benicia State Recreation Area. It offers very mild hills that will reacquaint you with your gears. Becoming familiar with your gears and anticipating your gear shifts makes for a smoother, more enjoyable ride. Watch out at at mile one; the going gets bumpy. It smooths out within a tenth of a mile. The average distance of the park is 4.8 miles if you have the time do it twice.

This is also a good week to determine your fitness level. Ride a three-mile route to determine your mile pace. Warm up in the state park before starting your time trial. Begin the three-mile time trial from the .8 mile marker inside the state park, ride out to West K Street, after Sixth Street connect over to J Street and follow J to East Third Street (this is approximately three miles). Make sure to time yourself. This route has some short hills that will challenge your gear-changing skills as well as your heart. It should give you enough of a challenge to determine your average miles per hour and mile pace. 

Fitness testing is useful to begin any exercise program because it provides you with a baseline to evaluate your progress. Repeat this fitness test every four weeks to track fitness gains and keep you motivated.

Once you have mastered your gears and you want to challenge your leg strength, take a ride from downtown Benicia to East Fifth Street and head up to the Benicia Cemetery. How far can you climb up before heading back down? Did you make it  to the cemetery? This is a great challenge to strengthen your legs and determine if you are ready to tackle some other hills around town or across the bridge.

Repeat these rides over the next two to three weeks and add some additional miles around town. You soon will discover that Benicia is a bike-friendly town.