A Pacifica Cyclist's Guide To National Bike To Work Day

It may have been last Thursday, but the cycling festivities are far from over.

The League of American Bicyclists, the national organization sponsoring Bike Month in the month of May, is promoting a nation-wide Bike to Work day today, May 20.

According to the league, there are 57 million bike riders across the U.S.

For the casual riders, day trippers and all those who bike in this community, Pacifica Patch has put together a Cyclist’s Guide to Pacifica.

As far as riding to work goes, that's pretty straight forward for those who commute outside of Pacifica: get on Highway 1 and head north or south (much preferable to climbing the monstrous hill to the east). Google Maps also has a biking option if you want to get to work within town on designated bicycle routes. 

If you want to know where to ride for leisure, rent a bicycle or perhaps get a repair, we’ve got it in gear:

Buy, rent or repair:

EMJ Bikeshop
1600 Francisco Boulevard
Pacifica, CA 94044

EMJ Bikeshop, named after husband and wife team Edna and Mike, opened its doors on Francisco Boulevard in 2010 and has been offering rentals and sales of new and used bicycles since.  

1039 Terra Nova Blvd
Pacifica, CA 94044

This full-service bike shop also has a display of “Gearheaded” oddities in shop, like a 1936 Schwinn Autocycle, that are well worth a visit for a go-see.

Where to ride:

• Trails.com is a great resource for mapping out the preliminary info you will need before you ride. A couple popular rides in-town the site suggests: San Pedro Mountain Trail and Sweeney Ridge Loop Trail.

• Pacifica Parks, Beaches and Recreation Department has a very useful map for navigating Sweeney Ridge. Take the Baquiano Trail along the south side of the ridge or Mori Ridge Trail to the north. Prefer a longer ride? Try one, inclines included, that spans Mori Point to Sharp Park Beach and passes Caldera Creek along the way: PB&R map here.

• Take a “freeride.” Think of this kind of ride as off-trailing to cycling as off-roading is to driving. Local group, Pacifica Freeride, suggests a few rules of the trail for daring freeride cyclists who traverse spots like Montara Mountain.

• Try the San Mateo County bike map to create your own plan-to-ride in Pacifica or anywhere else in the county.