SF Bay Area - Best driving roads for a Sunday morning blast?

[wjk_glynn]

RugbyBro just drove Morgan Territory Rd again and agrees with sgt1372 that it's simply too tight and narrow for a spirited drive in a car.

So I've moved it into the following category in the East Bay section.
...

• Roads to perhaps avoid...
  • Morgan Territory Rd - https://goo.gl/maps/2a8zYoiCaCz73yVU8 (~15 miles)
    • Connects to Marsh Creek Rd above, and goes through Morgan Territory Regional Preserve
    • Both RugbyBro and sgt1372 thinks it's simply too tight and narrow

Karl.

[mym3adventures]

I see mention of a group drive fb page, but not sure if it was this group mentioned. Would love to see more E9x M3's come out!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/BayAreaGroupDrives/

There are usually 2 group drives a month. One that's short, about 2 to 4 hours for a half day drive. Another that's long, 6 to 8 hours for a full day drive.

[wjk_glynn]

Added the following...


East Bay
...

• Alhambra Valley Rd in Martinez - https://goo.gl/maps/aXRgUorUubde4z5g9 (~9 miles)
  • Recommended by FireM3
  • He notes it can be bumpy and narrow, but he likes it
  • It connects to Bear Creek above

Points further away from the SF Bay Area

• North
  ...
  • Pleasant Valley Rd and Marysville Rd, east of Yuba City - https://goo.gl/maps/EUbtphE8JYBMY8HL7 (~69 miles)
    • Recommended by Jartin
    • West end of this route is ~80 miles north-east of Santa Rosa (as the crow flies)

Karl.

[wjk_glynn]

Added...

North Bay
...

• Lake Sonoma to the coast using Skaggs Springs Rd. - https://goo.gl/maps/TigZHm2J7wR4oZa5A (~35 miles)
  • Recommended by propchef
  • ///M3-=FiN=- also recommended a section of this road (and he included some video) - https://goo.gl/maps/eS4rLk9T3ZD2 (~6 miles)
• Loop from Cloverdale to Calistoga, west to Jenner via Guerneville, north to Stewarts Point, and back to Cloverdale - https://goo.gl/maps/X8QvAfXWgJyi9sUp8 (~148 miles)
  • Recommended by sgt1372

Karl.

[NQRDDS]

Originally Posted by ling.media

I see mention of a group drive fb page, but not sure if it was this group mentioned. Would love to see more E9x M3's come out!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/BayAreaGroupDrives/

There are usually 2 group drives a month. One that's short, about 2 to 4 hours for a half day drive. Another that's long, 6 to 8 hours for a full day drive.

Just tried clicking on the link, it's not working?

[mym3adventures]

Originally Posted by NQRDDS

Just tried clicking on the link, it's not working?

Just checked the link and it works fine for me. Search for "Bay Area Group Drives" on FB

[NQRDDS]

Originally Posted by ling.media

Just checked the link and it works fine for me. Search for "Bay Area Group Drives" on FB

I just searched in groups and it's still not showing up, strange! Not sure if it's closed and only open to invites or something?

[mym3adventures]

Originally Posted by NQRDDS

I just searched in groups and it's still not showing up, strange! Not sure if it's closed and only open to invites or something?

PM me your Facebook name and/or email. I'll invite ya.

[NQRDDS]

Originally Posted by ling.media

PM me your Facebook name and/or email. I'll invite ya.

pm'd

[mym3adventures]

Originally Posted by ling.media

I see mention of a group drive fb page, but not sure if it was this group mentioned. Would love to see more E9x M3's come out!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/BayAreaGroupDrives/

There are usually 2 group drives a month. One that's short, about 2 to 4 hours for a half day drive. Another that's long, 6 to 8 hours for a full day drive.

Just remembered the group is private and members only. For anyone else interested in joining the group, PM your Facebook page so I can invite you to the group

[wjk_glynn]

Added...

East Bay

• sgt1372 recommends a variety of options heading east out of Antioch...
  • First take Antioch to Isleton, then to the Georgiana Slough Bridge in Walnut Grove - https://goo.gl/maps/YD68tKRUudKfFJ7e9 (~29 miles), with stop-offs at:
    • Mei Was Beer Room in Isleton - https://meiwahbeerroom.com
    • Walnut Grove Iron Works - http://wgironworks.com
  • Then take one of these options...
    1. Turn left and take River Rd., then Freeport Blvd. into Sacramento - https://goo.gl/maps/4Jn5i7VkvuWhWEPq6 (~30 miles), with stop-offs at:
       • Al the Wop's - http://www.locketown.com/als.htm
       • California Automobile Museum - https://www.calautomuseum.org
    2. Or turn right, and head to one of these...
       • Lockeford Meat & Sausage Services in Lockeford - https://goo.gl/maps/wvuhf6Y59v8pWahz8 (~24 miles)
       • Wines & Roses Hotel in Lodi - https://goo.gl/maps/5ee5goqvyopdj6tj7 (~17 miles)
       • Or route back to Antioch via Stockton and Discovery Bay - https://goo.gl/maps/sL8SMnficKencQLM8 (~65 miles)
         • With a stop off at Boardwalk Grill - https://www.boardwalkgrill.net
  ...
• Through Livermore / San Ramon Valley - https://goo.gl/maps/xrNMybJJ3f45RdkK6 (~19 miles)
  • Recommended by sgt1372

Karl.

[wjk_glynn]

It's a year now since the last addition was made to the list of Bay Area roads.

There is of course a finite set, but bumping to the top in case anyone has some new recommendations.

Thanks.

Karl.

[djschmitt]

I don't have a recommendation but I am glad this popped to the top so I can subscribe and keep coming back. I've been on this board for a bit over a year now and didn't know this thread existed.

[wjk_glynn]

Added...

South Bay / Santa Clara County
...

• South on Watsonville Rd. out of Morgan Hill, then east on CA-129 (with Carlton Rd. as a connector between the two) - https://goo.gl/maps/y9nUHzuyAua7DCUc9 (~28 miles)
  • Recommended by vasmir

Karl.

[Thorin]

Originally Posted by wjk_glynn

RugbyBro just drove Morgan Territory Rd again and agrees with sgt1372 that it's simply too tight and narrow for a spirited drive in a car.

A few years ago, our Triumph group (Bay Area RAT Pack) hit up that road, and some of the old timers called it a glorified goat trail, narrow and mottled, but nothing too crazy for a motorcycle. A nice ride all the same.

Suffice to say the Lamborghini group coming from the other direction did not have themselves a good time. Lots of scraped plastics could be heard for miles!

[wjk_glynn]

Added...

East Bay
...

• Niles Canyon Rd between Fremont and Sunol - https://goo.gl/maps/dsULGvAFQXqp4Srr5 (~7 miles)
  • Recommended by smceo

Karl.

[wjk_glynn]

Added the following...

Sierra Nevada Mountains (and foothills)
...

• Various parts of the CA-49 Golden Chain Highway
  • Sierraville to Nevada City - https://goo.gl/maps/1aQTYgJLo9xJJ8sD8 (~77 miles)
    • Recommended by Sprintrider
• Sonora Pass (Hwy-108), from Hwy-395 to Sonora - https://goo.gl/maps/C2h3M1T6acBHBecJ6 (~81 miles)
  • Recommended by Sprintrider
• CA-89, including Monitor Pass - https://goo.gl/maps/Aa2CXF57uGPiH3ER6 (~29 miles)
  • Recommended by ylk1 and Sprintrider

South
...

• Hwy-39 from Azusa to the San Gabriel Canyon Road Lookout - https://goo.gl/maps/Hp9HFMG9tLPwuX1e9 (~23 miles)
  • Car and Driver drove this road when reviewing a GT4 RS: https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...y-the-numbers/
  • Azusa is on the northern edge of the LA Metropolitan area

Karl.

[wjk_glynn]

Added...

North Bay
...

• To the above (LVR), add the loop of Nicasio Valley Rd / Pt. Reyes Petaluma Rd / Hicks Valley Rd / Willson Hill Rd / Chileno Valley Rd / Tomales Petaluma Rd / Hwy-1 / Sir Francis Drake Blvd... and back to Nicasio Valley Rd - https://goo.gl/maps/gQCdz86pbJkRYJ1t8 (~61 miles)
  • Recommended by Kbasa

Points further away from the SF Bay Area

North

• Final race from the 2014 movie Need for Speed - https://goo.gl/maps/9hnTh1N5gJEux9se6 (~72 miles)
  • Originally recommended by phuonger
  • ducktails drove it in August 2022, and confirmed it's a good one

And as always, if you've any recommendations of your own that should be added to this list, please post in this thread with sufficient detail so that people know the exact route (e.g. providing a Google Maps link works great).

Karl.

[wjk_glynn]

Rory Reid (ex Top Gear, now with AutoTrader UK) reviews a C8 Corvette in the following video:

• The canyon-carving bits seem to have been shot on the San Jose side of the road up Mt Hamilton - https://goo.gl/maps/5SZtntEdyYy
• I believe you can see some of the Lick Observatory domes in the distance at the 6:55 mark
• And away from there, you can also see local spots like Reeds Indoor Range in Santa Clara (2:25), and an In-N-Out in Seaside (4:20)

But can anyone spot anything that says it was shot on the other side of Mt. Hamilton?

I don't know that side as well as the San Jose side...

Thanks.

Karl.

PS: At the 10:27 mark, he says the C8 has a 7-speed PDK... it's actually an 8-speed Tremec…

[wjk_glynn]

Originally Posted by wjk_glynn

But can anyone spot anything that says it was shot on the other side of Mt. Hamilton?

I don't know that side as well as the San Jose side...

Haven't heard otherwise, so have added it to the top post as follows...

South Bay / Santa Clara County

• Mt Hamilton Rd to Lick Observatory (starting at Clayton Rd.) - https://goo.gl/maps/5SZtntEdyYy (~16 miles)
  • Great hill climb up to the telescopes at Lick Observatory, and has even been referenced in professional articles/features:
    • EVO Magazine drove this road when reviewing the Mustang (S550) GT350 in the May 2016 issue #221 (front cover) - Henry Catchpole spoke very highly of the road
    • Total911 listed in their Great Road series - https://www.total911.com/route-130-california-usa/
    • When Rory Reid (AutoTrader UK) reviewed a C8 Corvette, the canyon-carving bits seemed to have been shot on this road - YouTube
  • Others think the back-side of Mines Rd. to Lick Observatory (from Livermore) is even better
    • See East Bay section above...

UPDATE: Found the spot where he does the external walk-around. That starts at the 5m10s mark in the video.

The location is here: https://goo.gl/maps/AEBhHNsn5vNduJWQ8

And a pic at the same spot from this morning...





Karl.

[bwry]

Thnx for all of this folks!

[LOW4LYF]

This is just amazing!

Highly appreciated!