Distance: 13.5-mile out and back (with a spur)
Elevation gain: 2700 ft.

This ride is in Bestrides for one reason: the view. The riding is worth doing, but not spectacular. But the vista…

The ride begins with a classic, straightforward 5.3-mi. climb with pleasant oak scenery and an elevation gain of 2340 ft—in other words, work. This is followed by a return descent that for me is too steep and too rough to be tons of fun. But midway up the climb you pass Weaver Rd., and the views from Weaver Rd. make the whole ride memorable.

Park somewhere along Alma Bridge Rd.—there are frequent dirt pull-outs. Ride as much of ABR as you need to get warmed up (it’s lovely riding—see our Alma Bridge Rd./Old Santa Cruz Hwy Plus ride for details), because Soda Springs Rd. climbs from the gun and never stops. We’re talking just under a 10% average here.

Climb for 5.3 mi. at a consistent pitch (8-11%) through constant serpentine turns. You’re climbing up the side of a canyon wall, and at first you’ll think you’re in for good vistas of the canyon beside and behind you, but in fact the vast majority of the ride is through oak forest. It’s not the lush rainforest around Felton, but it’s pretty in its way, and it blocks any and all distant views. There’s nothing along the road except a sprinkling of houses, and they’re all down driveways so all you see is the occasional driveway, often with a pretentious gate. That’s it—small oaks and driveways, for an hour. I did ride by a sign that read “Soda Springs Resort—no vacancy,” but I think it’s a joke. At 3.7 mi. in you pass Weaver Rd. going off to the R—make a note so you don’t miss it on the descent.

At the top you hit a serious gate across the road and “No trespassing-Private Property” signs and you turn around. The following descent is not my cup of tea. The pitch is so steep I had to brake constantly, the corners are typically blind so corner-cutting is potentially fatal (traffic is next to nothing, but you will meet at least one car, you won’t see it coming, and it will be using the entire road), and the road surface, while no problem at climbing speeds, is a bit rough at 20 mph. Maybe a better descender than me would find it thrilling.

When you get back to Weaver Rd., don’t skip it—that’s why we’re here. Weaver is on the other side of the ridge, and it couldn’t be more different than Soda Springs. It’s flat or mildly pitched, it’s short (1.5 mi.), it’s undeveloped (no driveways), and—most importantly—it’s open. You can see forever, in three directions. You can see Lexington Reservoir, where you started your ride, far below you to the west. You can see the South Bay spread out to the north like a map (I think you can see Mt. Diablo). And most wonderfully, you can see 50 miles to the south, across Santa Cruz, across Monterey Bay, to the city of Monterey, the Monterey Peninsula, and, to the west of the peninsula, the Pacific Ocean. Or you can see a lot of fog, depending on weather conditions. But it’s grand. Photos don’t do it justice. About 1 mi. in, you pass a mighty oak tree on your L with a gorgeous view of Monterey under its overarching branches. World-class photo op. (Truth in advertising requires that I tell you you can get similar views with much less climbing along Bear Creek Rd.)

A mere 1.5 mi. in you hit a gate and the usual “Private Property—No Trespassing” signs and you turn around, return to Soda Springs Rd., and finish the descent.

Shortening the ride: Ride to Weaver Rd., ride it, and return. Of course you could drive to Weaver Rd., and just bag the vista, but we are cyclists and that thought wouldn’t occur to us…

Adding Miles: This ride takes off from the route of our Alma Bridge Rd./Old Santa Cruz Hwy Plus ride. Do it all, or if you just want a few more miles do Alma Bridge Rd. and Old Santa Cruz Hwy—those miles are without significant climbing penalty.