Pacific Striders Weekend Run

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Mar 7, 8:45, Lone Oak

2010-03-06T10:16:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
My calf has decided it won't be running this weekend, so Jess will be the standard bearer. Widlcat Canyon is probably the best trail for avoiding mud.
Have a Good Weekend,
Mike

DIRECTIONS: To reach the start, take the Albany/Buchanan Ave. exit from I-80. From the east, turn left at the stop sign which will put you on a road that you follow for about .25 miles where it curves around a bit and puts you on Buchanan. From the west, a right at the stop light puts you on Buchanan. Once on Buchanan, your head toward the hills. After crossing San Pablo, Buchanan becomes Marin Ave. Stay on Marin. At one point you will hit a traffic circle. Go half way around and turn up the hill to stay on Marin. Turn left on Spruce and continue until the stop sign at the intersection with Grizzley Peak Rd. Go straight through the intersection and take an immediate left onto Canon Dr. Right a the stop sign onto Central Park Dr. then left onto Lone Oak.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Feb 27, 8:45, Couples Relay or Inspiration Point

2010-02-27T10:07:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone,
The Couples Relay at Lake Merritt is the official weekend run. Jessica
and I will be there to defend our somewhere in the middle of the pack
status. The good news is we move up in age group this year (runners
are perverse)! The bad news is that the majority team contributor to
this change in status is feeling his age! For those of you who prefer
the traditional Sunday Run, Inspiration Point is a safe bet in this
rainy period. Information for both runs is below.
Have a good weekend,
Mike

COUPLES RELAY

LOCATION
The race will begin at the Sailboat House, 568 Bellevue Ave. in
Oakland. Enter the park at the intersection of Grand Ave. & Bellevue
Ave. The Sailboat House is about 1/2 mile from the entrance. There
is a $5 charge to enter the park. You can also enter the park at
Perkins St. & Grand Ave. to avoid the charge. It is a 2-3 block walk
to the starting line. More detailed directions can be found on the
registration brochure.

WHERE TO PICK UP YOUR BIB NUMBERS
You can pick-up your team bib numbers and goody bag (one per team for
the first 150 teams) on race morning at the "Pre-Registered Runners"
table from 8:00 a.m. until the start of the race at 9:00 a.m. PLEASE
NOTE: The bib numbers for both runners on your team will be filed under
the FEMALE RUNNER'S LAST NAME. If your team is an all-female or
all-male then the bib number will be filed under the name of the person
who registered the team. Each team will receive two great reusable
ChicoBags plus donated items from sponsors including Divine Chocolates,
Innersports, Pop Chips, Attune, Transports, and Body Mechanix. Goody
bags are only guaranteed to be available for the first 150 teams that
registered.

WARM UP, FOOD, PRIZES & MORE!
Body Mechanix trainers will be conducting a complimentary group warm up
starting at 8:30 a.m. The group warmup is designed to maximize runners'
performance as well as prevent injuries. Snacks and drinks will be
available after the race from Whole Foods, Farmer Joe's Market and
Honest Tea. The awards ceremony will take place around 10:15 a.m. so
stick around. Great prizes will be awarded to the top finishers in
each age division plus every team has a chance to win great raffle
prizes (must be present to claim your prize) from sponsors including
Sports Basement, Total Ice Therapy, Road ID, See Jane Run, and
Lululemon.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
There is major construction going on all around the lake. We will have
volunteers on the course to help you navigate the tight spots, but
please be courteous to other runners as well as pedestrians enjoying
the lake. In addition, there will be a bonsai exhibit at the Garden
Center which may cause additional traffic on Bellevue Avenue so as you
head toward the finish line watch out for cars and pedestrians.

INSPIRATION POINT DIRECTIONS:

From downtown Oakland and points West: go thru the Caldecott tunnel on Hwy 24 to the Orinda/Moraga exit. Turn left at the stoplight onto Camino Pablo, which will turn into San Pablo Dam Rd. Proceed about 2 miles to the traffic light at Wildcat Canyon and Bear Creek Roads. Turn left onto Wildcat Canyon Rd. Go uphill 2.5 miles to the parking lot at the top of the ridge.

From Walnut Creek and points east: Head East on Hwy 24 take the Orinda/Moraga exit and stay right toward Orinda Village. Once on Camino Pablo, proceed as above.

From Berkeley/Albany, Wildcat Canyon Road can be accessed from Grizzly Peak Blvd. via South Park Dr. (closed for newts November 1 - April 1) or Shasta Rd.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Feb 20, 8:45, Skyline Gate

2010-02-20T13:15:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
I'm holding out on declaring a trail until the rain situation plays out, I'm leaning toward East Ridge if the rain holds off. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Mike

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate can be reached from the Park Blvd. exit off Highway 13 in Oakland. Heading north on 13, turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp onto Mountain Blvd. Turn right at the third light onto Snake Rd. Heading south on 13, take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto Park Blvd., a left at the light onto Mountain Blvd., and a right onto Snake Rd. Proceed on Snake Rd. and go straight onto Shepherd Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepherd Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Feb 14, 8:45, Lone Oak, Wildcat Canyon

2010-02-13T10:15:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
I'm rolling the dice, this week. Desperate to do something different, I'm committing to Wildcat Canyon, which should be passable. If not, I can get creative. See you Sunday.
Mike

DIRECTIONS: To reach the start, take the Albany/Buchanan Ave. exit from I-80. From the east, turn left at the stop sign which will put you on a road that you follow for about .25 miles where it curves around a bit and puts you on Buchanan. From the west, a right at the stop light puts you on Buchanan. Once on Buchanan, your head toward the hills. After crossing San Pablo, Buchanan becomes Marin Ave. Stay on Marin. At one point you will hit a traffic circle. Go half way around and turn up the hill to stay on Marin. Turn left on Spruce and continue until the stop sign at the intersection with Grizzley Peak Rd. Go straight through the intersection and take an immediate left onto Canon Dr. Right a the stop sign onto Central Park Dr. then left onto Lone Oak.

Pac Striders Weekend run, Sun Feb 7, 8:45, Skyline Gate West Ridge/Bayview

2010-02-06T12:57:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone,
Sorry for the late notice, it has been an eventful week. We're excited to welcome a new member of the household, Peanut the cockatiel. Our "first born" toy poodle is depressed!
The events will continue through tomorrow, as we are hosting a sleepover. So please enjoy an uncoordinated run (aren't they all?). I highly recommend West Ridge/Bayview, which should be OK unless we get heavy rains some time before the run.
Have a good weekend,
Mike

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate can be reached from the Park Blvd. exit off Highway 13 in Oakland. Heading north on 13, turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp onto Mountain Blvd. Turn right at the third light onto Snake Rd. Heading south on 13, take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto Park Blvd., a left at the light onto Mountain Blvd., and a right onto Snake Rd. Proceed on Snake Rd. and go straight onto Shepherd Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepherd Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Jan 31, 8:45, Skyline Gate

2010-01-28T21:31:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
We're bouncing back and forth between Inspiration Point and West Ridge / Bayview, it must be winter. West Ridge should be OK, or we'll just pretend it is.

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate can be reached from the Park Blvd. exit off Highway 13 in Oakland. Heading north on 13, turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp onto Mountain Blvd. Turn right at the third light onto Snake Rd. Heading south on 13, take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto Park Blvd., a left at the light onto Mountain Blvd., and a right onto Snake Rd. Proceed on Snake Rd. and go straight onto Shepherd Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepherd Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.

Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Weekend Run, sun, Jan 24, 8:45, Inspiration Point

2010-01-20T22:39:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
The rain we've already had this week pretty much limits us to the most waterproof runs. Inspiration Point will offer the advantages of asphalt while still enjoying a park trail blessed with nature's beauty.

Bathrooms at the start, but no water that doesn't fall from the sky..

Directions:

From downtown Oakland and points West: go thru the Caldecott tunnel on Hwy 24 to the Orinda/Moraga exit. Turn left at the stoplight onto Camino Pablo, which will turn into San Pablo Dam Rd. Proceed about 2 miles to the traffic light at Wildcat Canyon and Bear Creek Roads. Turn left onto Wildcat Canyon Rd. Go uphill 2.5 miles to the parking lot at the top of the ridge.

From Walnut Creek and points east: Head East on Hwy 24 take the Orinda/Moraga exit and stay right toward Orinda Village. Once on Camino Pablo, proceed as above.

From Berkeley/Albany, Wildcat Canyon Road can be accessed from Grizzly Peak Blvd. via South Park Dr. (closed for newts November 1 - April 1) or Shasta Rd.

Have a good weekend,

Mike

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Jan 17, 8:45, Skyline Gate

2010-01-15T21:56:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
I'm going to say it's East Ridge/Bayview trail, in case the predicted showers decide to dump on Redwood Park. As always, we can adjust our plans at the start.

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate can be reached from the Park Ave. exit off Highway 13 in Oakland. Heading north on 13, turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp onto Mountain Blvd. Turn right at the third light onto Snake Rd. Heading south on 13, take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto Park Blvd., a left at the light onto Mountain Blvd., and a right onto Snake Rd. Proceed on Snake Rd. and go straight onto Shepherd Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepherd Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.

Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Weekend Run, joining the Golden Bay Runners at 9:00 Sunday, Jan 10, at Lake Chabot

2010-01-08T20:30:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
We will interrupt our regular rotation for my favorite Sunday run special event, courtesy of the Golden Bay Runners at Lake Chabot. This starts at a picnic area on East Shore trail near the marina and the parking lot.

Join the Golden Bay Runners for our annual January fun run at Lake Chabot Regional Park in Castro Valley. No entry fee, no shirts, no water stops, no bibs, no timing (but an abundance of good times), and plenty of challenge. Run all or part of the famous Trail Challenge Half Marathon course - you can choose the route and distance if ours doesn't appeal to you. Lake Chabot offers a wide variety of choices. Expect cold, mud, possible rain, a steep hill or two and some of the finest downhill views in the East Bay. And all this is followed by our epic potluck breakfast, designed to drive winter away. Just bring a dish or drinks to share and you're in! We meet near the boathouse on the Lake Chabot marina - look for a group of runners (and walkers) ready to defy the elements or follow the aroma of hot chocolate. We start precisely at 9 a.m. After all, we are in a hurry to get to the breakfast. Directions: Take the 150th exit from 580, head East up Fairmont Drive and over and down the hill. Lake Chabot lies at the bottom of that hill near where Lake Chabot Road intersects Fairmont Drive. For more information, call Michael Raffee (408) 209-8680 or Will and Julie Uher (510) 278-0451

Have a good Weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Weekend run, Sun Jan 3, 8:45, Skyline Gate

2010-01-01T09:25:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Everyone!
I wanted to start with a big thank you to Amy for her many years of service to the run. I am looking forward to many more runs where she will be participating as a civilian.
We will start the new year having the usual debate about which Skyline Gate trail to take, unless the rain decides to choose for us!

By the way, the Pacific Striders and the Strawberry Canyon Track Club are now officially merged. I am going to continue with the Pac Striders subject line for a while and mention the name change in the e-mail to avoid confusion.

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate can be reached from the Park Ave. exit off Highway 13 in Oakland. Heading north on 13, turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp onto Mountain Blvd. Turn right at the third light onto Snake Rd. Heading south on 13, take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto Park Ave., a left at the light onto Mountain Blvd., and a right onto Snake Rd. Proceed on Snake Rd. and go straight onto Shepherd Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepherd Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.

Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Dec. 27, 8:45am - Inspiration Point & brunch

2009-12-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays! We hope you can join us for our last run of 2009. We're doing a repeat of Inspiration Point due to the threat of rain, and also so that we can be within striking distance of Saul's for brunch afterwards.

For other news, the new year will mark our transition into a new club. If you haven't heard yet, Pacific Striders is merging with Strawberry Canyon Track Club (read about it here).

I will also be stepping down as "Official Weekend Run Coordinator"; since I moved to the Peninsula last year, the commute to the East Bay has been taking its toll (literally!), so I've been looking to cut back on some driving. However, Mike will continue on as Weekend Run Coordinator for the new club next year, and for now the Sunday run schedule will stay the same.

It's been a pleasure to serve as co-coordinator for the past 5? 6? years (wow, can't even remember exactly), working with Mike to tinker with the runs. I plan to remain a semi-regular for the runs, so I hope to see you all on the trails.

Don't forget we still have a run this Sunday! Here are the directions:

DIRECTIONS TO INSPIRATION POINT & POST-RUN BRUNCH:
From Oakland/Berkeley, go thru the Caldecott Tunnel on Hwy 24 to the Orinda/Moraga exit. Turn left (north) onto Camino Pablo, and go 2 miles to the traffic light at Wildcat Canyon Rd. Turn left and go uphill 2.5 miles to the parking lot at the top of the ridge.

Saul's Deli is at 1475 Shattuck Ave in Berkeley. We'll give directions and caravan from the run, or you can search the address online.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun, Dec 20, 8:45, Skyline Gate

2009-12-18T13:05:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,
Sunday number 3, we're back at Skyline. We may choose to run West Ridge/Bayview to avoid the mud potential of the other trails. But I'm really afraid of commitment, so let's decide there.

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate can be reached from the Park Ave. exit off Highway 13 in Oakland. Heading north on 13, turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp onto Mountain Blvd. Turn right at the third light onto Snake Rd. Heading south on 13, take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto Park Ave., a left at the light onto Mountain Blvd., and a right onto Snake Rd. Proceed on Snake Rd. and go straight onto Shepherd Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepherd Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.

Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Dec. 13, 8:45am - Inspiration Point

2009-12-11T15:28:00.000-08:00

The wet weather will be with us through the weekend, so we'll start from the Inspiration Point area of Tilden. This is a simple out and back along the Nimitz Trail. Going all the way to the end of the asphalt yields an 8 mi run roundtrip. Bathrooms at the start, but no water, so bring some if you plan to drink more than raindrops.

DIRECTIONS: From Oakland/Berkeley, go thru the Caldecott Tunnel on Hwy 24 to the Orinda/Moraga exit. Turn left (north) onto Camino Pablo, and go 2 miles to the traffic light at Wildcat Canyon Rd. Turn left and go uphill 2.5 miles to the parking lot at the top of the ridge.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Dec 6, 8:45, Skyline Gate

2009-12-04T16:05:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,
We've started another month, so there is no need for your coordinators to strain their brains picking a staging area. At Skyline, we do need to pick a trail. Right now, the weather prediction is clear, so perhaps we can enjoy the views from East Ridge and save West Ridge/Bayview for the wet weather to come. Let's put off the choice till we meet.

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate can be reached from the Park Ave. exit off Highway 13 in Oakland. Heading north on 13, turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp onto Mountain Blvd. Turn right at the third light onto Snake Rd. Heading south on 13, take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto Park Ave., a left at the light onto Mountain Blvd., and a right onto Snake Rd. Proceed on Snake Rd. and go straight onto Shepherd Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepherd Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.

Cheers,
Mike

Pac Striders Nov 29 - Lake Chabot Marina

2009-11-27T14:03:00.000-08:00

Hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving. For those of you in town looking to run off some turkey, we'll be at Lake Chabot Marina at 8:45am for a jaunt around the lake. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Directions:
*I-580 East (Oakland/Berkeley) Exit Fairmont Avenue. Drive East to park entrance on the left.
*I-580 West (Livermore/Dublin) Exit Strobridge Avenue. Turn right on Strobridge. Turn right on Castro Valley Blvd. Turn left on Lake Chabot Road to park entrance on right.
*I-680 South (Walnut Creek) Take I-680 South to I-580 West. Follow directions above for 1-580 West.
*1-880 North (Fremont/San Jose) I-880 North to Hwy. 238 East. Exit Castro Valley. Left on Castro Valley Blvd. Left on Lake Chabot Road to park entrance on right.

There is a fee to park in the lot, but you can park along Lake Chabot Road outside the entrance for free.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Nov 22, 8:45, Top of Strawberry Canyon

2009-11-20T22:59:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
We're doing it upside down again. We will meet at the staging area on Golf Course Road, near the intersection of Golf Course Rd, Grizzly Peak Blvd, and Centennial Drive. The directions are the same, just keep driving up from campus past the Lawrence Hall of Science to the intersection with Grizzly Peak Blvd. When you cross Grizzly, the road becomes Golf Course Drive and the parking area comes up quickly on your right. It's all down hill from there! In the fine tradition of Strawberry Runs, there's no water or bathroom. But the golf course clubhouse is about a half mile up the road, so actually, we're better off than on campus.

DIRECTIONS: Access to Strawberry Canyon is off Centennial Rd., east of UC Berkeley main campus, in the hills just behind the campus.

From I-80, exit at University Avenue. Proceed east on University Avenue then turn left on Oxford. Turn right on Hearst and go up the hill, then turn right on Gayley. Turn left at the stop sign onto Stadium Way. and left again on Centennial Dr., which proceeds
eastward up the hill from the back side of the stadium. Continue driving up from campus past the Lawrence Hall of Science to the intersection with Grizzly Peak Blvd. When you cross Grizzly, the road becomes Golf Course Drive and the parking area comes up quickly on your right.

From Hwy. 13, exit at Ashby Ave. Proceed on Ashby, then turn right on College. Turn right onto Dwight Way, go up the hill and turn left onto Prospect. Proceed around the stadium (to your left) to the first stop sign. Turn right onto Centennial Drive, continue driving up from campus past the Lawrence Hall of Science to the intersection with Grizzly Peak Blvd. When you cross Grizzly, the road becomes Golf Course Drive and the parking area comes up quickly on your right.

From Hwy. 24 heading west, take Fish Ranch Rd. and turn right up the hill. At the top, turn right onto Grizzly Peak Blvd and go for about three miles to the stop sign at Golf Course Drive. Turn right and the parking area comes up quickly on your right.

Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Nov 15 - Skyline Gate

2009-11-13T16:24:00.000-08:00

It's back to Skyline Gate this Sunday...I'll be out at the parking lot by 8:45 for anyone who wants to hit the trails. Have a nice weekend,
Amy

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate is located off of Hwy. 13. This highway is accessible via I-580 and Hwy. 24. From I-580 or Oakland, take Hwy. 13 North. Exit at Park Street.Turn left at Mountain Blvd. Turn right on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

From Berkeley or Hwy. 24, take Hwy. 13 South. Exit at Moraga Ave/Montclair District. Moraga Ave. becomes Mountain Blvd. Turn left on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

Pac Striders Nov. 1 - Skyline Gate (plus, set your clocks back)

2009-10-30T16:09:00.000-07:00

A new month begins this Sunday, so we're starting anew with a Skyline Gate run. November 1st is also the end of Daylight Savings, so be sure to set your clocks back 1 hour. We'll be at the parking lot by 8:45am (which will seem like 9:45, if you forget about the clock thing).

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate is located off of Hwy. 13. This highway is accessible via I-580 and Hwy. 24. From I-580 or Oakland, take Hwy. 13 North. Exit at Park Street.Turn left at Mountain Blvd. Turn right on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

From Berkeley or Hwy. 24, take Hwy. 13 South. Exit at Moraga Ave/Montclair District. Moraga Ave. becomes Mountain Blvd. Turn left on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Oct 25,8:45, Lake Chabot Marina and please volunteer...

2009-10-22T21:57:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Lake Chabot Marina will be first official featured Sunday run. I hope it features me running, 'cause my back ia little wonky right now. Gather near the snack bar and bathrooms at the Marina at 8:45. There is water at the start and many bathroom opportunities in the first couple of miles. The parking fee for the marina lot is $5.00, however, free parking is available nearby on Lake Chabot Rd. Directions are at the bottom of this e-mail.

But first, our own Christine Chapon has taken on the admirable, but daunting task of coordinating volunteers for the Northface Endurance Challenge. Please consider helping out.

> VOLUNTEER  at
>   The North Face Endurance
> Challenge , Saturday December 5th, 10K,
> Half-Marathon, 50K Races and 50M Championship,
>
>
> Marin
> Headlands Golden Gate National Recreational Area
>
>
> Fort Barry, Sausalito
>

> http://www2.thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge/races/2009/ca/index.html
>
>
>  We still need about 50
> volunteers:
> Course marshals, aid station  volunteers, parking
> monitors,
> clean-up crew, 2 drivers to pick up bags and runners.>


>  Volunteer benefits
> are offered
> to every volunteer!

>
> Free The North Face crew t-shirt,
> $25 The North Face gift card for regular volunteer and
> $75 The North Face gift card for Aid
> station captains,
> Free post-race hot meal
> The personal satisfaction of helping the runners to
> achieve their
> goals.
>
>
>
> Volunteer sign-up:
>
>
> http://www.doitsports.com/volunteer2/jobs-by-date.tcl?event_id=199490
>

>
> Full description of the volunteer positions:
>
>
> http://www2.thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge/volunteers.html
>
>
> We sincerely appreciate the
> time, effort
> and sacrifice from the hundreds of people that help make
> The North
> Face Endurance Challenge a series of world-class events. Do
> not
> hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. Many
> thanks!
>
>
>
>
>
> Christine Chapon
>
>
> North Face Endurance Challenge
> SF
> Volunteer Coordinator
>
>
> christinechapon@yahoo.com
>
>
> (510) 325-3261
>
>
> North Face Endurance Challenge
> Races
> Dec 5th: Volunteer opportunities!

Directions

To reach the marina entrance from points east, take I-580 westbound to the Strobridge Avenue exit in Castro Valley. Turn right on Strobridge, right on Castro Valley Boulevard, and left on Lake Chabot Road. The Lake Chabot Marina is about two miles ahead on the right.

From I-880 take I-238 eastbound to I-580 eastbound, exit at Redwood Road in Castro Valley and go left, go left at Castro Valley Boulevard, and right at Lake Chabot Road. The Lake Chabot Marina is about two miles ahead on the right.

From I-580 in Oakland, proceed east and exit at 150th Ave. / Fairmont Drive. Go straight at the first stoplight at the end of the off-ramp and turn left at the second stoplight to proceed east on Fairmont (uphill). Keep going straight where Fairmont merges into Lake Chabot Rd. and the Marina entrance will be on your left.

Enjoy your weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Oct. 18 - Skyline Gate, Redwood Regional Park

2009-10-16T13:04:00.000-07:00

The next run on our newly-minted schedule is our favorite starting point of Skyline Gate, which we like so much that we feature it twice a month. With Halloween coming up, if anyone has the stamina to lead a Big Trees Loop run, nicknamed the "Blair Witch" loop for ambience reasons, feel free. FYI I'm solo coordinating this weekend starting at 8:45am, as Mike/Jess & co. are out of town.

Editor's note: The Blair Witch loop may be a variation of the Big Trees loop, although I've never been able to get it straight whether they were the same or not. —Amy

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate is located off of Hwy. 13. This highway is accessible via I-580 and Hwy. 24. From I-580 or Oakland, take Hwy. 13 North. Exit at Park Street.Turn left at Mountain Blvd. Turn right on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

From Berkeley or Hwy. 24, take Hwy. 13 South. Exit at Moraga Ave/Montclair District. Moraga Ave. becomes Mountain Blvd. Turn left on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

Map at pacificstriders.org

Pac Striders - New run schedule, plus Oct. 11 run

2009-10-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

I'd like to announce some minor changes to the weekend run that were recently made. To simplify the run selection process, we've decided to implement a regular rotation schedule for the runs. Essentially, we're formalizing what we've been doing already; we regularly visit Skyline Gate and Tilden Park because of the multiple trail choices at those locations. So we'll visit those locations on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Sundays. 4th and 5th Sundays will be reserved for a random location such as Chabot, MacDonald Gate, Strawberry Canyon, and so forth.

The schedule is posted in the sidebar of our blog at pacificstriders.blogspot.com (which also has some minor updates). We will still email and post the run of the week on our blog. The schedule is subject to change depending on unforeseen conditions, and we'll announce any changes via blog and email. However, if you're not sure where we'll be, chances are we're at the regular location for that week.

Here's the schedule:

1st Sunday: Skyline Gate at Redwood

2nd Sunday: Lone Oak or Inspiration Point at Tilden

(Lone Oak is the default location, except with wet weather)

3rd Sunday: Skyline Gate at Redwood

4th & 5th Sundays: Featured run(s) of the month

Now for this Sunday's run . . . since it's the 2nd Sunday, we're going to be at Tilden Park, we'll meet up at Lone Oak. As usual, we'll meet at 8:45am, and decide then which direction to go. Last time we went the direction of Wildcat Canyon, so we're open to either sticking to that or going up the Curran Trail to Inspiration Point. (That's why we like it here, multiple trail choices!) Water and bathrooms are at the start.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Oct 4, 8:45, Skyline Gate

2009-10-02T22:16:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,
Let's enjoy the abundant trails, water, and bathrooms of Redwood Park.We can pick the route when we get there!

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate can be reached from the Park Ave. exit off Highway 13 in Oakland. Heading north on 13, turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp onto Mountain Blvd. Turn right at the third light onto Snake Rd. Heading south on 13, take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto Park Ave., a left at the light onto Mountain Blvd., and a right onto Snake Rd. Proceed on Snake Rd. and go straight onto Shepherd Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepherd Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.

Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Aug 9, 8:45am, TOP of Strawberry Canyon

2009-09-25T17:22:00.000-07:00

None of us wanted to face the long hill near the bottom of Strawberry Canyon, so we decided to start from the top again. (Of course, we'll eventually have to climb back up, but whatever.) I'll quote Mike's write-up from the last time we came out here:

"We will meet at the staging area on Golf Course Road, near the intersection of Golf Course Rd, Grizzly Peak Blvd, and Centennial Drive. The directions are the same, just keep driving up from campus past the Lawrence Hall of Science to the intersection with Grizzly Peak Blvd. When you cross Grizzly, the road becomes Golf Course Drive and the parking area comes up quickly on your right. It's all down hill from there! In the fine tradition of Strawberry Runs, there's no water or bathroom. But the golf course clubhouse is about a half mile up the road, so actually, we're better off than on campus."

DIRECTIONS: Access to Strawberry Canyon is off Centennial Rd., east of UC Berkeley main campus, in the hills just behind the campus.

From I-80, exit at University Avenue. Proceed east on University Avenue then turn left on Oxford. Turn right on Hearst and go up the hill, then turn right on Gayley. Turn left at the stop sign onto Stadium Way. and left again on Centennial Dr., which proceeds
eastward up the hill from the back side of the stadium. Continue driving up from campus past the Lawrence Hall of Science to the intersection with Grizzly Peak Blvd. When you cross Grizzly, the road becomes Golf Course Drive and the parking area comes up quickly on your right.

From Hwy. 13, exit at Ashby Ave. Proceed on Ashby, then turn right on College. Turn right onto Dwight Way, go up the hill and turn left onto Prospect. Proceed around the stadium (to your left) to the first stop sign. Turn right onto Centennial Drive, continue driving up from campus past the Lawrence Hall of Science to the intersection with Grizzly Peak Blvd. When you cross Grizzly, the road becomes Golf Course Drive and the parking area comes up quickly on your right.

From Hwy. 24 heading west, take Fish Ranch Rd. and turn right up the hill. At the top, turn right onto Grizzly Peak Blvd and go for about three miles to the stop sign at Golf Course Drive. Turn right and the parking area comes up quickly on your right.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Sep 20, 8:45, Skyline Gate

2009-09-18T22:32:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
We'll try to hide from the heat in the Redwoods Sunday, we can debate which trail when we get there!

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate can be reached from the Park Ave. exit off Highway 13 in Oakland. Heading north on 13, turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp onto Mountain Blvd. Turn right at the third light onto Snake Rd. Heading south on 13, take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto Park Ave., a left at the light onto Mountain Blvd., and a right onto Snake Rd. Proceed on Snake Rd. and go straight onto Shepherd Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepherd Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.

Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Sept 13, 8:45am - Lone Oak, Tilden Park

2009-09-11T13:45:00.000-07:00

My most recent check of the weather report says that it will be cooling off this weekend, perfect weather for running. We'll be out this Sunday at the Lone Oak picnic area in Tilden Park. Come join us and help decide which direction we go (either right on Lone Oak to Inspiration Point, or left to the Bike Loop going towards Wildcat Canyon).

DIRECTIONS: To reach the start, take the Albany/Buchanan Ave. exit from I-80. From the east, turn left at the stop sign which will put you on a road that you follow for about .25 miles where it curves around a bit and puts you on Buchanan. From the west, a right at the stop light puts you on Buchanan. Once on Buchanan, your head toward the hills. After crossing San Pablo, Buchanan becomes Marin Ave. Stay on Marin. At one point you will hit a traffic circle. Go half way around and turn up the hill to stay on Marin. Turn left on Spruce and continue until the stop sign at the intersection with Grizzley Peak Rd. Go straight through the intersection and take an immediate left onto Canon Dr. Right a the stop sign onto Central Park Dr. then left onto Lone Oak.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Sept 6,8:45, Lake Chabot Marina

2009-09-04T12:34:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
We will do our labor of love around Lake Chabot (well, lets say beside) this Sunday. There is water at the start and many bathroom opportunities in the first couple of miles. I'm planning a 6+ mile out and back, the loop around the lake is about 9 miles. Gather near the snack bar and bathrooms at the Marina at 8:45. There is a parking fee for the marina lot (plug: unless your a member of the Regional Parks Foundation), however free parking is available nearby on Lake Chabot Rd.

Directions

To reach the marina entrance from points east, take I-580 westbound to the Strobridge Avenue exit in Castro Valley. Turn right on Strobridge, right on Castro Valley Boulevard, and left on Lake Chabot Road. The Lake Chabot Marina is about two miles ahead on the right.

From I-880 take I-238 eastbound to I-580 eastbound, exit at Redwood Road in Castro Valley and go left, go left at Castro Valley Boulevard, and right at Lake Chabot Road. The Lake Chabot Marina is about two miles ahead on the right.

From I-580 in Oakland, proceed east and exit at 150th Ave. / Fairmont Drive. Go straight at the first stoplight at the end of the off-ramp and turn left at the second stoplight to proceed east on Fairmont (uphill). Keep going straight where Fairmont merges into Lake Chabot Rd. and the Marina entrance will be on your left.

Enjoy your weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Aug. 30 - Skyline Gate no-host run

2009-08-28T16:31:00.000-07:00

Due to a scheduling conflict on my part, there will be no hosted run this Sunday. For those interested in gathering for a run, I would suggest Skyline Gate for easy access and trail options.
Enjoy your weekend,
Amy

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Aug 23, 8:45, Skyline Gate

2009-08-21T22:10:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
It will be the staging area of many choices this week. Jess and I will be hosting a sleepover, so we won't be there. Actually, we're out next week, too. So enjoy the rest of your August running and see you in September.

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate can be reached from the Park Ave. exit off Highway 13 in Oakland. Heading north on 13, turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp onto Mountain Blvd. Turn right at the third light onto Snake Rd. Heading south on 13, take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto Park Ave., a left at the light onto Mountain Blvd., and a right onto Snake Rd. Proceed on Snake Rd. and go straight onto Shepherd Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepherd Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.

Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Aug 16, 10AM - LMJS Potluck, Montclair Park, Oakland

2009-08-13T08:24:00.000-07:00

Hope you're all ready for some running and eating this Sunday, as we're joining up with the Lake Merritt Joggers and Striders Summer Potluck. The event starts at 10am with a fun run, followed by food, LMJS elections, and lawn games. Bring friends and family, and a dish if you can; if your last name starts with A-K, bring dessert, if it's L-Z bring an appetizer. The club will provide drinks, hamburgers and hot dogs.

Download the flyer at lmjs.org for details about the run and potluck.

Updated: Here's a note from Len Goldman about the fun run:
"Glad you guys will join us on the 16th. We will run part of the Oakland Marathon course. The plan is to run from Montclair Park to Temescal Park and back, about 5 miles total for the short option and the long option will be to run down Moraga Ave., over to Pleasant Valley, up Broadway to Temescal Park and back to Montclair Park. That one is about 8 miles."

DIRECTIONS TO MONTCLAIR PARK, 6300 MORAGA AVE, OAKLAND:
From San Francisco:
• Take Bay Bridge, I-80 E toward Oakland
• Exit onto I-580 E toward CA-24/Hayward – Stockton; go 1.6mi
• Exit onto CA-24 E toward Walnut Creek; go 3.4mi
• Exit onto CA-13 S toward Hayward go 1.4mi
• Take the exit toward Thornhill Dr, go 0.3mi
• Merge onto Moraga Ave

From North
• I-580 E toward CA-24/Hayward – Stockton
• Exit onto CA-24 E toward Walnut Creek; go 3.4mi
• Exit onto CA-13 S toward Hayward go 1.4mi
• Take the exit toward Thornhill Dr, go 0.3mi
• Merge onto Moraga Ave

From South
• Take I-580 W toward Oakland
• Exit 26A to merge onto CA-13 N/Warren Fwy toward Berkeley; go 3.2mi
• Exit toward Park Blvd; go 0.2mi
• Turn left at Mountain Blvd, go 0.4mi
• Continue on Moraga Ave

From East
• Take CA-24 W through the tunnel
• Exit 5A to merge onto CA-13 S toward Hayward, go 1.4mi
• Take the exit toward Thornhill Dr, go 0.3mi
• Merge onto Moraga Ave

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Aug 9, 8:45, TOP of Strawberry Canyon

2009-08-07T16:25:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
I hate starting uphill, so we're going to run down Strawberry this week. We will meet at the staging area on Golf Course Road, near the intersection of Golf Course Rd, Grizzly Peak Blvd, and Centennial Drive. The directions are the same, just keep driving up from campus past the Lawrence Hall of Science to the intersection with Grizzly Peak Blvd. When you cross Grizzly, the road becomes Golf Course Drive and the parking area comes up quickly on your right. It's all down hill from there! In the fine tradition of Strawberry Runs, there's no water or bathroom. But the golf course clubhouse is about a half mile up the road, so actually, we're better off than on campus.

DIRECTIONS: Access to Strawberry Canyon is off Centennial Rd., east of UC Berkeley main campus, in the hills just behind the campus.

From I-80, exit at University Avenue. Proceed east on University Avenue then turn left on Oxford. Turn right on Hearst and go up the hill, then turn right on Gayley. Turn left at the stop sign onto Stadium Way. and left again on Centennial Dr., which proceeds
eastward up the hill from the back side of the stadium. Continue driving up from campus past the Lawrence Hall of Science to the intersection with Grizzly Peak Blvd. When you cross Grizzly, the road becomes Golf Course Drive and the parking area comes up quickly on your right.

From Hwy. 13, exit at Ashby Ave. Proceed on Ashby, then turn right on College. Turn right onto Dwight Way, go up the hill and turn left onto Prospect. Proceed around the stadium (to your left) to the first stop sign. Turn right onto Centennial Drive, continue driving up from campus past the Lawrence Hall of Science to the intersection with Grizzly Peak Blvd. When you cross Grizzly, the road becomes Golf Course Drive and the parking area comes up quickly on your right.

From Hwy. 24 heading west, take Fish Ranch Rd. and turn right up the hill. At the top, turn right onto Grizzly Peak Blvd and go for about three miles to the stop sign at Golf Course Drive. Turn right and the parking area comes up quickly on your right.

Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Aug. 2, 8:45am - Skyline Gate (and LMJS Potluck 8/16)

2009-07-31T15:30:00.000-07:00

I'm off to Great America this Sunday (yay rollercoasters), but Mike & Jess will be at Skyline Gate to lead this weekend's run. We haven't been back here for a while, so come and take your pick of the trails.

Also, be sure to mark your calendars for Sunday, August 16, when we'll join Lake Merritt Joggers & Striders for their summer fun run and potluck. Details and a flyer are at their website http://lmjs.org.

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate is located off of Hwy. 13. This highway is accessible via I-580 and Hwy. 24. From I-580 or Oakland, take Hwy. 13 North. Exit at Park Street.Turn left at Mountain Blvd. Turn right on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

From Berkeley or Hwy. 24, take Hwy. 13 South. Exit at Moraga Ave/Montclair District. Moraga Ave. becomes Mountain Blvd. Turn left on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun July 26, 8:45, Inspiration Point

2009-07-24T23:04:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
We're going for the top of the bay, this week. Panoramic views (or fog) on an out and back paved trail with mileage markers to help you decide when to turn around. Bathrooms at the start, but no water anywhere.

Directions:

Have a good weekend,

Mike

Pac Striders July 19, 8:45am - MacDonald Gate

2009-07-17T17:04:00.000-07:00

This Sunday we'll be at MacDonald Gate, off of Redwood Road in Redwood Regional Park. Last time, I think Mike and Jess made it to Bort Meadow (don't ask me where I ended up). We'd love to have you out with us to push even further into the trails (we could hit Anthony Chabot, who knows?!).

DIRECTIONS: Redwood Rd. can be accessed from Highway 13 in Oakland. From Highway 24 or the Berkeley area take Highway 13 south and take the Redwood Rd. exit. Take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp and continue up the hill on Redwood Rd. From Dublin/ Castro Valley, take I-580 west to the exit for Highway 13 north. Take the Redwood Rd./Carson Ave. exit and proceed straight on Mountain Blvd. Turn up the hill at the stop sign to proceed to Redwood Rd. Take a right at the next light to continue up the hill on Redwood Rd. After you cross Skyline Blvd. at the top of the hill, MacDonald Staging area is about 2 miles on your right.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun July 12 ,8:45, Lake Chabot Marina Hannah Montana Fun Run

2009-07-10T21:59:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Mia turns 8 Sunday, so we're trying to spin the Sunday run into an exciting birthday event. If it's not too much trouble, we'd like to ask everyone to please come dressed as your favorite Hannah Montana character. Don't go to too much trouble.

Gather near the snack bar and bathrooms at the Marina at 8:45. There is a parking fee for the marina lot (unless your a member of the Regional Parks Foundation or the Hannah Montana Fan Club, so join already!), however free parking is available nearby on Lake Chabot Rd.

Directions

To reach the marina entrance from points east, take I-580 westbound to the Strobridge Avenue exit in Castro Valley. Turn right on Strobridge, right on Castro Valley Boulevard, and left on Lake Chabot Road. The Lake Chabot Marina is about two miles ahead on the right.

From I-880 take I-238 eastbound to I-580 eastbound, exit at Redwood Road in Castro Valley and go left, go left at Castro Valley Boulevard, and right at Lake Chabot Road. The Lake Chabot Marina is about two miles ahead on the right.

From I-580 in Oakland, proceed east and exit at 150th Ave. / Fairmont Drive. Go straight at the first stoplight at the end of the off-ramp and turn left at the second stoplight to proceed east on Fairmont (uphill). Keep going straight where Fairmont merges into Lake Chabot Rd. and the Marina entrance will be on your left.

Enjoy your weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders July 5, 8:45am - Skyline Gate

2009-07-04T14:39:00.000-07:00

Happy Fourth of July! If you're up for a run to burn off some barbecue, we'll be at Skyline Gate in Redwood Regional Park. We'll likely be running Sequoia Bayview for 6.5-7 miles out and back (depending on the route we take). Water available at the start and the midway point where the bathrooms are. Lots of other route options are available, so if you're in the mood for something else let us know.

DIRECTIONS:

Skyline Gate is located off of Hwy. 13. This highway is accessible via I-580 and Hwy. 24. From I-580 or Oakland, take Hwy. 13 North. Exit at Park Street.Turn left at Mountain Blvd. Turn right on Snake Rd. Continue straight o nto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

From Berkeley or Hwy. 24, take Hwy. 13 South. Exit at Moraga Ave/Montclair District. Moraga Ave. becomes Mountain Blvd. Turn left on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

Pac Striders Wekend Run, Sun June 28, 8:45, Lone Oak, Tilden

2009-06-26T18:35:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
We'll start out at Lone Oak Sunday. Bathrooms and water at the start, and water available along Wildcat Canyon, but you may want to carry water for longer distances or if you choose to climb the ridge.

Directions:

From downtown Oakland and points West: go thru the Caldecott tunnel on Hwy 24 to the Orinda/Moraga exit. Turn left at the stoplight onto Camino Pablo, which will turn into San Pablo Dam Rd. Proceed about 2 miles to the traffic light at Wildcat Canyon and Bear Creek Roads. Turn left onto Wildcat Canyon Rd. Go uphill 2.5 miles to the parking lot at the top of the ridge.From Walnut Creek and points east: Head East on Hwy 24 take the Orinda/Moraga exit and stay right toward Orinda Village. Once on Camino Pablo, proceed as above.From Berkeley/Albany, Wildcat Canyon Road can be accessed from Grizzly Peak Blvd. via South Park Dr. (closed for newts November 1 - April 1) or Shasta Rd.
Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Jun 21, 8:45am - Skyline Gate

2009-06-19T15:17:00.000-07:00

Mike & Jess are headed to NY, and I'm on injured reserve with back issues, but I'll be at Skyline Gate this Sunday for a Father's Day outing along West Ridge. Should be a nice weekend, so come get your run in if you're in town. Have a nice weekend!

From Berkeley or Hwy. 24, take Hwy. 13 South. Exit at Moraga Ave/Montclair District. Moraga Ave. becomes Mountain Blvd. Turn left on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun June 14, Skyline Gate

2009-06-13T15:56:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
With all the excitement of a school barbecue followed by the recorded Stanley Cup Finals Game 7, I totally spaced on the run! We'll gather at Skyline at 8:45 and pick a route. It should be a great morning.

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate can be reached from the Park Ave. exit off Highway 13 in Oakland. Heading north on 13, turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp onto Mountain Blvd. Turn right at the third light onto Snake Rd. Heading south on 13, take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto Park Ave., a left at the light onto Mountain Blvd., and a right onto Snake Rd. Proceed on Snake Rd. and go straight onto Shepherd Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepherd Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.
Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders May 7, 8:45am - MacDonald Gate, Redwood Regional Park

2009-06-05T17:41:00.000-07:00

We thought we'd change it up this weekend and start from MacDonald Gate in Redwood Regional Park. Bring some water for the trails, which connect all the way to Anthony Chabot if you're feeling really adventurous (don't think I'll be headed quite that far, but I can certainly point the way!).

DIRECTIONS: Redwood Rd. can be accessed from Highway 13 in Oakland. From Highway 24 or the Berkeley area take Highway 13 south and take the Redwood Rd. exit. Take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp and continue up the hill on Redwood Rd. From Dublin/ Castro Valley, take I-580 west to the exit for Highway 13 north. Take the Redwood Rd./Carson Ave. exit and proceed straight on Mountain Blvd. Turn up the hill at the stop sign to proceed to Redwood Rd. Take a right at the next light to continue up the hill on Redwood Rd. After you cross Skyline Blvd. at the top of the hill, MacDonald Staging area is about 2 miles on your right.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun May 31, 8:45, Lone Oak

2009-05-30T16:15:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Sorry I'm so late, but I thought I'd try anyway! It's been quite a week, culminating with Jess doing a half today for the first time in a long time.

We'll start out at Lone Oak and probably climb the ridge somewhere. But staying in the canyon is not out of the question. We'll debate it there!
Mike

DIRECTIONS: To reach the start, take the Albany/Buchanan Ave. exit from I-80. From the east, turn left at the stop sign which will put you on a road that you follow for about .25 miles where it curves around a bit and puts you on Buchanan. From the west, a right at the stop light puts you on Buchanan. Once on Buchanan, your head toward the hills. After crossing San Pablo, Buchanan becomes Marin Ave. Stay on Marin. At one point you will hit a traffic circle. Go half way around and turn up the hill to stay on Marin. Turn left on Spruce and continue until the stop sign at the intersection with Grizzley Peak Rd. Go straight through the intersection and take an immediate left onto Canon Dr. Right a the stop sign onto Central Park Dr. then left onto Lone Oak.

Pac Striders May 24, 8:45am - Skyline Gate

2009-05-22T21:12:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, it's Mike's birthday this weekend! Mike requested a run at Skyline; if you're in town this Memorial Day weekend, please come join him for a special birthday run. See you Sunday!

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate is located off of Hwy. 13. This highway is accessible via I-580 and Hwy. 24. From I-580 or Oakland, take Hwy. 13 North. Exit at Park Street. Turn left at Mountain Blvd. Turn right on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

From Berkeley or Hwy. 24, take Hwy. 13 South. Exit at Park Street, turn left onto Park, and left on Mountain Blvd. Turn right on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun May 17, 8:45, Skyline Gate

2009-05-16T10:48:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
We're leaving out of our most frequent staging area, but MAYBE we'll mix things up. Or maybe we'll stay up on the ridge and enjoy the beautiful morning. Let's decide tomorrow.

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate can be reached from the Park Ave. exit off Highway 13 in Oakland. Heading north on 13, turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp onto Mountain Blvd. Turn right at the third light onto Snake Rd. Heading south on 13, take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto Park Ave., a left at the light onto Mountain Blvd., and a right onto Snake Rd. Proceed on Snake Rd. and go straight onto Shepherd Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepherd Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.
Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pacific Striders May 10, 8:45am - Inspiration Point

2009-05-08T22:14:00.000-07:00

Even though it's Mother's Day this Sunday, we're going to stop by Inspiration Point for a run before celebrating with the Moms in our lives. The paved section goes out 4 miles for a max. 8 miles roundtrip, with options to turn around sooner, or tack on some dirt for more distance. Bathrooms available, but no drinking fountains, so bring some water if you need to.

DIRECTIONS: From Oakland/Berkeley, go thru the Caldecott Tunnel on Hwy 24 to the Orinda/Moraga exit. Turn left (north) onto Camino Pablo, and go 2 miles to the traffic light at Wildcat Canyon Rd. Turn left and go uphill 2.5 miles to the parking lot at the top of the ridge.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun May 3, 8:45, Skyline Gate/Bayview

2009-05-01T21:53:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,
Our family is hosting a sleepover tomorrow, so don't wait for the grey van to show up! If we're lucky, we'll recover by next Sunday. Bayview is our choice this week, so even if we get a miraculous amount of rain, it should be runnable.

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate can be reached from the Park Ave. exit off Highway 13 in Oakland. Heading north on 13, turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp onto Mountain Blvd. Turn right at the third light onto Snake Rd. Heading south on 13, take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto Park Ave., a left at the light onto Mountain Blvd., and a right onto Snake Rd. Proceed on Snake Rd. and go straight onto Shepherd Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepherd Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.

Have a great weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Apr. 26, 8:45am - Lone Oak @ Tilden Park, Berkeley

2009-04-24T00:10:00.000-07:00

Sadly, I'll be out of town this weekend, but Mike is up for any run starting from the Lone Oak picnic area in Tilden Park. Water is available at the start and near the Nature Center. You may want to carry some water, though, if you're thinking of heading up top to the Nimitz Trail and beyond.

DIRECTIONS:
To reach the start, take the Albany/Buchanan Ave. exit from I-80. From the east, turn left at the stop sign which will put you on a road that you follow for about .25 miles where it curves around a bit and puts you on Buchanan. From the west, a right at the stop light puts you on Buchanan. Once on Buchanan, your head toward the hills. After crossing San Pablo, Buchanan becomes Marin Ave. Stay on Marin. At one point you will hit a traffic circle. Go half way around and turn up the hill to stay on Marin. Turn left on Spruce and continue until the stop sign at the intersection with Grizzley Peak Rd. Go straight through the intersection and take an immediate left onto Canon Dr. Right a the stop sign onto Central Park Dr. then left onto Lone Oak.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun April 19, 8:45, Stream Trail

2009-04-16T22:06:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I'm inclined to do the 6 mile loop, but there are options from 3 to 9 miles on this versatile run. It should be a good morning for vistas!

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate can be reached from the Park Ave. exit off Highway 13 in Oakland. Heading north on 13, turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp onto Mountain Blvd. Turn right at the third light onto Snake Rd. Heading south on 13, take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto Park Ave., a left at the light onto Mountain Blvd., and a right onto Snake Rd. Proceed on Snake Rd. and go straight onto Shepherd Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepherd Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.
Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Apr. 12, 8:45am - Grass Valley, Chabot Regional Park

2009-04-10T16:25:00.000-07:00

If you have some time in the morning before any Easter celebrations, come run with us at Grass Valley on the north side of Chabot Regional Park. The full loop (combining Cascade, Columbine & Brandon trails) is 9 miles; as for me, I'll be lucky to make it up most of the hill on Columbine. No matter how far you run, we should have some beautiful shady trails to greet us.

DIRECTIONS:
From Dublin/Castro Valley, take I-580W towards Oakland and exit at 98th Avenue/Golf Links Road. Turn right on Golf Links Road. Golf Links Road becomes Grass Valley Road. Continue straight through a row of eucalyptus trees and park at the end of the road (where Grass Valley and Skyline Blvd. intersect).

From Berkeley/Oakland, take I-580E towards Hayward/Stockton and exit at 98th Avenue/Golf Links Road. Turn left on Golf Links Road. Golf Links Road becomes Grass Valley Road. Continue straight through a row of eucalyptus trees and park at the end of the road (where Grass Valley and Skyline Blvd. intersect).

Pac Striders Weekend run, Sun Apr 5, 8:45, Skyline Gate

2009-04-03T17:40:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I won't be around this weekend, we'll be celebrating my brother-in-laws' 50th, our 19th anniversary, and Jessica's ## birthday (I don't think she minds the publicity, but I'm not taking any chances!); which fall on consecutive days. The run will be out of Skyline Gate and the route will be runner's choice. Enjoy your weekend, and no comments on my increased weight next week!

2009-04-03T17:36:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

We'll leave from a familiar staging area, but we're going to mix things up a bit after that. West Ridge, down Graham, up Dunn and Baccharis back to West Ridge, continuing out WR to Bridle to Stream and back to Skyline Gate. Nine miles by the map, more hill than the usual 9 mile loop, but many variants and shortcuts available.

Pac Striders Mar. 29, 8:45am - Lone Oak, Tilden Park, Berkeley

2009-03-27T16:23:00.000-07:00

We're finishing out March with a Tilden run, starting from the Lone Oak picnic area. We'll either head up the Lone Oak and Curran Trails to Inspiration Point, or head straight out the Bike Loop to Wildcat Canyon. Come join us for some beautiful weekend weather on the trails.

DIRECTIONS: To reach the start, take the Albany/Buchanan Ave. exit from I-80. From the east, turn left at the stop sign which will put you on a road that you follow for about .25 miles where it curves around a bit and puts you on Buchanan. From the west, a right at the stop light puts you on Buchanan. Once on Buchanan, your head toward the hills. After crossing San Pablo, Buchanan becomes Marin Ave. Stay on Marin. At one point you will hit a traffic circle. Go half way around and turn up the hill to stay on Marin. Turn left on Spruce and continue until the stop sign at the intersection with Grizzley Peak Rd. Go straight through the intersection and take an immediate left onto Canon Dr. Right a the stop sign onto Central Park Dr. then left onto Lone Oak.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun March 22,8:45, Lake Chabot Marina

2009-03-19T22:51:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Rain has been forecasted for this weekend since it has been in range of the 5 day forecast. We talked about doing Lake Chabot, and we're sticking to it. I can always use the rain as an excuse to turn around before the hill, which I will do anyway. Gather near the snack bar and bathrooms at the Marina at 8:45. There is a parking fee for the marina lot (unless your a member of the Regional Parks Foundation, so join already!), however free parking is available nearby on Lake Chabot Rd.

Directions

To reach the marina entrance from points east, take I-580 westbound to the Strobridge Avenue exit in Castro Valley. Turn right on Strobridge, right on Castro Valley Boulevard, and left on Lake Chabot Road. The Lake Chabot Marina is about two miles ahead on the right.

From I-880 take I-238 eastbound to I-580 eastbound, exit at Redwood Road in Castro Valley and go left, go left at Castro Valley Boulevard, and right at Lake Chabot Road. The Lake Chabot Marina is about two miles ahead on the right.

From I-580 in Oakland, proceed east and exit at 150th Ave. / Fairmont Drive. Go straight at the first stoplight at the end of the off-ramp and turn left at the second stoplight to proceed east on Fairmont (uphill). Keep going straight where Fairmont merges into Lake Chabot Rd. and the Marina entrance will be on your left.

Enjoy your weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Mar 15, 8:45am - Skyline Gate, Oakland

2009-03-13T21:42:00.000-07:00

Seems we haven't been to Skyline Gate in a while, so we're revisiting one of our favorite locations. The weather report is showing a slight chance of rain this weekend, but the footing is good on these trails regardless of the weather. I'll probably be doing a 5 miler myself, but we have some longer mileage options as well, just ask!

DiRECTIONS: Skyline Gate is located off of Hwy. 13. This highway is accessible via I-580 and Hwy. 24. From I-580 or Oakland, take Hwy. 13 North. Exit at Park Street.Turn left at Mountain Blvd. Turn right on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun March 8, 8:45, Inspiration Point

2009-03-05T21:40:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
It's been a while since we've been on top of the world, so we thought we'd go up and take a look. There is no water on this out and back run, and the only bathrooms are at the start. The views are available throughout, weather willing!

Directions:

Pac Striders Feb. 22, 9am - Couple's Relay, Lake Merritt in Oakland

2009-02-20T15:28:00.000-08:00

Although it looks like we're going to have another rainy Sunday, we'll still be running at LMJS' 31st annual Couple's Relay, at Lake Merritt in Oakland. This is an event where you and your partner (of any gender) each run around the 5K distance of the lake. The registration table is at 568 Bellevue Avenue in Oakland. Race entries are $22 per couple, benefitting the Oakland non-profit Team-Up for Youth. More details are at http://www.lmjs.org/Couples_Relay.

For those looking for a more individual experience, I would also suggest checking out my alma mater USF's Tom Caruso Memorial 5K, at Golden Gate Park (http://usfdons.cstv.com/sports/c-xc/spec-rel/012909aaa.html). For those who want a free run, the Skyline Gate to Sequoia Bayview run will always hold up regardless of the weather.

DIRECTIONS TO LAKE MERRITT: From I-880, take the Oak St. exit. Turn right onto Oak, which turns into Lakeside Dr. Cross 14th St. Continue on Lakeside Dr. Lake Merritt is on your right. Turn right onto Grand Ave. Turn right onto Bellevue Avenue at the Fairyland Entrance..

From I-580, take the Grand Ave. exit and head West on Grand. Go about 6 blocks and turn left into Bellevue Ave. at the Fairyland entrance. The Sailboat House is the blue building on the right.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Feb 15, 8:45, Bayview from Skyline gate

2009-02-12T23:27:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
Well, we're bailing again this week, heading up to Yosemite and leaving Amy to deal with the mud. We are going to count on West Ridge-Bayview to stand up to what mother nature has in store.

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate can be reached from the Park Ave. exit off Highway 13 in Oakland. Heading north on 13, turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp onto Mountain Blvd. Turn right at the third light onto Snake Rd. Heading south on 13, take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto Park Ave., a left at the light onto Mountain Blvd., and a right onto Snake Rd. Proceed on Snake Rd. and go straight onto Shepherd Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepherd Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.

Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Feb. 1, 8:45am - Lone Oak @ Tilden, Berkeley

2009-01-31T16:18:00.000-08:00

Happy Lunar New Year and Super Bowl Sunday. Before the big game, grab a quick run with us, starting at the Lone Oak picnic area in Tilden Park. The running route incorporate parts of Inspiration Point and Wildcat Canyon. Our max. distance for this area is 9 miles, although there are ways to vary the distances longer or shorter.

DIRECTIONS: To reach the start, take the Albany/Buchanan Ave. exit from I-80. From the east, turn left at the stop sign which will put you on a road that you follow for about .25 miles where it curves around a bit and puts you on Buchanan. From the west, a right at the stop light puts you on Buchanan. Once on Buchanan, your head toward the hills. After crossing San Pablo, Buchanan becomes Marin Ave. Stay on Marin. At one point you will hit a traffic circle. Go half way around and turn up the hill to stay on Marin. Turn left on Spruce and continue until the stop sign at the intersection with Grizzley Peak Rd. Go straight through the intersection and take an immediate left onto Canon Dr. Right at the stop sign onto Central Park Dr. then left onto Lone Oak.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Jan 25, 8:45, West Ridge/Bayview from Skyline Gate

2009-01-23T18:32:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

We're choosing our most reliable dirt trail for wet weather. It should be fine for Sunday's run, unless we get all the rain California needs by then!

Pac Striders Jan. 18 - Skyline Gate (DIY run)

2009-01-15T23:41:00.000-08:00

My apologies to the list for what will be a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) unguided run this Sunday. Unbeknownst to each other, it turns out that Mike and I are both out of town this weekend. While Mike & Jess head to balmy San Diego, I'll be basking in the glow of change (and freezing weather) in Washington DC.

We picked Skyline Gate for its relatively easy navigation. Maybe some of the regulars can step up and provide guidance to its many splendors? Whatever you do, be sure to get out for a run and enjoy the nice weather.

DIRECTIONS TO SKYLINE:

Skyline Gate is located off of Hwy. 13. This highway is accessible via I-580 and Hwy. 24. From I-580 or Oakland, take Hwy. 13 North. Exit at Park Street.Turn left at Mountain Blvd. Turn right on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

From Berkeley or Hwy. 24, take Hwy. 13 South. Exit at Moraga Ave/Montclair District. Moraga Ave. becomes Mountain Blvd. Turn left on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

Pac Striders Jan. 11, 9am - Lake Chabot Winter Challenge Run

2009-01-09T11:40:00.000-08:00

This Sunday, we're joining the Golden Bay Runners for their annual potluck and fun run at Lake Chabot. This is a great way to start the year and is highly recommended for a fun time. Read below for more info from the Golden Bay Runners:

------

Lake Chabot Challenge
Sunday, January 11, 2009
9 a.m.

Join the Golden Bay Runners for our annual January fun run at Lake Chabot Regional Park in Castro Valley. No entry fee, no shirts, no water stops, no bibs, no timing (but an abundance of good times), and plenty of challenge. Run all or part of our famous Trail Challenge Half Marathon course - you can choose the route and distance if ours doesn't appeal to you. Lake Chabot offers a wide variety of choices. Expect cold, mud, possible rain, a steep hill or two and some of the finest downhill views in the East Bay. And all this is followed by our epic potluck breakfast, designed to drive winter away. Just bring a dish or drinks to share and you're in! We meet near the boathouse on the Lake Chabot marina - look for a group of runners (and walkers) ready to defy the elements or follow the aroma of hot chocolate. We start precisely at 9 a.m. After all, we are in a hurry to get to the breakfast.

Directions: Take the 150th exit from 580, head East up Fairmont Drive and over and down the hill. Lake Chabot lies at the bottom of that hill near where Lake Chabot Road intersects Fairmont Drive.
For more information, call Michael Raffee (408) 209-8680 or Will and Julie Uher (510) 278-0451

Rain only encourages, never cancels!

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Jan 4, 8:45, Skyline Gate

2009-01-03T17:46:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
As soon as I came out of my New Year's Eve drunken coma, I realized that I was late for the weekend run notice! My sincere apologies. I hope everyone gets this notice to join me weaving down the trails. We will meet at Skyline Gate and pick a route. Happy New Year!

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate can be reached from the Park Ave. exit off Highway 13 in Oakland. Heading north on 13, turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp onto Mountain Blvd. Turn right at the third light onto Snake Rd. Heading south on 13, take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto Park Ave., a left at the light onto Mountain Blvd., and a right onto Snake Rd. Proceed on Snake Rd. and go straight onto Shepherd Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepherd Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.
Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Dec. 28 8:45am - Lafayette Moraga Trail

2008-12-25T12:52:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays! For those of you still in town this weekend, come join us this Sunday for our final weekend run for 2008. We will be at the Lafayette Moraga Trail, a route that's immune to the effects of this week's inclement weather. The full out and back on the rolling pavement is up to 8 miles total.

DIRECTIONS: From Berkeley/Oakland take Hwy. 24E thru the Caldecott tunnel. Exit Pleasant Hill Rd, take the Pleasant Hill Rd South ramp. Turn right on Pleasant Hill Rd and go 0.7 mi until you reach the trail parking lot at the intersection of Olympic Blvd and Pleasant Hill Rd.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Dec 21, 8:45, Inspiration Point

2008-12-19T22:50:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,
The amenities are sparse (only bathrooms at the start), but firm footing on the asphalt or shoulder will be attraction enough if it is raining Sunday. The run is 8 miles if you limit yourself to paved trail, and there are frequent mile markers for shorter out and back runs.

Directions:

From downtown Oakland and points West: go thru the Caldecott tunnel on Hwy 24 to the Orinda/Moraga exit. Turn left at the stoplight onto Camino Pablo, which will turn into San Pablo Dam Rd. Proceed about 2 miles to the traffic light at Wildcat Canyon and Bear Creek Roads. Turn left onto Wildcat Canyon Rd. Go uphill 2.5 miles to the parking lot at the top of the ridge.From Walnut Creek and points east: Head East on Hwy 24 take the Orinda/Moraga exit and stay right toward Orinda Village. Once on Camino Pablo, proceed as above.From Berkeley/Albany, Wildcat Canyon Road can be accessed from Grizzly Peak Blvd. via South Park Dr. (closed for newts November 1 - April 1) or Shasta Rd.
Have a good weekend and happy holidays,
Mike

Pac Striders Dec. 14, 8:45am - Skyline Gate to Seq. Bayview

2008-12-12T13:46:00.000-08:00

This Sunday we're making our rounds at Skyline Gate. Given the possibility of rain, we're planning to head to the Sequoia Bayview trail, which drains nicely in all weather types. A straight out and back makes a 7 mi run, with the possibility of other add-ons for longer runs.

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate is located off of Hwy. 13. This highway is accessible via I-580 and Hwy. 24. From I-580 or Oakland, take Hwy. 13 North. Exit at Park Street.Turn left at Mountain Blvd. Turn right on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

From Berkeley or Hwy. 24, take Hwy. 13 South. Exit at Moraga Ave/Montclair District. Moraga Ave. becomes Mountain Blvd. Turn left on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Dec 7, 8:45, Strawberry Canyon

2008-12-04T22:56:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,
Jess and I are going to hide from our kids at the big white hotel on the other side of the next canyon south, so Amy was nice enough to agree to this run so that we could have an easy commute. We should even have time to hit Peets!

We'll need the motivation as this run has a nice climb at the start that is rewarded with beautiful views, or fog. One shortcoming of this run is the lack of bathroom facilities or water.

Directions

From I-80, exit at University Avenue. Proceed east on University Avenue then turn left on Oxford. Turn right on Hearst and go up the hill, then turn right on Gayley. Turn left at the stop sign onto Stadium Way. and left again on Centennial Dr., which proceeds eastward up the hill from the back side of the stadium. Shortly, you'll see the Haas Pool/Clubhouse parking lot on your right. From Hwy. 24 take Hwy. 13 North. Follow 13 North all the way into Berkeley, where it eventually becomes Ashby Ave. Proceed on Ashby, then turn right on College. Turn right onto Dwight Way, go up the hill and turn left onto Prospect. Proceed around the stadium (keeping it to your left) to the first stop sign. Turn right onto Centennial Drive. Shortly, you'll see the Haas Pool/Clubhouse parking lot on your right.
Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Nov. 30, 8:45am - Lone Oak, Tilden Park

2008-11-28T23:14:00.000-08:00

Happy Black Friday! For those of you still in town this post-Thanksgiving weekend, feel free to join us for a run on Sunday in Tilden Park. We're going to take the Lone Oak and Conlon trails up to Inspiration Point and back, for a max. distance of 9 miles roundtrip.

DIRECTIONS: To reach the start, take the Albany/Buchanan Ave. exit from I-80. From the east, turn left at the stop sign which will put you on a road that you follow for about .25 miles where it curves around a bit and puts you on Buchanan. From the west, a right at the stop light puts you on Buchanan. Once on Buchanan, your head toward the hills. After crossing San Pablo, Buchanan becomes Marin Ave. Stay on Marin. At one point you will hit a traffic circle. Go half way around and turn up the hill to stay on Marin. Turn left on Spruce and continue until the stop sign at the intersection with Grizzley Peak Rd. Go straight through the intersection and take an immediate left onto Canon Dr. Right a the stop sign onto Central Park Dr. then left onto Lone Oak.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Nov 23, 8:45, Lake Chabot Marina

2008-11-21T21:45:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
It's time for the run where you can't get lost if you always turn left. We aspire to run around the lake for the 9 mile loop, but assuredly some will turn around for a shorter out and back. Yours truly will still be at a walking clip, but I hope to improve on last week's 40 minute mile.

Water and bathrooms at the start, a couple of bathrooms on the route. Meet by the marina bathrooms.

Directions

To reach the marina entrance from points east, take I-580 westbound to the Strobridge Avenue exit in Castro Valley. Turn right on Strobridge, right on Castro Valley Boulevard, and left on Lake Chabot Road. The Lake Chabot Marina is about two miles ahead on the right.From I-880 take I-238 eastbound to I-580 eastbound, exit at Redwood Road in Castro Valley and go left, go left at Castro Valley Boulevard, and right at Lake Chabot Road. The Lake Chabot Marina is about two miles ahead on the right. From I-580 in Oakland, proceed east and exit at 150th Ave. / Fairmont Drive. Go straight at the first stoplight at the end of the off-ramp and turn left at the second stoplight to proceed east on Fairmont (uphill). Keep going straight where Fairmont merges into Lake Chabot Rd. and the Marina entrance will be on your left.
Enjoy your weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Nov 16, 8:45, Skyline Gate

2008-11-13T21:39:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
It looks like I'll be taking a leisurely stroll, at best, this weekend. My back is still wonky. We are offering Stream Trail Loop to those of you looking to go a bit faster. There are loop options of 3, 6, 9,12, 15, 30, 50, 100 ... miles that you may choose. Just don't expect any company on the longer ones.

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate can be reached from the Park Ave. exit off Highway 13 in Oakland. Heading north on 13, turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp onto Mountain Blvd. Turn right at the third light onto Snake Rd. Heading south on 13, take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto Park Ave., a left at the light onto Mountain Blvd., and a right onto Snake Rd. Proceed on Snake Rd. and go straight onto Shepherd Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepherd Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.
Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Nov. 9, 8:45am - Strawberry Canyon, Berkeleyy

2008-11-07T13:35:00.000-08:00

Hope you are all doing well after the conclusion of a long election season. Our apologies for not being able to attend the last Sunday run; Mike wrenched his back the day before, and I was in the middle of moving (when I nearly wrenched my back!). I'll be around this Sunday to host the run at Strawberry Canyon on the UC Berkeley campus. The out and back run summits at the Lawrence Lab, for a maximum 8 mile run.

DIRECTIONS: Access to Strawberry Canyon is off Centennial Rd., east of UC Berkeley main campus, in the hills just behind the campus. From I-80, exit at University Avenue. Proceed east on University Avenue then turn left on Oxford. Turn right on Hearst and go up the hill, then turn right on Gayley. Turn left at the stop sign onto Stadium Rim Way and left again on Centennial Dr., which proceeds eastward up the hill from the back side of the stadium. About 1/4 mile, turn right into the the parking lot at the Hearst Pool.

From Hwy. 13, exit at Ashby Ave. Proceed on Ashby, then turn right on College. Turn right onto Dwight Way, go up the hill and turn left onto Prospect. Proceed around the stadium (to your left) to the first stop sign. Turn right onto Centennial Drive, go straight for less than 1/4 mile and pull into the Hearst Pool parking lot on your right. Centennial Drive is also accessible from Grizzly Peak Boulevard (head south towards UC Berkeley).

Pac Striders Wekend Run, Sun. Nov 2, 8:45, Inspiration Point

2008-10-31T22:50:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
The rain is coming and we are heading for the hills, the hills with a paved trail, that is. From Inspiration Point we take the Nimitz Trail along the top of San Pablo Ridge. The trail is out and back with the only amenities the bathrooms at the start.

The views are spectacular if the clouds allow, however, there is also exposure to the elements. The run itself is not too hilly, if you stick to the 8 mile (or less!) paved round trip.

Well, I copy the directions from a folder of old e-mails, and I thought I'd copy the entire one this week because it brought back such fond memories.

Hello Everyone,
After last week, we should rename the Turkey Trot to "The Run Where Mike Falls Down A Lot". I won't be around this week, even though everything is healing nicely and I even managed a trail run today without even stumbling! I am off to Yosemite with the family to body surf some even lovelier trails.

This Sunday, Inspiration Point is the call. The usual is an out and back on the paved portion of the Nimitz for an 8 mile run with less hill work than our norm. You are welcome to venture further, which adds hills as well as distance. Terrific views over the bay and to the east are the hallmark of this run. The start time is 8:30.

Directions:

From downtown Oakland and points West: go thru the Caldecott tunnel on Hwy 24 to the Orinda/Moraga exit. Turn left at the stoplight onto Camino Pablo, which will turn into San Pablo Dam Rd. Proceed about 2 miles to the traffic light at Wildcat Canyon and Bear Creek Roads. Turn left onto Wildcat Canyon Rd. Go uphill 2.5 miles to the parking lot at the top of the ridge.From Walnut Creek and points east: Head East on Hwy 24 take the Orinda/Moraga exit and stay right toward Orinda Village. Once on Camino Pablo, proceed as above.From Berkeley/Albany, Wildcat Canyon Road can be accessed from Grizzly Peak Blvd. via South Park Dr. or Shasta Rd.
Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Oct. 26, 8:45am - Big Trees Loop (new start location)

2008-10-25T09:47:00.000-07:00

Happy early Halloween. When it gets close to trick or treat time, we like to do the Big Trees Loop, also nicknamed the "Blair Witch" loop because of the spooky overhanging trees. To mix things up a little, we're going to start from a different location than usual, at the Skyline Blvd. end of the trail, where Sequoia Bayview and Big Trees Loop intersect. We'll take Bayview on the way back for a 7.5 mi run. Those who want to go further can head to West Ridge trail, and turn around at Skyline Gate for the full 9 miler.

DIRECTIONS:
Hwy. 13 can be accessed via 580 (hayward side) or Hwy. 24 (berkeley/oakland side)

From Hwy. 13 South, take the Joaquin Miller Road/Lincoln Ave. exit. Turn left at the stop sign, and left again onto Lincoln Avenue. At the next stop go straight onto Joaquin Miller Road. Go straight for about a mile until you reach the light at the intersection with Skyline Blvd. Go left at this intersection onto Skyline Blvd.

From Hwy 13 North, exit Joaquin Miller Road and turn right at the enrd of the on ramp onto Joaquin Miller Rd. Go straight for about a mile until you reach the light at the intersection with Skyline Blvd. Go left at this intersection onto Skyline Blvd.

Between 1/4 and 1/5 miles on your left will be a picket fence. This is the trailhead for Sequoia Bayview. There is no parking on the right side of the road. About 150 yds. past is a turnaround.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Oc 19, 8:45, Wildcat Canyon fom Lone Oak

2008-10-18T18:04:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Sorry for the late notice! I just didn't quite catch up to life this week. To keep things sane, we'll do one of our flatter runs out Wildcat way. This out and back trail can be tailored to any distance, with optional climbs up San Pablo Ridge if you want a dose of hills. Just don't expect me to lead you! Water and bathroom at the start and 1 mile in. water about 4 miles out.

Directions to Lone Oak: Lone Oak is on Central Park Dr. near the Nature Center at the Canon Dr. entrance to Tilden, near the intersection of Spruce St. and Grizzly Peak Blvd. in Berkeley.

From all points except Highway 24 heading west, take Interstate 80 to Albany. From Intersate 80 east take the Buchanan exit in Albany and turn right at the light at the top of the ramp onto Buchanan. From Interstate 80 west, take the Buchanan exit and turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp. Follow this street as it curves left, then right, and it we lead you onto Buchanan.

Proceed on Buchanan and after you cross San Pablo Ave., it will become Marin. Proceed up Marin toward the hills. When you hit a traffic circle, proceed halfway around and continue up the steep hill on Marin. The next stop sign is Spruce St., turn left. Follow Spruce to Grizzly Peak. Cross Grizzly Peak and take an immediate left onto Canon Dr. Take a right at the bottom onto Central Park Dr., then a left onto Lone Oak in about .25 miles. Park near the Lone Oak picnic area.

From Highway 24 west, take the Fish Ranch Road exit and turn right to go up the hill at the stop sign. Turn right onto Grizzley Peak and stay on it a LONG ways until the Spruce St. intersection. Right on Spruce, then take an immediate left onto Canon Dr. Take a right at the bottom onto Central Park Dr., then a left onto Lone Oak in about .25 miles. Park near the Lone Oak picnic area.

Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Oct. 12, 8:45am - Skyline Gate

2008-10-10T18:38:00.000-07:00

We're still recovering from last week's hills, so we're going back to basics with a run on the Sequoia Bayview trail from Skyline Gate. The out and back loop is 7 miles, although optional add-ons like the Big Trees Loop can boost the mileage to 9 miles. Happy long weekend for those of you who have time off.

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate is located off of Hwy. 13. This highway is accessible via I-580 and Hwy. 24.

From Oakland, take Hwy. 13 North. Exit at Park Street. Turn left at Mountain Blvd. Turn right on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

From Berkeley, take Hwy. 13 South towards Moraga Ave/Montclair District. Moraga Ave. becomes Mountain Blvd. Turn left on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Oct 5, 8:45, MacDonald Gate to Bort Meadow

2008-10-02T23:32:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
We were talking about runs we haven't done in a while and Malcolm mentioned MacDonald gate. That sounded good to Amy and I, so that's where we'll go! There is water and bathrooms a short drive from the start, at the Canyon entrance to Redwood Park, but none on route. The run starts out with a beautiful wooded climb, then drops into Bort Meadow. I think I'll be good for about 6 miles, but there's plenty more trail where that came from!

Directions to MacDonald Gate:
Redwood Rd. can be accessed from Highway 13 in Oakland. From Highway 24 or the Berkeley area take Highway 13 south and take the Redwood Rd. exit. Take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp and continue up the hill on Redwood Rd. From Dublin/ Castro Valley, take I-580 west to the exit for Highway 13 north. Take the Redwood Rd./Carson Ave. exit and proceed straight on Mountain Blvd. Turn up the hill at the stop sign to proceed to Redwood Rd. Take a right at the next light to continue up the hill on Redwood Rd. After you cross Skyline Blvd. at the top of the hill, MacDonald Staging area is about 2 miles on your right.
Have a Good Weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Sept 28, 8:45 am - Grass Valley, Chabot Regional Park

2008-09-26T11:12:00.001-07:00

We're taking a rare trip to the northern side of Chabot Regional Park, gathering first at the Grass Valley staging area. Rolling hills await those who wish to take on the full 9 mile route, which snakes up the Columbine trail, through the Chabot campgrounds, and down the Brandon Trail. Water is available near the start and at the campgrounds midway, but bring a bottle for the stretches in between.

DIRECTIONS: From the east (Dublin/Castro Valley), take I-580W towards Oakland and exit at 98th Avenue/Golf Links Road. Turn right on Golf Links Road. Golf Links Road becomes Grass Valley Road. Continue straight through a row of eucalyptus trees and park at the staging area (where Grass Valley and Skyline Blvd. intersect).

From the west (Berkeley/Oakland), take I-580E towards Hayward/Stockton and exit at 98th Avenue/Golf Links Road. Turn left on Golf Links Road. Golf Links Road becomes Grass Valley Road. Continue straight through a row of eucalyptus trees and park at the staging area(where Grass Valley and Skyline Blvd. intersect).

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Sep 21, 8:45, Skyline Gate

2008-09-18T22:57:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
I had a hankering to do Skyline Trail from Skyline to Sibley, but I have a feeling we'll end up being more tame than that. Maybe Stream loop or Bayview is more to taste. Let's debate it Sunday morning.

Directions

Skyline Gate can be reached from the Park Ave. exit off Highway 13 in Oakland. Heading north on 13, turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp onto Mountain Blvd. Turn right at the third light onto Snake Rd. Heading south on 13, take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto Park Ave., a left at the light onto Mountain Blvd., and a right onto Snake Rd. Proceed on Snake Rd. and go straight onto Shepherd Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepherd Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.
Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Sept 14, 8:45am - Lone Oak, Tilden Park

2008-09-13T12:25:00.000-07:00

For those of you still around this weekend, we're revisiting Tilden Park on Sunday. We'll start from the Lone Oak picnic area and head up Wildcat Gorge and the Curran Trail to reach Inspiration Point. From there, we follow the Nimitz Trail until heading back down towards the Nature Center. Our longest route runs about 8.5 miles, but there are plenty of bail out options to return earlier.

DIRECTIONS: To reach the start, take the Albany/Buchanan Ave. exit from I-80. From the east, turn left at the stop sign which will put you on a road that you follow for about .25 miles where it curves around a bit and puts you on Buchanan. From the west, a right at the stop light puts you on Buchanan. Once on Buchanan, your head toward the hills. After crossing San Pablo, Buchanan becomes Marin Ave. Stay on Marin. At one point you will hit a traffic circle. Go half way around and turn up the hill to stay on Marin. Turn left on Spruce and continue until the stop sign at the intersection with Grizzley Peak Rd. Go straight through the intersection and take an immediate left onto Canon Dr. Right a the stop sign onto Central Park Dr. then left onto Lone Oak.

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Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Sept 7, 8:45; Lake Chabot Marina

2008-09-05T21:21:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
The loop around the lake is our fancy, although I can guarantee that at least one coordinator is doing an out and back of about 6 miles. I'm betting on a beautiful morning for the excursion. Meet near the snack shop/marina. There is a parking fee for the marina lot, however free parking is available nearby on Lake Chabot Rd.

Directions

To reach the marina entrance from points east, take I-580 westbound to the Strobridge Avenue exit in Castro Valley. Turn right on Strobridge, right on Castro Valley Boulevard, and left on Lake Chabot Road. The Lake Chabot Marina is about two miles ahead on the right.

From I-880 take I-238 eastbound to I-580 eastbound, exit at Redwood Road in Castro Valley and go left, go left at Castro Valley Boulevard, and right at Lake Chabot Road. The Lake Chabot Marina is about two miles ahead on the right.

From I-580 in Oakland, proceed east and exit at 150th Ave. / Fairmont Drive. Go straight at the first stoplight at the end of the off-ramp and turn left at the second stoplight to proceed east on Fairmont (uphill). Keep going straight where Fairmont merges into Lake Chabot Rd. and the Marina entrance will be on your left.Enjoy your weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Aug 24, 8:45, Strawberry Canyon

2008-08-21T23:27:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
We thought we would do the Jordan Trail behind the UC Campus, leaving from the parking lot near the softball field and pool. The route has some steep climbing to start, but the reward is great views over the bay. As an out and back run, it is easy to adjust the distance.

Directions

From I-80, exit at University Avenue. Proceed east on University Avenue then turn left on Oxford. Turn right on Hearst and go up the hill, then turn right on Gayley. Turn left at the stop sign onto Stadium Way. and left again on Centennial Dr., which proceeds eastward up the hill from the back side of the stadium. Shortly, you'll see the Haas Pool/Clubhouse parking lot on your right. From Hwy. 24 take Hwy. 13 North. Follow 13 North all the way into Berkeley, where it eventually becomes Ashby Ave. Proceed on Ashby, then turn right on College. Turn right onto Dwight Way, go up the hill and turn left onto Prospect. Proceed around the stadium (keeping it to your left) to the first stop sign. Turn right onto Centennial Drive. Shortly, you'll see the Haas Pool/Clubhouse parking lot on your right.
Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Aug 10, 8:30am - Golden Spike Trail, Oakland

2008-08-08T23:20:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the late run announcement, I've been mesmorized by the tape delayed Olympic opening ceremonies on TV. Be sure to cheer for local runner Magdalena Levy Boulet when she races the women's marathon on August 16.

Before that, we'll be running at a more leisurely pace this Sunday, starting at the west entrance of Redwood Regional Park along the Golden Spike Trail (aka the Turkey Trot). Our full route is 8 miles, although yours truly will probably do the slightly shorter classic Turkey Trot route.

DIRECTIONS: From Hwy. 13 North, take the Carson St./Redwood Rd. exit. Go straight on Mountain Blvd, then make a hard right turn on to Redwood Rd. Go straight for about a mile, then turn left onto Skyline Blvd. and go straight for about a half mile until you reach Crestmont Drive. Turn right into the driveway of the park headquarters. (If you reach the intersection of Joaquin Miller Road and Skyline, you have gone too far.)

From Hwy. 13 South, take the Joaquin Miller Road/Lincoln Ave. exit. Turn left onto Monterey Blvd., and left again onto Lincoln Avenue. Bear right onto Joaquin Miller Road, and go straight for about a mile until you reach the intersection with Skyline Blvd. Go past this intersection and continue straight onto Skyline Blvd. until you reach Crestmont Drive; turn left across the road and into the driveway of the park headquarters.<

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Aug 3, 8:45, Wildcat Canyon from Lone Oak

2008-08-01T23:54:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
This is one of our flatter out and backs, so it is easy to tailor this run to suit you. If you want hill work, take any trail to the right!

Directions to Lone Oak: Lone Oak is on Central Park Dr. near the Nature Center at the Canon Dr. entrance to Tilden, near the intersection of Spruce St. and Grizzly Peak Blvd. in Berkeley.

From all points except Highway 24 heading west, take Interstate 80 to Albany. From Intersate 80 east take the Buchanan exit in Albany and turn right at the light at the top of the ramp onto Buchanan. From Interstate 80 west, take the Buchanan exit and turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp. Follow this street as it curves left, then right, and it we lead you onto Buchanan.Proceed on Buchanan and after you cross San Pablo Ave., it will become Marin. Proceed up Marin toward the hills. When you hit a traffic circle, proceed halfway around and continue up the steep hill on Marin. The next stop sign is Spruce St., turn left. Follow Spruce to Grizzly Peak. Cross Grizzly Peak and take an immediate left onto Canon Dr. Take a right at the bottom onto Central Park Dr., then a left onto Lone Oak in about .25 miles. Park near the Lone Oak picnic area.

From Highway 24 west, take the Fish Ranch Road exit and turn right to go up the hill at the stop sign. Turn right onto Grizzley Peak and stay on it a LONG ways until the Spruce St. intersection. Right on Spruce, then take an immediate left onto Canon Dr. Take a right at the bottom onto Central Park Dr., then a left onto Lone Oak in about .25 miles. Park near the Lone Oak picnic area.

Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders July 27, 8:45am - Skyline Gate (& Skyline 50K help)

2008-07-25T17:28:00.000-07:00

Mike and Jessica are entertaining the relatives this weekend, so I'll be going solo as weekend run host this Sunday. I'll be hanging out at Skyline Gate, probably to do a jaunt to Sequoia Bayview (but I can be persuaded elsewhere)

Speaking of Skyline, Mike Palmer is co-race director of the Skyline 50K on August 3. The race needs volunteers to do course markings and help sweep, among other things. Free t-shirts for those who help out! Contact Mike at mikepalmer@berkeley.edu for more info.

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DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate is located off of Hwy. 13. This highway is accessible via I-580 and Hwy. 24. From I-580 or Oakland, take Hwy. 13 North. Exit at Park Street.Turn left at Mountain Blvd. Turn right on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

From Berkeley or Hwy. 24, take Hwy. 13 South. Exit at Moraga Ave/Montclair District. Moraga Ave. becomes Mountain Blvd. Turn left on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun July 20, 8:45, InspirationPoint

2008-07-18T21:35:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Yours truly will not be at the weekend run this Sunday, so don't wait for the gray van to show up! Nonetheless, it will be a fine opportunity to run along San Pablo Ridge and enjoy our little piece of Northern California spread out below.

The run is out and back, paved trail with a runnable shoulder most of the way and 1/4 mile markings, no water, bathrooms at the start. The distance is 8 miles on asphalt, but you can continue on to Richmond if you want!

Directions:

Mike

Pac Striders July 13, 8:45am - Skyline Gate

2008-07-11T16:20:00.001-07:00

It's back to Skyline Gate this Sunday, where we're pondering a visit to the French Trail. But perhaps other concerns (namely the hills) will pull us towards the Sequoia Bayview direction? We'll just start running on West Ridge, and decide from there.

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate is located off of Hwy. 13. This highway is accessible via I-580 and Hwy. 24. From I-580 or Oakland, take Hwy. 13 North. Exit at Park Street.Turn left at Mountain Blvd. Turn right on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

From Berkeley or Hwy. 24, take Hwy. 13 South. Exit at Moraga Ave/Montclair District. Moraga Ave. becomes Mountain Blvd. Turn left on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

Have a lovely weekend,
Amy

Pac Striders Sun. June 29, 8:45am - Smokin' Skyline Gate, Oakland

2008-06-27T16:17:00.000-07:00

What's smokin', Striders? Seriously, this air quality situation with the fires is unprecedented, we are a little concerned with running in this environment. We do want to get together, and plan to meet this Sunday at Skyline Gate, where we'll make a call on the route and distance based on the conditions. We would stress that folks please take it easy and not expect to go out blasting through the trails.

DIRECTIONS:
Skyline Gate is located off of Hwy. 13. This highway is accessible via I-580 and Hwy. 24. From I-580 or Oakland, take Hwy. 13 North. Exit at Park Street.Turn left at Mountain Blvd. Turn right on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

From Berkeley or Hwy. 24, take Hwy. 13 South. Exit at Moraga Ave/Montclair District. Moraga Ave. becomes Mountain Blvd. Turn left on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun June 22, 8:45, Lake Chabot Marina

2008-06-20T07:26:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,
We're back! I decided to go on the honeymoon with Amy and Mark, what a blast!

But now it is time to run again, starting at one of our favs. It's also special because Jess, David, and I will all be running at once. So please meet us near the bathrooms and Marina. There is a charge to drive into the park, but there is on street parking at the entrance that is only a short walk to the Marina.

Directions

To reach the marina entrance from points east, take I-580 westbound to the Strobridge Avenue exit in Castro Valley. Turn right on Strobridge, right on Castro Valley Boulevard, and left on Lake Chabot Road. The Lake Chabot Marina is about two miles ahead on the right.

From I-880 take I-238 eastbound to I-580 eastbound, exit at Redwood Road in Castro Valley and go left, go left at Castro Valley Boulevard, and right at Lake Chabot Road. The Lake Chabot Marina is about two miles ahead on the right.

From I-580 in Oakland, proceed east and exit at 150th Ave. / Fairmont Drive. Go straight at the first stoplight at the end of the off-ramp and turn left at the second stoplight to proceed east on Fairmont (uphill). Keep going straight where Fairmont merges into Lake Chabot Rd. and the Marina entrance will be on your left.

Enjoy your weekend,
Mike

Pacific Striders Weekend Run, Sun June 1, 8:45, Skyline Gate and Wedding Bells

2008-05-30T23:03:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Sorry I missed a week, the stomach bug got me and I slept instead of e-mailed. But who cares about last week!! THIS week, Amy and Mark will become wife and man (you know who's side of the isle I'm on)! I have had only one job in my life that lasted longer than Amy and I have been co-coordinators, and we're closing in on that one. So, I'm happier than an Olympic Gold Medalist for both of them.

We'll meet at Skyline this week, the trail will be runner's choice.

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate can be reached from the Park Ave. exit off Highway 13 in Oakland. Heading north on 13, turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp onto Mountain Blvd. Turn right at the third light onto Snake Rd. Heading south on 13, take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto Park Ave., a left at the light onto Mountain Blvd., and a right onto Snake Rd. Proceed on Snake Rd. and go straight onto Shepherd Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepherd Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.
Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun May 18, 8:45, West Ridge/Bayview

2008-05-16T19:49:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
We have no idea how hot it will be; but a well shaded, relatively flat out and back with water and bathroom in the middle sounded good to us! So, see you at our favorite gathering spot.

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate can be reached from the Park Ave. exit off Highway 13 in Oakland. Heading north on 13, turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp onto Mountain Blvd. Turn right at the third light onto Snake Rd. Heading south on 13, take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto Park Ave., a left at the light onto Mountain Blvd., and a right onto Snake Rd. Proceed on Snake Rd. and go straight onto Shepherd Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepherd Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.
Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun May 11, 8:45, Lone Oak Loop

2008-05-09T23:42:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,I can't decide which way to do this loop, so we can make our minds up Sunday. There is water and bathrooms at the start, and hills on the way. There are many possibilities for shorter or longer loops in this run.

Directions to Lone Oak:

Lone Oak is on Central Park Dr. near the Nature Center at the Canon Dr. entrance to Tilden, near the intersection of Spruce St. and Grizzly Peak Blvd. in Berkeley.

From all points except Highway 24 heading west, take Interstate 80 to Albany. From Intersate 80 east take the Buchanan exit in Albany and turn right at the light at the top of the ramp onto Buchanan. From Interstate 80 west, take the Buchanan exit and turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp. Follow this street as it curves left, then right, and it we lead you onto Buchanan.Proceed on Buchanan and after you cross San Pablo Ave., it will become Marin. Proceed up Marin toward the hills. When you hit a traffic circle, proceed halfway around and continue up the steep hill on Marin. The next stop sign is Spruce St., turn left. Follow Spruce to Grizzly Peak. Cross Grizzly Peak and take an immediate left onto Canon Dr. Take a right at the bottom onto Central Park Dr., then a left onto Lone Oak in about .25 miles. Park near the Lone Oak picnic area.

From Highway 24 west, take the Fish Ranch Road exit and turn right to go up the hill at the stop sign. Turn right onto Grizzley Peak and stay on it a LONG ways until the Spruce St. intersection. Right on Spruce, then take an immediate left onto Canon Dr. Take a right at the bottom onto Central Park Dr., then a left onto Lone Oak in about .25 miles. Park near the Lone Oak picnic area.

Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Apr 27, 8:45, Grass Valley and BZ's Class

2008-04-25T22:55:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
We're pulling out one of favorites that we haven't gotten to in a while. We're visiting Grass Valley to see if the cascade is flowing. The staging area doesn't have water or a restroom, but you are rewarded with both after the big hill. The distance of the runs lately depend largely on who shows up.

We also wanted to let everyone know that our own BZ has started a new class. Please take a look at the attached flyer. A free sample of BZ's energy comes with each class.

Directions:
From the Dublin/Castro Valley area, take I-580W towards Oakland and exit at 98th Avenue/Golf Links Road. Turn right onto Golf Links Road. Continue on Golf Links until you hit the Y intersection and stay to the left to proceed on Grass Valley Road. Continue straight through a row of eucalyptus trees and park at the staging area where Grass Valley and Skyline Blvd. intersect.From the Berkeley/Oakland area, take I-580E towards Hayward/Stockton and exit at 98th Avenue/Golf Links Road. Turn left on Golf Links Road. Continue on Golf Links until you hit the Y intersection and stay to the left to proceed on Grass Valley Road. Continue straight through a row of eucalyptus trees and park at the staging area where Grass Valley and Skyline Blvd. intersect.

From the south take 80 North to the 98th Ave. exit in Oakland. Take 98th Ave east toward the hills. 98th Ave. will become Golf Links Rd. as you go straight past the zoo. Continue on Golf Links until you hit the Y intersection and stay to the left to proceed on Grass Valley Road. Continue straight through a row of eucalyptus trees and park at the staging area where Grass Valley and Skyline Blvd. intersect.

From the Orinda/Walnut Creek area take Hwy 24 west. After the Caldecott Tunnel, take Hwy 13 south. Hwy 13 will merge into I-580E. Follow the Berkeley Oakland directions above.
Have a great weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Apr 20, 8:45am - Skyline Gate

2008-04-18T17:39:00.000-07:00

It's back to our old favorite spot at Skyline Gate. We'll take a poll for which route to take. Ask us for suggestions if you have a distance you're shooting for!

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate is located off of Hwy. 13. This highway is accessible via I-580 and Hwy. 24. From I-580 or Oakland, take Hwy. 13 North. Exit at Park Street.Turn left at Mountain Blvd. Turn right on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.  From Berkeley or Hwy. 24, take Hwy. 13 South. Exit at Moraga Ave/Montclair District. Moraga Ave. becomes Mountain Blvd. Turn left on Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. Turn right on Skyline Blvd., and drive straight to the Skyline Gate parking lot on the left.

Pac Striders Wekend Run, Sunday Apr 13, 8:45, Strawberry Canyon

2008-04-10T23:09:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Since Jessica and I are spending the night before at the Claremont in celebration of our 18 year anniversary and a birthday that will remain anonymous, we selfishly selected Strawberry to minimize our commute. The connector will certainly undue the nice massage of the day before,but the views will be worth it!

Directions

From I-80, exit at University Avenue. Proceed east on University Avenue then turn left on Oxford. Turn right on Hearst and go up the hill, then turn right on Gayley. Turn left at the stop sign onto Stadium Way. and left again on Centennial Dr., which proceeds eastward up the hill from the back side of the stadium. Shortly, you'll see the Haas Pool/Clubhouse parking lot on your right.
From Hwy. 24 take Hwy 13 North, follow 13 North all the way into Berkeley, where it eventually becomes Ashby Ave. Proceed on Ashby, then turn right on College. Turn right onto Dwight Way, go up the hill and turn left onto Prospect. Proceed around the stadium (keeping it to your left) to the first stop sign. Turn right onto Centennial Drive. Shortly, you'll see the Haas Pool/Clubhouse parking lot on your right.
Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Apr. 6, 8:45am - Wildcat Canyon

2008-04-05T00:04:00.000-07:00

This Sunday, we'll do a little out and back through Wildcat Canyon, and maybe pay a visit to the Little Farm animals afterwards. The full route to Richmond is 4 mi, for a possible 8 miles total. We'll start from the Lone Oak picnic area.

DIRECTIONS: To reach the start, take the Albany/Buchanan Ave. exit from I-80. From the east, turn left at the stop sign which will put you on a road that you follow for about .25 miles where it curves around a bit and puts you on Buchanan. From the west, a right at the stop light puts you on Buchanan. Once on Buchanan, your head toward the hills. After crossing San Pablo, Buchanan becomes Marin Ave. Stay on Marin. At one point you will hit a traffic circle. Go half way around and turn up the hill to stay on Marin. Turn left on Spruce and continue until the stop sign at the intersection with Grizzley Peak Rd. Go straight through the intersection and take an immediate left onto Canon Dr. Right a the stop sign onto Central Park Dr. then left onto Lone Oak.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Mar 30, 8:45, Skyline Gate

2008-03-28T21:30:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
We are back to Skyline Gate, I think we will just poll the runners and pick a route. Hopefully, it will go somewhat quicker than the Democratic primaries.

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate can be reached from the Park Ave. exit off Highway 13 in Oakland. Heading north on 13, turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp onto Mountain Blvd. Turn right at the third light onto Snake Rd. Heading south on 13, take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto Park Ave., a left at the light onto Mountain Blvd., and a right onto Snake Rd. Proceed on Snake Rd. and go straight onto Shepherd Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepherd Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.
Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Mar 23, 8:45am - Lone Oak in Tilden Park

2008-03-21T13:08:00.000-07:00

It's back to Tilden Park for this Sunday's run. We thought we'd mix it up by doing our Lone Oak route backwards (that is, going along Wildcat Canyon, then up Conlon Trail to Inspiration Point and back). The full route is 8.5 miles, but it'll probably feel like more! Afterwards, you can check out some real Easter bunnies at the nearby Tilden Nature Center.

DIRECTIONS: To reach the start, take the Albany/Buchanan Ave. exit from I-80. From the east, turn left at the stop sign which will put you on a road that you follow for about .25 miles where it curves around a bit and puts you on Buchanan. From the west, a right at the stop light puts you on Buchanan. Once on Buchanan, your head toward the hills. After crossing San Pablo, Buchanan becomes Marin Ave. Stay on Marin. At one point you will hit a traffic circle. Go half way around and turn up the hill to stay on Marin. Turn left on Spruce and continue until the stop sign at the intersection with Grizzley Peak Rd. Go straight through the intersection and take an immediate left onto Canon Dr. Right at the stop sign onto Central Park Dr. then left onto Lone Oak.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun March 16, 8:45, West Ridge/Bayview

2008-03-14T00:29:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Its late, so I'll be brief. Note the start time is 8:45, a little closer to the truth! We will meet at Skyline Gate, which will give us the Bayview option if trails are wet.

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate can be reached from the Park Ave. exit off Highway 13 in Oakland. Heading north on 13, turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp onto Mountain Blvd. Turn right at the third light onto Snake Rd. Heading south on 13, take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto Park Ave., a left at the light onto Mountain Blvd., and a right onto Snake Rd. Proceed on Snake Rd. and go straight onto Shepherd Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepherd Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.Have a good weekend,Mike

Pac Striders Mar. 9, 8:30am - Lake Chabot Marina (& Daylight Savings)

2008-03-07T17:49:00.000-08:00

We've had some special requests to revisit Lake Chabot, so we're taking the opportunity on what should be a lovely day at the park. The full lake loop is 9 miles, with the option to do shorter out-and-backs.

This Sunday also happens to be Daylight Savings Time, so don't forget to set your clocks one hour forward (or show up one hour "early").

DIRECTIONS:
*I-580 East (Oakland/Berkeley) Exit Fairmont Avenue. Drive East to park entrance on the left.
*I-580 West (Livermore/Dublin) Exit Strobridge Avenue. Turn right on Strobridge. Turn right on Castro Valley Blvd. Turn left on Lake Chabot Road to park entrance on right.
*I-680 South (Walnut Creek) Take I-680 South to I-580 West. Follow directions above for 1-580 West.
*1-880 North (Fremont/San Jose) I-880 North to Hwy. 238 East. Exit Castro Valley. Left on Castro Valley Blvd. Left on Lake Chabot Road to park entrance on right.

There is a fee to park in the lot, but you can park along Lake Chabot Road outside the entrance for free.

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun March 2, 8:30, Skyline Gate

2008-02-29T18:55:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone,
We are returning to Skyline Gate, hoping to take advantage of the dry spell to run something other than Bayview. We were thinking Stream, but are open to lobbying. I may lobby to run Sibley!

DIRECTIONS: Skyline Gate can be reached from the Park Ave. exit off Highway 13 in Oakland. Heading north on 13, turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp onto Mountain Blvd. Turn right at the third light onto Snake Rd. Heading south on 13, take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto Park Ave., a left at the light onto Mountain Blvd., and a right onto Snake Rd. Proceed on Snake Rd. and go straight onto Shepherd Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepherd Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.Have a good weekend,Mike

Pac Striders Feb. 24 - Couples Relay, 9am start

2008-02-22T12:48:00.001-08:00

This Sunday we're going to the 30th Annual Couples Relay race at Lake Merritt in Oakland! This is an annual tradition for us, and we're paired up and ready to go, rain or shine! There are still some spots left, so don't be shy, ask a friend or partner and sign up at http://www.lmjs.org!

If you don't feel like hooking up at the race, we've designated Inspiration Point in Berkeley as the alternate run. Wherever you go, don't forget your rain gear!

DIRECTIONS TO THE COUPLE'S RELAY: These directions are to Children's Fairyland in Oakland. The start location is further down at the Sailboat House, at 568 Bellevue Ave.

From Berkeley/Oakland, take 580 east. Take the Harrison Street exit in Oakland and turn right onto Harrison. Turn left at Grand Avenue. Fairyland is one block away, at the intersection of Grand and Bellevue. Turn to the right and park.

If you are coming from the San Leandro direction, take 580 west to the MacArthur/Harrison exit in Oakland. Turn left on Harrison and left on Grand Avenue. Fairyland is one block away on the right, at the intersection of Grand and Bellevue.

DIRECTIONS TO INSPIRATION POINT: From Oakland/Berkeley, go thru the Caldecott Tunnel on Hwy 24 to the Orinda/Moraga exit. Turn left (north) onto Camino Pablo, and go 2 miles to the traffic light at Wildcat Canyon Rd. Turn left and go uphill 2.5 miles to the parking lot at the top of the ridge.

Pac Striders Wekend Run, Sun Feb 17, 8:30, Wildcat Canyon

2008-02-15T23:25:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
After last weeks hilly, but beautiful, French Trail; we opted for the relatively flat Wildcat Canyon trail from Lone Oak. This ten mile out and back leaves options for any distance and there is a watering spot about half way out. The only bathrooms are at and near the beginning. Don't forget, we are on PST (Pacific Strider Time), so be patient if no one is there at 8:30. Usually, some one will show up.

Directions to Lone Oak: Lone Oak is on Central Park Dr. near the Nature Center at the Canon Dr. entrance to Tilden, near the intersection of Spruce St. and Grizzly Peak Blvd. in Berkeley.

From all points except Highway 24 heading west, take Interstate 80 to Albany. From Intersate 80 east take the Buchanan exit in Albany and turn right at the light at the top of the ramp onto Buchanan. From Interstate 80 west, take the Buchanan exit and turn left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp. Follow this street as it curves left, then right, and it we lead you onto Buchanan.Proceed on Buchanan and after you cross San Pablo Ave., it will become Marin. Proceed up Marin toward the hills. When you hit a traffic circle, proceed halfway around and continue up the steep hill on Marin. The next stop sign is Spruce St., turn left. Follow Spruce to Grizzly Peak. Cross Grizzly Peak and take an immediate left onto Canon Dr. Take a right at the bottom onto Central Park Dr., then a left onto Lone Oak in about .25 miles. Park near the Lone Oak picnic area.

From Highway 24 west, take the Fish Ranch Road exit and turn right to go up the hill at the stop sign. Turn right onto Grizzley Peak and stay on it a LONG ways until the Spruce St. intersection. Right on Spruce, then take an immediate left onto Canon Dr. Take a right at the bottom onto Central Park Dr., then a left onto Lone Oak in about .25 miles. Park near the Lone Oak picnic area.
Have a good weekend,
Mike

Pac Striders Weekend Run, Sun Feb 10, 8:30, French Trail

2008-02-06T23:10:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
I saw some hikers after last Sunday's run trying to decide which trail to try. I encouraged them to try French, which actually holds up pretty well in wet weather. I hope they made it back. That got me to thinking that we haven't been on French in a while. Mainly because your intrepid coordinators didn't want to do those hills!

I thought we would give it try this week. There are loops of varying distance that come back on west ridge trail. Of course, if you want to talk me into something else, I'm known to be flexible.

DIRECTIONS TO SKYLINE GATE: Skyline Gate is located off of Hwy. 13. This highway is accessible via I-580 and Hwy. 24. From 580 West toward Oakland, take Hwy. 13 North. Exit at Park Blvd.and at the end of the ramp turn left onto Mountain Blvd. At the third light turn right onto Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepard Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.From Berkeley or Hwy 24 (use the right bore heading west), take Hwy. 13 South to the Park Blvd. exit. Take a left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto Park Ave., a left at the light onto Mountain Blvd., and a right at the 2nd light onto Snake Rd. Continue straight onto Shepard Canyon Rd. where Snake takes a sharp left. Proceed up Shepard Canyon (watch for the sharp hairpin right) until you reach a five way intersection at which you have a stop sign. Turn right onto Skyline Blvd. and look for the Skyline Gate parking lot 0.5 miles on your left.
Hope to see you Sunday,
Mike