0.0 Start in downtown Orinda. Pick your favorite place to park and head North on San Pablo Dam Blvd. The Safeway would probably be a good place to start. Just don't tell them I sent you.
1.5 As you go through the intersection of San Pablo Dam Blvd. and Bear Creek Road you are entering the Bears Loop proper.
6.9 The fun is just about over. After you turn right on Castro Road you're going to have to start pedaling again. Sorry...
8.3 This little climb has no name and by itself it's no big deal. But, for some reason it always claims a few victims late in the race.
9.25 Turn right on Alhambra Valley Road.
12.0 Turn right on Bear Creek Road. In about .4 miles the road forks off to the right. The main road continues on as Bear Creek.
If you were to continue past this turn you would climb over Pig Farm Hill (steep!) and end up in Martinez/Pleasant Hill.
13.6 You are at the bottom of Mama Bear. This is the finish climb of the Berkeley Hills Road Race. It's straight and moderately steep. On a normal lap I'd use a 39x17 on this climb. One year I watched Wayne Morgan, a 1988 Olympian from New Zeland win this race by climbing Mama Bear in his big ring, something like a 53x19 or 21. Don't try this at home folks!
14.0 Summit of Mama Bear.
16.6 Look up ahead. You're at the bottom of Papa Bear. This is the hardest climb on the loop. The worst part is that it just sits there and stares you down. No turns, no switch backs, every time you look up you know just exactly how much further you have to go. Racing gears for this climb would probably be a 39x17 unless there was an attack. Then you might end up in your 16, or even your 15.
17.3 Summit of Papa Bear. That one usually hurts.
18.1 You're at the top of the last bear, Baby Bear. Baby Bear isn't too bad. It's short and not that steep. With the momentum of the pack descending off of Papa Bear you can usually float over this one in your big chain ring. On your own though, it will be a little harder. Now you get to do the fun part! The descent off of Baby Bear is very straight forward, but pretty fast. Speeds of 50mph are not uncommon in a pack at the Berkeley Hills Road Race.
20.2 One last little steep grunt. It's not really terrible, but imagine what it's like on the fifth lap, on a hot day when some skinny mutant climber is going up it in the big ring! Trust me, it HURTS!
Turn left at the top and head back into Orinda. Unless you want to do another lap...
