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Should I ride the 280 tomorrow?

B

Bergrin

Current status: Hungry
Joined
Oct 21, 2012
Location
Santa Clara
Moto(s)
FJ 09
I'd like to ride my bike to Marin tomorrow for a Thanksgiving dinner (from San Jose). All I have done so far is short stints on the 880, it makes me super nervous but it's not unmanageable. Is Thanksgiving a good day to take on a long stretch o' highway? Or should I wait for a day that would potentially be less clogged with cages?
 
Yep. Get on the bike and go! Otherwise your trip will be 5 times longer.
 
RedwoodHawk said:
I'd like to ride my bike to Marin tomorrow for a Thanksgiving dinner (from San Jose). All I have done so far is short stints on the 880, it makes me super nervous but it's not unmanageable. Is Thanksgiving a good day to take on a long stretch o' highway? Or should I wait for a day that would potentially be less clogged with cages?
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280 is more lightly trafficked and, I believe, smoother than 880.

Stick to the left most lane when it gets into the clusterfluff that is the Serramonte / 19th Ave / 101 interchange. Keep your wits about you, that spot is treacherous, but it's better than dodging the late mergers in the center and right lanes.

Take 19th Ave through the park to the bridge.

Remember that almost everyone on the road will be drunk on your way home, and you'll have to stay overnight or abstain from alcohol yourself, or else you'll be inviting catastrophe.

Dress warm.

Have fun.
 
RedwoodHawk said:
I should be more specific. Should I take the 880s to 280n, then merge onto the 1n then take a left on 19th, cruise down 19th Ave. onto the Park Presidio bypass then hooking up with 101n? :teeth
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Yeah Traffic is going to be slow on 19th,im sure stop and go..its going to be slow in most of your ride..Just take your time.
 
Avoid 19th, try takeing the sneaky way down sunset– 25th Ave. and then link up with Park Presidio. My:2cents
 
SFSV650 said:
Remember that almost everyone on the road will be drunk on your way home, and you'll have to stay overnight or abstain from alcohol yourself, or else you'll be inviting catastrophe.

Dress warm.

Have fun.
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Absolutely! Plus I don't think my bike would support the weight of all the turkey I'm going to eat tomorrow anyway!
 
Beware of Azn drivers on that stretch of 19th Ave..! :twofinger
 
i'd expect 280 to be lighter than other days. So a good day from a freeway perspective. 19th...yea, go slow and take it easy. allow lots of time. If you feel at all tired, take a break. stop at a gas station, stretch your legs and body, get a drink (non alcoholic :)).

I think it is a good day to go. I'd probably want to come back on Friday vs. driving with the drunks tomorrow evening...
 
RedwoodHawk said:
All I have done so far is short stints on the 880, it makes me super nervous but it's not unmanageable.
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Are you planning to ride back to Santa Clara after dinner, at night?

If you have very little experience riding, I'd say get more experience riding locally before taking 280/19/101 to Marin.
 
Gary856 said:
Are you planning to ride back to Santa Clara after dinner, at night?

If you have very little experience riding, I'd say get more experience riding locally before taking 280/19/101 to Marin.
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I'm going to sleep at my folks house then ride back in the morning :thumbup
 
go for it. 280 is an easy ride. there's rarely congestion and i've found traffic to usually be lighter on Thanksgiving than the days before or after.

watch out for LEOs though, especially around 92.

cars will be driving fast (80+), let them be the rabbit and you'll be fine.
 
i live in santa clara too, and these days if i need to get to points north of the golden gate bridge i usually go through the east bay. 880>580>san raf bridge>101... when i'm in a car anyway. i assume you're not comfortable with splitting lanes. if you are disregard, as you'll want to going through SF
 
auntiebling said:
i live in santa clara too, and these days if i need to get to points north of the golden gate bridge i usually go through the east bay. 880>580>san raf bridge>101... when i'm in a car anyway. i assume you're not comfortable with splitting lanes. if you are disregard, as you'll want to going through SF
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Funny enough I'm fully comfortable splitting lanes so long as the cars are going pretty slow. I used to ride dirt bikes, and I raced DH mountain bikes for years so I'm good with low speed handling (anything under 40-50mph). It's just the high speed stuff (70mph+) that makes me nervous.
 
Sounds like a boring freeway ride. :(
 
RedwoodHawk said:
Funny enough I'm fully comfortable splitting lanes so long as the cars are going pretty slow. I used to ride dirt bikes, and I raced DH mountain bikes for years so I'm good with low speed handling (anything under 40-50mph). It's just the high speed stuff (70mph+) that makes me nervous.
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in that case, shake the sand out of your vag and twist the throttle... figuratively speaking.

srs: nocking out 50-60 miles as your first freeway experience might not be the wisest choice. 5 first, then 60
 
Just ride dude. Be easy on the bars when the wind hits you (well, in general anyway). You'll be there in no time and you look/feel bad ass the whole way!

Btw, if you've ridden 880, 280 is a walk in the park.
 
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