Ride #4 - Staple Ride - Hills of Serrano
Everybody that trains, whether cycling, running or skiing; they always have a staple route. This is my staple route. In the months from March to November I do it only in the mornings before work. 4:30 to 6:30. In the winter months I do it once a week, but it is a reliable route to kick your butt and get your day started right.
Distance: 30-40 miles
Vertical Feet: 3,000
Max Grade: 15 %
Time: 2 hours
This is a start from home ride (Cameron Park). Easily the best-paved ride I do. Since Serrano is such a relatively new-gated community all the roads are in pristine condition. A nicely paved road compares to a waist deep powder run. The conditions are perfect. The homes and views are both breathtaking; as is the private golf course…and did I say awesome views? You see the Sierras as you climb and the average home in Serrano is a mere $650,000. The people that own these houses are the parents of the students I teach at Oak Meadow Elementary - very generous, kind and athletic people.
2nd Climb of Serrano:
This is the second climb in Serrano; your treats are one way roads, the Sierras at the top, smooth pavement for the climb up and the scream down and wide shoulders (so wide that I felt comfortable enough to take my son’s up in the Burley) Average time to climb from bottom to top (stop a Vilagio Dr.) is under 8 minutes, my PR is 7:15.
Here is the route:
1) Start in Cameron Park, head North on Cambridge Road until it ends at Green Valley Road.
2) Take a left and cruise down a 5-mile descent with some moderate rollers until you see El Dorado Hills Blvd. on you left.
Look at the shoulder, 12% right here:
3) Take EDH Blvd to Olson, stiff climbing but it is the first of five. Left on Gillette, to Wilson. Wilson takes you back down to EDH Blvd. When you are at the top of Wilson you see the next to climbs ahead, with the Sierras in the background as your reward.
Top of Wilson looking at Serrano Hill #1:
Serrano Hill #1:
Example of fine Serrano Roads. 15 % grade here:
4) Go right on EDH Blvd. (3/4 of mile)
5) Left on Serrano PKWY (2nd climb)
6) Go through the stop sign at the bottom and begin Serrano #2 climb. Awesome shoulder and like I said, BEAUtiful pavement. My goal is to get under 8 minutes every time. I stop the watch at Vilagio Dr.
7) Turn around at Vilagio and head down. What took you 8 minutes, now takes about a minute to get down.
8) When at the bottom, take a right onto Silva Valley Parkway unitl Green Valley and retrace the route back home.
- Paul
Click the links below for a detailed report:
Ride 1 - Salmon Falls / Prospector Grade
Ride 2 - Hills of San Francisco
Ride 3 - Death Ride Trainer - Ebbetts Pass
Ride 5 - Ridge Ride El Dorado Hills