Posted by RS, a resident of the Duveneck/St. Francis neighborhood, on Apr 5, 2007 at 1:21 pm

Can you supply intersections in both towns? It would help in terms of a helping you with a path.

Posted by Danny, a resident of the Crescent Park neighborhood, on Apr 5, 2007 at 1:41 pm

Right now I start in the downtown Menlo Park area, near Peet's coffee, and head toward Palo Alto. Intersections I usually pass are San Mateo/Middle (over the bike bridge), Sand Hill Road/Arboretum, and Alma St./Homer Ave. Thanks for the help RS.

Posted by RS, a resident of the Duveneck/St. Francis neighborhood, on Apr 5, 2007 at 3:07 pm

I commute to Militas from PA, so mostly when I am riding to MP, its for places like Keplers or a store on Santa Cruz Ave, but I dont know where Peets is, so hopefully this makes sense for Peets.

So if it were me, riding from Homer, I would take Emerson to where it tees against the creek, turn left onto Palo Alto Ave, ride to Alma just to your right is the pedestrian bridge next to the railroad tracks. The Menlo Park side of Alma is wider and calmer and can be riden down to Ravenswood Ave. Depending on street traffic, I ride the sidewalk to El Camino, or turn left crossing Ravenswood. You are now next to Keplers. Hopefully Peets is nearby

Posted by Danny, a resident of the Crescent Park neighborhood, on Apr 5, 2007 at 3:24 pm

That's a great route RS! And yes, Peet's is close (just a few blocks away from Kepler's, on the other side of El Camino). I'll try out this new route on my next ride. Appreciate the guidance!

Posted by RS, a resident of the Duveneck/St. Francis neighborhood, on Apr 5, 2007 at 4:40 pm

Note that it might be useful to ride across Ravenswood and catch the alley/street tbat goes behind Keplers to get to the top of Santa Cruz.

Enjoy the ride.

Posted by Phil Lanthrop, a resident of the Community Center neighborhood, on Apr 5, 2007 at 5:05 pm

The safest route that I know of is the bike bridge on the end of Bryant St. (bike boulevard) in Palo Alto....route is relatively free of the cars the seem to occupy the other routes on a much heavier basis....

Posted by RS, a resident of the Duveneck/St. Francis neighborhood, on Apr 5, 2007 at 5:23 pm

So where do you go on the Menlo side?

Bryant vs Emerson is about the same to me in downtown PA.

Posted by Phil Lanthrop, a resident of the Community Center neighborhood, on Apr 5, 2007 at 6:55 pm

Well, on the menlo side it pops you out roughly in between middlefield and alma streets.....

near the sunset magazine joint......residential mania.....easy access to downtown menlo via laurel or alma streets.....all fairly quiet residential stuff.....easy riding....for an easy rider!

Posted by RS, a resident of the Duveneck/St. Francis neighborhood, on Apr 5, 2007 at 7:08 pm

ok, but if you are proposing Alma on the MP side, what was the difference that you felt was better? Just Bryant vs Emerson?

Posted by Phil Lanthrop, a resident of the Community Center neighborhood, on Apr 5, 2007 at 7:23 pm

Well, I like Bryant better cause it's bike boulevard....and because the bike bridge connecting the two cities is on Bryant....not sure of the name of the quaint little street the it turns into in menlo land....I like Emerson...but more as a writer than a bicylce artery.....please note that alma street in menlo is totally different than palo alto....very quiet....but laurel st. is also very safe....nice wide open roads in menlo....bike lanes.....very safe in my opinion....check it out! Keep on riding!

Posted by RS, a resident of the Duveneck/St. Francis neighborhood, on Apr 5, 2007 at 8:02 pm

Familar with them, its not the route I'd pick, but its a good altenative. Laurel is definately a more atractive ride over Alma.

thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Posted by Periwinkle, a resident of the Downtown North neighborhood, on Apr 5, 2007 at 8:24 pm

Is this a potential application for Google's recently released "My Maps"?

Posted by Danny, a resident of the Crescent Park neighborhood, on Apr 6, 2007 at 9:28 am

All good routes guys. Looks like I have a few optinos for a safe ride. Thanks for the help!

Posted by Rebecca, a resident of the Professorville neighborhood, on Apr 7, 2007 at 11:02 am

A quick comment to say it was a pleasure to read a thread in which someone asked for help/advice and it was gladly and graciously given.

Well done.

Posted by Phil Lanthrop, a resident of the Community Center neighborhood, on Apr 7, 2007 at 12:11 pm

It's like watching progress in motion....

waves in the ocean.....

a witch making a potion....

a man driven by devotion....

it's a truly wonderful occurrence.....

miracles do happen in the strangest of places.....

Posted by Dale Conour, a resident of Menlo Park, on Apr 10, 2007 at 1:56 pm

Hey, any biologists or naturalists out there who can offer any information about the caterpillar invasion we're experiencing? They're dropping out of trees like special ops units. Do they come in peace?

Posted by Phil Lanthrop, a resident of the Community Center neighborhood, on Apr 10, 2007 at 3:50 pm

They should only be approached with extreme caution....they are very well armed and

have been known to use deadly force if cornered or trapped....

seriously, the stanford daily did a story on em earlier in the week, and be accessed online....alos the pa weekly ran a story......don't panic!