Looking for a comfortable bike ride with your family members of all ages? Why not give the Mary Bridge Loop Ride a try? My son William is not comfortable riding solo yet, so we enjoy rides with a trailer bike hitched to the seat post of my mountain bike. It took us half an hour to complete this 5-mile loop ride.
You can start at the Oaks Shopping Center, then work your way north up Mary Avenue. Sometimes, dogs and puppies may run along with you while passing the Mary Avenue dog park. Be sure to take a break on top of the Mary Bridge for 360 degree sweeping views.
After riding over the bridge, you will bike down the path by Homestead High School, heading west down Homestead Road over I-85. If you time the stop light at Belleville Way just right, you can zoom down the hill using your momentum to get back up the other side of the small dip before Foothill Crossing.
Be cautious at the Foothill Expressway intersection, because traffic there can get confusing during heavy commuter times. This third leg heading south on Foothill is one of the most difficult stretches with a fairly consistent climb until clearing the I-280 overpass. You can get a bit of rest and catch your breath cruising downhill until reaching the Stevens Creek Boulevard intersection.
Finally, it’s time to complete the last leg of the Mary Bridge Loop Ride by heading back east on Stevens Creek Boulevard. You will get another opportunity to have fun zipping down a steep dip and use your momentum to climb the hill past the Blackberry Farm Golf course. At that moment, please don’t feel bad if you need to hop off and walk the bike up. Many people may find it too strenuous to bike uphill there. Once you make it to the top of the hill, it levels off for a simple cool down cruise back over I-85 to complete the loop at the Oaks Shopping Center.
I will leave it up to you when and where to shout at the top of your lungs: “FULL SPEED AHEAD!” William usually did so as we were zooming down the slopes. I tended to use the mantra as we charged up the more difficult climbs. Hope you will enjoy the Mary Bridge Loop Ride as much as we did!