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SBAY Geek Ride Mountain View Station to Shoreline Park [back up to the SBAY Geek Ride] This page contains directions to sbay.org's Geek Ride when it is held at the Mountain View Shoreline Park, starting from the Mountain View Light Rail Station in downtown Mountain View and goes along Stevens Creek, by the Nasa AMES research center and through the Shoreline Nature Preserve. The path goes along some side streets, on a wooden floored bridge (to go over Central Expressway) and then on paved bike/ped paths the rest of the way. Heavy wind from the Bay is a factor upon entering Shoreline. Road bikes should have no problem; rollerblades will take some effort on the Central bridge, but work along the rest of the paved trail. Variations on this route can run about 10-11 miles. This is the route for the SBAY Geek Ride for October 2000 and June 2001.

GPS Coordinates:

If you have a GPS receiver, enter this as a waypoint in order to get a direction pointer and enroute distances.

• Latitude: 37 degrees 23.696 minutes North (37° 23' 41.8" N)
• Longitude: 121 degrees 56.523 minutes West (121° 56' 31.4" W)

These coordinates will put you on the Mountain View Light Rail Station's center platform near the crosswalk across the Caltrain rail tracks.

Via Public Transportation:

• VTA Light Rail: Unless you already have a pass (such as an Eco-Pass), purchase a ticket at the station before boarding the trolley. Bikes board at the center of each light rail car - the doors have bicycle symbols next to them. There are four bike racks per car and room for two more cyclists to hold their bikes. Stay in the center/turntable area of the car.
  • From anywhere on the Guadalupe Light Rail line (San Jose): Depending on the boarding point, allow 35-90 minutes for trolley travel each way. Take the Guadalupe Light Rail line, northbound to Baypointe at the end of the line in North San Jose. Transfer to the Tasman Rail line and take it to the end of the line, to the Mountain View light rail station in downtown Mountain View.
  • From anywhere on the Tasman Light Rail line (Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara): Depending on the boarding point, allow 5-30 minutes for trolley travel each way. Take the Tasman Light Rail line westbound to the Mountain View light rail station at the end of the line in downtown Mountain View. (Note: in Spring 2001, Baypointe will no longer be the eastern end of the Tasman line when two more stations are completed at Cisco Way and I-880/Milpitas.)
• VTA Bus: the following routes operate on Sunday afternoons.
  • VTA Bus Route 34: Santa Clara Caltrain to Mountain View
  • VTA Bus Route 35: Stanford University to Foothill College
  • VTA Bus Route 48: Downtown Mountain View to Middlefield and Ellis
  • Note: Other express and commute shuttle routes do not run on weekends
• Caltrain: Caltrain in general runs hourly, and only runs as far south as Tamien on weekends. Special "bike cars" exist at the end of each train. See the Caltrain web page for details.

From the East Bay:

• From 680 or 880, take Hwy 237 west.
• Follow directions below for Highway 237.

From Hwy 237:

• Follow 237 west to its termination point at El Camino Real, where it turns into Grant Street.
• Turn right (northbound) onto El Camino Real.
• Proceed several stoplights and turn right onto Castro street.
• The Mountain View light rail station is to the right of Castro, just before the Caltrain railroad tracks. Parking is available on Castro, but usually all spaces are occupied. More spaces are available one block off of Castro; try turning onto California or Dana street.
• Get your bike out and ride it back to Mountain View light rail, two blocks north (from Dana St.) on Castro Street.

From US 101:

• Exit at Moffett Boulevard southbound (NOT the Moffett South Gate exit).
• Follow Moffett Blvd. through the Central Expressway and over the railroad tracks. The Mountain View light rail station is on your left as you pass over the Caltrain railroad tracks.
• You won't be able to turn left onto Evelyn (where the light rail station is). You can instead turn right and park in the parking structure on Bryant, or proceed a block down Castro and turn left onto Dana, parking in one of the downtown lots.
• Get your bike out and ride it back to Mountain View light rail, two blocks north (from Dana St.) on Castro Street.

Alternate from US 101 and Hwy 237:

• Exit at Matilda Avenue southbound.
• As you take the overpass over Central expressway, take the right exit onto Evelyn. This exit will be ON THE OVERPASS just after the peak, so don't wait until you come down to solid ground on the other side.
• Follow Evelyn along the railroad tracks; the Mountain View light rail station will be on your right. Turn left and park in the neighborhood before you reach the station.
• Get your bike out and ride it back to Mountain View light rail, just north of Evelyn Avenue.

From downtown and South San Jose:

• Take Hwy 87 northbound until it ends at US 101.
• Continue with the directions from US 101 above.

From Santa Cruz, Los Gatos, Campbell and Saratoga:

• Take Hwy 17 northbound until it becomes I-880.
• Continue with the directions from I-880 above.
• Use caution near the 101 interchange as the road narrows from three to two lanes. Traffic tie-ups are likely even on weekends.
• You can also take 85 northbound and follow the directions below.

From Cupertino and Los Altos:

• Take Hwy 85 northbound.
• Exit in Mtn View at Evelyn Avenue. Turn left onto Evelyn.
• Follow Evelyn. The light rail and Caltrain tracks will be on your right.
• Eventually the Mountain View Light Rail and Caltrain stations will appear on your right. Turn left and park in the neighborhood before you reach the station.
• Get your bike out and ride it back to Mountain View light rail, just north of Evelyn Avenue.

Last updated: October 16, 2009