By Ryan Teoh
The pandemic has hit everyone hard, students especially. Distance learning and the pandemic do not allow people to socialize well with their friends and classmates. Personally, I know many classmates and friends who really miss being able to go out and have fun with their friends. Biking may be a solution to these problems. With a bike, you can go anywhere and do anything with friends and family, while still following social distancing guidelines. You and your friends can go out to get lunch at a restaurant, or boba at a milk tea place, without the hassle of asking parents to drive you; especially if they’re paranoid about COVID-19. There are also other types of biking, such as road and mountain biking for the more adventurous and for those who want to stay fit. Of course, you should stay socially distanced while going anywhere.
There are three different types of biking.
Casual Biking:
It’s like going out with friends during normal, non-COVID times, with the added fun of biking to your destination. My friends and I usually bike to some far off mall or other place to get food, and we always have a blast. In addition, riding a bike is pretty healthy. You go to some place, eat food, and burn calories from biking there and back. You don’t even need an expensive bike; you can buy just any bike from a local store. Be sure to look where you’re going because unless you’re biking on the sidewalk, some drivers aren’t so friendly to bikers.
Road Biking:
If you’re adventurous, you may want to go on mountain biking trails or road trails. “Road biking” usually refers to literal biking on a road, but it also includes paved trails in parks. Many of these trails follow creeks and rivers and offer natural scenery. It’s very peaceful, and a good way to work out if you’re not a fan of running. Generally, any bike should suffice, but if you can afford it you should buy a bike made specifically for roads. You’ll be able to tell by the thin tires of road bikes and their lightweight frame.
Mountain Biking:
For mountain biking, you’ll want to get a higher quality bike, which may be expensive but worth it. Fans of the outdoors and athletes will find it a lot of fun, especially with friends. For safety, I would highly recommend mountain biking with friends, as you may encounter problems on the trail— it is actually quite dangerous going alone. If possible, you want someone who knows about bikes and can fix any problems because if any problems arise, such as flat tires, you’ll be stuck on the trail with no way back, unless you want to walk, which will take forever. In general, it’s a good idea to ride with an experienced biker who can help should any problems arise, such as a flat tire or an accident.
The following are some great places to go road or mountain biking:
Road Bike Trails:
Ed Levin County Park – This park is very close to MHS. You’ll reach the park if you go down Evans Road and up New/Old Calaveras. It’s all road, unless you want to go past the lake. There are spectacular views of the mountains, and you can feed the ducks; just make sure you watch out for the geese, as they will take your food if you aren’t looking. On the way down, there is also a scenic ride.
San Tomas Aquino Trail – This trail is not in Milpitas. It follows the San Tomas Aquino Creek in North San Jose, and ends near the San Jose Airport. There are many landmarks to visit, such as Levi’s Stadium, where you can still watch football games by looking at the big JumboTron while you’re on the trail There’s also Great America, but it is currently closed due to the pandemic.
Guadalupe River Trail – This trail is located very close to San Tomas Aquino. One direction will take you to the San Jose Airport, or go another and arrive at Alviso Marina County Park, a saltwater part of the Bay.
Coyote Creek Trail – This trail is next to the Walmart at McCarthy Ranch. From here, you can go to the Fremont Auto Mall, where you can stop for a snack.
Baylands Park – If you’ve ever run cross country for any Bay Area high school, you know this place. It has scenic views of the Bay. You’ll have to go through San Tomas Aquino to get here.
Mountain Bike Trails:
Alum Rock Park – This park in San Jose is personally one of my favorite places to go mountain biking, as it’s close to where I live and not too hard. I would recommend going up to Eagle Rock; it’s probably the best trail there. There’s also a view of the entire Bay Area. You can stand on Eagle Rock, which makes for a very good picture.
Mission Peak – This trail is one of the most difficult in the Bay Area, so only go if you’re prepared for a challenge. However, the downhill ride is definitely worth it; it’s a lot of fun riding down Mission Peak. Just make sure you know what you’re doing, as the downhill curves are pretty dangerous.
Alviso Marina County Park – This is the endpoint of the Guadalupe River Trail, and probably the easiest mountain bike trail, as it’s relatively flat with no up or downhills. The only reason this isn’t a road bike trail is because it’s bumpy, unpaved, and sandy. The view of the Bay is quite nice, and it connects to the Guadalupe River Trail.
Ed Levin (mountain trails) – Once you get up to the lake at Ed Levin, there are many trails you can take to go farther up the mountain, and no matter which trail you go up, there’ll be some notable landmarks.