Start: Vallecitos Rd., Livermore, Ca
Finish: Del Valle Dam, Livermore, Ca

Distance: 3.4 miles
Estimated Travel Time: 8 minutes

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Start: Mines Rd., Livermore, Ca
Finish: Del Valle Recreation Area, Livermore, Ca

Distance: 3.1 miles
Estimated Travel Time: 7 minutes

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Start: Greenville Rd., Livermore, Ca
Finish: Grant Line Rd., Livermore, Ca

Distance: 7.9 miles
Estimated Travel Time: 14 minutes

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Description:
Altamont Pass Rd. is a great alternative to driving on I-580 from Livermore to Tracy. Winding it’s way through the Altamont Pass this road is part of the Lincoln Highway (the first trans-continental highway in America).

Still standing, the Summit Garage is a great historical landmark hinting to what the past was like in this area. While driving on Altamont Pass Rd. you should also take a moment to look around at the windmills that make this area unique. You will may also notice the railroad tracks that run along side of the road… ‘racing’ a train through the canyon is a blast!

Speed:
Like most roads with sweeping turns the speed limit doesn’t allow for too much fun, but it’s fast enough to not seem ‘slow’. During commute times it’s probably best to make sure you’re keeping thing under control.

Road Condition:
There are parts of this road that are currently under repair (stimulus money at work), but I think it’s actually made things bumpier… hopefully they repave the entire surface. For the most part though, the pavement is quite good.

Traffic:
This is an alternative to I-580 so traffic can be heavier during commute times.

Accessibility:
Running parallel to I-580 from Livermore to Tracy, Altamon Pass Rd. is very accessible. Once on the road there are no gas or food stops available.

Length:
Long enough to get into driving before having to change roads.

Start: Patterson Pass Rd., Livermore, Ca
Finish: Altamont Pass Rd., Livermore, Ca

Distance: 4.9 miles
Estimated Travel Time: 12 minutes

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Description:
Flynn Rd. starts off by turning off of Patterson Pass Rd. and heads back towards I-580 (yeah, I know… why would anyone want to do something like that). There are some nice back-and-forth turns before coming to a hairpin exiting to a short uphill stretch. After the climb (see the comment in Road Conditions about this area) there are a few tighter turns to have fun with before the road straightens-up. At 2.5 miles there is a sharp 90degree left turn that is really fun to downshift into and accelerate out of. As you approach I-580 there are one or two fun corners before heading over the freeway to where the road intersects with Altamont Pass Rd.

Speed:
The posted speed limit is a little low, but it is enough for the sections with corners. Watch out for some of the tighter sections and for the cyclists.

Road Condition:
In general the road is in good condition. There is one location 1.2 miles in (just after climbing the hill after making the hairpin right turn) that tends to have gravel on the left side of the road.

Traffic:
Traffic seems to be light even when things are backed-up on I-580 (I guess people go another route). If it is a weekend and the weather is nice there may be some cyclists, but most good roads in the Bay Area are like that.

Accessibility:
In proximity to I-580, Flynn Rd. (in connection with a some other roads) is a great alternative to sitting in traffic on the freeway. There are no amenities, but there shouldn’t be any need for them. If all else fails, I guess there are a couple farm houses you could stop at.

Length:
This a shorter road, but it is long enough to have some fun on.

Start: Greenville Rd., Livermore, Ca
Finish: I-580, Tracy, Ca

Distance: 10.6 miles
Estimated Travel Time: 18 minutes

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Start: I-580, Tracy, Ca
Finish: Mines Rd., Livermore, Ca

Distance: 18.9 miles
Estimated Travel Time: 33 minutes

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Start: Mt. Hamilton Rd., San Jose, Ca
Finish: Mines Rd., Livermore, Ca & Del Puerto Canyon Rd., Livermore, Ca

Distance: 19.2 miles
Estimated Travel Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

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Start: Mines Rd., Livermore, Ca & San Antonio Valley Rd., Livermore, Ca
Finish: Diablo Grande Pkwy., Patterson, Ca

Distance: 24.4 miles
Estimated Travel Time: 27 minutes

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Start: Tesla Rd., Livermore, Ca
Finish: San Antonio Valley Rd., Livermore, Ca & Del Puerto Canyon Rd., Livermore, Ca

Distance: 28.0 miles
Estimated Travel Time: 50 minutes

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Description:
Mines Rd. starts by turning off of Tesla Rd. and proceeds past rural houses for 3.5 miles until turning off to the left. The road continues straight towards Del Valle State Recreation Area, but there isn’t much of a drive that way. After making the left to stay on Mines Rd. the road will get more and more rural.

The first part is a nice two-lane stretch that runs on the wall of a canyon. There are a nice mix of sweeping and wide turns with both uphill and downhill sections. After about 10 miles the road gets a little narrower and turns into one lane with no divided center line. At this point the road starts to get more difficult with fewer sweeping corners, but there are very few super-tight turns. After a little while the road moves from being on the wall/ridge of the canyon to the bottom of the valley. Towards the end of the Mines Rd. things open-up again before finishing at the intersection of San Antonio Valley Rd. and Del Puerto Canyon Rd.

Speed:
The posted speed limit on the road is more than fast enough through most parts, so you shouldn’t even be speeding while driving ’spirited’. Knowing that you can take a corner at a safe speed (for the corner) and not worry about having an issue with traffic laws makes this road quite fun. The speed is somewhat limited by the one lane sections with blind corners and the potential for traffic.

Road Condition:
The pavement is asphalt and is generally in good condition, there are some rough areas and a few cattle guards. There may be some rocks, dirt, or gravel on various places. Depending on the time of the year there may be shallow ‘river’ crossings, so if it has recently been raining keep an eye out. During the winter months there may even be snow.

Traffic:
This road is a local favorite for motorcyclists and bicyclists. During good weather there is a high likely hood that you will come along slow cyclists climbing the hills. There is also traffic from residents who live on the road. Typically the locals drive at a reasonable rate, but there are many pick-up trucks and other less than sporty vehicles. There are locations along the road for slower vehicles to pull-over, but not many areas to pass on the road.

The one-lane section of the road is fun to drive, but you really do have to be careful when taking the blind corners. There is often room to move over and have two cars on the road, but it could get ugly if both cars were trying to be in the same place at the same time.

Accessibility:
The road leads out into the middle of nowhere so you must come prepared. There are no places to stop for gas or repair. The only food or water can be found at The Junction Bar and Grill at the end of the road.

While it may not have many resources available, the outlet of the road is in close proximity to two great driving roads. This results in not having to drive out-and-back on the same road (not that it isn’t fun to do that either).

Length:
It doesn’t get much longer than a 28 mile, nearly one hour, drive on a single road.