« Middle East Bay Way

Middle East Bay Way (MEBW) is one of the more unusual "commutes" you're likely to encounter, and is admittedly not super practical. But it is amazing. It starts with a BART ride to the east bay, followed by some worming through some rough industrial areas. Then suddenly you find a nice tranquil bike path heading straight out into the bay, and then you're IN THE BAY, with water on both sides, for miles and miles. This ride is largely on dirt, and the route is replete with turns that may not be very obvious. It is advisable to try this ride with an experienced guide the first time, especially if you actually need to be at work that day! EQUIPMENT NOTE: This ride can be done on a road bike with slicks, but there are loose dirt sections, so you may consider your cyclocross bike or even a rigid mountain bike. But a road bike will be fastest. Definitely bring at least 2 extra tubes and perhaps an extra tire. It's pretty rough in parts.

• distance: ~41 miles (to Google)
• travel time: ~3 hours
• elevation gain: ~400 feet
• difficulty rating (1-10): 5
• rollout point: 24th & Mission BART (or West Oakland BART, etc.)
• inventor: Brett Lider