Cherokee Park Gravel Loop 37M/3500ft

Who feels like a gravel climb? Cherokee Park Loop out of Livermore (NW of FoCo) is a good one to tackle according to gravel insiders.

It's 37 miles, 3500 feet of elevation. Most of the elevation is in first half of ride, coming home it's mostly downhill. Almost all gravel (>90%) and supposedly smooth gravel except for a few short sections coming back down that may be chunky.

Route looks pretty straightforward, but study it or load it on your gps if you can:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44105431

We could start the climb and if it gets a bit hot/exhausting, come back down. That's the best thing about up and down routes, if your legs just can't handle it that day, turn around and coast home.

Best bikes for this ride are obviously gravel/CX. Could also be done with a hard tail mountain bike and be lot's of fun. Road bikes with tiny tires could be a challenge. Whatever bike you choose, be sure the brakes are in good order.

No place to pick up snacks/water on route. Rated as a 2-3 bottle ride. Also bring an extra tube, tool kit, and maybe a light jacket/vest for the downhill. Some shade near the top, but it is mostly exposed, sunscreen is recommended. (A mineral sunscreen is great for biking, safer for you and usually lasts longer than the chemical types. Properly applied it can protect most of the day)

Meeting in Livermore where Red Feather Lakes Road meets 287. The start has space to park on one of the corners.