Severe drought? Ride it out!

We provide the routes. Some are family- and novice-friendly, others are more challenging, but all are fun and engaging. We've marked points of interest along each route with brief snippets explaining why they're important parts of the water system.

You ride and learn. Take a break at the stops we've highlighted, gain a better understanding of water in our county, and most of all, have fun!

If you join the challenge and record your ride in Ride with GPS with the #ROtD hashtag, you could win a gift certificate of $100, $250, or $500! Some are random drawings, the bigger ones are a competition, see below for more info.

Santa Clara County is in a severe drought – so severe that Valley Water, the county's water provider, is requiring a 15% decrease in water usage over 2019 levels.

Everyone needs to do their part. One thing you can do is learn more about the county's water systems and how they work to bring us this precious resource.

So we've teamed up with Valley Water to help you Ride Out the Drought!

Ride Out the Drought (#ROtD) is a free, month-long program that combines the joys and benefits of riding bikes with a fun way to learn about the county's water delivery system.

Now extended through November 30th! Don’t miss out!

Self-Guided Rides

Now Extended Through November 30th!!

Routes

Family Los Alamitos Creek - 6 mi
Family Penitencia Creek Trail - 6 mi
ES Ruta Sendero Familia Penitencia Creek - 6 mi
Family Morgan Hill Gardens - 8 mi
Family Los Gatos Creek Trail - 10 mi
Penitencia Creek + Hill - 8 mi
Alviso Loop - 11 mi
Los Altos - Palo Alto Loop - 16 mi
Cupertino Loop - 16 mi
San Jose & Santa Clara Trails - 21 mi
Morgan Hill Gardens & Reservoirs - 24 mi
San Jose & Morgan Hill Loop - 57 mi
Palo Alto & Los Gato Loop - 64 mi
All Benches Hero Loop - 119 mi

There's a route for every type of rider. We have shorter rides on greenways and separated paths for beginners, families with children or those looking for a nice, leisurely ride. We have longer routes on open roads or urban areas for those looking for a challenge.

The routes are available on the app Ride with GPS. Use it to get directions and learn about the points of interest we've called out to help you learn about the water system. The routes are available at any time, so you can ride when it suits you best.

Ride to win! Record your ride in Ride with GPS to win $100 raffle prizes. Those who ride the most miles can earn even more prizes.

Register below to receive more information about Ride Out the Drought and instructions on how to use Ride with GPS. Make sure to follow all of the instructions in your registration email.

Once registered for the self guided rides, carefully follow the instructions in your registration confirmation email. Then, after each ride, use the share option to share your ride on your favorite social media and use the hash tag #ROtD for a chance to win a weekly drawing.

Those who log the most miles ridden on Ride Out the Drought routes will also be entered to win a grand prize.

#ROtD Contest Rules Overview

Elected officials, employees and immediate family members of SVBC and Valley Water may participate but are not eligible for any prizes.
Must be present to win one of 4 $50 gift cards from the Kickoff Event drawing.
Self-Guided Ride $100 gift card drawings will be selected at random from participants who share their routes in Ride with GPS using the hashtag #ROtD
Distance prizes will be awarded to riders who log the most miles in the Ride Out the Drought Ride With GPS Challenge during the event with a $500 grand prize!
Limit one prize per person.
All prizes are gift cards to local businesses.

Your safety is important!

Bicycle safety depends on the situation. Being aware of your surroundings at all times can help you take the right action to keep you safe. But as a reminder, here are a few general tips to help protect you and your environment during rides. Safety tips and videos to help you get started and ensure you have a great ride are available here.

Always know where you will be. Study the map ahead of time if you aren't familiar with the area.
Check your bicycle and other equipment ahead of time.
There's safety in numbers: try to ride with others when possible and stay together.
Let someone outside your group know your route and when you expect to return. It can help to download an app on your phone that shares your location. (Use Ride with GPS!)
Bring a phone. If you somehow get stranded or your bicycle gets disabled, you'll need a way to call someone to help you.
Bring a first aid kit to deal with scrapes and scratches.
If you're riding on trails, stay on them. Veering off a trail, especially near sensitive habitat, can be dangerous to you and the nearby wildlife.
If you happen to encounter someone aggressive, don't engage. Do your best to avoid the person.
Also, don't try to ride through a hazardous situation. Try to find an alternate route or a way around it.
You may encounter unleashed dogs along the waterways. Think ahead of time about how you are
As always, if you need to report an emergency, get to a safe area and call 911.
Remember to have fun!