Hwy. 35, aka Skyline Drive., runs along the spine of the Santa Cruz Mountains as they descend into the Peninsula between the Pacific and the Bay. The most northern stretch -- from above San Bruno to Lake Merced in S.F. -- is straight suburban driving. It's the more elevated and Alpine segment, from Hwy. 92 south all the way to Hwy. 9, that attracts sports cars, motorcycles and bicycles (and CHP presence) on week-ends. Explore it on a week-day (beware of heavy fog esp. in morning) and discover a mostly-empty driving road that rivals the best European stretches seen on YouTube. It's all 2-lane blacktop, smooth and well-maintained.
From Alice's Restaurant at Hwy. 35 and Hwy. 84 (Woodside-LaHonda Rd.) heading north it's twisty 2nd and 3rd gear curves connected with some short straights, all in the shadows of tall trees on both sides of the road. At the northern end near Hwy. 92 it emerges into open vistas of the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Bay and Peninsula -- opening into Silicon Valley -- to the east.
But the really prime, high-speed driving is from Alice's south, all the way to Hwy. 9 far above Saratoga. Here it's mostly third and fourth gear, open vistas alternating with shorter wooded stretches, gentle rolling hills and nary a structure to be seen (just a few mailboxes and pull-offs/parking for vistas and Open Space preserves). Indeed there is but a single crossroad (Page Mill Rd.) on this miles-long stretch.
Expect little traffic on week-days mid-day but be alert always for hardcore cyclists doing their 100-mile training rides. Expect to see some hardcore motor vehicles too, both 2 and 4-wheel variety. As a state highway, this is CHP jurisdiction, and while you might see one (in 4X4 SUV -- this is the mountains) traveling north or south, I've never known them to set-up radar blinds.
As a side trip take Hwy. 84 west on the long descent out to the coast...it's a great road in its own right, and connects with fabled Pacific Coast Hwy. (#1) where magnificent views and equally great driving accompany the jaunt south to Pescadero, then back north to Half Moon Bay and Hwy. 92, for a return to the Peninsula; or continue north on 1 up through Pacifica and the very cool Devil's Slide tunnels.
Be safe, enjoy!
I'm a regular cyclist on Hwy 9. I'm not that hardcore, but I'm big which means heading down into Saratoga I can easily exceed the speed limit, therefore I almost always take the lane. If you think a cyclist is holding you up on that downhill then check your speedo - you might be going faster than you think.
