California rides

Per Löwdin said:

We are flying into San Francisco 14th of July and need some advice on
cycling routes in California. We will ride with BOBs and hope that we can
find places with nice singletrack where we can hang around, camp and ride
without luggage between the road rides.

There are some very nice mountain roads on the San Francisco
Peninsula, within a few miles of the San Francisco Airport. Most of
the offf-road biking is on fire roads, but there is decent
singletrack here and there.

There are a few camping spots scattered throughout the area. Big
Basin is probably the most popular. You should pick up a couple of
important maps, made by Krebs Cycle Products:

San Francisco Peninsula and Santa Cruz Mountains Mountain Biking Map

This covers San Franciso to Santa Cruz in great detail. This map
will get you on the best biking roads:

South San Francisco Bay and Monterey Bay Areas Bicycle Touring Map

You should be able to find both of these in any local bike shop.

This web site will be useful in helping you find a camping spot:

http://www.parks.ca.gov/parkindex/

--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA http://bike.terrymorse.com/

Thanks Terry, very useful info, should add that we will not stay in the bay
area for long, got seven weeks and can easily bike 80 miles a day, longer if
it is not mountainous. Would like to find some spots with really nice
singletrack.

Per
http://lowdin.nu

"Terry Morse" <[email hidden]> skrev i meddelandet
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Per Löwdin said:

We are flying into San Francisco 14th of July and need some advice on
cycling routes in California. We will ride with BOBs and hope that we

can

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

find places with nice singletrack where we can hang around, camp and

ride

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

without luggage between the road rides.

There are some very nice mountain roads on the San Francisco
Peninsula, within a few miles of the San Francisco Airport. Most of
the offf-road biking is on fire roads, but there is decent
singletrack here and there.

There are a few camping spots scattered throughout the area. Big
Basin is probably the most popular. You should pick up a couple of
important maps, made by Krebs Cycle Products:

San Francisco Peninsula and Santa Cruz Mountains Mountain Biking Map

This covers San Franciso to Santa Cruz in great detail. This map
will get you on the best biking roads:

South San Francisco Bay and Monterey Bay Areas Bicycle Touring Map

You should be able to find both of these in any local bike shop.

This web site will be useful in helping you find a camping spot:

http://www.parks.ca.gov/parkindex/

--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA http://bike.terrymorse.com/

Per Löwdin said:

Thanks Terry, very useful info, should add that we will not stay in the bay
area for long, got seven weeks and can easily bike 80 miles a day, longer if
it is not mountainous. Would like to find some spots with really nice
singletrack.

My knowledge of California MTB trails outside the Bay Area isn't
extensive. You should get better information in alt.mountain-bike.
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA http://bike.terrymorse.com/

What means "BOB"? Bringing your own bike/s?

Do you mean that you will arrive in SF with 7 weeks to ride? If so, are you
looking for touring rides? 80 miles of mountain biking per day could take
you quite far.

It is cool close to the coast (54 degrees F. outside our door here in
Berkeley at 8 PM and foggy). It can be chilly and windy (especially strong
wind from NW along the coast typically starting late morning and lasting
until maybe 6 PM). Not far inland from us was 104 today, which you might
want to bear in mind. If I rode my bike about 20 minutes east from where we
live in NE Berkeley the weather would change from cool and foggy to hot and
clear.

The East Bay Park District parks in the Oakland/Berkeley Hills, east of SF,
have many biking trails and maps are available, but I think they are more
suitable for day rides. Similar parks North and South Bay.

How far do you want to go - one long ride or several shorter ones? If you
want to take a longer ride I would suggest heading north near the coast
(avoiding State Highway 1 as much as possible) along lesser-used roads and
including as much trail ride as possible along the way. I have some of my
own favorite routes which I could suggest, but they are mostly small, paved
roads. Much beauty south down the peninsula, but if you are planning a
longer ride heavy traffic will be difficult to avoid.
--
Steve Juniper

"Those who are willing to sacrifice a little freedom for greater
security deserve neither."
-
- Benjamin Franklin
--

"Per Löwdin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Hi
We are flying into San Francisco 14th of July and need some advice on
cycling routes in California. We will ride with BOBs and hope that we can
find places with nice singletrack where we can hang around, camp and ride
without luggage between the road rides. Did a similar ride last year in
Colorado http://www.lowdin.nu/MTB/Colorado/Singletrack.htm

All suggestions are utterly welcome, especially with regard to places with
good singletrack, and safe bike friendly roads and routes.

Per
http://lowdin.nu

There are many good choices for single track either in the Sierra or on the
coast. The crossing between caost and Sierra on mountain bikes is a pretty
tough thing, especially in summer heat. I would advise you to cross the
central valley some way other than on bike (Amtrak, car, bus, etc), unless
you don't mind killing a few days.

On the coast, probably the best single track in the (southern) Bay area is
in a couple of places with camping more or less nearby. Modest amounts (2 -3
hours worth, without repeating trails) of good single track can be found in
El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve, Wilder Ranch, the Soquel
Demonstration Forest and a few things around Santa Cruz. I suppose it's
possible to bike to Butano, or Portola State park or Big Basin from some of
those and camp.

Henry Coe State Park (SE of San Jose) is quite large. You could explore and
camp there for days. There is lots of great singletrack, ample filterable
spring water, extremely strenuous and rugged terrain, limited facilities,
mountain lions and more than a good chance of getting heat exhaustion. Be
careful about riding mid day and carry water and a filter. Some of the
springs even offer good swimming opportunities, but it is a little late in
the year for that.

I hear good things about Annadel State Park in Sonoma, but don't know it
myself.

The Sierra is a whole other, bigger thing and perhaps your best bet for a
longer stay. Downieville, the Flume trail, Mr. Toad's, lots of stuff in
National Forests. There are books available on this in Bay Area bike shops.
National Forest are perfect for camping.

Don't ask me about Southern Cal., but it's another possibility.

Boris

"Terry Morse" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Per Löwdin said:

Thanks Terry, very useful info, should add that we will not stay in the

bay

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

area for long, got seven weeks and can easily bike 80 miles a day,

longer if

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

it is not mountainous. Would like to find some spots with really nice
singletrack.

My knowledge of California MTB trails outside the Bay Area isn't
extensive. You should get better information in alt.mountain-bike.
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA http://bike.terrymorse.com/

"Steve Juniper" <[email hidden]> skrev i meddelandet
news:5bpGc.29720$a24.27041@attbi_s03...

Quoted message said:

What means "BOB"? Bringing your own bike/s?

BOB is a trailer http://www.lowdin.nu/MTB/Colorado/Independence5.JPG

Quoted message said:

Do you mean that you will arrive in SF with 7 weeks to ride?

Yes, precisely.

Quoted message said:

If so, are you looking for touring rides? 80 miles of mountain biking

per day could take

Quoted message said:

you quite far.

We want to combine touring with mountain biking, i.e., ride along decent
roads between spots with good singletrack. On road we easily average 80
miles per day unless it is very mountainous. Can even do 160 miles, some
single day, if the conditions are right. On singletrack distance is not
really a factor. Should emphasize that we are not going off-road with the
BOBs, intend to camp, ride some fun singletrack (as dayrides), preferably
the best in California, for a couple of days and then continue to the next
place with good singletrack.

Quoted message said:

It is cool close to the coast (54 degrees F. outside our door here in
Berkeley at 8 PM and foggy). It can be chilly and windy (especially strong
wind from NW along the coast typically starting late morning and lasting
until maybe 6 PM). Not far inland from us was 104 today, which you might
want to bear in mind. If I rode my bike about 20 minutes east from where

we

Quoted message said:

live in NE Berkeley the weather would change from cool and foggy to hot

and

Quoted message said:

clear.

Thanks, those are things, especially about the fog, that it is not easy to
figure out over here (in Sweden).

Quoted message said:

The East Bay Park District parks in the Oakland/Berkeley Hills, east of

SF,

Quoted message said:

have many biking trails and maps are available, but I think they are more
suitable for day rides. Similar parks North and South Bay.

Splendid, perfect for day rides if we can find a good safe camping place,
preferably privately owned, i.e.., with showers and someone looking after
the place while we are riding.

Quoted message said:

How far do you want to go - one long ride or several shorter ones?

Long rides on road, between places, many short rides on good singletrack.

Quoted message said:

If you
want to take a longer ride I would suggest heading north near the coast
(avoiding State Highway 1 as much as possible) along lesser-used roads and
including as much trail ride as possible along the way.

Well, when we are riding with luggage we like to be on a paved road, when we
ride without we like to ride trails.

Quoted message said:

I have some of my
own favorite routes which I could suggest, but they are mostly small,

paved

Quoted message said:

roads.

Please do, don´t care to ride unpaved roads with luggage, some Americans
ride off-road with BOBs and they are adverticed as useable off-road, be that
as it may, but we will have too much weight for it to be fun, it would just
be extremely strenuous, prefer to have no luggage off-road. So, suggestions
of small paved safe roads are very welcome. Sometimes we wonder if we are
crazy taking a cycling holiday in the promised land of the automobile?

Quoted message said:

Much beauty south down the peninsula, but if you are planning a
longer ride heavy traffic will be difficult to avoid.

If there are bike shoulders and the ride takes us somewhere nice we can live
with it.

Per

http://lowdin.nu

"Boris Foelsch" <[email hidden]> skrev i meddelandet
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I would advise you to cross the
central valley some way other than on bike (Amtrak, car, bus, etc), unless
you don't mind killing a few days.

Depends a bit on how many days it would kill, I think we can handle the heat
though it wont be too much fun, have cycled quite a bit in SE-Asia,
http://www.lowdin.nu/MTB/Cyclinginsoutheastasia.htm am more worried about
the traffic. On our map there seem to be only four-lane high ways in some
areas. A day or two is OK, a week is not.

What is Amtrak´s policy with regard to bikes, we will have two bikes and two
trailers, can we just hop on a train? Or will we have to box the bikes?

Quoted message said:

On the coast, probably the best single track in the (southern) Bay area is
in a couple of places with camping more or less nearby. Modest amounts

(2 -3

Quoted message said:

hours worth, without repeating trails) of good single track can be found

in

Quoted message said:

El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve, Wilder Ranch, the Soquel
Demonstration Forest and a few things around Santa Cruz. I suppose it's
possible to bike to Butano, or Portola State park or Big Basin from some

of

Quoted message said:

those and camp.

Henry Coe State Park (SE of San Jose) is quite large. You could explore

and

Quoted message said:

camp there for days. There is lots of great singletrack, ample filterable
spring water, extremely strenuous and rugged terrain, limited facilities,
mountain lions and more than a good chance of getting heat exhaustion. Be
careful about riding mid day and carry water and a filter. Some of the
springs even offer good swimming opportunities, but it is a little late in
the year for that.

I hear good things about Annadel State Park in Sonoma, but don't know it
myself.

Thanks, I am taking notes. Think I can google up some of those places. Will
have to get a better map.

Quoted message said:

The Sierra is a whole other, bigger thing and perhaps your best bet for a
longer stay. Downieville, the Flume trail, Mr. Toad's, lots of stuff in
National Forests.

We are absolutely going to the Sierras, and to the Redwood empire.

Quoted message said:

There are books available on this in Bay Area bike shops.

We will get some of those.

Quoted message said:

National Forest are perfect for camping.

Don't ask me about Southern Cal., but it's another possibility.

Yes, we have a vague idea that it would be nice to do a kind of loop that
includes part of the coast towards LA, the Sierras, and then Redwood Empire.
We are not purists in any sense, that have to bike all the way, a day or two
in the Central Valley will be fun, after all we are tourists so it is news
to us, but more than that may be a terrible bore, so if we can hop on a
train or a bus without to much hassle, and get to an area with better
cycling we will gladly do that.

Per
http://lowdin.nu

Per Löwdin said:

Splendid, perfect for day rides if we can find a good safe camping place,
preferably privately owned, i.e.., with showers and someone looking after
the place while we are riding.

There are not that many private campgrounds in the state, mostly
state parks. KOA is one of the private chains:

http://www.koakampgrounds.com/where/ca/

--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA http://bike.terrymorse.com/

Terry Morse said:

Per Löwdin said:

Splendid, perfect for day rides if we can find a good safe camping place,
preferably privately owned, i.e.., with showers and someone looking after
the place while we are riding.

There are not that many private campgrounds in the state, mostly
state parks. KOA is one of the private chains:

http://www.koakampgrounds.com/where/ca/

I'd disagree slightly; there are many private campgrounds, but most
cater more to RVs than to tent campers. In any event, I almost always
greatly prefer our publicly-owned campgrounds to the private ones. Many
of the private campgrounds seem like little more than parking lots full
of RVs and maybe a few small spaces in which it's possible to pitch a
tent. In contrast, public campgrounds are generally in beautiful
natural surroundings with much more spacious sites. Most have showers
although many are coin-operated (have some quarters handy). I've never
had a problem with leaving camping gear during the day in our park
campgrounds. In addition to the regular park staff many have "Camp
Hosts" - usually retired people who stay at the campground free in
exchange for keeping an eye on things and helping other campers.

The main problem with the park campgrounds is that the more popular ones
are frequently full. Some of the state parks have special "Hike and
Bike" spaces set aside for people who arrive by foot or bicycle which
don't require any reservation. Stays are usually limited to a couple
days.

Quoted message said:

I'd disagree slightly; there are many private campgrounds, but most
cater more to RVs than to tent campers. In any event, I almost always
greatly prefer our publicly-owned campgrounds to the private ones.

Well, last year in Colorado we found that the USF camp grounds there tended
to be in extremely beautiful spots, but rarely had showers (hot or warm),
and most problematic kind of presumed that you had a car.

Per
http://lowdin.nu

"Per Löwdin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:%ktGc.4347

Quoted message said:

Yes, we have a vague idea that it would be nice to do a kind of loop that
includes part of the coast towards LA, the Sierras, and then Redwood

Empire.

Quoted message said:

We are not purists in any sense, that have to bike all the way, a day or

two

Quoted message said:

in the Central Valley will be fun, after all we are tourists so it is news
to us, but more than that may be a terrible bore, so if we can hop on a
train or a bus without to much hassle, and get to an area with better
cycling we will gladly do that.

This all sounds extremely ambitious! You're going south, north and to the
Sierra? Wow. As already mentioned, you may be spanning quite a temperature
range, but you won't see much rain, except coastal fog drip, which can be
heavy. You will be thirsty most of the time.

Maybe you can cross the central valley further north (toward Mt Shasta),
where it's narrower and the traffic is a lot less. You could work your way
up the coast mountain ranges and redwoods and then head east toward the
northern Sierra.

One important point is that singletrack is either hiking trail in wilderness
where you're usually not allowed to bicycle or is in more heavily used areas
where bicycles are more common. You'll find lots of jeep trails and fire
roads in the national forests of the Sierra, but single track may be hit and
miss, except around Lake Tahoe or other more developed areas.

I don't know about Amtrak and bikes, but I wouldn't expect European style
service. Check this.
http://www.amtrak.com/plan/baggage-checked.html

Per Löwdin said:

Quoted message said:

I'd disagree slightly; there are many private campgrounds, but most
cater more to RVs than to tent campers. In any event, I almost always
greatly prefer our publicly-owned campgrounds to the private ones.

Well, last year in Colorado we found that the USF camp grounds there tended
to be in extremely beautiful spots, but rarely had showers (hot or warm),
and most problematic kind of presumed that you had a car.

Yes, US Forest Service campgrounds tend to be more primitive although
there are quite a few exceptions. State and National Park campgrounds
usually have showers and other amenities - as do many of the campgrounds
run by local municipalities and counties. I'd suggest you plan an
approximate itinerary and then do a web search for appropriate camping
facilities.

One thing you should be aware of is that most parks in the US are public and
primitive by European standards. I found the private parks in France
especially civilized and a good value with very clean, functional
toilet/shower facilities and even decent restaurants or snack bars with
resaonble prices. Except for large, popular, campgrounds, here there will be
no showers and toilets will be pit-privies and no food nearby. KOA is a big
private campground chain more like a big, busy, parking lot but with
facilities. RV generators can be annoying in US camgrounds as well.

One advantage to bicycle travel is that in forests away from cities you can
easily disappear into the woods and camp anywhere, water permitting.

Too bad that it is generally difficult or impossible to find up-to-date
comprehensive maps for all but the most heavily cycled areas (much
opportunity for Michelin here!).

Quoted message said:

The East Bay Park District parks in the Oakland/Berkeley Hills, east of

SF,

Quoted message said:

have many biking trails and maps are available, but I think they are more
suitable for day rides. Similar parks North and South Bay.

Splendid, perfect for day rides if we can find a good safe camping place,
preferably privately owned, i.e.., with showers and someone looking after
the place while we are riding.

--

Steve Juniper
"One of the few good things about modern times: If you die horribly
on television, you will not have died in vain. You will have entertained
us."
-- Kurt Vonnegut --

"Per Löwdin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
"Steve Juniper" <[email hidden]> skrev i meddelandet
news:5bpGc.29720$a24.27041@attbi_s03...

Quoted message said:

What means "BOB"? Bringing your own bike/s?

BOB is a trailer http://www.lowdin.nu/MTB/Colorado/Independence5.JPG

Quoted message said:

Do you mean that you will arrive in SF with 7 weeks to ride?

Yes, precisely.

Quoted message said:

If so, are you looking for touring rides? 80 miles of mountain biking

per day could take

Quoted message said:

you quite far.

We want to combine touring with mountain biking, i.e., ride along decent
roads between spots with good singletrack. On road we easily average 80
miles per day unless it is very mountainous. Can even do 160 miles, some
single day, if the conditions are right. On singletrack distance is not
really a factor. Should emphasize that we are not going off-road with the
BOBs, intend to camp, ride some fun singletrack (as dayrides), preferably
the best in California, for a couple of days and then continue to the next
place with good singletrack.

Quoted message said:

It is cool close to the coast (54 degrees F. outside our door here in
Berkeley at 8 PM and foggy). It can be chilly and windy (especially strong
wind from NW along the coast typically starting late morning and lasting
until maybe 6 PM). Not far inland from us was 104 today, which you might
want to bear in mind. If I rode my bike about 20 minutes east from where

we

Quoted message said:

live in NE Berkeley the weather would change from cool and foggy to hot

and

Quoted message said:

clear.

Thanks, those are things, especially about the fog, that it is not easy to
figure out over here (in Sweden).

Quoted message said:

The East Bay Park District parks in the Oakland/Berkeley Hills, east of

SF,

Quoted message said:

have many biking trails and maps are available, but I think they are more
suitable for day rides. Similar parks North and South Bay.

Splendid, perfect for day rides if we can find a good safe camping place,
preferably privately owned, i.e.., with showers and someone looking after
the place while we are riding.

Quoted message said:

How far do you want to go - one long ride or several shorter ones?

Long rides on road, between places, many short rides on good singletrack.

Quoted message said:

If you
want to take a longer ride I would suggest heading north near the coast
(avoiding State Highway 1 as much as possible) along lesser-used roads and
including as much trail ride as possible along the way.

Well, when we are riding with luggage we like to be on a paved road, when we
ride without we like to ride trails.

Quoted message said:

I have some of my
own favorite routes which I could suggest, but they are mostly small,

paved

Quoted message said:

roads.

Please do, don´t care to ride unpaved roads with luggage, some Americans
ride off-road with BOBs and they are adverticed as useable off-road, be that
as it may, but we will have too much weight for it to be fun, it would just
be extremely strenuous, prefer to have no luggage off-road. So, suggestions
of small paved safe roads are very welcome. Sometimes we wonder if we are
crazy taking a cycling holiday in the promised land of the automobile?

Quoted message said:

Much beauty south down the peninsula, but if you are planning a
longer ride heavy traffic will be difficult to avoid.

If there are bike shoulders and the ride takes us somewhere nice we can live
with it.

Per

http://lowdin.nu

PS: I forgot to add that (as you may have noticed in Colorado) most USFS and
state park campgrounds here are in some of the loveliest settings and well
away from communities and services.
--
Steve

Steve Juniper
Berkeley, California
"Every day above ground is a good day!"
--

"Steve Juniper" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:ZVAGc.32576$a24.8417@attbi_s03...
One thing you should be aware of is that most parks in the US are public and
primitive by European standards. I found the private parks in France
especially civilized and a good value with very clean, functional
toilet/shower facilities and even decent restaurants or snack bars with
resaonble prices. Except for large, popular, campgrounds, here there will be
no showers and toilets will be pit-privies and no food nearby. KOA is a big
private campground chain more like a big, busy, parking lot but with
facilities. RV generators can be annoying in US camgrounds as well.

One advantage to bicycle travel is that in forests away from cities you can
easily disappear into the woods and camp anywhere, water permitting.

Too bad that it is generally difficult or impossible to find up-to-date
comprehensive maps for all but the most heavily cycled areas (much
opportunity for Michelin here!).

Quoted message said:

The East Bay Park District parks in the Oakland/Berkeley Hills, east of

SF,

Quoted message said:

have many biking trails and maps are available, but I think they are more
suitable for day rides. Similar parks North and South Bay.

Splendid, perfect for day rides if we can find a good safe camping place,
preferably privately owned, i.e.., with showers and someone looking after
the place while we are riding.

--

Steve Juniper
"One of the few good things about modern times: If you die horribly
on television, you will not have died in vain. You will have entertained
us."
-- Kurt Vonnegut --

"Per Löwdin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
"Steve Juniper" <[email hidden]> skrev i meddelandet
news:5bpGc.29720$a24.27041@attbi_s03...

Quoted message said:

What means "BOB"? Bringing your own bike/s?

BOB is a trailer http://www.lowdin.nu/MTB/Colorado/Independence5.JPG

Quoted message said:

Do you mean that you will arrive in SF with 7 weeks to ride?

Yes, precisely.

Quoted message said:

If so, are you looking for touring rides? 80 miles of mountain biking

per day could take

Quoted message said:

you quite far.

We want to combine touring with mountain biking, i.e., ride along decent
roads between spots with good singletrack. On road we easily average 80
miles per day unless it is very mountainous. Can even do 160 miles, some
single day, if the conditions are right. On singletrack distance is not
really a factor. Should emphasize that we are not going off-road with the
BOBs, intend to camp, ride some fun singletrack (as dayrides), preferably
the best in California, for a couple of days and then continue to the next
place with good singletrack.

Quoted message said:

It is cool close to the coast (54 degrees F. outside our door here in
Berkeley at 8 PM and foggy). It can be chilly and windy (especially strong
wind from NW along the coast typically starting late morning and lasting
until maybe 6 PM). Not far inland from us was 104 today, which you might
want to bear in mind. If I rode my bike about 20 minutes east from where

we

Quoted message said:

live in NE Berkeley the weather would change from cool and foggy to hot

and

Quoted message said:

clear.

Thanks, those are things, especially about the fog, that it is not easy to
figure out over here (in Sweden).

Quoted message said:

The East Bay Park District parks in the Oakland/Berkeley Hills, east of

SF,

Quoted message said:

have many biking trails and maps are available, but I think they are more
suitable for day rides. Similar parks North and South Bay.

Splendid, perfect for day rides if we can find a good safe camping place,
preferably privately owned, i.e.., with showers and someone looking after
the place while we are riding.

Quoted message said:

How far do you want to go - one long ride or several shorter ones?

Long rides on road, between places, many short rides on good singletrack.

Quoted message said:

If you
want to take a longer ride I would suggest heading north near the coast
(avoiding State Highway 1 as much as possible) along lesser-used roads and
including as much trail ride as possible along the way.

Well, when we are riding with luggage we like to be on a paved road, when we
ride without we like to ride trails.

Quoted message said:

I have some of my
own favorite routes which I could suggest, but they are mostly small,

paved

Quoted message said:

roads.

Please do, don´t care to ride unpaved roads with luggage, some Americans
ride off-road with BOBs and they are adverticed as useable off-road, be that
as it may, but we will have too much weight for it to be fun, it would just
be extremely strenuous, prefer to have no luggage off-road. So, suggestions
of small paved safe roads are very welcome. Sometimes we wonder if we are
crazy taking a cycling holiday in the promised land of the automobile?

Quoted message said:

Much beauty south down the peninsula, but if you are planning a
longer ride heavy traffic will be difficult to avoid.

If there are bike shoulders and the ride takes us somewhere nice we can live
with it.

Per

http://lowdin.nu

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

In article <[email hidden]>,

Per Löwdin said:

Hi
We are flying into San Francisco 14th of July and need some advice on
cycling routes in California. We will ride with BOBs and hope that we can
find places with nice singletrack where we can hang around, camp and ride
without luggage between the road rides. Did a similar ride last year in
Colorado http://www.lowdin.nu/MTB/Colorado/Singletrack.htm

All suggestions are utterly welcome, especially with regard to places with
good singletrack, and safe bike friendly roads and routes.

_ If you can find Bodfish's book online or in a local bike shop
that is a good guide to Northern CA and what you want to do.
Basically, you want to get the hell out of dodge when you get to
SF. I'd head north first along the coast. There's nice riding on
the Penisula south of SF, but camping is limited to a few state
parks and reservations may be required. The East Bay hills and
Mt. Diablo area are similar and put you in a bad spot to get
anywhere else unless you want to cross the Central Valley.

_ Here's a pretty complete list of guidebooks.

http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/best_resources/guidebooks.html

_ I'd go north, work east around Mt. Shasta and head back south
to the Sierra. The Downieville area is worth checking out and
camping around the Sierra Buttes is straightforward.

http://www.bonc.org/trailguide.htm

_ In general, the best mountain biking is in National Forest
areas at 5-7k feet. Higher areas tend to be Wilderness and
off limits to mountain bikes. Yosemite has little if any legal
mountain biking, although I would think the ride over rt 120
would be well worth it and there is quite a bit on the other
side in the Mammoth area.

_ Booker C. Bense

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Three to the top natural sights in California are: Yosemite, the redwoods
and the north coast. Here are two suggested routes that include all three:

1. Yosemite/Sierras. Get a ride east at least to Manteca not on a weekend
(I'd give you a ride that far if I'm around, which is likely). Ride east on
120 to Yosemite Valley (take old road left near gate through redwoods - no
cars allowed on it). Hopefully walk/bike sites are available. If not, you
could probably join someone else's site. Some exploring by bike. At least
take popular hike to Nevada Falls. Ride back to 120 and take it east through
Tioga Pass (9945'!) (preferably fairly early in day to avoid some tourist
traffic). Many fine camp spots, exquisite scenery. Go north on 395 over
Monitor Pass to 89 (cooler & more pleasant camping near summits - 8300',
8600'😉, heading west on either 88 or 89 (note Grover Springs Hot Springs
State Park near Markleeville - worth a stop). Continue west past Stockton
through delta on 4 to Byron to Marsh Creek Rd. Many options from this point,
including train (BART) from Concord (if interested I'd provide more detail
here).

2. Longer ride including redwoods, coast. Take bus (www.greyhound.com) from
Oakland north on I-5 to Weed (dep Oakland 6:15 AM arr Weed 3:10 PM US$39 7
day advance purchase + $22 for bike in box - they have box for $10).
Ride north from Weed to Gazelle, SE through mountain forests over
Gazelle Summit (4921'😉 to small village of Callahan. North to town of Etna
(we used to live near here). SE over Etna summit (5958'😉 through mountains
and forests through Forks of Salmon to State Route 96 at Somes Bar (very
very few cars so far). SW on 96 to Weitchpec. Right through Indian
reservation on 169 to Johnson Rd. Johnson Rd. to Bald Hills Rd. to 101 and
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (gorgeous - explore area. Creek walks,
ride to Fern Canyon, etc.).
Heading south on 101 nice county Park at Big Lagoon (we used to live
nearby). Patrick's Point SP excellent. Trinidad nice town. Arcata very nice
small city (bypass some of 101 by taking road west to Samoa and across
bridge to Eureka (can give details). South to Ferndale (avoiding 101 as
possible). Ferndale through Petrolia to Honeydew, right to Kings Peak Rd. to
Chemise Mtn Rd to Usal Rd to SR 1(this paragraph very few cars again).
Continue south (downwind!) on SR 1 and on to San Francisco. This segment
has a number of nice and lesser-traveled alternatives, especially left onto
Stewarts Point Rd (or via Annapolis) to Tin Barn Rd. to Kings Ridge Rd
through Cazadero to Duncan Mills on 116, Right back to SR 1 and south.

Numerous single track and mtn bike riding available along both rides but too
complex to include here - make local inquiry.

Steve

Steve Juniper
"It's nicer now that our children have reached our age."

"Per Löwdin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Hi
We are flying into San Francisco 14th of July and need some advice on
cycling routes in California. We will ride with BOBs and hope that we can
find places with nice singletrack where we can hang around, camp and ride
without luggage between the road rides. Did a similar ride last year in
Colorado http://www.lowdin.nu/MTB/Colorado/Singletrack.htm

All suggestions are utterly welcome, especially with regard to places with
good singletrack, and safe bike friendly roads and routes.

Per
http://lowdin.nu

Splendid, thanks a lot, printed it out, and searched out the routes on our
map, at the moment we plan to stay a couple of nights in San Francisco in
some hotel when we arrive to overcome the jetlag, bike a bit, and consider
our options. Would like to spend two thirds of more of our time on
singletrack (more precisely without luggage) and less than a third on road.

The first route would give us opportunities to ride in Mamouth and Tahoe.
Though I would not want to miss northern California.

Quoted message said:

Continue south (downwind!) on SR 1 and on to San Francisco.

Is there generally a wind blowing south?

Per
http://lowdin.nu

"Steve Juniper" <[email hidden]> skrev i meddelandet
news:ZVAGc.32576$a24.8417@attbi_s03...

Quoted message said:

One thing you should be aware of is that most parks in the US are public

and

Quoted message said:

primitive by European standards.

Yes, we learned that last year.

Quoted message said:

I found the private parks in France
especially civilized and a good value with very clean, functional
toilet/shower facilities and even decent restaurants or snack bars with
resaonble prices. Except for large, popular, campgrounds, here there will

be

Quoted message said:

no showers and toilets will be pit-privies and no food nearby. KOA is a

big

Quoted message said:

private campground chain more like a big, busy, parking lot but with
facilities. RV generators can be annoying in US camgrounds as well.

We will get along. After camping in no showers place for a while we will
check into a private campground or a motel once in a while to get get clean,
recharge batteries, etc.

Per
http://lowdin.nu

Hi Per I wish I could be in that area 8 weeks! I have just been there
in April for two weeks ride down Highway 1 to San Luis Obispo and then
inland to the Sierra Nevada in Yosemite National Park. All great rides
that I cannot wait to do again.
You can read my tour report here
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/giannifilippini/cycling/california/california.html

For many travelogues on the Pacific coast you can go here as well

http://www.cyclingtheworld.org/tours/searchtours.php?continent=any&country=Usa&region=&Submit=search&submitted=TRUE

Enjoy it.
gianni

"Per Löwdin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Hi
We are flying into San Francisco 14th of July and need some advice on
cycling routes in California. We will ride with BOBs and hope that we can
find places with nice singletrack where we can hang around, camp and ride
without luggage between the road rides. Did a similar ride last year in
Colorado http://www.lowdin.nu/MTB/Colorado/Singletrack.htm

All suggestions are utterly welcome, especially with regard to places with
good singletrack, and safe bike friendly roads and routes.

Per
http://lowdin.nu