Touring - Tour route in CA - Impossible Task?

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BigBlueToe
03-17-07, 10:27 AM
I'm stuck with finding a tour route for a group of 12-14 year olds at the end of June. We had more grandious plans, but circumstances have conspired to limit what we can do. (If I can't find something suitable we may have to scratch the idea entirely.) We're going to have to limit our trip to a week or so (maybe I can get 9 days out of 'em.) We live by San Luis Obispo. I'd like to find something within a day's drive, or maybe a day and a half (drive 2-3 hours in the morning of the second day then go for a short first day's ride.) We don't want to be too close to home - it will be more exciting for the kids to go somewhere new.

The fact that they're kids limits my options. I don't want to take them on busy roads with no shoulder (so the Big Sur coast is out.) I don't want to take them over any gnarly passes. A long, gradual climb might be okay on the 3rd or 4th day, but not for the first couple. I want to limit our miles for the first couple of days - probably no more than 20 miles. The furthest any of them have ridden in a day was 20 miles, unloaded, and that was a challenge. I do plan on taking them on as many training rides as I can between now and June so they'll be a bit tougher, but the first couple of days on a tour are always tough for me too, so I usually limit my own miles to around 30 if I can.

We'll be self-supported and we'll be camping, although a night or two in a motel won't break anyone's heart. We don't want too much heat.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

jamawani
03-17-07, 11:03 AM
Klamath Falls area?

You could camp at Mt. Shasta on the way up and then Mt. Lassen on the way back.I figure you are planning to have the trip sag-wagon supported so the route doesn't have to be contiguous.

There are lots of very good rides.
#1 - The Oregon, California & Eastern rail trail. Great scenery. Starts out paved - then hard-pack.
http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_230.php
#2 - Sprague River Road from Chiloquin to Beatty - light traffic - little towns with corner stores.
#3 - Lava Beds National Monument - light traffic, hillier, volcanic landscape
#4 - Highway 140 from Lakeview to Adel - very light traffic - killer downhill usually with tailwind
(Hwy 140 from Beatty to Lakeview doesn't have much traffic, but enough and is narrow)
#5 - County Road 310 from Adel to Plush in the Warner Valley - great wildlife and lush riparian zone
(steep dirt road to Hart Mountain - but there are hot srpings there and camping)
#6 - Surprise Valley from Fort Bidwell to Eagleville - practically no traffic, little stores along the way
(plus they could do just a bit of riding in Nevada and make it THREE states!)
#? - Crater Lake Road - much more difficult, narrow, still may have snow - probably not

It's 75 miles from SLO to Kettleman City; then 430 miles to Mount Shasta on I-5.
If you left early enough, there would be time to play in the evening at the campground.
Reservations highly suggested for Mt. Shasta and Mt. Lassen in the summer.
slowjoe66
03-17-07, 08:28 PM
Nice info Jamawani; this is right in my backyard and I don't even know about these routes. :)

Niles H.
03-19-07, 05:37 PM
How about quiet back roads in the sierras? Combine some good loops? Out-and-backs? Others? All of the above? Hit several different choice areas (several shorter tours, instead of one long one)? Drive high, have someone shuttle if possible....

Getting to the snow was always a treat when I was growing up -- it was great to get into the high sierras -- the snow, the air, the light, the waterfalls, the meadows, the mountains, lakes and rivers -- all very different from the Bay Area and Southern California. It always felt liberating and fresh.

Maybe see some giant sequoias?

Waterfalls should be going strong in June.
Niles H.
03-19-07, 05:43 PM
How about quiet back roads in the sierras? Combine some good loops? Out-and-backs? Others? All of the above? Hit several different choice areas (several shorter tours, instead of one long one)? Drive high, have someone shuttle if possible....

Getting to the snow was always a treat when I was growing up -- it was great to get into the high sierras -- the snow, the air, the light, the waterfalls, the meadows, the mountains, lakes and rivers -- all very different from the Bay Area and Southern California. It always felt liberating and fresh.

Maybe see some giant sequoias?

Waterfalls should be going strong in June.
CTAC
03-19-07, 06:09 PM
Maybe Bay Area?
Monterrey - Watsonville - Gilroy - San Jose - San Francisco - Half Moon May - Santa Cruz - Monterrey