Northern California - Touring route from Reno to (somewhat near) Garberville

Howdy. I'm planning a tour to NorCal from Fort Worth, TX (via a Colorado section of the GDMBR) and I'm trying to determine if Rt 20 is a solid and usable route for a bike to get to 101 - or would y'all recommend an alternative?

Can any of you Nevada City/ Marysville /Colusa folks please offer some insight?

Howdy. I'm planning a tour to NorCal from Fort Worth, TX (via a Colorado section of the GDMBR) and I'm trying to determine if Rt 20 is a solid and usable route for a bike to get to 101 - or would y'all recommend an alternative?

Can any of you Nevada City/ Marysville /Colusa folks please offer some insight?

I have never riden hwy 20 but have driven it from 101 to I5. It's a heavy traveled high speed route. I don't tour, but I personally wouldn't feel comfortable on it. You might check with cycling clubs or bike coalitions for sacramento and Davis.

One route that might be interesting are the road(s) through the Mendocino Nat'l forest. It would be dirt though. I believe the more southernly one would be M1. There should be a ranger station in upper lake, ca and one in stoneyford, ca that you could call about info.

I have known of people riding from sonoma county to sacramento on routes near lake berryessa. garberville is a haul still from Sonoma Co. I don't think you can ride ( or would want to) on Hwy 101.

Might cross post this in touring.

Good luck

jeff

Thanks, I posted it in Touring first, but got minimal response. Having looked at the routes the Davis Marysville folks ride, they don't get on 20 much. Hm...

I don't think there is any paved road that cuts across the coastal range north of hwy 20 until hwy 36. The Mendocino Nat'l forest is pretty big. You could make your way to sonoma county and go up hwy 1 along the coast. It would be quite a few more miles, but it's pretty.

garberville is not too far south of Hwy36. I have no idea how that is to ride.

good luck

Thank you. Hwy 1 is a definite possibility if I have time in the bank at that point. Looks stunning.

Hwy 36 is a skinny, winding road from Red Bluff all the way out to the coast. I've never ridden a bike on it, but every time I've driven on it I was the only vehicle on it, maybe just a few cars near the turn-off to Hayfork. I think it would make an excellent bike route, as it goes through National Forest almost the whole way, so you can camp nearly anywhere

Bike-Bum, that's the plan! A rider from Nevada City was kind enough to send me a AAA map with a route marked up from Reno to Susanville and Red Bluff, over to 101. I wasn't aware of the 'camp anywhere' possibilities, so that's terrific news.

Looking at photos from the area I'm very excited to get to ride through there. Looks just stunning, plus I get to check out the redwoods in Humboldt. I can't wait.

Here's some info about camping in the National Forest:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/shastatrinity/faq/index.shtml#designated

Note that "National Forest" is not the same as wilderness areas or National Parks. Also, in California State Forests, the rules are different, and some state forest rangers seem to think it's their own personal property, so be careful there. Check out your intended route on Google maps using the satellite or hybrid view.

I don't think there is any paved road that cuts across the coastal range north of hwy 20 until hwy 36. The Mendocino Nat'l forest is pretty big. You could make your way to sonoma county and go up hwy 1 along the coast. It would be quite a few more miles, but it's pretty.

garberville is not too far south of Hwy36. I have no idea how that is to ride.

good luck

This might be a good alternitive. South along 101 to Garberville puts you in some off the most old growth redwood tree forests around. I believe there are quite a few roads that parallel 101, like Ave. Of The Giants and many of these might go though state park land. You might check out a detailed map.
good luck

Ave of the Giants is one of the things I really want to see. 101 from Eureka to and through Garberville is a part of Adventure Cycling's Pacific Cost Tour route, so itought to be acceptable.

Thanks for the scoop and the luck.

Ave of the Giants is one of the things I really want to see. 101 from Eureka to and through Garberville is a part of Adventure Cycling's Pacific Cost Tour route, so itought to be acceptable.

Thanks for the scoop and the luck.

Photos please.

Duly noted. Several portions of the tour are over routes with no/almost no coverage on the web by cyclotourers. This is one of those sections. I look forward to adding a little to the general fund of knowledge