Touring - Where is the best Touring out West?

I'm dreaming about bicycling out west mainly the Pacific Coast Route (I love to be near water). However, I do not have enough time to complete the whole route. Any suggestion on where to start the route and finish??? Or maybe a Washington Parks Loop? Where is the best bicycling out west? I'm looking for great scenery. I'm thinking I'll bicycle around a 1000 miles in August this year or next.

I can say that the parks you will visit on the Washington Parks loop would be a pretty amazing trip. You would see just about everything from oceans to mountains to wildlife. Pretty much get to see a little of everything in a compact amount of time.

I'm a little biased... Lived here all my life. Come and check it out.

OR and WA are great, so is SF to Santa Barbara. SOuth of there is overpopulated. Haven't done NorCal so I can't comment.

CO is awesome too, if you like mountains.

here's what I did last year http://tinyurl.com/m9glg9
and a few years ago http://tinyurl.com/2ouoay
(maps are slightly messed up by google maps)

I recommend the Olympic Peninsula, especially if you are here in August (the driest month of the year).

Starting at Astoria, OR and finishing at San Luis Obispo, CA would give you about 1100 miles and is incredible for scenery and not too crowded. The weather should be perfect that time of year. Normally a tailwind, too. I did the Nor CA section from Crescent City to Santa Cruz last August and it was hard to beat.

I started in Seattle and ended in Santa Cruz in 1992. It took me four weeks and I had a great time! My favorite part was the Oregon coast, so a few years ago I rode the train up to Portland, rode Highway 30 out to the coast, and rode down to Crescent City. That took me about 10 days?

I took the ferry from Seattle to Bremerton and then rode along Hood Canal to Twanoh State Park. That was a nice, easy ride. The next day I rode to Montesano. That was a long, boring ride on roads bordered by evergreen trees. That's all I could see. I love evergreen trees, but a whole day of them gets really boring. From there I rode out to Willapa Bay and stayed at the KOA, per the route in "Bicycling the Pacific Coast" by Kirkendall/Spring. That was on okay ride. The next day I rode to Cape Disappoinment State Park - another nice ride, though gray and drizzly.

The next day I rode the bridge across the Columbia into Astoria. That was harrowing. From there I started down the Oregon coast, and the best part of the ride.

When I got to northern Oregon the road - 101 - wasn't as nice. It was busy, had no shoulder, and lots of turns bordered by big trees - no room to bail out if traffic got too scary. Plus there was a lot of construction that year. It was still beautiful though. After Eureka you head inland. There was more shoulder and the scenery was good, but it got a lot hotter as you left the coast. I particularly loved the Avenue of the Giants. That was a magical part of the ride.

After the Leggett Hill climb over to Highway 1, I was back to the beautiful coast. That part of the road had few services, but was gorgeous. I enjoyed it very much. I continued to enjoy myself all the way down to San Francisco. I started to see homeless people in the hiker/biker sites just north of San Francisco, and the numbers gradually increased as I went south. I have to say, though, that while their appearance seemed somehow ominous, I never had a single problem. Riding through San Francisco was confusing and I got off the route once, but riding across the Golden Gate Bridge was a highlight.

South of San Franciso was very nice, though I knew I was in a much more heavily populated area.

I aborted the trip in Santa Cruz after breaking too many spokes and getting discouraged. It was time to go home. I've since gone back and ridden from there down to San Luis Obispo. It's spectacular - especially between Carmel and San Simeon, but there's a lot of traffic and no shoulder.

I hope this blow-by-blow account will help you plan, if you decide on this route. If not, it was fun for me to reminisce.

while just adequately spectacular the run between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz is great just to have a huge parking lanes worth of road to ride on and consistant tailwind. In '74 I visited my gf in santa Cruz a lot. Rode down on Friday aft came back on Sunday.

The BEST riding in the West -
Would have to be Glacier National Park to Banff and Jasper.
And yes, it has lots of water - i.e. fresh water in the form of lakes.

The San Juan Islands are lovely -
The Olympic Peninsula is great, esp. out to Neah Bay -
The Oregon Coast is stunning -
(although you have long stretches away from the water)

The California Redwoods are awe-inspiring, but inland -
The Mendocino coast is rugged with great views -
And there is no topping Big Sur.
All of that is true.

But you get water and carved mountain peaks in Glacier -
Plus hiker/biker campsites all over the park.
And you can take in Waterton National Park in Canada -
Not to mention riding over to Akamina-Kishinena in BC.
(Canadian parks allow mountain biking on trails.)

From Waterton north there is Kananaskis, Banff, and Jasper.
Eye-popping and a cyclist's dream.

If I had to pick a route in the West -
It would be Jasper, Alberta to Whitefish, Montana.
(North to south so you can do Going to the Sun east to west)
Only about 600 miles - but why hurry?

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j270/JohnnyGunn/Bike/MT35_Wild_Goose.jpg

The Kettle rails to trails looks pretty good as well.

I'm so jealous. I reside in this huge coastal state next to the biggest ocean in the world and yet haven't toured yet. :lol:

Starting at Astoria, OR and finishing at San Luis Obispo, CA would give you about 1100 miles and is incredible for scenery and not too crowded. The weather should be perfect that time of year. Normally a tailwind, too. I did the Nor CA section from Crescent City to Santa Cruz last August and it was hard to beat.

Yep. Exactly. It's by far the best part of the coast.

Another option (but isn't by water) is the canyonlands area of southern Utah/northern Arizona. Absolutely incredible area - BEAUTIFUL! (I think I enjoyed that part more than the coast.)

Thanks so much for the helpful information. You have given me great guidence and a good place to start my planning. What great responses.

the oregon coast sucks. i would not recommend it.

the oregon coast sucks. i would not recommend it.

I'm guessing you rode the Oregon coast with your eyes closed.

the oregon coast sucks. i would not recommend it.

Your social skills need some polishing.

I've ridden the Oregon coast from Astoria three times, once continuing on to San Francisco and each time I've had a great ride. The shoulders are generally pretty good particularly the further south one goes. There's also less traffic and beach town congestion once you get past Newport. Oregon campgrounds are some of the best I've experienced with Cape Lookout a favorite of ours. Four years ago campsites were $8.00 per night at the hiker-biker sites, including showers.

The California coast is great from Eureka to San Luis Obispo and the length of the trip is about right. You want to go downwind, north to south. Also the weather inland as you get off the coast is very hot in August, so stick as close to the ocean as reasonable. The very best road on the coast is from Ferndale to Petrolia and is known as the Lost Coast. Don't miss it if you get the chance. I consider it the best road in the USA.

there is so much traffic on the 101. 80% of the ride is riding on freeways with tons of traffic at 50 mph. not fun. i prefer roads where i see like a car an hour or something.

Your social skills need some polishing.

also, confused. want to explain what you meant by that?

The peninsula, middle of the Oregon coast, and the redwoods were all amazing. Unfortunately, it seemed that all state borders stink. Oregon to CA was especially ugly.

I hadn't heard of the Washington Parks Loop before. That looks pretty amazing.

Currently planning a trip for sometime in May-July. Was thinking about part of the Pacific Coast route but now I'm intrigued by this.

My girlfriend and I did our first tour and rode from LA to San Diego last October for New Belgium's Tour de Fat. We had a lot of fun and are really looking forward to get out on another longer trip.

All good ideas, and contrary to some opinions the Oregon Coast is great. However, I have to agree with Kyakdiver about the Wahsington loop-- It is hard to make a loop going down the Pacific Coast Route. It is also not easy to bail out or find a good terminus with a rental car or rail connections. I had to bail last summer because of a family emergency, and it took a couple of days riding to get to Crescent City, CA and a rental car. I was actually thinking about renting a U-Haul truck, but that's another story. There are several great loops around the Puget Sound area including a portion of BC. Including the San Juan Islands in the US, Vacouver Island BC and the Canadian Gulf Islands makes for a great bike/ferry tour.

I don't think you can go wrong!

One route that no one has mentioned is the Cascades Sierra Route. Adventure Cycling is publishing their first map in a couple of weeks. I have ridden most of that route and it is awesome.

San Diego Cyclist

The BEST riding in the West -
Would have to be Glacier National Park to Banff and Jasper.
And yes, it has lots of water - i.e. fresh water in the form of lakes.

The San Juan Islands are lovely -
The Olympic Peninsula is great, esp. out to Neah Bay -
The Oregon Coast is stunning -
(although you have long stretches away from the water)

The California Redwoods are awe-inspiring, but inland -
The Mendocino coast is rugged with great views -
And there is no topping Big Sur.
All of that is true.

But you get water and carved mountain peaks in Glacier -
Plus hiker/biker campsites all over the park.
And you can take in Waterton National Park in Canada -
Not to mention riding over to Akamina-Kishinena in BC.
(Canadian parks allow mountain biking on trails.)

From Waterton north there is Kananaskis, Banff, and Jasper.
Eye-popping and a cyclist's dream.

If I had to pick a route in the West -
It would be Jasper, Alberta to Whitefish, Montana.
(North to south so you can do Going to the Sun east to west)
Only about 600 miles - but why hurry?

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j270/JohnnyGunn/Bike/MT35_Wild_Goose.jpg

jamawani,

Your influence has changed my plans for a pacific coast tour to another year. I should be flying in to Edmonton second week of August. I have two weeks to bicycle solo and then I will be meeting my brother in Glacier National Park for a week of hiking.

I currently have a road bicycle with 25mm tires which I use on all my tours and quite enjoy. Gravel roads are out of the question with this bicycle. However, I do have the possibility of borrowing friends Surly Long Haul Trucker if you tell me I am really missing out on back roads. But I would really like to take my bicycle since I'm comfortable with it.

Route suggestions? I’ll be riding the Going the Sun Highway

Jasper to Whitefish 93 all the way.
Jasper 93 South to 3 East to 6 South (I think your recommendation from above post).

And what about Edmonton to Jasper? Route 16 all the way.

Any must stops along the way? I have time available to put in additional miles if need be.

Food & water suggestions: In past tours I have just stopped at small grocery stores or restaurants to keep weight down. I’m guessing food will be scarce & I must carry some. Would this assumption be true? Would you suggest a water filter?

I'm dreaming about bicycling out west mainly the Pacific Coast Route (I love to be near water). However, I do not have enough time to complete the whole route.

Seattle to San Francisco is about 1000 miles.

Another option would be a loop using the Pacific Coast and the new Sierra Cascades route. Maybe ride down the coast to Florence then to Sisters on the TA and back to the start on the Sierra Cascades route. If you have time lots of optional detours would be possible.

If you have never been to Glacier National Park, you are in for a treat.
Nothing surpasses Glacier for stunning beauty and sublime hiking.
But get your backcountry request in early, the sites fill quickly.
Or, you can play it by ear and see what is available late afternoon.
Some of the "less popular" hikes - usually in and out - are people-free and fabulous.
Be aware that this is prime grizzly habitat.

Here's a trip I took in 2005 - south to north
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=RrzKj&page_id=26448&v=Ni
Just start on the page above and work back.

Second week of August, eh?
(You MUST learn the proper usage of "Eh" to survive in Canada.)
It can start getting a little nippy - nothing major - but crisp in the mornings.

As for Edmonton to Jasper, Hwy 16, the Yellowhead, is the only real route to get there - but it is a 4-lane with lots of traffic and limited scenery until you get to the Rockies. Plus it would take 2 1/2 to 3 days. Why? If you are flying into Edmonton I would suggest either taking Greyhound or VIA Rail to Jasaper and starting from there. The train is nicer, but it only runs three days per week plus it is twice as expensive. Since you will be checking your bike and since airlines charge so much, why not ship it to a bike shop in Jasper and have it waiting for you? It used to cost the same - I'll bet it is cheaper to do it this way, now. The only drawback is that you will be bikeless a few days before you head out. (Unless, like many here, you have more than one bike) If you ship from your local bike shop - you get commercial rates and a guaranteed delivery date with UPS.

My recommendation would NOT be to take Hwy 93 all the way to Whitefish. It only so-so from Radium to the U.S. border and the section south of Eureka, MT is really lousy - narrow with a lot of traffic. I would suggest taking -

Hwy 93 to Lake Louise
Hwy 1A to Banff
Busy Hwy1 , TransCan, to Canmore (shoulders)
Hwy 1A to Kananaskis Jct
Zig Zag back onto Hwy 1
Hwy 40 to Peter Lougheed Park
Make sure to head into the park itself
At some point Hwy 40 turns into Hwy 541
Hwy 541 to Longview
Hwy 22 to Lundbeck
Hwy 3 to Pincher Jct (great tailwinds and wind turbines)
Hwy 6 to Waterton (another park not to be missed)
Hwy 6/Hwy 17 in U.S. to US 89
US 89 to Babb and St. Mary (you should consider riding into Many Glacier)
Going to the Sun Road east to west

Now that I think about it -
You really should take VIA or Greyhound to Jasper.
You will need the time to enjoy it all.
It took me 10 days to ride from Glacier to Jasper.
That gives you a few extra days for weather, a slower pace
And to enjoy all the parks.

Or you could ride out to Mount Robson from Jasper.
Or you could do the Golden Triangle - the BC National Parks -
(Lake Louise, Yoho, Golden, Radium, Kooteney, Castle Jct.)
With the Golden Triangle it would be about 13 days.

About the bike choice -
I must confess to touring on a mountain bike.
Have done so for years - 1989, in fact.
One of the great things about the Canadian national parks
Is that they allow you to ride fire roads into backcountry campsites.
Then again, you are often the onliest person there at night with the grizzlies.
Also. Spray Trail and Spray Lakes Road between Banff and Peter Lougheed
Are a much nicer alternative to the stretch on the TransCan.
But that's just me - I outlined a all-pavement route above.

Oh, here is a set of maps of the Icefields Parkway that I posted -
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/resources/?o=RrzKj&resource_id=1103&v=E&term=icefields%20maps&context=all

And there are online maps of all sections of Kananaskis Park south of Banff.
http://tpr.alberta.ca/parks/kananaskis/pdfs/SprayValleyMap.pdf
http://tpr.alberta.ca/parks/kananaskis/pdfs/2007_maps/2007_PLPP.pdf
http://tpr.alberta.ca/parks/kananaskis/pdfs/HighwoodCataractCreekMap.pdf

Regular groceries can be found at Jasper, Banff, Pincher Creek, and St. Mary.
The little store at Lake Louise is a rip off.
Small stores are also at Saks River Xing and Castle Jct in the national parks.
Also Fortress Jct and Highwood Jct in Kananaskis Country.
Longview and Lundbeck (with ice cream!) have small stores.
Then there are camp stores at Babb, Many Glacier, Sunrise, and Lake McDonald.

There is no store at the Icefields Centre - but there is a cafe and also a buffet.
Both are expensive and only so-so - plus the crowds are thick.
But if you are cycling, you can get your money's worth at the buffet.

What else?
A photo or two?

Icefields Parkway near Columbia Icefield
Grinnell Glacier Trail Looking East

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j270/JohnnyGunn/Icefields_Parkway.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j270/JohnnyGunn/GrinnellGlacierTrailM.jpg

Just a caution that inland routes (ie ones more than 10 miles from the Pacific Coast) in Oregon and California can be very hot in August...Often more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. This entails access to plenty of drinking water.

I'm dreaming about bicycling out west mainly the Pacific Coast Route (I love to be near water). However, I do not have enough time to complete the whole route. Any suggestion on where to start the route and finish??? Or maybe a Washington Parks Loop? Where is the best bicycling out west? I'm looking for great scenery. I'm thinking I'll bicycle around a 1000 miles in August this year or next.
The Big Sur Coast is hard to beat. Carmel to Morro Bay is my favorite stretch. From Morro Bay, it's an easy ride to San Luis Obispo where you can catch Amtrak.

SF to Carmel is a nice ride too, but the above stretch is spectacular.

Traffic does pick up on weekends along the coast.

North to south is best at that time of year because of prevailing winds.

From Oregon to Point Reyes is also beautiful. Oregon gets more rain.

If you've never seen SF or ridden across the Golden Gate Bridge, that is probably worth doing. But from Point Reyes to SF, and from SF to Half Moon Bay, there are a lot more people and cars than on the rest of the route. The Santa Cruz area is also populated, but you get past it fairly quickly. Half Moon Bay to Santa Cruz is a nice ride.

There is a beautiful redwood park near Pescadero, north of Santa Cruz and south of Half Moon Bay. It's called Butano.

Just a caution that inland routes (ie ones more than 10 miles from the Pacific Coast) in Oregon and California can be very hot in August...Often more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. This entails access to plenty of drinking water.
+nb
This is definitely worth noting. If you are not familiar with the situation, it is a little surprising or counterintuitive how much difference in temperature there is. It just takes a few miles. Even five miles will make a huge difference -- ten miles, and you're in another world. Along the coast it is consistently pleasant and cool. Inland, at that time of year, it is often unpleasantly hot.

+nb
This is definitely worth noting. If you are not familiar with the situation, it is a little surprising or counterintuitive how much difference in temperature there is. It just takes a few miles. Even five miles will make a huge difference -- ten miles, and you're in another world. Along the coast it is consistently pleasant and cool. Inland, at that time of year, it is often unpleasantly hot.

Yeah, but it pretty interesting to observe the extreme changes in climate as you go over the Coastal Range and the Cascades. It was really amazing how the vegetation changed as the area got rapidly drier and drier as we went east across Oregon.

Pretty much everything west of the Kansas (in a line north and south) is great.

There is something in every state that will leave the jaw dropping.

I think you should focus on what you want to see and do. And then come back a couple times to see and do it all.


My recommendation is the Coronado trail in Arizona or Southern Utah (zion area) and grand canyon north. But really You could pick a hundred great routes.

E. Arizona and S. Utah.

Just a caution that inland routes (ie ones more than 10 miles from the Pacific Coast) in Oregon and California can be very hot in August...Often more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. This entails access to plenty of drinking water.


Yeah, but it pretty interesting to observe the extreme changes in climate as you go over the Coastal Range and the Cascades. It was really amazing how the vegetation changed as the area got rapidly drier and drier as we went east across Oregon.

Yes, it is. The Sierras are also this way. There are many different biotic zone changes or life zones as you go up higher and higher; and then when you reach the other side, there is a whole new series. The Eastern Sierras are dry and Nevada-like, and very different from the western side of the crest.

And when you get up high enough, the temps in August are relatively pleasant. It's when you get down below three thousand feet or so that it gets uncomfortably hot during that time of year. If it is 105° at sea level, in the Central Valley, it will be approximately 3° cooler per 1000 feet as you go higher into the mountains (though some sources say approximately 2.7°). So at 7-8000 feet, for example, it will be substantially cooler. However, riding with a full touring load in the mountains, especially at those elevations, can be a lot slower and much more strenuous than riding along the coast. The coast is great for consistently cool temperatures, and absence of huge hills and elevation gains.

jamawani (http://www.bikeforums.net/member.php?10057-jamawani)

Thank you so much for the information. You don't know how helpful you have been. Your pictures & posts have inspired me to choose the Canadian Rockies for a tour. Your route information also is extremely helpful.

Change of plans. I'll be flying into Calgary instead of Edmonton by WestJet. It was a bit less $ than Edmonton & a direct flight with no layover. WestJet charges only $50 for bicycle shpping.

Still waiting to get a good price on the Kalispell ticket. For some reason I doubt that will ever happen. I will be shipping my bicycle back by UPS, Fed Ex, or local bicycle shop to Buffalo, NY once I get to Kalispell to avoid the exhoribant charges. Recommendations welcome on UPS or bicycle shops in Kalispell & Whitefish.


To all the other contributers to this thread, Thank you! The information will be helpful on my next tour out west.

Just a caution that inland routes (ie ones more than 10 miles from the Pacific Coast) in Oregon and California can be very hot in August...Often more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. This entails access to plenty of drinking water.

you got it. When I had my shop in Mendocino I thought Odlo poly pro underwear would be a sell but back then it was the stinky stuff. A lot of people came flying in from 101 where it was in the 90's only to find themselves riding through 55degree drizzle on the coast.

jamawani (http://www.bikeforums.net/member.php?10057-jamawani)

Thank you so much for the information. You don't know how helpful you have been. Your pictures & posts have inspired me to choose the Canadian Rockies for a tour. Your route information also is extremely helpful.

Change of plans. I'll be flying into Calgary instead of Edmonton by WestJet. It was a bit less $ than Edmonton & a direct flight with no layover. WestJet charges only $50 for bicycle shpping.

Still waiting to get a good price on the Kalispell ticket. For some reason I doubt that will ever happen. I will be shipping my bicycle back by UPS, Fed Ex, or local bicycle shop to Buffalo, NY once I get to Kalispell to avoid the exhoribant charges. Recommendations welcome on UPS or bicycle shops in Kalispell & Whitefish.


To all the other contributers to this thread, Thank you! The information will be helpful on my next tour out west.

Have a great trip!

My trip to the Canadian Rockies was of great success. I found a new passion (trail running). I only wish I had more time to run the mountains. The glacier fed lakes radiat a beautiful turquoise color and were quite memorizing. And the glacier fed rivers & lakes were perfect for taking ice baths to recuperate after a long day of hammering on the legs.

I was well prepared with the clothing that I had brought. I carried more weight on this tour than ever before (hydration vest, sneakers, ice breaker hoodie and rain pants) My first day on the Ice Field Parkway was cold & rainy, I could not see any mountains since they were covered by clouds. Thought @ the time maybe Jamwani worked for Alberta tourism and Photoshoped some pictures just to get me there:) Mt. Robson (Berg Lake Trail) was awesome! Such an amazing area.

Picture from Bee Hive trail Lake Louise.
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l56/wetommyd/P1000187.jpg

Oh, and let me not forget about Glacier National Park. Riding the Going the Sun on a beutiful day was certainly a treat.
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l56/wetommyd/P1000429.jpg


May 1st I'll be running the Big Sur Marathon. Thinking about extending my stay and bicycling from San Francisco to Santa Barbera or Napa Valley/Sonoma to Santa Barbera. Any thoughts from those who are in the know would be appreciated. I'm really in the early stages of planning this.

greetings, yes Glacier Ntl Park is quite stunning isnt it. The Riding to the Sun or whatever it is called must have been great on a bike (I drove it in a car once) but kinda narrow if there were lots of cars no? I forget how many klicks or miles it is.
As others mentioned earlier, to be careful of trail running in bear country. Im from out east and was really only more wary of trails out west because of how friends in Banff told us that you do really have to be more careful of "surprise" situations when mtn biking or running on trails in grizzley country.

Just to add, Im from Montreal Canada eh and once flew out to Portland (I think) and took a bus to Astoria, then biked down to a day or two bike past San Fran....great great trip. Really neat mix of terrain as you go through Oregon coast and then N. Cali. The German fellow I did it with had started in Washington but he and others I met on the trip said that if they were to do it again, they wouldnt do that part. (partly for time considerations) but of course, this is just an opinion. (and as I didnt do it...)

cheers and all the best with future trips

greetings, yes Glacier Ntl Park is quite stunning isnt it. The Riding to the Sun or whatever it is called must have been great on a bike (I drove it in a car once) but kinda narrow if there were lots of cars no? I forget how many klicks or miles it is.
As others mentioned earlier, to be careful of trail running in bear country. Im from out east and was really only more wary of trails out west because of how friends in Banff told us that you do really have to be more careful of "surprise" situations when mtn biking or running on trails in grizzley country.

Just to add, Im from Montreal Canada eh and once flew out to Portland (I think) and took a bus to Astoria, then biked down to a day or two bike past San Fran....great great trip. Really neat mix of terrain as you go through Oregon coast and then N. Cali. The German fellow I did it with had started in Washington but he and others I met on the trip said that if they were to do it again, they wouldnt do that part. (partly for time considerations) but of course, this is just an opinion. (and as I didnt do it...)

cheers and all the best with future trips

I had no problems with traffic on Going the Sun Road. Maybe it was because it was end of August which was end of their tourist season. Speed limit @ Logan Pass is 25 mph and every body was going rather slow. Some parts of the road was bumpy due to construction. I did'nt know if I should keep my eye on the road or the wonderful view while going down!

I bought the bear spray in Banff. Took it on my first run (where I saw a bear), but left it behind on my other trail runs. I'm 200 lbs, so I think must bears can hear me coming:lol:

Bye the way, loved my Quebec City/Gaspe trip a few year back.

Grinnell Glacier-Glacier National Park http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l56/wetommyd/P1000556.jpg



Kananaskis http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l56/wetommyd/P1000369.jpg

Beautiful pictures, and it sounds like you had a great trip.

Glad to hear that you discovered trail running. It is a great sport. I have gotten to the point where I hardly ride when not on tour because I'd rather be trail running.

Three places I like.. California's Central Coast.. California's Eastern Sierra and Utah's National Parks near Bryce , Canyonlands, and Zion..

My trip to the Canadian Rockies was of great success. I found a new passion (trail running). I only wish I had more time to run the mountains. The glacier fed lakes radiat a beautiful turquoise color and were quite memorizing. And the glacier fed rivers & lakes were perfect for taking ice baths to recuperate after a long day of hammering on the legs.





http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l56/wetommyd/P1000429.jpg


May 1st I'll be running the Big Sur Marathon. Thinking about extending my stay and bicycling from San Francisco to Santa Barbera or Napa Valley/Sonoma to Santa Barbera. Any thoughts from those who are in the know would be appreciated. I'm really in the early stages of planning this.

Wow. I like that Litespeed tourer almost as much as the scenery. How is it equipped. Components, brakes, tires.. ?

Wow. I like that Litespeed tourer almost as much as the scenery. How is it equipped. Components, brakes, tires.. ?

I wanted a bicycle that I could race & tour if need be. So had some holes drilled into the ti. Changed the cassette for one that would peform better on hills. This year I went with Gator tires and not a flat, so that was certainly a success. Below is the link with stock components.

http://www.litespeed.com/bikes/2006/road/fir_kit.aspx

This bicycle has served me more than well on my three 1000 mile tours. Not as stiff as I would like it to be when it is loaded and I get out of the saddle. It does seem to glide up hills without a heavy load. Was thinking of borrowing a friends Surly on the trip so I could go off road but very happy I did'nt.

took a look at the specs, the chainstay and wheelbase are both quite short-you dont have probs with your heels hitting the bike bags? (probably dont as you have done these trips, but on paper it looks close...)

glad you like Quebec/Gaspe--Gaspe was my first fully loaded trip and I was "too" fully loaded. That, combined with the bugger climbs on the north part of the peninsula, made me not really want to do that trip again. Lots of places were pretty, but I remember too vividly the overly steep climbs--made me be very much aware of packed weight from that trip on.

Having ridden the Icefields Parkway, as well as the sections of the Pacific Coast you mention, I would have to guess that if you liked the one, you'll like the other! That trip is logistically easy, you can use the Bicycling the Pacific Coast book or the Adventure Cycling maps, or just keep the ocean on your right. Try to stay in Kirk Creek campground at the southern part of the Big Sur coast, it has a great hiker/biker site.

I've been trying to keep the Free ODOT Maps of the Oregon Coast route stocked in the Kiosk on 101, Astoria,
just east of the roundabout, on the way to the rest of the OR coast south bound,
seems to be a few hundred maps have been taken over the summer..

took a look at the specs, the chainstay and wheelbase are both quite short-you dont have probs with your heels hitting the bike bags? (probably dont as you have done these trips, but on paper it looks close...)

No problem at all. I use the Arkel t-28 panniers and position them right over the center of the rear wheel. I'm sure it is close but never hit. I use clipless pedals.


glad you like Quebec/Gaspe--Gaspe was my first fully loaded trip and I was "too" fully loaded. That, combined with the bugger climbs on the north part of the peninsula, made me not really want to do that trip again. Lots of places were pretty, but I remember too vividly the overly steep climbs--made me be very much aware of packed weight from that trip on.

I love hills. I love the challange & the scenery. And I remember the one in Les Éboulements. It was at noon & hot and my legs were burning. And I get to the top and there is a lovely Artisian Chocolate shop with a great view of the river! What a great reward. A feast of chocolate!

Having ridden the Icefields Parkway, as well as the sections of the Pacific Coast you mention, I would have to guess that if you liked the one, you'll like the other! That trip is logistically easy, you can use the Bicycling the Pacific Coast book or the Adventure Cycling maps, or just keep the ocean on your right. Try to stay in Kirk Creek campground at the southern part of the Big Sur coast, it has a great hiker/biker site.

Those are my type of directions!

yes, that made me smile too (the "just keep the ocean on your right")

and second the "logistically easy" comment--so much good documentation, just nice to know what campgrounds are are like, where they are, good "real biker" suggestions for places to see and/or routes (how to get to the Golden Gate comes to mind, took the mixups of suburbia/busy roads out of the picture--and arriving closer and taking the bridge is a great memory for me)

as for the Gaspe comments, I too love hills for the challenge and scenery, agree with you on that one 100% (as I said, that trip I just had too much stuff but learned from it)
One of my favorite trips was doing most of the Pyrenees in France, East to West. Really beautiful scenery, and very neat how the landscape changed over the trip (arrived in Toulouse, went down towards Carcassone, into the hills, following the Pyrenees along towards the west, up and down various Tour de France passes, into Basque area of Spain. Basically went from rolling, to getting more hilly, getting more rocky and rugged, to very rugged and very hilly, to gradually getting less rocky and less high climbs and more green, Atlantic coast up towards Bordeaux flat and different---I love changes of scenery too. **Another big plus for the Oregon/California trip, its neat how it changes as you go down the coast.

I wanted a bicycle that I could race & tour if need be. So had some holes drilled into the ti. Changed the cassette for one that would peform better on hills. This year I went with Gator tires and not a flat, so that was certainly a success. Below is the link with stock components.

http://www.litespeed.com/bikes/2006/road/fir_kit.aspx

This bicycle has served me more than well on my three 1000 mile tours. Not as stiff as I would like it to be when it is loaded and I get out of the saddle. It does seem to glide up hills without a heavy load. Was thinking of borrowing a friends Surly on the trip so I could go off road but very happy I did'nt.Great choice for a tourer. I see you have STI brifters, the stock carbon fork, and a bar bag. How did that work out? What bar bag?