Photos: Cycling among giant Redwoods & rural Northern California
This is a new episode from our recent Northwest State &
National Parks travelogue. It includes a report, photos and
movies on the south half of the Lost Coast Century - the
most rural century in coastal California (and possibly
the state) which runs through the largest Redwood state park
in California and the last discovered land in the U.S.
I’ve seen a lot of great pictures from California now. Thank you, steephill,
for your latest contribution. California has made it to one of the top 3
travelling goals. Hoping to go there in a few years time.
(Hmmmm. Any Medical Technology Industry over there?)
Hey steep...here is where I usually quip about how I hate you people...but thank you for posting those marvelous shots. I had the good fortune to visit that part of California as a kid back in the 70s and will never forget those sights. I wish we had areas like that here in New Jersey to ride....come to think of it......I DO hate you
That's a great set. Especially like the bear! Looked like you were pretty darn close. As soon as I'm out of school, I'm gonna make it to all these fantastic places I keep seeing.
Did you by any chance try any of the Lost Coast Brewery beers? They've won many national awards at brew fests. It is a female owned brewery and the brew meister is also female. Their Down Town Brown nut ale is absolutey unbelievable!
I am so interested on moving to Northern Cali that I once shopped for a house and a job online in Eureka just to get it out of my system. As soon as the kids are older, I'm going to seriously consider it.
I am so interested on moving to Northern Cali that I once shopped for a house and a job online in Eureka just to get it out of my system. As soon as the kids are older, I'm going to seriously consider it.
I'm doing the same for fall '06 and take a 3-4 month European, or TransAM cycle holiday between jobs.
One comment I hear about Northern California. Great riding , but watch out for the Logging trucks?
How about bike lanes. I will be in Oregon in two weeks. Very near Crater lake /Medford. Steephill..HOw did you rate riding about the Cascade Moutains. Particulary heading west towards Medford. Did you ride that area. What kind of challenge/ riding conditions did you find the Cascade Mountains to be? thanks. and great pictures. thanks.
I’ve seen a lot of great pictures from California now. Thank you, steephill,
for your latest contribution. California has made it to one of the top 3
travelling goals. Hoping to go there in a few years time.
(Hmmmm. Any Medical Technology Industry over there?)
Thanks... a lot more are on the way. Lots of hi-tech in the Bay Area of course.
Hey steep...here is where I usually quip about how I hate you people...but thank you for posting those marvelous shots. I had the good fortune to visit that part of California as a kid back in the 70s and will never forget those sights. I wish we had areas like that here in New Jersey to ride....come to think of it......I DO hate you
Hate is temporary emotion and you'll get over it. Seriously, there is a lot to not like about California and that's partly why I go off on my bike travels. Ironically, it's the building of ugly Interstate highways needed to service the growing population and the slowdown in logging over the last fifty years that has made this state so complementary to road biking. C'mon out.
That's a great set. Especially like the bear! Looked like you were pretty darn close. As soon as I'm out of school, I'm gonna make it to all these fantastic places I keep seeing.
It was darn close! Encountering a bear while descending is scary. Think about it... where do you go. You can't turnaround and cycle back up the hill although I could have set a new Panther Gap hill climb record I'm sure. You can't run anywhere in your road bike cycling shoes and there wasn't anywhere to run anyways since I had a steep hill and a cliff on each side of me. After a minute he moved from the road to the shoulder but I wasn't going to try and sneak by him... he probably would have attempted to close-line me or throw a flying drop-kick. My only resort was either jumping of the edge of the road/cliff or engage him in a staring contest and I chose the latter... until he left. I wasn't sure whether he was truly gone so I picked up and cocked a large rock and cycled with it for several hundred yards until out of waylay danger.
(Hmmmm. Any Medical Technology Industry over there?)
I can't tell if this is sarcasm or not.
California is home to the plurality (if not majority) of biotechs in the U.S., thanks to two major centers -- SF/San Jose and the vast fingers of Los Amgen...er...Angeles.
And probably a whole host of new ones, what with the $10 billion gamble into stem cell grants...
But yes, unbelievably beautiful. In fact, a few years ago a friend and I went to the Cinque Terre and were massively disappointed -- it was prettier back home.
Some of you emailed me about problems with the video frame size in the Humboldt episode. I believe I've corrected the problem. It originally worked in my preferred browser, but of course all browsers have little annoying differences.
Did you by any chance try any of the Lost Coast Brewery beers? They've won many national awards at brew fests. It is a female owned brewery and the brew meister is also female. Their Down Town Brown nut ale is absolutey unbelievable!
No I didn't. Where are they located? In Ferndale maybe? Thanks, I'll check them out when I do the full route.
Hey Steephill, I have the exact same car rack as you. First time I've seen anyone else using one. How's yours holding up? Mine's starting to rust a little, but after over six years its still the sturdiest trunk rack I know of. I wasn't sure if Graber existed anymore.
Hey Steephill, I have the exact same car rack as you. First time I've seen anyone else using one. How's yours holding up? Mine's starting to rust a little, but after over six years its still the sturdiest trunk rack I know of. I wasn't sure if Graber existed anymore.
Yes it's a Garber. Good eyes! I've had mine for about 10 years, but probably not much longer. I'll be getting a new car this year and a new rack. The rack has a lot of miles on it! The straps are starting tofray and it's not quite as solid so it's ready for retirement... but it's not rusting.
One comment I hear about Northern California. Great riding , but watch out for the Logging trucks?
How about bike lanes. I will be in Oregon in two weeks. Very near Crater lake /Medford. Steephill..HOw did you rate riding about the Cascade Moutains. Particulary heading west towards Medford. Did you ride that area. What kind of challenge/ riding conditions did you find the Cascade Mountains to be? thanks. and great pictures. thanks.
I really don't see many logging trucks when I'm out cycling. I know it's an issue in some areas of California (and Oregon) but I never have a problem... it might be partly to due with riding on the weekends in these areas. In general, I'm not a big fan of bike lanes. It takes away from the character of the road and I don't like being relegated to a small strip of debris-littered payment that could disappear at any time. Of course, when cycling on a busy road, a bike lane is of benefit.
From driving and cycling in Oregon, I'd say the climbs are straighter and I more gradual then California. I have not been to Medford, but the area around Crater Lake is quiet for a Natioinal Park with several rides/loops other than the main event. I'll have another Oregon report in a future episode of my travelogue later this month.
Those pictures are great, it's a long way from Louisiana and I appreciate getting to visit thru your pictures.
I've cycled in a lot of great locations through the US and Canada. Just about every city has great rides within several hours of the core. Louisiana certainly has a different terrain then coastal California and the Sierra-Nevada, but there are days when all I want to do is find a flat, quiet road and go for an easy spin. That's hard to do were I live (Berkeley). I use to live in Toronto, which is flat, and I discovered while on my first major cycling trip (the Alps and Dolomites of Northern Italy), that my flat work was very good training for climbing... especially when you are riding into the wind! Someday I'd like to also document the unheralded (flat) places in cycling. The scenery may not be as dramatic but it's still really nice riding. So for you and others who leave in the flatlands, cycle the flats and get lean and fit because it will pay off if you decide to take a mountainous cycling vacation. Remember you've got to be fit to get to the top for a nice view of the scenery!
For the person asking about logging trucks, it's only a hassle on HWY101 and some of the other main highways.(36, 299, 255 among others) Thankfully a big stretch of 101 has a HUGE emergency lane for several miles. I think north of Garberville straight through to Trinidad, with a few short tight spots.
View Profile
View Forum Posts
Visit Homepage
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Boogs
Encountering a bear while descending is scary. Think about it... where do you go. You can't turnaround and cycle back up the hill although I could have set a new Panther Gap hill climb record I'm sure. You can't run anywhere in your road bike cycling shoes and there wasn't anywhere to run anyways since I had a steep hill and a cliff on each side of me. After a minute he moved from the road to the shoulder but I wasn't going to try and sneak by him... he probably would have attempted to close-line me or throw a flying drop-kick. My only resort was either jumping of the edge of the road/cliff or engage him in a staring contest and I chose the latter... until he left. I wasn't sure whether he was truly gone so I picked up and cocked a large rock and cycled with it for several hundred yards until out of waylay danger.
