Thanks for all the responses! Really looking forward to the trip. I spent a bit of time in NorCal (great cycling), then moved to Switzerland and, while the cycling here is best described as incredible (especially for riding in the mountains), I'm looking forward to some coastal views again. Thanks everyone for all the route suggestions, they sound great. And definitely no shortage of clubs to try out! Hopefully I'll run into some of you over the next month.
With regards to rentals, I found a handful of places. The prices are typically comparable to to cost of international transport ($400 on most airlines), but I've also got some couple-day stopovers on the way back with no opportunity for cycling that add a lot to both the price and (especially) the hassle. Renting definitely seems easier in this situation, even if it means leaving my much-loved bike neglected for a month. If anyone from the future stumbles across the thread with the same question, here are three places that I found for rentals:
http://www.fastrackbicycles.com/
http://www.sbfitnesstours.com
http://sbbikestogo.com/
Price/quality seemed similar at all places: ~$350/mo for a decent frame with 105 components. I just went for the place that had my size available.
See you on the road!