Last weekend, I got my first taste of bicycle touring. A couple friends and I started at the Golden Gate Bridge on Saturday, and headed north toward Bodega Bay, sticking to inland roads as much as possible because we'd be returning by Highway One the next day.

The weather was great, and riding "loaded" wasn't too bad. I was carrying a sleeping bag, a sleeping pad, a one-man tent, and a saddlebag packed with clothes, tools, and some food. To support all this, I used a small Nitto rack in the front and a Bagman in the back. All told, I'd say I was carrying maybe 20 pounds of stuff.

We made it to the Bodega Dunes campground around 3:30PM, and it was only $3 a piece for us to camp there, no reservations required. There were free showers and bathrooms, and tons of people in RVs roughing it with network TV only -- no HBO available in the wilds of Bodega Dunes.

The next day we got up and headed south on Highway One to Olema -- a highlight along the way was getting chased by a loud but slow dog in Valley Ford. Even with all our gear, we had no problem outrunning him. We turned left on Sir Francis Drake in Olema, then took the bike path through Samuel Taylor State Park. Eventually we were back in Fairfax, and soon enough, the bridge. Total distance for the two days: 155 miles.

Anyone else in Norcal do these kinds of weekend mini-tours? If you do, what are some of your favorite state parks or other camping-friendly destinations?