Of course, it depends on the time of year you're thinking of. Winter shuts down the Sierra for touring, and winter is wet on the north coast.

Here's a different take on the Big Sur ride, done over three days. I'm not sure where you live, so I'll assume proximity to an airport is a given.

Start in Monterey and after 17 Mile Drive, take Ocean in Carmel to Junipero to Rio to head south on Hwy 1 through Big Sur. You can stay at Lucia or Gorda (if you want rooms) or camp at the USFS campground west of Hwy. 1 at Nacimiento-Ferguson Road. Start the day going over Nacimiento-Ferguson, then enjoy 13 miles of downhill into Fort Hunter-Liggett. Jolon toward King City and then follow the signs to the east entrance of Pinnacles National Monument for night two at the campground (there's a pool and showers there, too). Day 3, north on Hwy. 25, through Hollister, 156 to San Juan-Hollister Grade, then across Salinas Valley (use Reservation Road) to the coastal bike trail back to Monterey.

Google does two weird things with this map: it doesn't show the coastal bike trail, but it's well marked and easy to find -- a great end to the ride. It also doesn't let you get off the 17 Mile Drive, but routes you up to the highway and back before going through Carmel.

Paste this loooong link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sour...,0.109692&z=13

The route offers the coast and some magnificent stretches of a California you probably thought disappeared 100 years ago.
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