I have found that Anker products are absolutely top drawer. Never had a problem. Don't forget the US uses 110v and different outlets.

I use an Anker battery and a light (not Anker) mounted on my handlebars to keep my cellphone charged and also charge my Garmin Varia when stopped. Much easier than a battery in a pocket or bag if you have room on the handlebars.

Or BART. Many online vids of this. Also, the Thruway buses are contracted from various bus companies, so in the end, the driver is the ship captain and has the final say. Amtrak says they'll take the bike in luggage provided there's room...leading to nightmares where your bike is left sitting in the station. Never happened to me, in fact the driver had me put the boxed bike in luggage myself and then wedge it in tight with other bags.

Here's the narrowest part of the last ten miles up along the Meced river to Yosemite...don't really know how the YART bus Amtrak contracts fits through there. It can be well over 100F on a summer afternoon, but trust me, the Merced river is mighty cold.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/YFSobsWyCKQkB78a9
Rabbit hole on that street view,, how do you even pronounce this?:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/m7vJAXxBXEXF4TFW8
Backpackers campground, deserted in May 2023, probably no permits yet due to all the snow:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/JyQcYFfSLN29LGTv8

Hey up..!

Ah thanks so much for all the latest info and ideas- very much appreciated as always..!
A lot of this stuff I'll just have to waddle thru it as I get to it on the ground- I've planned as much as I can and should now I think. Saying that- I'll also have this massive thread as a brilliant ref to look on as I approach these various practical "obstacles" like trains/ferries/closed routes etc etc. It's all really really good advice I can read back on..!

My training is still going well- I haven't missed a day since I started and my legs have changed so much lol- proper calf muscles split now and everything haha.
I've been sent a PM (Thank you) about the horrible ongoing fires in Cali and suggestions around that going forwards, but again- I'll just have to deal with things like that happening during the tour as I go. There are eventualities you just cannot anticipate.

Ok guys- hope everyone had a great New Year and best wishes going forwards..!

In a few months we probably will have a new thread on this forum for routing information, updates on impacts to lodging and campsites, pertinent retail stores, etc.

I'm currently reading various sections of the excellent Bill Thorness book "Cycling The Pacific Coast".
I note that he mentions in it that his route differs slightly from the ACA Route (Which I'm using on my GPS) in that his route is the "safest and most scenic route, including use of push bike paths where appropriate".
With this in mind I've been going over the ACA route in Komoot and have made a few small changes to his route already.

My question is this- would you guys recommend I changes most of the ACA sections where they differ from his or it's just 6 and 2 3's?

There's some milage to be shaved off in some cases:
In one part he entirely bypasses Anacortes in Washington State- is that town worth seeing etc or..?

As someone who's entirely unfamiliar with this route and area I'd love to hear any thoughts if anyone's in the know..!
As always- nae bother if not; I've already more or less got the route down, and now I'm just enjoying tweaking it here and there as I count down the days.

When I start riding a route, I am re-considering different options on a daily basis. I always start out thinking that my routing is preliminary, subject to change. My point is that the fine tuning that you are doing right now is an endeavor that I don't do. Thus, I can't comment on the fine points you are going over right now.

Pacific coast route has lots of other bicyclists on it, you will meet some in restaurants, in campgrounds, etc. There will be many opportunities to share opinions on routing later. And sometimes your personal routing may vary to accommodate grocery store stops, or stores for stove fuel, bicycle parts, etc.

Others may have different opinions, much of this is personal preference on how much pre-planning one wants to do.

Aye- honestly I'm pretty much the same man..!
I'm just chomping at the bit to get started with this I suppose so am pouring over every facet of it now..!
Again- it's certainly stuff that will change once I'm on the ground and am asking people as you say. That book's extremely useful too- got some great side trips included with it which is cool.

Maybe in Santa Barbara County, if your legs are built up enough by then, you could try the inland route. From the free campsite in the small town of Guadalupe, head E on Hwy 166 through Santa Maria to the hamlets of Garey and Sisquoc (an alternate route is mostly on the Santa Maria River Levee trail which passes just N of Santa Maria to Bull Canyon Road), then on Foxen Canyon Rd to Los Olivos. From there, either a direct shot on 154 to Cachuma Lake campground (154 loses its shoulders a few miles short of the campground, or farm roads most of way to the Lake before you have to get on 154. A few more miles past the campground you can get off on Stagecoach road to climb over San Marcos pass, rejoining 154 briefly at 2240', then take Old San Marcos Pass road very steeply down into Santa Barbara to rejoin the main PCBR.

stevepusser ah cool thanks man..! I'll give that route a look and see what and where it is- thanks so much- I love getting suggestions like this..!

My guess is you'll still be tweaking it as you go along.

There are some larger factors still missing such as the actual weather and logistics/supplies as you go along.

So I view my initial planning/reading as creating a menu for later rather than getting too caught up in doing a lot of tweaking in advance. For example, a choice of whether to bypass or go through a town I might make based on whether it is raining or whether I camped somewhere and need groceries or to stop past a laundromat or whether I accidentally left my flashlight behind, or whether there is suddenly road construction changing dynamics, etc. All situations I might not know until the actual trip.

So what I do in advance is more like anticipate:
- are there areas with larger gaps where I might need to plan my lodging
- what areas seem to have services
- what are some features of "must see" places on my candidate list to visit or people I visit
- how will I replan if needed e.g. on phone, library PC, etc
- do I have major options if needed, e.g. train

During the trip:
- I talk to people along the way and other cyclists, sometimes adjusting again
- I get info about real time conditions and new things (construction, hazards, weather)
- I still keep my route somewhat dynamic
- I have fun
​​​​​

I will make one more comment on routing. As I mentioned before, I ended my southbound trip at San Francisco, thus I have no first hand experience south of there. A friend of mind did the entire route to the Mexico border with ACA as a van supported trip, thus ACA took care of all routing decisions, where to camp or stay in motels, etc. He said that the further south they got, the fewer campgrounds they used and more motels. I am not sure if it was the lack of campgrounds or if there was some other reason. My only point here is that you may find you need to plan for more indoor sleeping late in your trip.

If you are chomping at the bit, perhaps:
.

• you could go over your tools and spares kit, do you have everything you might need but minimal or no redundancies? (I have never needed more than one inner tube, but I always bring two, that redundancy is one that I will always carry.)
• one more review of your cooking kit, did you remember a cork screw if you might need one? If you bring a lighter along for the stove, make sure it is in your carry on, not checked bag. Etc.
• do you have the right kind of rain gear?

In the last few days before a trip, I will be sorting through gear trying to make sure that I cut out redundancies that I don't really need, etc.

There are lots of things you can fuss over besides the route.

I do not remember, when do you leave?

I've always felt a long bicycle tour has three phases. There is the planning and anticipation phase; the tour itself; and the aftermath. I can't look at a globe without putting my finger on a country and dredge up memories of this-or-that tour. Sometimes i'll be daydreaming and a "place" will come into my memory, and I'll ask myself... "darn where and when is that."

I'm hoping to do the Sierra-Cascade route starting on this April 1st for the fifth time, and I'm already dreaming about it.

I normally hang out in the C&V forum, but saw this and figured I'd comment. Perhaps someone else has already posted this, but with a 10 page long thread, I'll just put in my recommendation on the route. Big Sur is impassable now and the foreseeable future, so you'll have to go inland. I did just that on a credit card tour with 12 people. From Carmel, take the Carmel Valley Road up and over some very pretty hillsides over to King City, head south, then back on Hwy 1 somewhere south - there are a few options. Here's a thread from a couple of years ago with details.

17 Mile Drive in Carmel, cause there needs to be more pics on this thread.

mev Thanks for the input- I will take you up immediately on that one about larger distances between lodgings/campgrounds etc. Sounds like a damn good idea that.

Tourist in MSN Thanks for your ideas..! I leave on May 31st mate and start cycling on the 4th June. I've more or less got my kit sorted top to bottom but will take your suggestion to refine and reduce- cheers..!

Roughstuff Cheers man- totally agree- I've got loads of memories like that aswell. It feels like some memories blend into a conglomerate and it's hard to pick them apart specifically..! Best of luck for your AC Route..!

gugie Goddamn that looks STUNNING. That EXACTLY the type of scenery I want to soak in whilst I cycle thru. Honestly looks like Heaven on Earth to me. And aye- a bummer about part of the Big Sur route as that was a specific part I wanted to see..! I'll get as close as I can..!

Here in USA July 4 and Sep 1 are national holidays. You can expect full campgrounds on those weekends and busier roads.

gugie
Hey thanks for that- I've just added 17 Mile Drive cycle loop to the tour as the "official" ACA PCBR bypassed it. Looking forwards to exploring that peninsula..!

Quick random post about my old rear Panniers.
Can anyone identify these (My memory fails me!? My bike was stolen years ago with these still on- I'm trying to see what brand/model and also- could anyone make a guess as to the capacity of these? I'm guessing they look a LITTLE larger then 20L but am open to other suggestions. These were fantastic panniers- they had a built in water cover and also outside pockets for snacks etc.
I'm in the process of figuring which Ortliebs to buy and as of now am going for 20L Back Roller Classics.

EDIT: Ah- I found the model: CREEK2PEAK. Now to find the capacity as they're old and discontinued.

They do look a bit bigger than 20L.
28L? These?

Ortlieb has 23L Backroller Plus.
I haven’t looked at it before, but the pocket on the outside (the extra 3L I assume) makes some sense

Hey man..!
Ah no I don't think they're the same ones. I found that link aswell and noticed the logo sticker is in a different place. Also, they don't have that black see thru pocket on the lids either.

But yeah- I'm starting to wonder if I need a slightly bigger capacity than the Backroller's 20L... hmmm...
Saying that- I have read that if you don't roll the tops down so much that you can get a little bit more capacity?

I've done some research about bike locks too- seems to get a solid one that they're pretty heavy.
Are there any well recommended types for touring (Ie, lighter weight) that are as cut-proof as they can be?

Some decent ones on HERE I think, or are there better types for this type of touring out there?
I've read somewhere to get a chain type lock?

Re panniers, my preference has been waterproof, since discovering ortliebs in 93. Not worrying at all about your stuff getting wet, no matter the amount of rain, is worth it from my experience.
There are other great quality waterproof brands too, Arkel fur example.
My view is that it's worth getting great quality stuff, it's worth it in the long run, especially if you ever commute and figure biking will part of your life into the future.

I've mentioned this to you before, but four panniers makes the bike more balanced, and much easier to pack and have room for groceries.

Yes, roller type ortliebs can gain some room by how you roll them, including lots of extra room for groceries etc if not raining and you can have them nearly open but clip attached loosely on top.
The packer top style works well too, I use both types and am happy with the fold down and attach with two buckle system also.

If you do end up going only two rear panniers, a dry bag on top of rear rack is an easy way to have more space.
Handlebar bag as mentioned in the past is super useful. Ortliebs are great.
Btw, some arkels are bigger capacity I believe, but my preference is front and rear panniers for ease and convenience, with big bonus of bike but being so rear weighted, including life much easier on rear wheel spokes with less weight.
Have fun deciding
Ortlieb "plus" panniers material are lighter a bit.

I love the brolly! 😍

If I recall correctly, you are in the UK. Carradry panniers may make sense too. They are bigger than Ortliebs by a small bit, waterproof, etc. I bought some years ago, I used them on one tour in 2019 in back. Photo below:



The blue bag on top is a drybag that was not specifically sold for cycling.

Like Ortliebs they are waterproof. But for you they might be cheaper since the company that makes them is in UK. After Brexit, shipping costs to USA from UK went way up, so a lot of things made in UK are more costly for us in USA now. I used to buy a lot of stuff from the UK.
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/luggage/...-grey-58-litre

I usually use my Ortliebs, for one thing I have the 31 liter Rack Pack that mates with my back rollers really well. I like the Ortlieb hooks for hanging on the panniers much better than the Carradry too.

My Ortliebs in the photo below.



On the Pacific Coast route, you will have opportunities to buy food every few days, so you do not need to carry a lot. Keep that in mind. I often tour off the beaten path and often am carrying over a week of food, that takes more volume capacity.

Each of my tours, I ask myself should I bring my Carradry panniers or Ortliebs? Both have advatages and disadvantages.

I think the Ortliebs are better made, but that also means they are heavier because the fabric is thicker, etc. Backrollers are rated for 40 liters. The Carradry are now rated at 48.

I initially bought my Carradry rear panniers for a trip where I needed a lot of capacity. At that time Carradry claimed they held 58 liters. They arrived in the mail and my first thought was, these are bigger than Ortliebs, but much smaller than 58. Now they are rated at 48 liters.

One other disadvantage of the Carradry, if they are not full, the lid on top might not fit as well as when full. But my Ortlieb Backrollers, if they are not full, I can roll the top one or two more turns, they work well.

If you are trying to figure out the volume of your stuff, put it all in a box. If the box is not full, move things around in the box so there is a reasonably flat surface on the top of your stuff in that box. Then measure width, length and the height of your stuff in the box. Calculate volume. If you have a separate handlebar bag, keep that stuff out because that is not in your panniers.

Locks are like chain lube. If you ask 100 bicyclists what to use, you will get 150 answers.

For a quick run into the store, I like a small very convenient skier type lock. That is not very secure, but it stops the opportunist thief that would get on my bike and ride away. Photo below:



Photo below, I have a Bordo 6100 lock, I prefer a combination lock. The lock in the photo below has the lock around a fence rail and my bike top tube. Not shown in the photo is a 3 foot (one meter) cable that I sometimes used to lock my bike to a tree or picnic table in campsite, in addition to the Bordo lock. The Bordo 6100 I think comes in two lengths, I got the longer one.



A friend of my really was worried about theft on one trip we did, photo below. Chain weighed a ton.



But there are many good options, so look around, ask at bike shops.

Also not shown in above photos, I used bolt on skewers, not quick release. You need a 5 mm allen wrench to remove a wheel. I keep a spare 5mm wrench with my spare tubes, along with multi-tool, etc. My theory here is that if a thief wanted one of my wheels, they need carry the right wrench to remove it.

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