IGCABIKE said:And few friends and I are planning on doing a California Coastal bike
trip begining of August from around Monterrey. The catch is that this
is the first time we have ever undertaken something this big. I was
hoping to get advice anywhere from which routes to take, places to
camp, things to bring...
We are planning on doing it in 7 days, is that enough time? We are all
training for this bike trip. I was also wondering what is the best way
to train for a long bike trip like this one for beginners? If there are
decent road bikes for under $300 (we're on a budget too)? Are mountain
bikes fine? How heavy we want our backpacks to be?
Also I was wondering if Amtrak allows bikes to be taken on trains, if
so, do we need to box them? What is the easiest way of getting a bike
across country? Can I just check it in a flight, or should it be
shipped?
Any advice on buying the right maps, books, supplies, or just riding in
general would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks a bunch...
Lots of questions, but this is a relatively busy bike route; hundreds
of people trek down the coast each year ... probably hundreds each
month during the busy season.
Best resources:
http://www.adventurecycling.org/ - Has maps of the Pacific coast,
in sections, with annotations.
Bicycling The Pacific Coast: A Complete Route Guide, Canada To
Mexico by Spring and Kirkendall. The longtime 'bible' for Pacific
Coast cycle touring.
Lonely Planet Cycling USA: West Coast. A newer guide to the
Pacific Coast.
Any of those lists the campgrounds on the way and give route advice.
Amtrak: Depends on the train. If you are going to Monterey, the
closest Amtrak station is Salinas, and the relevant train is the Coast
Starlight. Boxed bikes are allowed on that train, but you can only get
it on/off the train at stops with baggage service. And the boxed bike
must weigh less than 50 lbs. Salinas to Monterey is an easy bike
ride, though the obvious route (Ca. Hwy 68) does not allow bikes along
some sections.
Getting the bike to where you start: I carry mine on the plane, but
others ship ahead.
Time: 7 days is a LONG time. You should be able to do it in less, or
just take a leisurely trip. Fast riders can do that stretch in 3-4
days, max.
Baggage: Best to use panniers or a trailer. You will be hurting if
you try to ride for several days with a heavy backpack.
Timing: IMO the best route is the coast highway, CA Hwy 1. But the
section from Carmel to Ragged Point, the 'Big Sur' coast of California
is narrow and tends to be quite busy during the summer. Make sure you
are comfortable riding in a narrow lane with frequent RV traffic. The
coast can be VERY foggy during the summer, so take lots of precautions
to make sure you are visible. We ride that section with lots of lights
and reflectors! The other issue is that the campgrounds fill up fast;
go for the ones with bike camping sections and try to settle in before
it gets too late.
Bikes: Any comfortable bike can work, just make sure it is reliable.
You might check the Google archive of rec.bicycles.rides and the
archives for the Touring bike list at bikelist.org. Lots of people
travel down that section of road, so there are lots and lots of
postings with information.
Have a good, and safe, trip.
- rick
