California Cycle Trip code: CC
(B&B) Itinerary This itinerary is a guide only and can sometimes be subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances. Whilst we endeavour to uphold the proposed daily mileages, this cannot be guaranteed due to changes to hotel bookings. Day 1: London to San Francisco Today you will fly from London to San Francisco. Once you have landed, you will be met by the More Adventure team and transferred with bikes and luggage to our hotel. We’ll have a trip briefing followed by our first evening meal as a group. No doubt there will be some jetlag to overcome so we’ll be looking forward to a good nights’ rest. Day 2: San Francisco Acclimatisation & Admin Day Hopefully you will have become more accustomed to the time difference this morning and will have rested well. If we haven’t done so already, your bikes will need to be unpacked and reassembled from the flight in anticipation of the following day’s ride. We will also have some time to explore San Francisco. Day 3: San Francisco Sightseeing Today we will have the whole day to explore San Francisco. We’ll visit Golden Gate Bridge, you may also want to go on a tour to Alcatraz or a stroll around the intoxicating Chinese District. There’s so much to see in this city, it is truly one of the greatest cities in the world. We’ll have to ensure we’re ready for the beginning of our ride which starts first thing the following morning. Day 4: San Francisco to Half Moon Bay (38 miles) We begin our journey with a short and relatively easy day south and out of the city. We’ll begin our ride with an obligatory crossing of the Golden Gate Bridge before tackling a few San Francisco hills and into the heart of the Sunset District. After Mussel Rock Park we descend to Pacifica, a world‐class surfing town at the northern tip of Half Moon Bay. Our route continues around the bay to our overnight destination, Half Moon Bay. Here we’ll have our first ‘end‐of‐cycle‐day’ meal together before getting some rest in our hotel. Day 5: Half Moon Bay to Santa Cruz (50 miles) It’s a slightly longer day today which is undulating throughout as we hug the Pacific Coast south. Today we’ll head out of Half Moon Bay and trend upwards to Gregoria. We’ll then pass Pigeon Point Lighthouse which, as one of America’s tallest lighthouses, will be difficult to miss! A little further on we may get the opportunity to see the elephant seals at Ano Nuevo State Reserve. Between the months of September and November, the young seals and yearlings of the colony take up residence here. The rugged heath and pine landscape drops dramatically down to endless beaches below, it’s fair to say there’s plenty to look at today! Our overnight stop is the iconic surf mecca of Santa Cruz. Day 6: Santa Cruz to Monterey (47 miles) Today is another relatively easy day during which we hug the coastline around Monterey Bay. We begin with a few climbs (nothing to worry about though!) and arrive as Moss Landing. The wetlands here at Elkhorn Slough are now ranked in the top 10 best birding spots in the USA. From Moss Landing our route continues south along the Cabrillo Highway and inland to Castroville, dubbed as the ‘Artichoke Capital of the World’. In mid‐
May it (you’ve guessed it!) holds the ‘Artichoke Festival’, a celebration of everything artichoke! We head back out to the bay and to our overnight stop, Monterey. Let’s hope we get here in plenty of time because Monterey has plenty to do and see. Thousands flock from all corners of the globe for The Monterey Bay Jazz Festival and the Monterey Bay Blues Festival. There’s also the impressive Monterey Bay Aquarium, Fisherman’s Wharf and plenty of Spanish architecture to check out. Day 7: Monterey to Big Sur Village (45 miles) Our ride today begins along the dramatic surf edge to the city of Carmel before a couple of bumps around Bixby Bridge. We skirt the Little Sur River Estuary and keep the huge waves on our right. Soon we’ll arrive at the California Sea Otter Game Refuge and Point Sur Naval Facility. At the end of a small peninsula nearby, there may the chance to visit the Point Sur Light Station which was built in 1899 and is perched 360ft above the surf. Our overnight stop this evening is Big Sur Village on the infamous Big Sur coast. Day 8: Big Sur Village to San Simeon Village (68 miles) This will probably be the hardest day so far, but what it lacks in ease, it makes up in atmosphere! Our route hugs the rugged coastline, diving in and out of inlets and bays all day. There’s simply stunning scenery as we head southeast between the ocean and the Santa Lucia Range, a dramatic granite ridge that runs parallel to the coast. If the weather permits, an incredible vista is to be had at the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park viewpoint and views of the impressive McWay Falls, the only waterfall in California that falls directly into the sea. We may even get glimpses of sea otters and sea lions in the tumbling surf. Our overnight stopover is San Simeon Village, home to the extravagant Hearst Castle, perched upon La Cuesta Encantada (The Enchanted Hill). Day 9: San Simeon Village to Pismo Beach (53 miles) A shorter day than the previous day but there are still some hills to get stuck into! We ride southwest to the seaside village of Cambria, descend then climb up to the wonderfully named Harmony. We then briefly enter the Morro Bay State Park, home to Morro Rock. This volcanic plug is one of a chain called the Nine Sisters that extend from San Luis Obispo to the south east, to Morro Bay. Our route continues to the small settlement of Baywood Los Osos then slices through agricultural land away from the coast into the Los Osos Valley. We then descend back towards the coast to our overnight stop, Pismo Beach, famous for the annual Clam Festival held in mid‐October. Day 10: Pismo Beach to Solvang (65 miles) We begin today by heading towards the city of Guadelupe and continue south into the Santa Maria Valley. This area has long been used in some famous Hollywood films including Pirates of the Caribbean films – keep your eyes peeled for Hollywood A‐listers! After passing around the city of Santa Maria, we ride through open farmland and skirt around Vandeburg Air Force Base before crossing the Purisma Hills inland. We rejoin Highway 101 for a short while then arrive at Solvang, our overnight stop. Solvang is a small tourist town with Danish heritage in the Santa Ynez Valley, an area famous for its vineyards and of course, wine! Day 11: Solvang to Ventura (85 miles) This is the longest day of the trip but by now your legs (and bum!) will be well used to the rigours of riding. We head towards the coast and to the city of Santa Barbara. During the afternoon we’ll be passing some of California’s finest surf beaches and there’ll be plenty of ocean vistas to appreciate (whilst keeping your eyes on the road please!). We leave Santa Barbara County and cross into Ventura County to our overnight stop, Ventura. Day 12: Ventura to Santa Monica (60 miles) Our final day’s ride takes us past yet more palm trees, famous surf beaches and a generous helping of Spanish architecture and makes for a fantastic farewell to this epic journey. We pass through Malibu then leave Ventura County to enter Los Angeles County. We’ll hopefully have views of the impressive Santa Monica mountains to our left and the Pacific Ocean to our right all day, the perfect end to a Pacific Coast ride! If rollerskaters and pedestrian traffic allows, we’ll hit the outskirts and enter Santa Monica on the South Beach Bike Trail. Congratulations – you made it! What an incredible accomplishment and journey! After a few hugs, cheers and a good few photos, we’ll cycle the last few miles to our hotel in Santa Monica. Here we’ll get the bikes sorted for the journey home the following day followed by a celebratory meal in a local restaurant with perhaps even a few drinks! What an achievement! Day 13: Santa Monica Sightseeing/Relaxing (0 miles) Santa Monica. This beachside city has plenty on offer, including the Monia Looff Hippodrome (a National Historic Landmark) on the pier, strolling the bustling beachfront and exploring the colourful Mainstreet District. You might want to just join the locals and laze around on the beach all day, and why not...you cycled here after all! If we haven’t done so already, we’ll also sort out the bikes for your flight home the following day. Day 14: Los Angeles to London Today the trip ends and we say our farewells. We’ll be transferred with bikes and luggage to Los Angeles airport for the flight back to London. What an amazing journey! Included •
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Outward flight to London to San Francisco Return flight from Los Angeles to London 13 nights accommodation 13 breakfasts Cycle guide(s) Support vehicle Luggage transported throughout the trip Airport transfers (with bikes) Mechanical support Logistics & backup Not included •
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Bicycle and Helmet Evening meals, lunches, drinks and snacks Optional excursions throughout the trip Insurance Insurance You are required to hold valid travel insurance for this trip and you will not be able to join the tour should you arrive without it. This must cover medical and repatriation costs back to the UK. John Lewis have competitively priced and comprehensive Single/Annual Trip Cover Insurance plans, please ensure that North America is included in your package. Click here to find out more. If you are unsure about your insurance cover, please do not hesitate to get in touch at [email protected]. Money Evening meals each evening tend to cost between £15 and £20. Lunches will cost between £10 and £15. You will also need to budget for any excursions, souvenirs, drinks and any extra travel costs throughout the trip. You will need dollars to spend in‐country. At your discretion you might also consider tipping your Tour Leader in appreciation of the efficiency and service you receive. Passports You will need a valid passport with at least six months left on it. Whilst there are no visa requirements for UK citizens, travel insurance is absolutely essential. If you hold a passport from a different nation, please contact the relevant US Embassy to find out what the entry requirements are (please do this in plenty of time in case you have to apply for visas etc.). Trip suitability You will be cycling for between six and eight hours each day but this is not a race! This is a group trip and we like to cycle as such. You will be cycling mainly along roads with varied traffic and much of this route is on Highway One, which at times will have little if any shoulder to ride in. It is important that you are confident riding for long distances on roads with traffic. The route has some considerable hills and most days are undulating throughout. The pace will be determined by your Cycle Leader (average 12‐15mph) and if you are unable to keep to this moderate pace, you will be asked to travel in the support vehicle. You must prepare before coming on the trip, anything cardiovascular will help as will of course cycling. Importantly you need to do some 6+ hour cycles so you will know what is required. You will need to get some hill practice in! If you would like a more detailed training plan please contact us on [email protected]. Most important of all is a positive attitude! Food and accommodation Accommodation for this trip is in good quality hotels/motels. All have hot water showers and good amenities. Breakfast will vary each morning but will generally be a mixture of hot and cold items. Lunches will either be eaten at cafes/diners along the way, or be bought and carried on your behalf by the Support Driver who will meet the group at a designated lunch spot. This will depend upon the remoteness of the route on some of the days. Lunches will cost between £7 and £12. There may also be the opportunity to stop at shops along the way for you to buy snacks and drinks. Evening meals and drinks are not included in the price and we will give you the opportunity to eat out as a group at a local diner/restaurant. Approximate costs per evening meal £15‐20. Equipment We recommend road bicycles for this trip. Please contact us if you are unsure whether your bike is suitable. Bikes are not included in the price. It is very important that your bike is in good working order and that you bring plenty of spares. Please bring at least four spare inner tubes. Your Cycle Leader will assist you with any minor bicycle repairs along the way. You must bring suitable, reasonably new tyres (e.g. Continental Gatorskin, Bontrager Race Hardcase; Schwalbe Marathon Plus). We recommend using Wiggle (click HERE) or Chain Reaction Cycles (click HERE) for the best value and quality in cycling clothing and equipment. We do not provide helmets but we strongly recommend you bring your own to wear. Bike Transportation Your bicycle will need to be brought with you on the plane. This is not a particularly difficult undertaking, but you will need to plan the logistics carefully. Airlines require you to partly dismantle your bike and put into either a bike box (cardboard or plastic) or a bike bag (see examples below). What you’ll need to do to your bike to get it into the box/bag differs with each design, but most will require the removal of pedals, handlebars, and wheels, deflating tyres and padding it out. A More Adventure leader will explain in more detail and demonstrate this process at our Trip Information Evening (details TBC). To give you an idea of what is required, please visit the links below. Bike bags: http://goo.gl/77btXl & http://goo.gl/sCUkAU Bike boxes: http://goo.gl/GYjVGx Bike‐specific cardboard boxes can be obtained at any good cycle shop. They may give you one for free, or charge you a nominal amount. Your bike boxes/bags will be carried on the support vehicle throughout the trip. Weather and clothing It is crucial to be prepared for the weather! The trip will continue in all but the absolute worst of weathers. Generally the best clothes to wear while cycling are light and comfortable. Please bring a lightweight waterproof top and a lightweight windproof top. It is essential that you are also highly visible whilst cycling, especially as The Pacific Coast is renowned for thick fog which can last for several days. For this reason you will also need to bring front and rear lights for your bicycle. Make sure you bring enough clothes for each days cycling and for evening meals. Better to “have and not need than to need and not have”! Luggage All luggage will be transported between hotels as you cycle. You are therefore limited to one suitcase/large holdall (for the hold on the plane) and one daysack (suitable as hand luggage on the plane). It is important that you are able to carry a few items such as windproof top, a few spares and snacks whilst riding. These could be carried in a small pannier, a daysack, a large saddlebag or handlebar bag. Please ensure however, that you keep to the two‐bag policy for the flight. Tour Leaders All More Adventure leaders hold a valid first aid certificate and have extensive experience leading groups in hostile and remote areas. They are employed to lead, care and encourage you on your trip. For this trip you will have at least two (depending on size of group) Cycle Leader who will ride with the group and at least one other leader who will be in the support van offering support to the cyclists, dealing with mechanicals and facilitating lunch stops if necessary. This trip will run on a minimum number of 20 persons.