The Coast Beckons!

Any of you who have already read my complete (awe-inspiring) "bikeography" are already familiar with my quest to bike every mile of the U.S. Pacific Coast sometime before I'm too old and decrepit to pedal anymore.  I knocked out one of the largest chunks last summer when I biked from the CA/Oregon border to San Fran - majestically finishing six days on the bike by crossing the Golden Gate.  Next summer I hope to do the entire Oregon Coast, but I still have two stretches of California that need to be tackled -- both of which I should easily be able to get done in separate weekends.

First is San Fran to Monterey:

This one was worth saving -- one of the prettiest stretches of coast anywhere, but not nearly as challenging as Big Sur or NorCal.  I might just save this one for very last, depending upon how things play out in the coming weeks/months.

Next is San Luis Obispo (SLO), where I ended my Big Sur adventure, to Santa Barbara:

This will take me through some of the best road-biking terrain in the U.S. -- where pros train and the Tour of California always traverses.  Following the coast here would mean long stretches on the 101, so I'm more likely to take the advice of the Pacific Coast biking "bible" and take the inland route (still paralleling the coast, so it still counts!)

For those of you who have forgotten what the "bible" looks like, here it is:

Get it -- you won't regret it!


While I love biking in and around San Diego, there is just something about getting out of your element that enhances the adventure factor in biking.  After focusing upon changing houses and jobs this summer, I am antsy to get back out on the road.  With my birthday coming up, I think I'm going to make one of these rides my present to myself.  The other can be my Christmas present.  Either way, the Bikeist vows here to have completed the California Coast by January 1st -- a late in the old year resolution!

And you, my lucky readers, get to tag along for the ride as I share all the details.  You must be so excited!  Stay tuned as I get tuned up in the next couple of weeks . . .