These are some past Bicycle Tours that I have organized. They are good routes that
were a lot of fun. Feel free to use these to help plan your own trip. If you're
interested in doing some touring together,
let me know.
Points of interest (high/low points, turn-offs to side-trips, etc.) along the route are listed with their elevation (feet above sea level) and milage from the start of the day. Side-trips are indicated by parentheses and listed at their turn-off point. The side-trip's highest elevation (the turn-around point) and round-trip milage are also listed.
Friday 6/21 -- South Lake Tahoe to Markleeville, 37 miles.
The base miles are short and there is only one major pass (By the numbers, it doesn't look like it's any worse than Cuesta Grade.) on the route. There are enough side-trips to other passes to make it a long day. I hear there are some hot springs to soak in at the end of the day.Saturday 6/22 -- Markleeville to Sonora Junction, 51 miles.
South Lake Tahoe 6300 CA 89 6350 9 (Echo Summit 7382 7) Luther Pass 7740 17 Picketts Jct. 7000 20 (Carson Pass 8573 18) Alpine Village 5600 26 Markleeville 5501 33 (Ebbetts Pass 8730 36) (Ebbetts & Pacific Grd 8050 56) Grover Hot Springs 5800 37
The descent from Monitor Pass looks like it should be fun -- "Road not recommended for trucks and campers." The last 25 miles look like a gradual up-hill. After checking out the campground, some may want to finish off the day with a climb to the top of Sonora Pass for a fast 3000 foot descent on the return trip.Sunday 6/23 -- Sonora Junction to Mono Lake, 48 miles.
Grover Hot Springs 5800 Monitor Pass 8314 18 US 395 5020 27 Sonora Jct. 6800 51 (Sonora Pass 9624 30)
The day starts with a short climb (700 ft.) to Devil's Gate Summit then it's down-hill to Bridgeport and an easy climb to Conway Summit. From here, we'll get our first view of Mono Lake. I hear the side-trips to the small lakes along the way are picturesque and may be a good place for lunch. Some people may also be interested in exploring the unique beauty of Mono Lake.Monday 6/24 -- Mono Lake to Yosemite Village, 73 miles.
Sonora Jct. 6800 Devils Gate Summit 7519 4 Bridgeport 6465 17 (Twin Lakes 7092 28) Conway Summit 8138 30 (Virginia Lakes 9500 13) Lundy Lake Rd. 6470 36 (Lundy Lake 8000 9) CA 120 6780 44 Lee Vining Ck. Cpgr. 7000 48
We'll need an early start at the steep climb up Tioga Pass (the highest point on the trip at nearly 10000 feet) and have breakfast at a little cafe just before the top. It's mostly flat across Tuolumne Meadows followed by rolling hills with more down than up. Crane Flat has a gas station and a little store, a good place (okay, the only place) to get a bite for lunch. Next, comes a fun 10 mile descent to the Valley floor including three tunnels, but don't forget to slow down a bit and enjoy the breath taking views. If we get an early enough start and have the energy, the trip to Glacier Point could be well worth the effort.
Lee Vining Ck. Cpgr. 7000 Camp Tioga 9195 7 Tioga Pass 9945 8 Crane Flat 6190 56 Yosemite Valley 3900 66 (Glacier Point 7214 52) Yosemite Village 3979 73
Cost -- This depends on how many people go and how much you eat. The riders pay for gas (for the SAG vehicle(s)), camping fees, and food. The SAG driver(s) only pay for food. Most breakfasts and dinners will probably be done as a group in camp and we'll divide the grocery bill. For other meals, we'll eat out. Based on the Death Valley trip I did over spring break, I would guess about $35 for gas, food, and camping for the four days. Plus, be ready for at least $40 to eat out.
Transportation -- Basically, you're on your own to get to Tahoe and home from Yosemite. But, I will try to help organize car pools and coordinate them with SAG's to work out the potential problem of cars at Tahoe and people in Yosemite. Chances are, we will have people coming from all over the state.
Some people may want to meet in Reno or Tahoe a few days before the start for some added fun. I will probably get to Tahoe early and ride around the lake thursday. If your schedule will allow it, I would recommend sleeping at Tahoe thursday night and at Yosemite monday night.
![[4 Riders on Tioga Pass]](tioga1b.jpg)
This photo isn't from the trip described here (it's from the Mono Lake Bike-a-thon), but it was taken on Tioga Pass.
Itinerary
![[Rider climbing Whitney Portal Road]](paul1a.jpg)
Again, this photo isn't from the trip described here (it's also from the Mono Lake Bike-a-thon), but it was taken on Whitney Portal Road. Mind you, this photo is taken about 2/3 of the way up, and the hill climb starts down in that valley (Owens Valley).
From personal experience:
Start the morning with a climb through the redwoods on a small twisting road (Rt 236), followed by a fun, winding descent to Waterman Gap (El 1267) at the junction of Rt 236 & Rt 9. Right turn on Rt 9 for a scenic downhill into Santa Cruz.
From some photo-copied pages of a bicycle touring book someone gave me:
... Take Water Street (which becomes Soquel Ave.) left on Soquel Dr (not Ave) over Hwy 1.The tour continues on Soquel to a right on Freedom; then a left on Bonita (San Andreas Road) to the end. Take a left on Beach into Watsonvill and a right on Lee onto State 129. Next go right on G12 to Salinas Road and continue on State 1 to Castroville, the artichoke capitol of the world.
Ride Preston Road in Castroville and out again to State 1, which takes you past Fort Ord. (You may detour through the army post if the freeway becomes posted against bikes.) Past Seaside turn right on Del Monte and cruse into Monterey, famous for early California history and its waterfront. For a side trip to Fisherman's Wharf take a right on Washington off Del Monte, left after crossing some railroad tracks and continue straight through a "Do Not Enter" sign (walk your bike); then go into the parking lot and ride to the other side. You are now back on the route.
To get to beautiful 17 Mile Drive leave the Monterey wharf area on Pacific, keeping to the right on streets as close as possible to the water. You pass through Cannery Row, erstwhile haunt of John Steinbeck and huge sardine catches, now a tourist attraction. Follow the coast line around pretty Pacific Grove, past the white sands of Asilomar and up Sunset to the entrance to 17 Mile Drive.
Leave 17 Mile Drive on Carmel Way, which goes into the village. After exploring the shops on Ocean Avenue, take Junipero Avenue into Rio Drive and turn right on State 1.
This next stretch is one of cycling's most rewarding journeys -- the unparalleled coast route to Morro Bay. The road is quite mountainous once you leave Monterey County and the ocean vistas are spectacular. The entire rugged stretch has only spots of habitation but the traffic is considerable. About 25 mile out of Carmel is the famed Big Sur Country. Pfeiffer Big Sur has campgrounds.
Pfeiffer big Sur State Park (information from AAA Camp Book): 217 sites. Open all year. $17 for 8 people. 29 miles S of Carmel on SR 1. 807 acres. Extra vehicle $3. Groceries & restaurant.
Highway 1 back to SLO town.
Cal Poly Wheelmen Kick Ass!!
I can be reached by e-mail at
rhowe@logic-plus.com. 
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