15 to 23 September 2013
5 to 13 October 2014
Conquer California by bike on this awesome challenge, as we ride from the mountains of Yosemite National Park, to the Pacific Coast and into the spectacular San Francisco.
We kick off our epic Californian bike ride in one of the world's most celebrated national preserves - the monumental Yosemite National Park, within the Sierra Nevada mountain range, blessed with massive granite peaks and cliffs, towering forests, roaring waterfalls, sparkling lakes and lush meadows. We spend the first day cycling in the park sighting, El Capitan, Half Dome and more. From here we cycle 380km in 5 days, over challenging mountain roads, down into farmed valleys and onto the plains. We camp along lakeshores, pass through classic Western towns, harkening back to the Gold Rush days, and continue onto the edge of Californian wine country. Our last two days, live up to the California dream as we cycle through Marin County, along the Pacific Coast Road, which cuts a serpentine course high above the crashing surf, allowing us time to stop along the way to visit golden sandy beaches and laid-back towns, before we have our breathtaking finish over the iconic Golden Gate Bridge and into one of the coolest cities on earth, for a night of partying....Californian style!
Brief California Bike Itinerary:
Day 1: Depart UK for San Francisco
Day 2: Transfer to Yosemite National Park. Afternoon exploring the park following bike fitting
Day 3: Bike past farmland and oak woodland as we head towards our camp at Lake Turlock (98km)
Day 4: Our longest day in the saddle as we cycle along quiet country roads to Camanche Lake (106km)
Day 5: Cycle through vineyards and over waterways before we reach Walnut Grove where we sample some of the local wine (80km)
Day 6: Today we hit the California coast and bike along the undulating coastal road to Olema (60km)
Day 7: Cycle along the coast until across the Golden Gate Bridge and reach our finish point in San Francisco (60km)
Day 8: Depart San Francisco for London
Day 9: Arrive London
Please note airport taxes and fuel surcharges are currently £375 (at March '13)
