My REI Challenge Grant: Cycling Along the California Coastline

Excited (and nervous) for the adventure!

I just completed a new adventure - my first self-supported bicycle tour! The route followed almost 200 miles of the California coastline, starting at San Francisco's iconic Golden Gate Bridge and finishing at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. I had the good fortune to ride for four days with my awesome coworker Gus, who then continued his journey all the way to San Diego (wish I kept going too!)

I’ve dreamt of doing a bicycle tour for several years, and when I found out about the opportunity to apply for an REI Employee Challenge Grant (a grant of REI brand gear to facilitate a personal outdoor challenge) I realized it would be the perfect time to make this adventure happen. For my bike tour, my goal was to bring all my gear and camp along the way; happily, I received the REI Quarter Dome 2 ultralight tent, which was perfect for this adventure because of its small size and weight. My old two-person tent weighed eight pounds (true story, it's insanely heavy!), and the Quarter Dome 2 weighs only three pounds and is half the packed-size. Saving five pounds of weight over a 200 mile trip made my ride both easier and more enjoyable.

This trip was a personal challenge because it was my first venture into a completely new realm of cycling, and although I'm a proficient cyclist, this experience put me into a beginner's mentality again (I'd never put a rack on my bike before, handled a loaded bike, or cycled long distances several days in a row). I had to learn how to pack for a self-supported tour while both taking everything I'd need and also keeping my load light. My loaded panniers weighed about 25 lbs (including racks), which felt quite heavy to me. I whittled my list down and came close to cutting the handle off my proverbial toothbrush to save weight, but I'm not that much of an ultralighter, so I added a few things back in. Lesson learned? Next time I should keep the goose-down vest (I froze one day), but leave the book (didn't even crack the cover open).

I learned basic bicycle maintenance beforehand, but reading and planning only gets a person so far (I was hoping the whole time that I wouldn't break my chain or a spoke). Gaining actual experience in a new activity is the quickest way to realize how much you still need to learn, and now that I've completed this trip I have a long list of bike repairs to learn before next time. Note to self: I need more comprehensive tools and practice using them. Also, bring more zip-ties - they're insanely useful. 

Another challenge on this trip was the physical and mental endurance. The ride was actually easier than I'd psyched myself up for (I kept imagining 18% grades with headwinds the entire way), but the hardest parts were simply keeping well-hydrated and sun-screened, adapting my balance to carrying loaded panniers, and getting accustomed to sitting on the saddle for many hours each day. I'm always amazed at how quickly bodies adapt, so I'm sure the physical aspects of touring get easier. I also learned that I underestimated the time it would take to ride each day. Even though my estimate of 10 mph on average was accurate for this trip, I didn't take into account stopping to take stretching breaks, maintain the bikes, catch my breath after a long hill, or see the gorgeous sights.

Spectacular views between Carmel and Big Sur

During the ride I was completely mesmerized by all the sights along the way, and amazed at how much the landscape changes within 200 miles: The hectic San Francisco cityscape and traffic fades quickly into a quiet seaside atmosphere, making the Devil's Slide Coastal Trail feel like comparative wilderness to the nearby city. The gorgeous Highway 1 route is punctuated with historical lighthouses and spanish missions, and is bordered by untouched hillsides with trees and plants endemic to the Bay Area. Monterey's sand dunes and flat beaches are soon overshadowed by the opulence of Carmel's 17-Mile-Drive, with world-class golf courses, ten-million dollar cottages, and famous windblown cypress trees. Then almost suddenly the landscape changes again, this time into the steep hills, dramatic rocky shores, and majestic redwood forests of Big Sur.

San Gregorio State Beach

The first day was short, and Gus and I rode 30 miles from Chrissy Field to El Granada/ Halfmoon Bay. Naturally, a few things went wrong - one of the screws holding my bike rack onto the frame wiggled it's way out, so we had to stop and fix that. My bike was also shifting between gears differently because of the added load, so that took some adjusting. I noticed Gus using a very fast cadence with low resistance, so I implemented that technique (especially on climbs) and it seemed to work well for the rest of the trip, since my muscles never got fatigued. My favorite part of the day was riding up the big hill out of Pacifica (since I love the eucalyptus groves there), and then flying down the bike path at Devil's Slide.

The second day we rode 55 miles from Halfmoon Bay to Santa Cruz, following a random trail of brussells sprouts along the road for many miles. It was cold and foggy all morning, but that didn't keep us from enjoying the many beaches along the way. I especially loved seeing all the driftwood forts people had built at San Gregorio State Beach, and spotting a fox north of Pescadero lighthouse! Today Gus taught me the valuable skill of fixing a broken chain, when he stopped to help a fellow cyclist. I also learned how much mental toughness it takes to ride long distances with a load, and was brainstorming ways to increase my mental strength for cycling.

Getting ready to ride again after 
dolphin and whale watching

The third day we went 55 miles, from Santa Cruz to Seaside. "It will be flat," they said. "It will be easy," they said. Even the smallest hills were noticeable, but the scenery was absolutely spectacular and totally worth the work. We peddled through farmland, and I loved the scent of soil and strawberries. At Sunset State beach, we saw jumping dolphins and whales blowing water. My favorite stop of the day was Moss Landing and Elkhorn Slough - it was my first time there, and I was impressed with all the sealife! We saw sea otters and seals, but best of all, whales! We saw whales at a few other beaches too, but this time we could see their tails above the water.  

The last day of my bike tour we rode from Seaside to Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, finishing with 52 miles. Perhaps this was the most scenic day, riding along Monterey's historic Fisherman's Wharf, around Pacific Grove, and along the 17-Mile-Drive. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the dramatic coastline and stunning mansions (in the style of cottages and french country homes) at the slow pace of a cyclist. The State Parks along Hwy 1 are wonderful, and I enjoyed riding through Point Lobos. Best of all were the long, steep, winding hills into Big Sur. I love climbing hills, and though the weight of my gear made it difficult, it was worth the exuberant feeling at each peak, and the complete freedom of flying down the other side of each hill. Once we reached the redwoods I felt sublimely happy and energized, like I could keep riding forever. 

Feeling triumphant and enjoying the view after a long, steep climb! 

Once I got into the rhythm of riding, I just wanted to keep going. I loved the nearly meditative feeling of my mind completely relaxing while I settled into a soothing peddling cadence. Throughout this trip I was inspired while thinking about the many enlightened people who cared enough to preserve some of our country’s most gorgeous natural regions, including the California coast. I have a great appreciation and gratitude for the hard work and diligent effort that’s gone into establishing and preserving national and state parks, beaches, and open spaces. I already miss the gorgeous views, fresh ocean air, and the morning mist on my face, so cycling along the coast is an adventure I'll definitely repeat! 

The waterfall on the beach at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is one of the best gems along the California coast!