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When people think of California, they imagine crowds, big cities and lots of traffic. The fact is, most of California is sparsely populated – wilderness, really – with a tremendous amount of diversity. So, jump on that bike and hit the road! When you get off Highway outside LA, you’ll have less congestion and the scenery improves rapidly. From there until Frazier Park, the road is yours as you wind your way into the mountains and forests.

It’s uphill all the way into Sequoia and King’s Canyon National Parks. These parks are home to giants: immense mountains, deep canyons, and huge trees. Sequoia and Kings Canyon were the first National Parks in California, and Sequoia was the second national park (after Yellowstone) designated by Congress, in 1889. General Grant Park (the former name of Kings Canyon) was the third.

Incredible vistas greet you at every turn, and the clear mountain air and warm sun bring out the scent of the pines and other vegetation as you ride. Blue skies will likely be overhead, but in winter months snow drifts as deep as 80 feet in some sections areas of the parks.

Riding through the foothills of the Sierras is almost as enjoyable as riding in the mountains. The terrain is decidedly Mediteranean and the fall skies should be clear and the temperatures warm as you make your way north to Groveland, on the western side of Yosemite National Park.

Yosemite is one of the most impressive locations in the Western US. You’ll see some of the highest waterfalls in North America, deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area, and much more.

Enjoy two nights at Lake Tahoe, and take in some incredible riding while you’re there, with your choice of short or long loops taking you entirely around the lake or to attraction closer to your hotel. Just north of Tahoe is Donner Pass, where in 1846 the ill-fated Donner party became stranded in a blizzard. Suffice it to say they got VERY hungry. You’ll find out the rest of the story when you get there.

In a few hours you enter the strange world of Lassen Volcanic National Park. Lassen Peak is a volcano which last erupted in 1921 and there’s still plenty of activity in the area. You’ll see bubbling, boiling and steaming in large supply. It’s possible to take short hikes for a closer look. Just be careful, an early explorer named Mr. Bumpass lost a leg to a boiling mud pot… at a place now called Bumpass Hell.

If you spend the night any closer to the Burney Falls, we would have heard the spring-fed flow of over 100 million gallons per day crashing over the cliff all night long as it makes its way to Lake Britton. Teddy Roosevelt called the falls the “eighth wonder of the world”. That sounds like a politician talking, but they ARE pretty impressive.

There’s little sign of civilization and not much traffic as you ride through through Shasta National Forest on the way to McCloud, at the foot of Mt. Shasta. There are three Shastas; the mountain, the lake, and the dam. Mt. Shasta, at 14,162’ is the second highest point in California’s Cascade Mountains, and the largest volcano in the lower 48 states. For miles around, Mt. Shasta dominates the view.

You’ve seen the mountains, you’ve seen the forests. Next you’ll see another main feature of California… the coast. And you REALLY see the coast... CA 1 – The Pacific Coast Highway. This legendary ribbon of asphalt does a fantastic job of keeping the ocean up close and personal as you follow it south.

The “Lost Coast Highway” begins in Ferndale. It winds along the coast and through rugged farmland above the sea. Dairy cattle graze contentedly, enjoying the view. Just south of Ferndale, you’ll experience another truly unique California riding experience… the Avenue of the Giants through Humboldt Redwoods State Park. For mile after mile, you’ll be dwarfed by some of the largest living things on earth as you wind through the redwoods forest soaring some 300’ overhead.

The northern end of the Napa Valley is next. Enjoy the golden late afternoon sunshine as you ride through the vineyards to Yountville, where a very unique hotel awaits you.

Your ride south takes you around San Francisco and back to the coast. For the next two days you’ll cross between inland and coast several times. Big Sur is one of the most breathtaking coastlines on earth. Take time to enjoy the vistas, explore the small towns along the way or stop at other attractions such as Hearst Castle and Carmel. This trip can be extended for more time in San Francisco or elsewhere.