Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

I'm flying into LA and plan on getting Amtrak from Sacramento to Salt Lake City.
Just trying to decided if I cycle to Sacramento or get the train, or a combination of to train/ cycle.

Anyone cycled between the two cities?

I followed the coast north from Santa Monica to San Francisco, my company was the American RV fleet, big camper vans with their cars attached and satellite dishes on top. Saw no touring cyclists going my way as the prevailing winds were against me. Many beautiful towns like Santa Barbara along the way, even got to pass through the artichoke capital of the world and eat deepfried artichoke at a roadhouse. This was just down the road from Santa Cruz, the town where the Bicentennial Bike Route had been developed, the legacy of this is that you can use Highway 1 and bits of 101 as well as a connection of bikepaths when you have to hop off the freeways to travel the coast. Best memory: one evening as I was riding the winding cliffface Hwy 1 towards Big Sur after the RV nomads had pulled off into camps for the night, just me on a quiet road and the call of seals down below.

After I'd done the whole CA coast I took a bus back to LA, not as rewarding. Maybe if I go back there I might instead take the time to explore around San Francisco and the Bay Area in general. I'd simply crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, looked around magical Sausalito then headed north for the redwoods. Basing yourself in the Bay Area and exploring might be better than covering lots of open ground between LA and Sacramento and having to carry camping gear.

PCH is the tourist route and the only worthwhile option. 101 and 5 are both heavy in traffic and not much to see. And certainly don't do 5 in the summer. Driven all three.

I was actually thinking of cycling from Lancaster (where the lA trains stop) making my way to Merced where I could get a bus to Yosemite NP. Then cycle to Sacramento from Yosemite. This will be early May 2014

Then go via route 99, but it'll likely to be just as flat as the 5. Maybe more local contacts though.

Why don't you post this on crazyguy? I'm sure there are dozens of tourers who live around the area who are most familar with your intended route and can offer up to date local info.

jemo27 wrote:I was actually thinking of cycling from Lancaster (where the lA trains stop) making my way to Merced where I could get a bus to Yosemite NP. Then cycle to Sacramento from Yosemite. This will be early May 2014

Don't bypass Sequoia NP on the way to Yosemite. Beautiful riding.

Uncle Just wrote:Why don't you post this on crazyguy? I'm sure there are dozens of tourers who live around the area who are most familar with your intended route and can offer up to date local info.

Thanks for the suggestion, I did post on crazy guy and got lots of responses