 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Back from a USA road trip. This time instead of heading for the desert we went North to NAPA for various wine/bike tours. Stayed in Calistoga, CA - proper 'Sideways' town. Nice place with only a hint of off-road that I could find.
A good place to crash out of SF from - about 90 miles North.
We did get Turner to deliver us a couple of Cyclosys - 'CX/gravel/whatever' bikes to the hotel. That meant we had to - at great stress pack and re-pack the bikes every time we moved hotel. But it also meant we had bikes with us to ride the softer trails whenever we could.
Worked well in the end though and the bikes are back in the UK with us.
Third time riding in the USA, and very much still working out what elements I like and don't like.
One highlight was ending up in Crescent City on the 4th July - a little bit rough but friendly enough - however lots of locals setting fireworks off in car park. Blokes with knives. Deliverance that sort of thing. Moved on!
Actual highlight was North Tahoe - fantastic location and accommodation. Various riding from the doorstep. Right on the lake for water stuff and not busy.
South Tahoe - we quit - because it was a mix of retail parks/skiing/casinos.
A few pics out of order.
Flume Trail - Tahoe, NV - Probably one of the most scenic rides I've ever done.
Tahoe, CA - Squaw Valley (Olympic village)
Bend, OR - Easy downhill/xc route - 25 miles back to Bend (Lots of trails here, wish I'd done more)
Flume Trail, NV
Start of Flume Trail, Nevada
Crater Lake, Oregon
CX/Gravel - Bend, OR
Looks like a good trip pretty similar to one I did a few years ago, we loved Crater Lake when we did a similar road trip a few years ago, did you get to do the boat trip on crater lake?
Flume was good but the riding in Bend was some of the best I've done, did a days guided on the tandem with Cog Wild (making the guide work real hard to stay with the tandem on some of the flowy trails in Phils was a highlight) and I also did the McKenzie River shuttle on a rental which is probably one the best trails I've ever ridden.
Did you ride any other trails while at South Lake Tahoe?
Me and GF have included a couple days riding there later this year - thinking about getting an uplift with Over The Edge then something like Star Lake/Van Sikle and perhaps Mr Toads
Didn't do any riding in South Tahoe as only stayed for one night. I was aware of the routes but sounded too tricky for GF. There is a decent bike shop in south Tahoe that does shuttles and rentals.
Didn't know about the boat trip on crater lake. Although I think I spotted a boat.
The trouble is with these trips is what to do and what to leave out.
I've started ignoring National Parks now as too busy and too controlled.
We did Cog Wild too, their guiding was very accommodating. Bend wasn't cheap but had some nice places. Looked like a good place to live rather than visit to me.
Did bash my head on the family grade rapids on the river.