Portland to San Francisco (Sept. 2024)

Recent posts inspired me to look back at my west coast trip a little less than a year ago.

Riding Highlights:

1. Slab Creek Rd: Suggested on the AA route, it really is one of the nicest sections of road. Very steady climb without any challenging sections, but a great descent on the other side as a reward.

2. Jedediah Smith State Park: I don’t think this is a typical spot on this route, but it’s absolutely stunning. The hike/bike area is nestled away from the main campground by a river and surrounded by redwoods. On the way out you can go east on 199 and take Howland Hill Rd which is a small dirt road (very hard packed, basically paved) that cuts through the park and takes you back to 101. Some of the best views of redwoods were on this road, without any RVs or trucks to ruin the moment.

3. The Avenue of the Giants produce stand: get a black berry popsicle before ending your day at Burlington Campground! The stand is self-serve if the owner isn’t around and all the locals seem to know the farmers on a first name basis.

4. Trinidad, CA: Just a small town on the coast, but as someone from the east coast I really felt the California/West coast vibe here and the people were great. The short section of Scenic Dr on the way out is also very pleasant and has some great beaches to check out.

5. Golden Gate Bridge: Obvious one and unavoidable, but it really is the best way to end a trip like this. Don’t be surprised if you shed some tears while riding across, I know every other cyclist I talked to did.

Gear Highlights:

1. Bar end mirror: can’t image riding this route without some kind of mirror. It was my first time using one and by the end of the trip it was the best $10 I spent by far.

2. Front panniers: potentially a hot take as some people prefer more weight on the rear wheel, but having a lot of weight out front and quite low made for a really stable ride, particularly on long/fast descents.

3. Travel clothes line: I didn’t have one of these, but it would’ve made the highlights if I did considering how many times I wish I brought one.