This article is by Chad Johnson and Alissa Fogg

Does sharing a gallon of Rocky Road ice cream with 12 other cyclists on a quiet road in Mendocino County sound like heaven to you? How about hopping back on your bicycle and pedaling towards the ocean after savoring your sweet treat? A two-wheeled traveling revolution has gripped many of us at Green Wheels and we’d like to share it with other intrepid bicyclists.

Here is recreation that does not require a personal vehicle nor do you need to survive on minimalist backpacking food. All you need is a strong steed that you can strap a couple of panniers onto (waterproof are recommended) and a sense of adventure. Other essentials include a spare tube that fits your wheel, a bike pump, a set of tire irons, a patch kit and a bicycling multi-tool. Any bicycle can become a touring bike. Hardtail mountain bikes are popular, as are road bikes that have plenty of gears. Many people choose to carry panniers while others attach a BOB trailer onto the rear axle.

We'd like to profile our most local bike tour on the North Coast and hint at possibilities for the future.

Trip Profile:

Patrick’s Point State Park

Just 25 miles north of Arcata is a gem of a park that many of us are familiar with. It’s gorgeous, full of scenic hikes and courageous tidepooling (watch out for those sleeper waves). But the ride up to Patrick’s Point rivals the park in its beauty. Bicycling to Patrick’s Point has many advantages over driving. The slower pace allows time to savor the awesome views. Further the Hammond Trail and Scenic Drive provide a more coastal route than is accessible by car. Most importantly, the hiker/biker campsites are far superior to the ones available to the car driving masses. Better, and, always available. Patrick’s Point has a number of private sites, far away from the whine of generators, clutter and commotion.

Camping at the park is only $3 per person at the hiker/biker sites (the same price for all state parks and beaches in California). Buy food supplies in Trinidad and minimize your weight for the bulk of the tour.

Directions: From Arcata, cycle through the Bottoms north to the Hammond Trail and follow it through Hiller Park to where it ends at Murray Rd. Here you can choose the flat coastal route or the minimally hilly inland route. For the inland route, ride east on Murray Rd., cross 101 and turn left onto Central Ave. Take a right onto Norton Rd. and follow the road as it curves to the north and turns into Dow’s Prairie Rd. This rural route dumps out at Little River Beach where you do hop briefly onto 101 N and then exit at Westhaven. Turn left under the highway, then right onto Scenic Drive. Several miles with breathtaking coastal panoramas lead to

Luffenholtz Beach. A failed piece of road is closed to car traffic. Ride past the barriers and continue cautiously across the gravel. Trinidad is a few miles further. Turn left at the stop sign and ride past the grocery store. This is an excellent place to buy food, beer, or anything else you wanted to put off carrying. Continue to the spectacular vista at the lighthouse, gawk, snap a picture, and then backtrack to Stage Coach Road. This stretch has a few short steep dips and climbs leading to Patrick’s Point drive. Turn left onto the final leg. Roll to the Ranger’s kiosk, kick down your three bucks for bike camping and head for your VIP site.

Resources for touring cyclists:

• Local bike shops!
• Adventure Cycling
• Lonely Planet’s guide to West Coast Cycling
• Bicycling the Pacific Coast by Vicky Spring and Tom Kirkendall
• Kreb’s Cycling maps (available at the HSU Bookstore)

Upcoming trips for Fall 2007

• Patrick’s Point – any weekend, every weekend!
• Lost Coast Loop – not for the weak of heart. This 100 mile, 3-day ride traces the infamous Tour of the Unknown Coast from Ferndale south along Avenue of the Giants and inland to the mouth of the Mattole River. Steep climbs and gut- wrenching scenery.
• Thanksgiving tour to San Francisco – this 6-day trip follows the Pacific Coast route south from Arcata to the Golden Gate. Highlights include quiet Hwy 1 and the Friday evening Critical Mass in the city.

Join our email list to hear about dates of upcoming tours. Please contact Green Wheels if you are interested in bicycle touring or if you would like to find other people to join your tour.