Workout Vacations: Biking the California Coast
Where: San Francisco
Duration:6 days
Distance: 272 miles
Cost: $2,098 to $2,298
Operator: Backroads (www.backroads.com; 800-462-2848)
Difficulty: Challenging
On this picturesque ride from Mendocino to San Francisco, you track the curve of the coast past woodlands, soaring bluffs, and rocky beaches and through redwood groves and rows of grapevines. Riders can opt for shorter riding distances and four-wheeled transport, but the route is geared for hard-core cyclists, with elevation gains of up to 3,000 feet some days. The trek is rated up to a Level 5, meaning seven hours in the saddle some days and distances of more than 60 miles. (The luxurious inns along the route offer some payback.) The trip's last leg crosses the Golden Gate Bridge.
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