| San Francisco Bay Area & Wine Country 5-Day Road Cycling Adventure Tour |
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This week-long adventure tour features 322 miles of riding, 21 climbs, and 20 descents within lovely,
picturesque Northern California! In addition, You will experience tremendous variety in terms of the
environments that you ride through. Throughout this tour, you ride from windswept seascapes, pass inlet bays,
through redwood forests, over coastal ridges, into the Wine Country, and back! Other than riding through some
of the loveliest areas of the Golden State, you will also be traveling back through time by riding past numerous
historical sites along our routes. Due to the daily mileage and the climbing involved, a moderate-to-high level of
fitness is required for this tour. This tour also includes six nights of inn stays, with three nights in San Francisco
and three nights in the Wine Country, two meals per full day, and rider support. Importantly, our adventure tour
offers more mileage of riding and one to two additional nights of inn stays versus comparable tours, yet is more
affordable! One of our objectives is to provide our guests with more, for less!
Dates Price
3/18-3/23 4/22-4/27 5/13-5/18 $1895 (vs. $1995 or more)
6/3-6/8 7/8-7/13 8/5-8/10
9/2-9/7 9/30-10/5
Day 1, Sunday
We begin the adventure with our evening Reception and Orientation at our Home Office in San Anselmo, CA.
Your place of stay for Nights 1, 2, and 6 will be in the neighboring town of San Rafael, which was the location
of the 20th of the 21 Spanish Missions in California. In more recent times, director George Lucas filmed the
street cruising scenes in downtown San Rafael for his 1973 pop cinema classic American Graffiti.
Day 2, Monday - San Rafael, Pacifica, and Tiburon Loop via San Francisco
We start our ride in San Rafael and climb up Wolfe Grade before descending into Kentfield. We continue
southward into the towns of Larkspur and Corte Madera before we climb up the Camino Alto. Then, we
descend into Mill Valley and ride along the bike path that parallels the Richardson Bay marshlands. We arrive into
the quaint, Mediterranean-style town of Sausalito before we climb into the Marin Headlands and onto the Golden
Gate Bridge. After crossing the Golden Gate into San Francisco, we have a brief climb and a long descent from
the Presidio towards Baker Beach. After riding through the upscale Seaside neighborhood, we climb up to the
Legion of Honor. This is followed with a descent into the Richmond district and a climb towards the Cliff
House. From the Cliff House, we descend to Ocean Beach, where I grew up, and head southward down the
coastline. After climbing up to old Fort Funston, we descend into the coastal town of Pacifica. In 1769 in the
hills above Pacifica, Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portola first sighted San Francisco Bay! Further to the south is
Pillar Point and Mavericks, which is known for its phenomenal big wave riding! From Pacifica, we climb up the
Coast Range to Skyline Drive. Then, we turn northward back towards Ocean Beach. From Ocean Beach, we
venture into Golden Gate Park, which is one of the largest urban parks in the world! At the base of the climb to
the Legion of Honor, we retrace our ride back across the Golden Gate to Mill Valley. Once there, we veer
southeast to the east side of Richardson Bay and the peninsular town of Tiburon. We then continue northward
along Paradise Cove and back through Corte Madera and Larkspur to Kentfield. One final climb awaits us at
Wolfe Grade before we descend back into San Rafael.
70 miles of riding, with 12 strenuous climbs and 10 exciting descents!
Day 3, Tuesday - San Rafael to Santa Rosa via Marshall and Sebastopol
From San Rafael, we ride through the towns of San Anselmo and Fairfax before successive climbs and descents
into San Geronimo Valley and Nicasio Valley, respectively. After Nicasio Reservoir, we turn to the northeast and
have a climb and a descent before arriving at the Marin French Cheese Factory in Hicks Valley for a brief rest.
We continue northwest back over the Coast Range into the town of Marshall, which is by Tomales Bay. We
then turn northeast along rolling farm and ranch roads to Sebastopol before arriving in Santa Rosa, which was
the home for many decades of both horticulturist Luther Burbank and cartoonist Charles M.Schulz. Santa Rosa
is the present-day home of professional cyclist Levi Leipheimer. It is here in the gateway to the Wine Country
that we will spend the next three nights!
72 miles of riding, with 5 strenuous climbs and 5 exciting descents!
Day 4, Wednesday - Sonoma, Napa, St. Helena, and Calistoga Loop
Today we venture into the heart of the Wine Country and more! From Santa Rosa, we begin our
counter-clockwise loop by riding into Bennett Valley and Glen Ellen. The author Jack London lived in this area
for many years. We continue southwards into Sonoma, where early Californian settlers declared independence
from Mexico in 1846 by raising the Bear Flag of the California Republic here. After the Sonoma Valley, we ride
eastward and cross into Napa Valley. From Napa, we turn northwards up the famed Silverado Trail towards
Calistoga. Along the Trail, we ride just east of St. Helena, where Scottish author and poet Robert Louis Stevenson
lived for a while in 1880. On our final westward leg back to Santa Rosa, we ride past the Petrified Forest,
formed from a volcanic explosion 3.4 million years ago!
71 miles of riding, with 3 strenuous climbs and 3 exciting descents!
Day 5, Thursday - Dry Creek Valley, Geyserville, and Franz Valley Loop
We perform a clockwise loop within Sonoma County on this day's ride. Much of today's ride is featured in the
Vineman Triathlon, an Ironman-distance event that I have completed during the past three consecutive years. We
begin by heading northward and crossing the Russian River, which was named after the Russian fish and game
trade here in the early 1800's . After a gradual climb, we descend into Dry Creek Valley. We eventually turn
eastward, climb up Canyon Rd., and descend into Geyserville in Alexander Valley. Now riding southward, we
travel through Jimtown to Kellogg in Knights Valley. On the final leg of the ride, we climb and then descend to
Mark West Springs in the Franz Valley before returning to Santa Rosa.
66 miles of riding, with 3 strenuous climbs and 3 exciting descents!
Day 6, Friday - Santa Rosa to San Anselmo via Pt. Reyes Station and Olema
On our final day of riding, we gradually leave the Wine Country and roll west towards the Pacific. In fact
today's route is similar to Stage 1 of the Tour of California, but in reverse! We climb the Coastal Ridge into the
old, redwood timber town of Occidental. Then, we turn southward on the Pacific Coast Highway and ride along
the eastern shore of Tomales Bay. West of Tomales Bay is Drakes Bay, where Sir Francis Drake is purported to
have landed in 1579, and the Pt. Reyes Lighthouse. Continuing southwards, we ride through the towns of
Marshall, Pt. Reyes Station, and Olema, the epicenter of the 1906 Earthquake, before turning eastward. We
finish our ride with two strenuous climbs and two exciting descents through the Bolinas Ridge and into San
Anselmo and San Rafael!
64 miles of riding, with 4 strenuous climbs and 4 exciting descents!
picturesque Northern California! In addition, You will experience tremendous variety in terms of the
environments that you ride through. Throughout this tour, you ride from windswept seascapes, pass inlet bays,
through redwood forests, over coastal ridges, into the Wine Country, and back! Other than riding through some
of the loveliest areas of the Golden State, you will also be traveling back through time by riding past numerous
historical sites along our routes. Due to the daily mileage and the climbing involved, a moderate-to-high level of
fitness is required for this tour. This tour also includes six nights of inn stays, with three nights in San Francisco
and three nights in the Wine Country, two meals per full day, and rider support. Importantly, our adventure tour
offers more mileage of riding and one to two additional nights of inn stays versus comparable tours, yet is more
affordable! One of our objectives is to provide our guests with more, for less!
Dates Price
3/18-3/23 4/22-4/27 5/13-5/18 $1895 (vs. $1995 or more)
6/3-6/8 7/8-7/13 8/5-8/10
9/2-9/7 9/30-10/5
Day 1, Sunday
We begin the adventure with our evening Reception and Orientation at our Home Office in San Anselmo, CA.
Your place of stay for Nights 1, 2, and 6 will be in the neighboring town of San Rafael, which was the location
of the 20th of the 21 Spanish Missions in California. In more recent times, director George Lucas filmed the
street cruising scenes in downtown San Rafael for his 1973 pop cinema classic American Graffiti.
Day 2, Monday - San Rafael, Pacifica, and Tiburon Loop via San Francisco
We start our ride in San Rafael and climb up Wolfe Grade before descending into Kentfield. We continue
southward into the towns of Larkspur and Corte Madera before we climb up the Camino Alto. Then, we
descend into Mill Valley and ride along the bike path that parallels the Richardson Bay marshlands. We arrive into
the quaint, Mediterranean-style town of Sausalito before we climb into the Marin Headlands and onto the Golden
Gate Bridge. After crossing the Golden Gate into San Francisco, we have a brief climb and a long descent from
the Presidio towards Baker Beach. After riding through the upscale Seaside neighborhood, we climb up to the
Legion of Honor. This is followed with a descent into the Richmond district and a climb towards the Cliff
House. From the Cliff House, we descend to Ocean Beach, where I grew up, and head southward down the
coastline. After climbing up to old Fort Funston, we descend into the coastal town of Pacifica. In 1769 in the
hills above Pacifica, Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portola first sighted San Francisco Bay! Further to the south is
Pillar Point and Mavericks, which is known for its phenomenal big wave riding! From Pacifica, we climb up the
Coast Range to Skyline Drive. Then, we turn northward back towards Ocean Beach. From Ocean Beach, we
venture into Golden Gate Park, which is one of the largest urban parks in the world! At the base of the climb to
the Legion of Honor, we retrace our ride back across the Golden Gate to Mill Valley. Once there, we veer
southeast to the east side of Richardson Bay and the peninsular town of Tiburon. We then continue northward
along Paradise Cove and back through Corte Madera and Larkspur to Kentfield. One final climb awaits us at
Wolfe Grade before we descend back into San Rafael.
70 miles of riding, with 12 strenuous climbs and 10 exciting descents!
Day 3, Tuesday - San Rafael to Santa Rosa via Marshall and Sebastopol
From San Rafael, we ride through the towns of San Anselmo and Fairfax before successive climbs and descents
into San Geronimo Valley and Nicasio Valley, respectively. After Nicasio Reservoir, we turn to the northeast and
have a climb and a descent before arriving at the Marin French Cheese Factory in Hicks Valley for a brief rest.
We continue northwest back over the Coast Range into the town of Marshall, which is by Tomales Bay. We
then turn northeast along rolling farm and ranch roads to Sebastopol before arriving in Santa Rosa, which was
the home for many decades of both horticulturist Luther Burbank and cartoonist Charles M.Schulz. Santa Rosa
is the present-day home of professional cyclist Levi Leipheimer. It is here in the gateway to the Wine Country
that we will spend the next three nights!
72 miles of riding, with 5 strenuous climbs and 5 exciting descents!
Day 4, Wednesday - Sonoma, Napa, St. Helena, and Calistoga Loop
Today we venture into the heart of the Wine Country and more! From Santa Rosa, we begin our
counter-clockwise loop by riding into Bennett Valley and Glen Ellen. The author Jack London lived in this area
for many years. We continue southwards into Sonoma, where early Californian settlers declared independence
from Mexico in 1846 by raising the Bear Flag of the California Republic here. After the Sonoma Valley, we ride
eastward and cross into Napa Valley. From Napa, we turn northwards up the famed Silverado Trail towards
Calistoga. Along the Trail, we ride just east of St. Helena, where Scottish author and poet Robert Louis Stevenson
lived for a while in 1880. On our final westward leg back to Santa Rosa, we ride past the Petrified Forest,
formed from a volcanic explosion 3.4 million years ago!
71 miles of riding, with 3 strenuous climbs and 3 exciting descents!
Day 5, Thursday - Dry Creek Valley, Geyserville, and Franz Valley Loop
We perform a clockwise loop within Sonoma County on this day's ride. Much of today's ride is featured in the
Vineman Triathlon, an Ironman-distance event that I have completed during the past three consecutive years. We
begin by heading northward and crossing the Russian River, which was named after the Russian fish and game
trade here in the early 1800's . After a gradual climb, we descend into Dry Creek Valley. We eventually turn
eastward, climb up Canyon Rd., and descend into Geyserville in Alexander Valley. Now riding southward, we
travel through Jimtown to Kellogg in Knights Valley. On the final leg of the ride, we climb and then descend to
Mark West Springs in the Franz Valley before returning to Santa Rosa.
66 miles of riding, with 3 strenuous climbs and 3 exciting descents!
Day 6, Friday - Santa Rosa to San Anselmo via Pt. Reyes Station and Olema
On our final day of riding, we gradually leave the Wine Country and roll west towards the Pacific. In fact
today's route is similar to Stage 1 of the Tour of California, but in reverse! We climb the Coastal Ridge into the
old, redwood timber town of Occidental. Then, we turn southward on the Pacific Coast Highway and ride along
the eastern shore of Tomales Bay. West of Tomales Bay is Drakes Bay, where Sir Francis Drake is purported to
have landed in 1579, and the Pt. Reyes Lighthouse. Continuing southwards, we ride through the towns of
Marshall, Pt. Reyes Station, and Olema, the epicenter of the 1906 Earthquake, before turning eastward. We
finish our ride with two strenuous climbs and two exciting descents through the Bolinas Ridge and into San
Anselmo and San Rafael!
64 miles of riding, with 4 strenuous climbs and 4 exciting descents!
Click on the link above to use
Yahoo! Maps, and view the
layout of some of the major
destinations on this adventure
tour. Enter locations such as San
Anselmo, CA; San Rafael, CA;
Sausalito, CA; San Francisco,
CA;Tiburon, CA; Santa Rosa,
CA; Sonoma, CA; Napa, CA; and
Pt. Reyes Station, CA in the City,
State text box of the map window.
Yahoo! Maps, and view the
layout of some of the major
destinations on this adventure
tour. Enter locations such as San
Anselmo, CA; San Rafael, CA;
Sausalito, CA; San Francisco,
CA;Tiburon, CA; Santa Rosa,
CA; Sonoma, CA; Napa, CA; and
Pt. Reyes Station, CA in the City,
State text box of the map window.
Complimentary Livestrong bracelets are available to the first tour guests on our 2007 tours
while supply lasts! You may reserve this Wild West Cycling adventure tour by clicking on the
Dates and Tour buttons on the right and placing your choices into your online shopping cart. Or you
may reserve any of our adventure tours via the Internet, telephone, or regular mail by visiting
our Reservations Center. A $400 deposit is required per guest per tour, and any balance is due 30
days before the start of your tour. To learn more about all of the amenities that are included with
our tours, please visit our Guest Services Center. We look forward to riding with you in lovely
Northern California!
Please view our Terms of Service page if you have any questions concerning our cancellation and refund policies.
while supply lasts! You may reserve this Wild West Cycling adventure tour by clicking on the
Dates and Tour buttons on the right and placing your choices into your online shopping cart. Or you
may reserve any of our adventure tours via the Internet, telephone, or regular mail by visiting
our Reservations Center. A $400 deposit is required per guest per tour, and any balance is due 30
days before the start of your tour. To learn more about all of the amenities that are included with
our tours, please visit our Guest Services Center. We look forward to riding with you in lovely
Northern California!
Please view our Terms of Service page if you have any questions concerning our cancellation and refund policies.
