Vicky Spring - Bicycling The Pacific Coast

A Complete

Route Guide,

Canada to Mexico

FOURTH EDITION

Whether youd like to head out for a weekend tour or for weeks on end, this comprehensive guide will help you down the road.

Adventure Sports Journal

The latest fourth edition may be the one that introduces a new generation to the joys (and pains) of long-distance cycling... [A] no-holds-barred look at doing the mighty coast highway on two wheels.

Oregonian

This is a book to inspire dreams of rolling adventure.

San Francisco Chronicle

If youve ever dreamed of riding part or all of the Pacific Coast this is a great source of information.

The Cascadian

The whole book is peppered with new information, from updated mileage logs to additional attractions. In addition to planning our rest stops and camping based on the books suggestions, we had the pleasure of experiencing several scenic detours we otherwise would have missed.

Albany Democrat-Herald

A Complete

Route Guide,

Canada to Mexico

FOURTH EDITION

VICKY SPRING AND
TOM KIRKENDALL

1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98134

2005 by Tom Kirkendall and Vicky Spring

First edition, 1984. Second edition, 1990. Third edition, 1998. Fourth edition: first printing 2005, second printing 2006, third printing 2007, fourth printing 2008, fifth printing 2010, sixth printing 2012

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Distributed in the United Kingdom by Cordee, www.cordee.co.uk

Manufactured in the United States of America

Editor: Christine Clifton-Thornton
Cover Design: Kristy Thompson
Layout: Marge Mueller, Gray Mouse Graphics
Cartographer: Tom Kirkendall

All photographs by the authors unless otherwise noted.

Cover photograph: Watching the sunset from Lime Kiln Point State Park
Frontispiece: A field of hairy checkermallow on Cascade Head overlooks the mouth of the Salmon River.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Kirkendall, Tom.

Bicycling the Pacific Coast : a complete route guide Canada to Mexico / Tom Kirkendall and Vicky Spring. 4th ed.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 0-89886-954-4 (pbk.)

1. Bicycle touringPacific Coast (North America)Guidebooks. 2. Pacific Coast (North America)Guidebooks. I. Spring, Vicky, 1953- II. Title.

GV1046.P17K57 2004

917.90434dc22

2004027548

Printed on recycled paper

ISBN (paperback): 978-0-89886-954-5

ISBN (ebook): 978-1-59485-207-7

Inland Route

Peninsula Route

Combined Route

The table on the following pages is designed to let you view all the basic information for each days ride at a quick glance. The Table of Essentials will help you see what amenities and activities are available along the ride. When considered with the Distance and Difficulty entries, you can quickly calculate how long it will take you to complete the ride and determine the amount of time you will want to spend enjoying the scenery and attractions along the way; or, the table may help you decide if you need to pick up a good book and spend an afternoon relaxing and reading on the beach.

The table is not designed to take the place of the Mileage Log. You will still need to refer to the Mileage Log section of each days ride for riding directions and distances.

Pick the correct tableBritish Columbia, Washington, Oregon, or Californiadepending on which state or province you are in. The days are listed in order and by the name of the starting and ending point, as found in the table of contents.

Distance: The miles listed follow the basic routes outlined in the Mileage Log. Any side trips or excursions will add extra miles to the total.

Difficulty: Each days journey has been rated as either easy (E), moderate (M), or difficult (D).

Bike Shop: Bike shops are available in every large town along the coast. Unfortunately, you can be days away from these major bike shops when your hub suddenly decides to pop or your sealed pedal suddenly unseals itself. The list here is designed to give you an idea of where to start looking for a bike shop. It has been our experience, through several editions of this book, that bike shops come and go frequently in smaller towns. The bike shops that do survive tend to do so by multitasking and may not offer all the services of a large city shop. Your best bet for bike shops is always the big cities and college towns.

Beach Access: This category lets you know if you can plan on an hour or so of beach recreation time during the days ride.