California Bicycle Tours …
California is known as the Land of Milk & Honey for good reason. It really does offer up a profusion of natural and cultural delights.
If you enjoy the challenge of mountain riding and cycling up hilly terrain, then you will get a kick out of a California bicycle tour. The ‘Golden State’ has an absolute abundance of mountainous regions – from the awesome Sierra Nevada mountain range which runs 400 miles / 644km in length – to the stunning sheer coastal peaks and ranges that border the Pacific Ocean.
California also known as ‘The Grape State’ on account of its wonderful wine regions and ‘The Eldorado State’ because of its rich history with gold.
So if you are looking for a bicycle tour in a place that has great weather, challenging climbs, spectacular scenery and great gourmet food and wine then California may be just the ticket.
California Bicycle Tours – Top Places To Visit
Northern California
Northern California offers a stunning variety of attractions for the intrepid bike tourist.
There are glorious Redwood forests, winding stretches of coastline, soaring mountain peaks and gentle vineyard regions.
Some of the big stars in this area are: Mount Tamalpais, the Redwood forests at Russian River, dazzling Lake Tahoe, the beautiful rolling wine growing districts of the Napa Valley, Sonoma & Mendocino , the mighty Sierra Nevada mountain range and the sparkling blue Pacific Ocean coastline.
Lake Tahoe
Magnificent Lake Tahoe is the biggest alpine lake and second deepest lake in North America – and is famous for its staggering beauty and the clarity of its waters.
This region is perfect for cyclist as there are hundreds of different on-road or off-road bike trails to choose from – around the mighty lake and surrounding area.
If you are looking for a fairly substantial bicycle tour then you can try, the ever popular, Tahoe Rim Trail, which circumnavigates Lake Tahoe and is 165 miles or 265.5 km long.
Another well-liked track is the Eagle Lake Trailhead.
Central California
If you want a bicycle tour of California that will simply take your breath away then Big Sur Territory on the Central Coast of California is the one to undertake.
The coastline of Big Sur is characterised by magestic cliffs which soar out of the mighty Pacific Ocean.
It is a raw windswept landscape with craggy rock formations and plunging canyons; gorgeous wild marine-life and ever stunning and awe-inspiring redwood forests.
Big Sur is located on a sparsely populated and rugged coastline between San Francisco and Los Angeles, and is rich with historical significance.
To the east lies the stunning Yosemite Valley within the Sierra Nevada mountain range, the beautiful Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, and Mount Whitney.
Southern California
If you enjoy cycling through grand desert landscapes on vast, deserted roads then the Southern Californian desert is for you.
The best time for a bike tour of the Southern Californian desert is definitely winter – it is warm, dry and simply heavenly weather to cycle in.
Avoid summer. It is stinking hot in these desert regions – however in winter, the lofty heights of the surrounding mountains shelter this area from the cold and wet winter weather.
Weather Watch For California Bicycle Tours
Rainfall
The wettest months are December until March.
The driest months are May, June and July.
Summer
July is the warmest month with average highs of 97 degrees fahrenheit or 36 degrees celsius.
And average lows of 67 degrees fahrenheit or approx 19.5 degrees celsius.
Winter
December is the coldest month with average highs of 58 degrees fahrenheit or approx 14.5 degrees celsius.
And average lows of 33 degrees fahrenheit or approx 0.5 degrees celsius.
Regional Weather Watch: For California Bicycle Tours
The California landscape is varied and extreme and this is reflected in it’s many different climatic regions.
There are (very) roughly four climatic regions in California:
Central Coast
In the Central Coast areas, the temperatures are consistantly mild – both summer and winter, and many parts of this coastline will experience frequent rainfall and fog.
Keep in mind, if you are going a California bicycle tour, that the wet season extends from November through until April.
Central Valley
The Central Valley experiences a lot of sunshine and some very warm summer days with averages of 90 degrees fahrenheit or 32.2 degrees celsius – right up to 100 degrees fahrenheit or 38 degrees celsius.
The winters are fairly mild with temperature highs in the 50 degrees fahrenheit or 10 degrees celsius. The cold weather is also accompanied by the rains.
Imperial Valley
The Imperial Valley is known for its extremely dry, hot summers, and firece temperatures – which commonly soar up over 100 degrees fahrenheit or 38 degrees celsius.
By contrast the average winter highs sit at about 70 degrees fahrenheit or 21.1 degrees celsius – which makes it pretty nice weather for indulging in some California bicycle tours!
In this desert region – during the wettest part of the year- there is usually less than 2 inches or 5.08 cm of precipitation.
Mountains
California’s Mountainous districts experience mild summers and cold,snowy winter temperatures – especially the higher you ascend into the ranges.