Trip Summary Trip Dates: Sep 14 - Sep 21 Start - End Locations: San Francisco, CA - San Francisco, CA Days: 8   Rest Days: 0   Level of Support: Event Miles: 433 Average Miles Per Day: 61 Surface: Road Riders: 60 Type: Supported   Meals: Catered (except for 1 dinner) Accommodations: Camping Cost: $1099 Booking Status: Filling Up

For the cyclist, what ranks in importance right after the legs and lungs? The appetite, of course. And what better way to gratify all your cycling and gastronomic senses than a tour through Northern California’s most scenic and prolific agricultural areas? Starting and ending in San Francisco -- right near Fisherman’s Wharf, the Embarcadero, and the Ferry Building (with its world-renowned food market) -- you’ll visit the vineyards, orchards, dairy lands, and croplands of the northern Bay Area at the peak of harvest season. Beyond scenery, we’ll arrange for you to meet with farmers, vintners and sustainable agriculture experts, so that you can sample their wares and learn straight from the source about the growing movements for local agriculture and organic foods.

The ride will launch from the waterfront edge of San Francisco and head north to Marin and Sonoma counties, which have been in the forefront of farmland preservation efforts. Then you’ll head east through world famous wine growing valleys to the edge of the Great Central Valley—America’s most productive agricultural area—and loop back into the Coast Range. From there, you’ll thread through the world-renowned vineyards and orchards of Sonoma County’s Alexander and Russian River valleys. You’ll conclude your trip on a little known road through Coleman Valley—you’ll feel as if you're flying above the Pacific Ocean—followed by a long pull along the coast to Bodega Bay, Point Reyes, Bolinas Ridge, and Mount Tamalpais before a long descent back to the vibrant city of San Francisco.

Highlights include Sonoma Valley, the Alexander and Russian River valleys, Napa Valley, the San Francisco waterfront, Point Reyes and Tomales Bay (home to fantastic oysters and seafood), the Golden Gate Bridge (twice!), and Marin dairy lands and coastal bluffs.

Most of the riding days will allow you extra time to enjoy your surroundings, explore farms, taste wines and inhale California’s warm autumn air. The riding will be at the intermediate level, with days ranging from 35 to 75 miles and a fair amount of climbing. The ride will be catered and will use produce from farms along the route. There will also be ample opportunities to stop by local bakeries, creameries, wineries, and farms to taste and savor before you get back on the bike.

There are few better places in North America than Northern California to blend your passions for bicycling and gastronomy. Add to it a chance to meet some of the people who make California’s bounty possible, and you have a delicious, stimulating, and memorable journey.

For more detailed information, see Event logistics.

READY TO GO?
You can sign up for the Farm Fresh California Event now. Go to our online sign-up.