The California Ride
General Information
May 17-20, 2014 - New Route!
Climate Ride California 2014 is an exciting 4-day cycling adventure that begins in San Francisco, heads north up the coast and through Wine Country to California’s Capitol in Sacramento. Climate Ride California is more than a bike trip – it’s an inspiring journey with like-minded people who are united by their passion for sustainability, renewable energy, and bicycles - the ultimate carbon-free form of transportation.
On this year’s new California ride, you’ll experience epic biking, amazing scenery, and dynamic speakers that all combine to make this charitable event exciting, informative, and fun. There are four days of riding and each one is a new adventure. You’ll pedal from the City by the Bay - San Francisco - across the Golden Gate Bridge and along California’s scenic Marin coast. Then, turning east at Point Reyes Station, we’ll pedal past quaint dairy farms and through historic Petaluma to our first camp of the trip.
The next two days are spent pedaling through the verdant vineyards of California’s classic Wine Country growing regions – Russian River Valley, Dry Creek, Alexander Valley and eventually into the famed Napa Valley, where we’ll spend a whole day on the Silverado Trail. That night we’ll camp in the rolling hills above Napa at an out-of-the-way campground with panoramic views. Then, it’s up and over the final hill and across the flat Central Valley to Sacramento where we’ll make our voices heard at a speaking event in front of the iconic Capitol building.
Each evening, our expert speaker series will provide information, opinion, and discussion on topics such as renewable energy, climate science, sustainability, and bicycle infrastructure. Our professional Climate Ride staff takes care of all the details, so you can focus on riding the 30-60 miles per day of carefully planned routes on scenic back roads. It’s challenging yet doable, and you have all day to make it to the next rest stop. Meals, snacks, bike support, luggage transport, and all of the logistics are included when you reach your fundraising minimum. On the road, the Climate Ride support team is always nearby to assist you, keep you happy and healthy, and make your ride worry-free and memorable.
Click the tabs above for more about each day. If you're ready to sign up and ride, click below to register!
Day 1
58 MILES
Climate Ride's Wine Country adventure begins in San Francisco. We pedal north from the City by the Bay across the Golden Gate Bridge into Marin County. We follow the coast to Stinson Beach where we’ll stop in at Audubon Canyon Ranch and hear more about this important preserve for Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons. We continue north after lunch to Point Reyes Station and turn inland across rolling hills and through historic Petaluma. A few more miles and we arrive at our camp for the night, where we’ll hear from informative speakers before turning in after a full day.
Day 2
63 MILES
After a hearty hot breakfast, we’ll start out riding through apple orchards and cross the Russian River into the Dry Creek wine-growing region. Today’s picnic takes place at an historic winery that looks like a page right out of a nature magazine. Following lunch, we’ll continue our adventure through Dry Creek and into the quiet Alexander Valley known for their exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon wines and sustainable practices. After a brief afternoon water stop at a local vintner, we’ll pedal on quaint roads lined with moss-covered oaks to the hills above Calistoga where we’ll stay in basic cabins (sleeping bag required) at a fully-equipped retreat center (complete with a zip line!).
Day 3
~50 MILES
Day 3’s morning route takes down into Napa Valley and into historic Calistoga. We’ll ride along the famed Silverado Trail, a famous road in the heart of the verdant Napa Valley. We’ll enjoy a full day of pedaling in the Wine Country and take rests at water/snack stops by the vineyards. As we turn into the mountains, we’ll stop at a sustainable winery before finishing the final leg to our camp in the hills above the town of Napa. Stay tuned for more details!
Day 4
72 MILES
After two days of crossing coastal ranges, we head east over one last hill before descending into California’s (flat!) Central Valley. From camp, we descend past farms and fields to UC Davis where we’ll enjoy a pack lunch. From there, it’s 16 miles to Sacramento, where we’ll all gather before pedaling together to the State Capitol. Here in front of the Capitol building, we will celebrate our successful ride, and our contribution in helping our beneficiaries work toward sustainability, green innovation, and renewable energy. After a speaking event on the Capitol grounds, we’ll head to a local park where you can pick up your luggage and gear. An optional shuttle back to San Francisco is available, or you can stay in Sacramento and meet with your local representatives.