OUT IN THE WORLD WITHOUT A CAR: Bikepacking into the redwoods
Preparing to tackle the Richmond–San Rafael Bridge on our way home.
For one overnight, our bikes weren’t overloaded.
We rode from El Cerrito to Samuel P. Taylor State Park, a redwood park with Lagunitas Creek running through it, which is off of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in Marin County about 6 miles east of Point Reyes Station. Starting out from El Cerrito, we rode to the Bay Trail over the Sacramento Street bridge and continued to Pt. Richmond. Then we rode over the Richmond–San Rafael Bridge and made our way through Larkspur (bike infrastructure on the bridge’s north side is getting better and better) to Marin Bicycle Route 20, a well-signed 8-mile route that traverses a multiuse trail along the bay and winds through the cute towns of Kentfield (College of Marin), San Anselmo, Ross, and Fairfax.
Kathleen agrees!
After Fairfax, we had no choice but to ride on the wide shoulder of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard up and over a big hill into the San Geronimo Valley. We were able to get off the main road again to ride on backroads through Woodacre, then got back onto Sir Francis Drake to ride into the redwood forest. The route was mostly flat (except for that big hill after Fairfax) and scenic 100 percent of the way.
Samuel P. Taylor State Park has a no-reservation-needed hiking and bikepacking site that costs $7 per person per night. Classy move: We picked up delicious Indian food from Arti Cafe in Lagunitas on the way over and ate it for dinner before setting up our tent. We had to share a picnic table with an eye-rolling-ly chatty older guy who said he had “business” in the Bay Area. Also at the site were two younger guys from Ireland in the middle of an epic bike trip from Vancouver to San Diego, who were a lot of fun to chat with over breakfast (we had instant oatmeal; they ate about five sausages each, but who’s counting).
On the way back the next day we rode through the 1,100-foot Cal Park Hill Tunnel, an old railroad tunnel converted for bike/pedestrian use between Larkspur and San Rafael. While pedaling over the Richmond–San Rafael Bridge on a Monday afternoon, I was grateful for the opportunity — almost lost — to be able to use the bridge on a weekday.
Kathleen, Michelle, and I rode a total of almost 60 miles roundtrip in 25 hours of pure bikepacking bliss! Where should we bikepack to next? Appreciate suggestions at janetlesliebyron@gmail.com.
Janet and Michelle in the tent