Miranda, CA (Avenue of the Giants)
Starting at $975
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Towering redwoods, rushing rivers, secluded forests filled with wildlife- Humboldt County, California is pretty darn magical.
However, there’s a reason it’s not known for cycling. It’s remote. Services are nearly nonexistent. And almost any route you attempt will include significant climbing. Luckily for you, we’ve figured out how to offer a base camp-style trip that makes it accessible to anyone with a moderate level of fitness and an openness to adventure.
Based in Miranda, every ride starts in the heart of old growth redwoods. Splitting our riding time between the Eel River watershed to the East and the Coast Range to the West, you’ll see epic corners of California that few have ever had the opportunity to witness.
Return to base each day
Cabin accommodations
River View House is a hilltop hideaway with views of the S. Fork of the Eel River and a private back yard with a sauna. Two other cabins on the property will offer our group plenty of space for socializing over pre-ride morning coffee or around the fire pit post-ride. See @RiverView_AveOfTheGiants
After bonding over the experience of tackling challenging rides, we’ll share hearty home-cooked dinners together to refuel for the next day. Breakfast will include options ranging from oatmeal, eggs and pancakes to fruit, cereal and yogurt. Ride nutrition will be provided.
Sure, you could ride a skinny tire road bike, but wider tires at lower pressure will be much more forgiving on the rough pavement and occasional gravel. Our VAAST A/1 gravel bikes are available for rent with 38mm GravelKing slicks or 37mm WTB Riddler tubeless tires.
At 3:30pm we’ll roll out for a casual spin to loosen the legs. We’ll head up Avenue of the Giants then climb Elk Creek Rd to our turnaround at the junction with Dyerville Loop Rd. Back down to Avenue of the Giants we’ll head through Meyers Flat to the Williams Grove to check out some redwood giants. If you’re able to arrive earlier in the day we’ll have longer route options for you to choose from.
An early start will get us up Avenue of the Giants to the turn onto Dyerville Loop Rd. (see map below). Passing through Founders Grove we’ll next follow the Eel River to a steep gravel climb that leads into the small community of Fruitland. Here our shorter 34-mile route descends Elk Creek Rd. back to Avenue of the Giants. The longer 64-mile route continues climbing the ridge on a mix of pavement and gravel before descending Alderpoint Rd. into Garberville for an optional lunch stop. A bit more descending to Redway puts us on 101 briefly before the home stretch along Avenue of the Giants.
Both routes offer a challenging first day in the Heart of Humboldt. A warm and hearty meal will be the reward.
Today we’ll reverse yesterday’s finish and head south to Redway before aiming west on Briceland Rd. Adventurous riders will detour through Ettersburg to reach Kings Peak Rd. through the heart of the King Range Conservation Area. Another option heads for Shelter Cove, the only town along the entire Lost Coast, though it requires a serious commitment as the 3-mile climb back out averages about 10%.
Back above Shelter Cove the route heads south on Usal Rd. to its junction with Whitethorn Rd. where you turn left and head back towards Redway and then the final stretch along Avenue of the Giants into Miranda.
Tonight dinner will be on your own. A mile up the road in Miranda is Redwood Palace, an excellent restaurant known for its Humboldt Bay oysters, as well as Avenue Cafe, a more casual diner-style option. These are the only two choices but both are good.
We’ll need to check out by 11am but anyone with any gas left in the tank is welcome to roll out at 7am for a 20-miler that can either meander the flats of Avenue of the Giants one last time or cross the Eel River and tackle the climb of Salmon Creek Rd.
*This is a sample itinerary. With multiple route options each day we will make final determinations about each day’s routes the night before based on weather, rider input and other factors
A highlight of this route is an early morning start that promises 10 miles of smooth pavement along Avenue of the Giants with very little traffic. Next pass through Founders Grove before following the Eel River to a steep gravel climb that deposits you in the small community of Fruitland. Now along the ridge you’ll climb a mix of pavement and gravel along Dyerville Loop Rd. before the descent into Garberville.
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