The Lost Coast is the most remote part of the entire California Coast. The famous Pacific Coast Highway had to be built inland to go around the rugged contours and steep coastal mountains. Not only will you ride the only paved segment of the Lost Coast on this trip, you’ll also cruise through some of the last remaining old growth redwoods, along the Eel River, and back over the coast range to rejoin the Pacific Coast Highway.
With Comova’s support you can ride these remote corners of California without worrying about mechanicals, whether you can get a cell signal, or where to find water. We’ll transport you to the start in Ferndale and then shuttle your luggage each day so you can ride keep your ride light and your focus on the challenging terrain.
From a Farm Stay in Ferndale to a river view home in Miranda and a redwood retreat in Fort Bragg, all of your accommodations will be comfortable and take advantage of the beautiful locations we’ll be riding through.
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 as well as lunch on days with no services.
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.
We’ll gather at Comova and begin our shuttle up to Ferndale at 1pm. After arriving at the Farm Stay you’ll have an opportunity to stretch your legs out on ashort spin before dinner. During dinner we’ll discuss logistics for the trip and hold a pre-ride briefing for the next day’s route.
Today is a day to get settled in and test the legs. While only 35 miles, the main route throws over 3,500′ of climbing at you with about a third of it on a beautiful gravel road along Bear River Ridge. At the end of Bear River Ridge, the 2,000′ you’ll drop over the next six miles into Ferndale will give you a good idea of the climb you’ll face at the start of Day 3.
We’ll pack up in the morning as today is truly the start of the tour. You’ll cover 87 miles and 8,700′ of climbing on the way to the Lost Coast, through Petrolia and Honeydew, over Panther Gap, and finally down the Avenue of the Giants. The scenery is stunning. The riding is challenging. But don’t worry. With SAG support you’ll have the option to shorten your ride in any number of ways by taking a lift up the road at the start, skipping the big Panther Gap climb, or cutting out the inland traverse from the coast to Honeydew. Dinner and a comfortable bed in Miranda will be well-earned.
We’ll need to get back across the Coast Range today, which means more climbing. But compared to yesterday, today’s main climb of 1,700′ at an average of 5% will feel easy. A second modest climb is followed by a descent to the coast and some very fun rollers down the coast into Fort Bragg. We’ll take a gentle gravel road into Refuge at Pudding Creek, our accommodations for the night.
*This is a sample itinerary. Your trip will include daily distances and routes completely customized to your preferences.
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