Hi all, Gina here from Arizona. I'm brand new to touring, don't even have a touring bike yet, but I was thinking of heading over to California and riding part of the Pacific Coast route (maybe modified somewhat) from Christmas to just past New Years. I will be credit card touring and riding alone, but will have a driver to haul my stuff (lucky me!), so I'll probably take my road/racing bike. Part of the incentive for the driver (my dear mother!) is sight-seeing, so I want to be sure to catch some sights that she would enjoy. Her idea of excellent sight-seeing would include Alcatraz, Winchester Mansion, Hearst Mansion, things like that. I'll be content with seeing things like the beautiful coast and the redwoods. I'm sure I'll see plenty of what I want to see, so I'm more concerned with keeping my driver happy. Can you recommend some awesome sight-seeing side trips that I might not have heard of yet?
Do you think the weather would be decent enough over the holidays to start in San Francisco and head South? If not, where would you recommend I start? I could always drive to San Francisco, see the sights there with my mom, then drive South and start riding from somewhere else. I can do cold and wind and rain, but I don't get all excited at the prospect, lol! Also, do you recommend the Adventure Cycling route as-is? I already bought the two maps that cover the region I'm interested in. I also ordered the book "Bicycling the Pacific Coast."
I picked California for its mild winter climate (and I have use-or-lose leave to take before the end of the year, so vacation here I come!). I do live in a mild climate, but I'd like a change of scenery. I'd like to ride anywhere between 45 and 90 miles a day, depending on the terrain. That may seem a bit ambitious for a newbie, but I will have no load.
Any suggestions on region, route, and sight-seeing will be greatly welcomed!
Gina