Pacific Coast Ramble 2017

† Explanation of BAC Ride Fee – This fee is not included in the Estimated Cost and is non-refundable once submitted. The Ride Fee for US and Canada is $85 and $100 for all other countries, both are per participant.

Ride Description

OVERVIEW
Explore the stunning Pacific Coast from Seattle to San Francisco, and celebrate the end of this coastal journey at San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf. This tour is an adaptation of the July 2010 Rick Gallo Tour entitled “Pacific Coast Rambler” and traces the route maps of Adventure Cycling’s Pacific Coast Route.  Bob Lynn, who rode the route with Rich Gallo, wrote an extensive blog which best illustrates the tour.

RIDE DESCRIPTION
We start our tour with a group meal in Seattle, and the next morning we take a ferry from Seattle to Bremerton, ending our day in Shelton, Washington. The next morning, we bike to South Bend, and in a short time meet the Pacific Coast, and then crossing the 4.1 mile long Astoria-Megler bridge into Astoria, Oregon. For the next eight days, we travel along the amazing Oregon Coast, overnighting in Garibaldi, Lincoln City, Yachats, Lakeside, Port Orford, and Brookings and along the way, seeing lighthouses, cheese factories, local brewpubs, sea lion caves, and sand dunes. On the 13th day, our tour is welcomed in California and we spend the night in two-bedroom cabins in Orick. From Orick, we travel along the remote California Coast, overnighting in historic Ferndale, Garberville, Ft, Bragg, Point Arena, Bodega Bay and ending in San Francisco on Day 20. In California, we cycle through the Avenue of the Giants, redwood trees as tall as a football field is long, the beautiful California coast, and the last day, cycle though Point Reyes National Park, cross the Golden Gate Bridge and end our journey in San Francisco.   The van and driver are primarily following the route solely to carry our luggage, and will not function as a sag.  Only cyclists who are ill for the day may ride in the van.

RIDE RATING
The Tour will be challenging and rated a high 3C. The average daily riding distance is 63 miles, and the average elevation gain is 3480 feet per day as estimated with RideWithGPS. There are 16 riding days, and three rest days at Day 7 (Lincoln City, Oregon), Day 12 (Brookings, Oregon), and Day 17 (Ft. Bragg, California) and there is no riding at Day 1 and Day 20. While there are no sustained climbs on this tour, you will need your lowest gears for short sections of climbs.  There are five days which exceed the C rating of 65 miles, and nine days which exceed the 3 rating for elevation gain.
The days which exceed the 3C rating are as follows:

Day 5 Astoria to Garibaldi 60.1 miles with 3643 feet of climbing; Day 6 Garibaldi to Lincoln City 70.1 miles with 4023 feet of climbing; Day 9 Yachats to Lakeside 59.3 miles with 3697 feet of climbing; Day 10 Lakeside to Port Orford 73.1 miles with 3334 feet of climbing; Day 11 Port Orford to Brookings 64.1 miles with 4205 feet of climbing; Day 12 Brookings to Orick 67.1 miles with 3656 feet of climbing; Day 13 Orick to Ferndale 68.8 miles with 2916 feet of climbing; Day 16 Garberville to Ft. Bragg 67.4 miles with 5751 feet of climbing; Day 17 Ft Bragg to Point Arena 47 miles with 3566 feet of climbing;  Day 18 Point Arena to Bodega Bay 64.6 miles with 4664 feet of climbing; Day 19 Bodega Bay to San Francisco 70.7 miles with 4915 feet of climbing.

The route basically follows Highway 101 and Highway 1 south, with many roads off the highway to ride close as possible along the Pacific Coast. You must be comfortable riding in high volume traffic, with some roads having very little shoulders or not at all, and comfortable climbing steep hills. You will be required to carry your own water and snacks during the day. You will be expected to be in condition to ride the whole tour. A detailed itinerary with daily distances, cue sheets, maps and GPS files will be provided in the Ride Leader Docs. To further assist with navigation, you will be provided with Adventure Cycling’s Pacific Coast Maps.

LODGING
Most of the lodging will be in hotels along the Pacific Coast. In Seattle, we stay at the Vintage Hotel, near Seattle’s Fish Market. Our last night is at the Sheraton Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. In between, we stay in lodging either on the oceanfront or with spectacular views of the ocean.  In Orick, California, we stay at Elk Meadows Cabins, cabins with three bedrooms.

LOGISTICS
If you arrive by air, the nearest airport which is located 15 miles south of downtown is Settle/ Tacoma International Airport. Shuttle buses and Central Link Downtown can take you downtown. For a detailed description of the transportation options from the airport to downtown, click on the link.  If arriving by Amtrak, the station is a little over a mile south from our first hotel, Seattle Waterfront Marriot.  The tour starts with a group dinner in Seattle on September 7, 2017, and ends after breakfast in San Francisco on September 27, 2017.

WEATHER
The historical average for the time during the tour:  Seattle is a high of 74 and a low of 56; for Astoria, Oregon, the average is a high of 69 and a low of 52; for Eureka, the average is 64 and 52. As we cycle inland to Garberville, the average high will be 85 with a low 51. In Bodega Bay, the average high is 63 with a low of 50. You should prepare yourself for a few days of rain.

COSTS AND ADMINISTRATION
The estimated costs includes 20 nights lodging (double occupancy), two group meals, six breakfasts, snacks, daily happy hours, a luggage van and driver, cue sheets and gps files.  A deposit of $1600 will be required at time of registration, and the remaining $1500 will be due by June 1, 2017.  The cost of the tour  does not include the shipping of your bike box or any excess luggage from Seattle to San Francisco.  The Ride Leader will discuss shipping options with participants prior to the start of the tour.

SINGLES
It is recommended that singles who would like a roommate try to find their own. However, after receipt of the initial deposit, a single without a roommate will be placed on the ride and given until January 1, 2017 to find a roommate. If they are unable to find a roommate, they will have the option to receive a full refund (minus the BAC fee) or pay the $1700 single supplement and stay on the ride. If a single pays the supplement, they may continue to seek a roommate, but must plan to participate without a roommate if necessary. The Ride Leader will assist by attempting to match singles who apply for the ride.

CANCELLATION POLICY
The BAC ride registration fee is not refundable unless the entire tour is cancelled. Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations. If the canceling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time. If the canceling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report is completed. If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the cancelling roommate may also be liable for the single supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour.

RIDE PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITY
The most important rider responsibility is to read and fully understand the ride description. BAC tours depend on participants providing much or their own support. Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles. All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour. Support our Ride Leaders, read the ride description carefully, respond promptly to calls for payments and emails from the ride leader. At the ride, offer to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation. And do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour. Please keep the ride leader informed of any special request you might have and respect the ride leader’s decisions.

SIGN UP
To submit a request to join this ride use the links displayed above the Ride Description. The Ride Leader will contact you to determine whether you are capable of completing the tour. When you are accepted, the Ride Leader will move you from the Waitlist to the Pending List, and you will receive an email notification to login to the BAC website to sign the release of liability (ROL) and pay the non-refundable BAC ride registration fee online. Please read the ROL carefully before you sign it. Send your $1600 deposit check made out to Albert Balingit (not BAC), 6280 South Land Park Drive, Sacramento, CA 95831. When your deposit check has cleared your bank, the Ride Leader will move you to the Participants list. Contact the Ride Leader with any questions: Albalingit58@yahoo.com or (916) 475-7539. (Pacific Standard Time)