Here are a couple pics from my bike ride on Sunday! I started in the tiny town of Occidental and did a loop through Coleman Valley and Bodega Bay. About 32 miles of riding with 2,100 feet of elevation gain through picturesque countryside and some coastal cruising along Hwy 1. More mellow than last week’s ride but I was still plenty pooped at the end.

I hadn’t been on this ride before so I followed directions (from this really great book) and started inland…but next time, I think I’ll start in Bodega Bay at the Bodega Head Trail so I can get some oceanside napping in. (No afternoon nap meant that I got hit by sleepiness on the drive home and had to pull over.) Nonetheless it was a glorious ride!

Here’s the map (and a larger version here).

Directions to Occidental:

Take the 101 North across the Golden Gate Bridge to Santa Rosa. At Hwy 12, drive west for 5 miles to Sebastopol. At Hwy 116 continue straight on Bodega Hwy for 5.7 miles. Make a right on Bohemian Hwy and drive west for 3.8 miles to Occidental where you can park.

Bike route:

From Occidental head west on Coleman Valley Road
Left on Hwy 1 to Bodega Bay
Right on East Shore Road
Left on West Shore Road (it later becomes Bay Flat Road) until you get to the parking lot at Bodga Head Trail.
Hang out at the beach a bit, then turn around and head back
Left on East Shore Road
Left on Highway 1
Right on Bay Hill Road
Left on Bodega Highway
Left on Bohemian Highway
Pass through Freestone back to Occidental.

Something for Hitchcock fans – The Birds was filmed in this schoolhouse off Bodega Lane in the town of Bodega. You’ll pass by it on the ride down Bodega Hwy.

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