A collection of news, stories, videos and adventures written by Gravel Bike California focusing on Northern California Gravel.
Sometimes it might take years to come full circle, but I’m definitely at the point where I can appreciate the offerings of Berkeley Hills Gravel. In what seems like a lifetime ago, I attended Cal and lived close to the campus, but I wasn’t much of a biker or explorer into the parks above. Ironically, …
There is so much joy in gravel because there are endless opportunities to discover great places to ride. Even living the Bay Area for six years, I never was fully familiar with San Jose on my visits, let alone the cycling possibilities around. Consequently, there wasn’t that much noise about nearby routes on our Facebook …
Calero County / Almaden Quicksilver Gravel Guide Read More »
In California, because of our weather there’s no real season for gravel, but Low Gap is a proper way to start out the year. With the variety of events Miguel Crawford has hosted with the Grasshopper Adventure Series for over twenty five years, this one may be among the tamest covering forty-three miles. Still, it’s …
Maybe this posts ruins the point of it, but Oakland Hills Gravel is an underrated joy and that may be a good thing. Living in the East Bay for six years, San Francisco was the focal point, but I enjoyed exploring Oakland more because without the big tourist influence, you really got to discover. This …
Just the name itself of the “Avenue of the Giants” should be enough of a calling to ride. Our redwoods are a national treasure and to cycle within them in solitude is the only way you want to experience them. This was another of Dirty Freehub’s Five Star Routes I was eager to try even …
Mendocino County may sound familiar to us, but unless you experience it in person you can’t truly appreciate all it has to offer. Yes, many Californians have an idea about it perpetuated by the craft chain restaurant, but this area acts independent of that image. This region has an ecosystem all of its own, independent …
When planning out your gravel calendar, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is the type of place we all aspire to visit. Riding between those colossal trees, skimmering by the Pacific Coast and circling past the mouth of a major river are three things you don’t expect to check boxes all on one ride. I’ve always …
The Sierras are a tricky lot and there’s very few places that can compete to unleash its secrets by bike other than Truckee gravel. While these mountains are nestled with a number of small towns, Truckee stands out clearly from its history for those making their way across the west. Even with the tragedy of …
There are some sectors of dirt that belong in every cyclist’s lexicon and conquering Old Caz Gravel is a ride that should be in everyone’s vocabulary. Starting off, Sonoma County is a special place to explore itself. It seems just far enough off the grid from the Bay Area that keeps its country charm without …
Getting lost in the Sierras is a great experience nowadays, but for those pioneering in the mid 19th century, maybe not as much… We’ve come too accustomed with our modern highways to easily overlook how difficult it was to transverse a mountain range when a stagecoach was your primary mode of transport. Ten percent grades …
