On Two Wheels and in Paradise

By Gina Kim
gkim@sacbee.com

E-Mail

Comments (0)

Text Size:

tool goes here

Spring at Point Reyes National Seashore looks like a lush carpet of green when spied through a car window. But slow down, perhaps to the speed of a mountain bike, and discover deep-red Indian paintbrush, blue wild iris and purple lupine sprouting into a seasonal tapestry.

"There are a lot of people who never see farther than 80 feet from their cars," says Kirsten Moore of Point Reyes Outdoors.

Point Reyes Outdoors, a hiking-and-kayaking outfit in the town of Point Reyes Station, is adding tours of area trails by mountain bike, a fitting tribute to Marin County's heritage of big-traction biking. (Point Reyes Outdoors now owns the horse trailer and bike rental shop previously named Cycle Analysis, next to Bovine Bakery.)

CLICK FOR MORE PHOTOS

After fitting tourgoers with bikes and helmets at the trailhead off Limantour Road near Point Reyes Hostel, tour guide Moore leads groups down the easy 3-mile fire trail to Santa Maria Beach.

The satisfying crunch of rubber tires against decomposed granite cuts through nature's cacophony -- the shrill cries of birds, the rustling of wind through chaparral and, of course, the rhythmic cadence of water meeting earth.

The ride is doable for those new to mountain biking, with just one technical sand trap to power through. Beyond that, it's simply a few easy hills and many scenic views of grassy bluffs, matte blue ocean blending into the horizon and the often fog-shrouded coastline.

The only other humans to be seen are hikers, fellow bikers and backpackers commuting from the hike-in campground nearby.

"It's really magical," says Todd Boston, 35, a musician from Lagunitas. "There's something in the air that is rejuvenating.

"It's so desolate -- there's few people, birds, flowers and the sound of the ocean."

Boston's recent biking partner, 29-year-old Ramesh Kannan of Corte Madera, views this coast trail as a refuge from his acupuncture work at a South San Francisco housing project's free health clinic.

"I give therapy all week long. This is my therapy," he says.

Bruce Haverkos and his wife, Rachel, like biking the trail because the distance to the beach thins out the Point Reyes crowds dramatically. Plus, the bikes get the Petaluma couple out to the beach quicker than if they hiked, even at their meandering bird-watching and wildflower-viewing pace.

"We could hike it, but 'choom' -- we get right down there on the bikes," says Bruce Haverkos, 60, who runs an Internet business marketing resort properties. "This is a huge treat for us because we get a little bit of biking and then spend the rest of the time on the beach -- it's like paradise."

Moore, the guide for Point Reyes Outdoors, is an avid mountain biker who races downhill and cross country. The 20-year-old, who grew up mainly in Point Reyes Station, offers more than a tour, giving insights on some of the area's best trails and beaches.

She loves biking the region because of the sheer amount of ground that can be covered on two wheels compared with the same time spent on two feet.

"You get to see some of the most amazing views that you can't on foot," she says. "And I like getting to places I can't drive to."

IF YOU GO

To enjoy biking at Point Reyes National Seashore, visit the National Park Service Web site at www.nps.gov/pore/ planyourvisit/biking.htm, for bike-friendly trails. More information can be found at the old Web site for Cycle Analysis, www.cyclepointreyes.com.

If you wish to participate in a tour guided by Point Reyes Outdoors, visit www.pointreyesoutdoors.com or call 415-663-8192. The half-day tour to Santa Maria Beach ($85) includes bike rental and a beach lunch of local cheeses, fruit and fresh bread. The company also rents bikes, including trailers for children or for packing in camping equipment.