I am hoping there are still a few on here who, like me, enjoy reading about other forumites bike travels - whether local or further afield. For those who do, here is a recap of our 2025 trip from a couple months ago where we got explore a bit of NorCal and Oregon.
Arrival
Uneventful journey from Scotland to San Francisco, although we did get a clear view of the Burning Man "city" on our way over the Nevada desert. SFO, hire car, build bikes, bed.
Truckee
Headed to our first riding stop Truckee, via the historic Donner Pass and a hike around some of the wagon, road and rail routes of old.
Truckee/Tahoe
First day on the bikes and started with a few shake down loops around the nearby Donkey Trails bike trails, followed by a mooch around the town on the bikes and a beer or two.
Day 4 and we headed down the road a little toward Tahoe. Bit of a wake up call for our bodies (altitude) as we headed out on a prolonged and stiff climb up to Painted Rock overlooking the 1960 Olympic village before a loop taking us down to Lake Tahoe and then back up onto the Tahoe Rim trail.
Downieville
Bucket list time - if, like me, you have been biking a good few years then you will have heard of Downieville and the All Mountain World Champs. We took the Outfitters shuttle to the top of the "Classic DH" route and had an absolute blast on the 24 km descent back to town. The trails were a little cut up and dusty in places with "the race" being only a couple weeks earlier but that just added to the fun
Greagle
Day 6 was a drive up to our next stop - Greagle and a chance to visit and chat with this guy and sample his private bike ranch trails.
Quincy
For day 7 we had a fair old ride planned up and around Beckwourth Peak but colds (or covid) picked up on the flights had other ideas and we had to concede after just 1 hour of climbing and head back down. Next day was an easier shuttle day on Mt Hough and a cracking descent down the standard "DH" route. So good, we were back the next day for another shuttle but down Taylor Creek this time. Bit of excitement with our very first up close and personal bear interaction. Railing a blind bend to find a big ol' black bear sat on the trail. Came to a stop in a cloud of dust and squealing (me and the brakes?) only 15 ft from Mr Bear and adopted the "look big" stance with the bike. Bear just stared at me, and it wasn't until Jill arrived (seemed like ages) that it decided to saunter off down the trail and into the woods (he had obviously met an East Ayrshire lass before).
Heading North
Left our cabin in the woods and made our way North through the Lassen Volcanic park. It was pretty astonishing to drive for mile after mile through the devastation of the Dixie fire several years ago. Entire communities burnt to the ground. Stop over at Redding and a ride out at the Mule Ridge area - compact and steep.
Welcome to Oregon
Our first OR destination, Ashland and we sampled the local town trails at the Watershed trail system. Next day we popped out of town to the compact (but very well built) Mountain of the Rogue trails - apparently, this is Big Foot country.
Day 14 and another driving day via the awesome Crater Lake NP. Hard to take in just what we were looking at due to the size.
Bend
Bend and a chance to stretch our "XC" legs with a stunning loop at the Tumalo Falls area. Really beautiful climb up the river valley with the constant roar of dramatic waterfalls along the route.
Day16 and off the bikes and on with the boots for a hike around Smith Rock before a long drive over more desolate volcanic vistas to our next stop. Saw first hand the hard work put in by the firefighters as an active wild fire threatened our highway with smoke and flame and we were guided through as a fire break corridor was being cut beside us to save the next town.
Oakridge
We were excited to ride here as we had heard so much about the trails. Pretty small town but with big ideas. First day we took the Cog Wild shuttle up Patterson Mountain to rip down the amazing Lawler trail. This became one of our favourite rides this holiday (just pipped by Downieville).
Woke to a damp misty morning and another Cog Wild shuttle but this time up an atmospheric Dead Mountain and a chance to capture some of those iconic Oregon trail pics.
Oregon Coast
Our last day of biking so we headed for Alsea Falls on our way to the coast. A chunky fireroad climb up but then one continuous flowy descent on gorgeous red earthy trails.
Day 20 - tourist day drifting up the Oregon coast to try and soak up some of the stunning scenery.
Home time
Final day found us in Portland, on with the hiking boots to go explore the Columbia River Gorge area and some photogenic locations. But, being a little nerdy, couldn't pass up the opportunity to visit the Evergreen Aviation museum to get a look at Howards Hughes giant Spruce Goose, along with a few other cool exhibits (naked F117 Nighthawk, SR-71 with it's D-21 drone). Then home.
All in all a great 21 day trip to a part of the States we had never ridden in.
Cheers
Vincent and Jill
Great write up and pictures. Definitely somewhere on the list for a future trip.Â
Very jealous, I'd love to do an American road trip but I'll need to come into some money first, just a shame the place is filled with Americans 😉Â
This has to be the best thread of 2025! Thanks so much for taking the time to post this.
Great photos and a great trip by the look of it!
Beautiful, wish we'd spent more time in Oregon, we did a two night Airbnb in Portland and loved it.
Brilliant.
Thanks for posting.
What this place is all about. . Stunning places to visit and ride. Thanks for posting.
Thanks for posting - had a climbing road trip in the 90's around several of those places. Smith Rock was roasting in August (surprise, surprise).
Excellent photos and write up. Thanks for sharing.
Northern California is on my bucket list after reading about the Sierra Nevada mountains elsewhere.
Looks brilliant, nice to see some blue skies!
More please 😁Â
Thanks for posting that - really interesting.
Our trip this year was NL and Denmark - so not quite so gnarly 😀, although there is an amazing MTB museum in Arnhem.
Great write up and lovely photographs.
Thanks for sharing your adventure with us.
Fantastic! Thanks for sharing. Looks like you made the most of a wonderful trip!
Thanks for taking the time to post. Really appreciate it. Looks like a fantastic trip.
Cheers for posting that up, I always enjoy your pictures from places I'll probably never get the chance to visit.
Fantastic! Thank you. McMoonter sometimes of this parish and I rode the Crater Lake caldera rim road a few years ago inbetween other 'stuff'. That was 30 plus very memorable miles. I love riding in the US, just not at the moment...
Looks like you had a great time. Pics look good. 👍
Looks awesome, will keep this page open and peruse at my leisure later 🙂
Great idea for a thread. Hopefully plenty of others will contribute and inspire some travel.
I spent a year living in Oregon. Such a great place.