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Another rollercoaster of a ride cycling Gualala to Bodega Dunes, but this time we saw a pod of dolphins! Nearing the end of a journey is bittersweet, but the days are still filled with so much happiness! We’ve loved this trip so far!
Cycling Gualala to Bodega Dunes is the 22nd of 24 daily diaries of our cycle trip from Seattle to San Francisco.
If you’d like to read from the beginning, check out, getting to Seattle.Each post in this cycle series will contain our daily journal entries that we kept via Track My Tour, photos captured throughout the day, and the exact route, duration, and elevation gains for the given ride.
Read Our Complete Guide to Cycling the Pacific Coast Highway Here
Let’s dive into Biking the Pacific Coast Highway, Day 21, Gualala to Bodega Dunes.
Cycling Gualala to Bodega Dunes
Holy smokes!! The downhill sections of today’s ride were crazy! So steep that a couple of times we both skid out a bit as we took on corners.
The ride followed the same style as yesterday with a lot of ins and outs along the coast, however, we did have a bit more elevation and higher climbs in general.
Over and over again we’ve talked about the importance of slowing down and enjoying the experience of cycling the Pacific Coast Highway and today was no different. We stopped at Fort Ross, enjoyed a coffee in Jenner, and even saw a pod of dolphins doing flips and playing in the ocean!
Mexican food was on the menu for dinner, and we enjoyed our meal with other cyclists we’d bumped into a couple of times!
Biking Gualala to Bodega Dunes Day 21 Quick Facts
- Miles // 48.82 miles
- Saddle Time // 4 hrs 55 min
- Elevation // 3,750 feet
- Accommodation // hiker-biker at Bodega Dunes
- Water // fill at camp and places along the way
- Food // many places along the way, Jenner cute small town to eat in
Pacific Coast Bike Tour Blog Day 21
Thursday 27 Aug 2015 22:40
Day 21: Just two more days and we will have made it to our destination of San Francisco.
Boy, was today a sunny and beautiful day. My nose got so burnt. I didn’t even realize it until settling in for bed when I scratched it on my sleeping bag.
This morning we woke up from the campground in Gualala Regional Park and had a 48.8-mile day ahead of us. We had two pretty big hills in front of us with a ton of rolling hills. We stopped at Fort Ross to check it out and have lunch. Then we left and hung out in the small town of Jenner for some coffee and more relaxing before making the last ten miles into camp at the Bodega Dunes Campground.
This day was filled with awesomeness and craziness!
First, the hills that we went up were steep, and the downhills were even steeper. The corners were calling for 10mph and I was hitting it at 35mph. One corner I came in so hot that my backend slipped out and I felt as though I was on a slip car track. I came out of it unscathed; it was awesome.
…and then we saw dolphins! Pinch me moment for sure!
Later, Heather and I were enjoying the ocean side and perfect scenery when a pod? of dolphins appeared and were just jumping and frolicking in the waters below. We observed them for a good half hour before venturing down the road for our last four miles.
The past few nights we have been running into the same two older guys and we all had heard about this Mexican restaurant (La Bodequita) from someone else and we were all headed there at the same time, so we ended up having dinner with them. They were very nice guys and later after dinner we ended up playing Bananagrams with them too.
This was a great day, just sad that today was our third to last day of the tour.
Our total distance for the tour is 986.06 miles. Tomorrow we will hit 1,000!! Mileage for the day was 48.8 and elevation was 3,751 feet.
Cycler’s Tips for Cycling Gualala to Bodega Dunes | PCH Day 21
- Stop for a meal in Jenner. It’s such a cute small coastal town and the views are great!
- La Bodequita is the perfect place to get a margarita after a day of cycling — keep that in mind when you’re climbing those hills!
- Be sure to not catch too much speed going downhill. The hills are steep and curvy so it’s easy to get going too fast!
- Watch for ocean life today! Up to this point we’ve seen whales, dolphins, sea otters and loads of other wildlife too!
More on Cycling the Pacific Coast Highway
Bike Touring Equipment Checklist
Our complete list of all the bike gear we took on our trip from Seattle to San Fransisco. Ideas of where to get your bike gear so you don’t spend an arm and a leg, and a printable checklist for ensuring you pack all the gear you need!
Cycle Rules in Oregon | A Bicyclist’s Manual
Did you know, in Oregon, as a cyclist you’re technically considered a car and must oblige by vehicle road rules? Use that knowledge as confidence to take over the lane when there’s not a safe shoulder and really own the road!
Equipment + Sleeping + Route Information for Cycle Packing the PCH
This post contains our gear list, all our daily journal entries, FAQs on cycling the PCH, and downloads to make your PCH cycle trip easier!
Next Daily Journal Entry on our Pacific Coast Highway Bike Tour
Cycling Bodega Dunes to Samuel P. Taylor State Park today! Join us on this journey here!
Day 20 Pacific Coast Highway Bike Tour Blog
Singing… “We’re off to Gualalalalala land”… and curving in and out of inlets along the coast making the ride feel like a rollercoaster. Van Damme to Gualala Regional Park!
Camping for Free on your Bike Tour
Interested in learning more about camping for free on your bike tour? We’re sharing ways to find free camping, what you need to know about free camping, and even our favorite places!
Have questions about day 21, cycling Gualala to Bodega Dunes? Need a bit more information about the trip as a whole? Or just want to share your experiences? We’d love to hear from you.. start a conversation below!
