If it's Easter, it must be time for Coalinga. This year will be the 16th annual Coalinga Overnighter. This weekend ride features beautiful, lightly traveled back roads of Monterey, San Benito, and Fresno Counties, with an overnight stay at a motel in Coalinga. It is a strenuous ride, with no services, so train and plan accordingly. This tour will be sagged if we can find enough riders to share the driving duties. Call the ride leaders early if you plan to join them on this ride. People are on their own for making motel reservations, but check with the ride leaders first to see what arrangements can be made for sharing rooms.
Many people choose to arrive on Friday evening, spending the night in Keefer's Inn (831-385-4843). There is a pool, hot tub, and washer/dryer available. King City is 2 hours drive south of San Jose on Hwy 101. Exit at Canal St in King City. Turn right on Canal St and then left into the Keefer's Inn / Restaurant. We plan to meet for breakfast at 7:00, with a departure time of 8:30 Saturday morning. Cars can be left overnight in the back parking lot of Keefers.
The Saturday route is 70 miles with 4500 ft of climbing, with some short steep sections of road mixed in with long rollers. The Saturday route passes through Bitterwater and then takes the long, lonely road to Coalinga via "the backdoor". Riders will need to pack all of their food, as there is no place to buy anything along the way.
In Coalinga, we will be staying at the Cambridge Inn (559-935-1541), on the right side of Hwy 198 on the north side of town, just about the first place that you'll see as you ride into town. Dinner will be at the Cambridge Restaurant (in the motel) at 6:00 PM. We'll eat breakfast the next morning at Perko's about a mile down Hwy 198 from the Cambridge Inn. After breakfast, we head straight out of town.
The Sunday route is 60 miles with 3000 ft of climbing. It follows Hwy 198 for the first 35 miles and then turns north on Hwy 25, then finishes with a long downhill on Lonoak Rd back into King City. Again, riders will need to pack all of their food as there is no place to buy anything along the way.
Go to Summary Map and Routes.