I planned this tour in 2020 during the depths of the pandemic, hoping it could be my first bike tour after getting the COVID vaccine. I was fortunate to get the vaccine in April and the COVID restrictions in California looked manageable for a motel tour. Every county allows indoor dining and most businesses are open. In early April I committed to do the tour from May 11-24, 2021. I reserved all the lodging in advance. The schedule is fixed, for better or worse.

The route is very hilly. My 60th birthday is 2 weeks after the tour. Soon I won't be able to do such a hilly route. It might be my last chance to pedal through this challenging region.

I started the tour weighing 182 pounds (83 kg) which is pretty good for me.

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The bike is a 2007 Bacchetta Giro 20 short wheelbase recumbent which has been used for many tours. It has a Bacchetta Euro-Mesh seat with a Ventisit seat pad.

The current setup is for motel tours. Under the seat are a Terracycle rack and heavily worn Arkel RT-40 panniers. The bike handles beautifully with cargo weight very low between the axles.

Tires are 40mm wide Schwalbe Marathon Racers. Only 3 miles of this route is unpaved, but the tires perform well on unpaved roads and trails.

Gearing is very low. The lowest gear is a 24T chainring and 34T cog driving a 26-inch rear wheel.