From March 27th to May 22nd, 2022, I cycled fully self-supported from Vancouver, Canada to Los Angeles, California.
The original goal was the get to the US/Mexico border, but COVID stopped me about 150 miles short in LA. I pedaled 1,798 miles (2,895 kilometers) and climbed 91,531 feet (27,898 meters) in elevation during the 42 days that I spent riding my bike.
Below, I documented the trip in writing and photos from start to finish. You can check RideWithGPS to see the routes that I took. I followed the Pacific Coast Bicycle Route pretty closely.
You can also see some videos from my adventure on Instagram.
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Journal Log
- The End (for now)I’ve been in Los Angeles now for over a week. If you didn’t catch my last post on here, COVID hit me hard at the last campsite before arriving in the city, and I’ve been doing a quarantine ever since. I lucked out big time with places to crash. My little sister lives in the … Read more
- Day 42 – Los AngelesAfter a much-needed rest day, I wake up the following morning and get packing my things. There are two campsites on the way to Ventura: Carpinteria State Beach and Emma Wood State Beach. I’ve heard great things about both. Depending on how much time I spend checking out Santa Barbara on the way will determine … Read more
- Day 38 – Refugio State BeachTowards sunset, about five more cyclists come rolling into Pfeiffer Big Sur. There are about eight of us all camping at the hiker/biker campsite and I already know it’s going to be a loud night. Peter buys some firewood, and just like that everyone is sharing stories and good energy until midnight. I wake up … Read more
- Day 34 – Pfeiffer Big Sur (and a giant recap)I’m currently sitting in my first campground in the famous Big Sur area of the California coast after a week in San Francisco and a couple of days in Santa Cruz. You may be thinking, “Well your last post was on Day 30, so how does that make sense chronologically?” When I started this trip … Read more
- Day 30 – Arriving into San FranciscoDay 28 on the bike, which happens to be a Saturday, ends up as the best day of the trip so far. I start my day at Stillwater Cove Regional Park. I cycle up 600 feet of super steep vertical cliffside, with the road right on the edge. The tailwinds are strong, the fog rolls … Read more
- Day 27 – Stillwater Cove Regional ParkThese last few days are a whirlwind of cycling in sunny weather and meeting wonderful people. After a few rough days of weather in Humboldt County, California, I arrange to stay at a Warm Showers host for a night, mainly to recharge my social batteries and meet some cool people. Sam and Janelle host me, … Read more
- Day 23 – Humboldt State ParkI wake up for the day at 6 AM. Even though the weather called for a beautiful sunny day, there is a thick fog and all my gear is extremely wet with the morning dew. Even with all the rain the past two weeks, my tent is the soggiest it’s ever been as I put … Read more
- Day 22 – Outside of Arcata, CAOver the past few days, I manage to make some slow progress in more rain and hail as I cross into California. Crossing the border into California, I have no idea how the state parks and campgrounds function. The information online is little and usually outdated, and nobody answers the phone at any of the … Read more
- Day 16 – Bullards BeachThe past five days are a blur. I lose count of the number of times different hail storms pass through. I start each day with wet socks and wet boots. Everything is soaked. The rain doesn’t stop for more than a half-hour at a time. I knew this was coming. Last Sunday, the forecast simply … Read more
- Day 11 – Nehalem BayToday is a rest day. Both physically and mentally, I need a day to recharge the batteries and get a better outlook on things. A day to reset my brain and get going tomorrow with a lot of good energy. A res(e)t day… I like the sound of that. I start my morning by meeting … Read more
- Day 9 – BruceportToday brings a new wave of energy, and I find myself changing my route for a more direct shot to the Oregon coast. It’s time to get out of these backcountry roads filled with tons of logging trucks and no shoulders. I’ve been in a rather negative mood about cycling in traffic since a couple … Read more
- Day 4 – Port TownsendI really do end up starting the day with two coffees. I had no luck getting my sleeping pad’s issues diagnosed, but I pack it up and try not to think about it. Yesterday, I spoke with a Warm Showers host named Lys who lives in Port Townsend. She told me that I have a … Read more
- Day 3 – Deception PassI take the next couple of days a little calmer. 80 km was too much for me to begin. It looks like today will be around 50 km, however I still haven’t figured out how to map out the distance of sections of the GPX files that I am following. Google Maps says 45 km, … Read more
- Day 1 – Vancouver to Birch BayLeaving Bea and Felipe’s apartment, I plan to make it across the border into Washington. I remember reading that it should take about 50-70 km to get to Birch Bay State Park in northern Washington. Easy enough for a first day! Little did I know that I would be traveling through the industrial neighborhoods of … Read more
- Vancouver: Getting ReadyThursday afternoon, I arrive into the Vancouver International Airport. I quickly call an Uber to take me to the family from Warm Showers that graciously agreed to host me for a few days while I put my bike together before starting my journey. Crispin, Natasja, and their 18-year-old son Ben welcome me like family. Even … Read more