Day 1: Following a 20-hour train ride from San Francisco to Portland filled with card games and sleep, the group of seven embarked on their journey from the train station. The ride was short that day, only around 4 miles to a family friend’s garage where they were greeted by a nice home-cooked meal and spent the night.

Day 2: Feeling well rested, the group headed out for the day with excitement buzzing around the thought of seeing the Oregon coast. 65 miles in, the group stopped for a well-deserved meal in Newberg, Oregon. Shortly after that, Paly alum Sebastian Accetta got the group’s first flat tire. Quickly patched up, the group continued the first full day of biking. After reaching the coast in the late afternoon, the 108-mile day finally came to an end at Beverly Beach Campground.

Day 3: Beverly Beach – Umpqua lighthouse SP

This morning, the group was unpleasantly woken up by a rainstorm. Their supplies, sleeping bags, and bikes were soaked, but they began the long day regardless. The first 20 miles were wet, grey, and monogamous. The group stopped for lunch in Bandon, Oregon, where they picked up sandwiches at a local deli. A recurring conflict throughout the trip was where to eat— some members wanted an indulging restaurant meal, while others were satisfied with some grocery store delicacies. They finished the day in Winchester Bay, where they had a well-deserved rest at Umpqua Lighthouse State Park.

Day 4: Humbug mountain to Elk Prairie Creek redwood st park 82 miles. 

Leaving what group member Martin Stier described as “a meadow pocketed between mountains,” the group traveled across the tallest bridge in Oregon, then down the coast before they hit their lunch stop, a Fred Meyers grocery store. This day brought a big milestone: they crossed into California. After picking up dinner at a Safeway, the 112-mile day ended at the Elk Prairie Campground, where the name lived up to expectations— masses of elk surrounded the group as they arrived.

Day 5: Elk Prairie Campground  –  Burlington Redwood SP

This day brought several ups and downs. The group experienced a lot of flat tires, which may not seem like a large inconvenience, but stopping for long periods of time proved a nuisance. “It was very mentally draining because you had to give 100% attention every second to stay safe and away from the cars which just taxes you,” Sebastian Accetta said. For dinner, the group stopped at a homey diner— many attributed this to be the best meal on the trip. The night was not as smooth as it could have been, though. The group, all ready to tuck in for the night after a 100-mile day was unpleasantly woken by a ranger, who alerted them they were actually at the wrong campground, forcing the group to get up and relocate.

Day 6: stayed at Sebastian’s grandpa’s house “Baboo” in Fort Bragg

After a rough previous day, the group had a new sense of excitement brewing. On this night, they were sleeping at group member Sebastian Accetta’s grandpa, “Baboo’s” house. For group member Diego Diaz, this was his first night not sleeping on the ground, as he didn’t bring a sleeping mat. After their routine grocery store lunch, the group kept rolling to “Baboo’s” in Fort Bragg, to complete a 90-mile day where they were welcomed with a nice meal and roof over their heads.

Day 7: Baboo to Bodega 

After a restful night at Baboo’s, the group got back on the saddle and headed towards Bodega Bay, where they secured another accommodation at a friend’s house. However, the day started off rocky. Rain and wind tested the group’s strength, and member Martin Stier fell off his bike, proving to be a large test of morale. “This really killed my mood. I was really contemplating getting my mom to pick me up,” Stier said. Successfully relying on the others for support, the day carried on, filled with beautiful ocean views along the staggering 112 miles

Day 8: 

The group had reached the final day of the trip. Pedaling into increasingly familiar areas after a restful in-house sleep, the morale was extremely high. They could practically taste a home-cooked meal, clean clothes, and a nice warm bed. Passing by Sausalito, across the Golden Gate Bridge, and finally, the trip ended in the Fetter’s driveway, greeted with a warm cheer and a hearty meal.

To learn more about the trip, watch the vlog below!
Bikepacking trip vlog