Overview
Pacific Coast
for 8th-12th graders
Few coastlines in the world can match the magnificence of the beaches, bluffs and bays that stretch between Seattle and San Francisco. And few experiences can match the exhilaration of riding your bicycle across the Golden Gate Bridge after four fantastic weeks of bicycling 1,000 miles of this breathtaking coastline. Following the route Overland groups have enjoyed for over 20 years, ride in a small, spirited group (no more than 12 students or fewer than 2 leaders) through rural farmlands, along spectacular beaches and under towering stands of redwoods before triumphantly crossing the Golden Gate into San Francisco.
Upon arrival in Seattle, we’ll van to our first campground, check over our bicycles and prepare for the start of our ride to San Francisco. Averaging 45 miles a day on our bikes, we’ll follow the Pacific coastline south. Throughout Washington and Oregon, we’ll enjoy cool, misty mornings, sunny picnics on rugged beaches, dramatic sunsets over the Pacific and brilliant stars at night from our campsites in state parks. Just across the California border, we’ll take a break from riding to go rafting for two days on the Klamath River. Guided by professionals, we’ll have the chance to ride the big rafts, paddle inflatable kayaks and hike to an incredible riverside waterfall. The last leg of our trip takes us down the California coast. We’ll ride through ancient stands of stately redwoods and through charming towns like Mendocino and Bodega Bay. As we near the Bay Area, we’ll enjoy our last days of biking together before our final ride: a celebratory crossing of the Golden Gate Bridge. At trip’s end in San Francisco, we’ll look back on a month of fun, friendship and accomplishment on Pacific Coast, a life experience with value and resonance that extends far beyond the boundaries of a single summer.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Bicycle from Seattle to San Francisco
- Explore Pacific beaches & bays
- Raft the Klamath River
- Ride across the Golden Gate Bridge
GRADE
This summer we will have three groups: 1 group of 8th graders, 1 group of 8th & 9th graders and 1 group of 9th, 10th & 11th graders. Call us (800.458.0588) to check on current availability.
CHALLENGE LEVEL
6 (1-10, 1 is easiest)
START & END LOCATIONS
Starts in Seattle, Washington
Ends in San Francisco, California
2008 DATES & FEES
4 Weeks
Saturday, June 28 to Friday, July 25
$4195 (airfare not included)
APPLY TODAY
Most groups fill in January & February. To download an application, click here.
“...one of the most memorable experiences of my life.” Greg Langer, Rye, New York
Itinerary
Trip Start
We’ll meet at Sea-Tac Airport in Seattle, Washington and van to a campground outside of the city to build our bikes, take a practice ride and get to know one another before we head south towards San Francisco.
Washington State
From our campground outside of Seattle, we'll bike southwest through logging country to the Washington Coast. A typical itinerary includes the following stops: Potlatch State Park; Lake Sylvia State Park (45 miles); Twin Harbors State Park (30 miles); Bruceport County Park (41 miles); Cape Disappointment State Park (43 miles); Fort Stevens State Park (25 miles); Nehalem Bay State Park (40 miles).
The Oregon Coast
A typical itinerary includes the following stops along the beautiful coast of Oregon: Cape Lookout State Park (40 miles); Devil’s Lake State Park (44 miles); Beachside State Park (45 miles); Honeyman State Park (35 miles); Sunset Bay State Park (55 miles); Humbug Mountain State Park (57 miles); Harris Beach State Park (50 miles). Along the way we'll explore the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area and there is a buffer day built into the itinerary to allow for delays en route (most groups will find that they spend this day partially or completely off of the bikes).
Rafting the Klamath
Just after crossing the border into California, we'll take a break from our bikes to enjoy two days of rafting on the Lower Klamath, one of the most scenic sections of rafting in the state. Fun and exciting Class II - III rapids are interspersed between calm pools excellent for swimming. We’ll take our time and explore the many side hikes the river has to offer with beautiful cascading waterfalls and Gold Rush history.
California & the Redwoods
When we return to the California coast, we’ll explore the dark forests of Jedediah Redwoods State Park and then ride south to Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (46 miles); to Eureka (47 miles); to Humboldt Redwoods State Park (56 miles); to Standish-Hickey State Park (46 miles); and to Van Damme State Park (58 miles). There is a buffer day in this section of the trip to allow for delays en route.
Trip End in San Francisco
Our last section of riding takes us triumphantly across the Golden Gate Bridge and into San Francisco. Past groups have ridden from Van Damme State Park to Stillwater Cove State Park (70 miles); to S.P. Taylor State Park (67 miles), and into San Francisco (30 miles)! Here we’ll pack up our bikes and enjoy an afternoon exploring the city on foot before our flights home.
“I felt accomplished at the end of each day.” Chelsea Popkin, Chappaqua, New York
Supervision & Safety
Overland’s two leaders, a man and a woman, provide 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week supervision of the highest standard. Our students feel safe and secure in our talented and conscientious leaders’ hands.
On an
We set high expectations for each student’s behavior—we expect respect and consideration for others, a positive attitude, and an eagerness to help make the trip a success in every way possible.
In every decision we make, safety comes first. We plan our trips carefully choosing bike paths and bike routes wherever possible, and where they are not available, choosing the best available roads. We ride with care, with a leader at the front and a leader at the rear. We only ride during the day; we always wear helmets, and we attach an orange safety flag to every bike. Since our first trips in 1985 our safety record has been superlative.
For nearly 25 years our caring and competent leaders, our 24/7 supervision, our high expectations, and our commonsense approach to safety have made Overland the number one choice for summer bicycle trips.
Overland Leaders
In a world where strong leadership skills make the difference between the average and the exceptional, Overland recruits and trains only the best to be our leaders. Not only do these remarkable people capably lead our groups, they also offer our students the kind of role modeling for which Overland has long been recognized. Bright, charismatic and accomplished, our leaders ensure the safety and well-being of every Overland student, and then they provide much, much more, inspiring our students to reach for their potential in every way.
You won’t find a more dynamic and talented group of people than Overland’s leaders. Most Overland leaders have played varsity sports and many have captained their teams; they have served as student government officers, volunteered as peer counselors and directed campus organizations. They are high achievers who come to Overland with a lifetime of leadership experience—but just as importantly, they are warm, wonderful people who are eager to work with Overland’s students.
Overland’s leaders prepare carefully for the summer. We know of no other program that requires certification in First Aid, CPR and lifesaving—every Overland leader has all of these plus our own 10-day training program that focuses on safety, supervision and leadership. All of our efforts prepare Overland’s caring and committed leaders to create safe, supportive and valuable programs where each of our students can flourish.
Meet some of our spectacular returning leaders.
How We Put Our Groups Together
We have a number of important criteria for every group:
Size: Every
Grade: We generally group 8th & 9th together, 9th & 10th together, and 10th-12th together.
Gender:
Friends: We allow two pairs of friends in a group (we never allow three or more friends to travel together). With a maximum of two pairs of friends there will always be space available for at least eight students to come on their own without a friend. Furthermore, if we enroll two pairs of friends in a group and both pairs are of one gender, we generally try to: (1) enroll three or four more students of that gender in that group, or (2) close the group to additional students of that gender.
Trip Details
Getting To & From The Trip
Families are responsible for making travel arrangements to and from the trip start/end locations. Overland’s leaders will be on hand at the arrival and departure airports to provide supervision and assistance. The Pacific Coast trip starts in Seattle, Washington at SEA-TAC Airport and ends at the San Francisco, California International Airport.
Equipment
Please see the Preparing & Packing page for a complete equipment list. Note that the main pieces of equipment for this trip are: a bicycle (in 2009 we will require a Trek 520 or Cannondale Touring 2 for our challenge trips—European Challenge and American Challenge—if you plan to do one of these trips in the future and are purchasing a new bicycle now), helmet, panniers (saddlebags), a sleeping bag and a sleeping pad.
The Bicycle
You will need a superior-quality bicycle for this trip. Complete information to help guide you in the selection of an appropriate bicycle is available in the Choosing the Right Bicycle page of the Enrollment Forms.
Additional Costs
Transportation to and from program start and end locations, spending money and personal gear are not included in the program fee. Overland provides group gear including tents and stoves; students provide all personal equipment (e.g., bicycles, panniers, sleeping bags).
“This was our 7th Overland trip…the Pacific Coast is a well-oiled trip with great scenery and the right length and level of difficulty.” Mary Miller, Baltimore, Maryland
Trip Difficulty
Pacific Coast is rated 6 on a scale of 1- 10 (1 is easiest). This rating places Pacific Coast in a moderate category. The length of the rides and the difficulty of the terrain are similar to our Paris to the Sea trip. This means that Pacific Coast participants must be prepared for some long days on the bike (daily mileage will average around 45 and will range from approximately 25 miles on the shortest day to about 70 miles on the longest day).
Your enjoyment of this trip will hinge on several factors:
- Your fitness. If you are reasonably fit and reasonably you will do just fine.
- Your motivation. It’s not always easy—you must be motivated!
- Your commitment to teamwork. Overland trips require compromise, patience and selflessness. Support your trip leaders and your trip mates and you’ll find that you will have a great experience!
“My leaders were great, very helpful and supportive throughout the trip.” Greg Langer, Rye, New York
Leader Comments
Pacific Coast is a fun, scenic ride along a spectacular coast. Every day brings steady progress towards the group’s goal—crossing the Golden Gate Bridge—while offering comfortable camping in state parks, ever-increasing fitness and fun times together. Here are excerpts from the trip log for the ride from Jedediah Redwoods State Park to Prairie Creek Redwoods (about two-thirds of the way through the trip):
The Ride: 46 miles…not the longest ride of the trip but one of the most challenging because of the hills. The difficulty of the riding is balanced by the fact that today’s ride is GORGEOUS!
The Campground: At the end of the day, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is a welcome sight: a nicely maintained campground in a beautiful setting (a redwood grove) with hot showers. Elk walked right through the field next to our campsite (we watched them through the night).
Route Notes: Leave the campground at Jedediah Redwoods State Park early and head for Crescent City. Definitely shop for lunch in Crescent City and eat on the great beach there. Not long after Crescent City, you have the best downhill of the whole trip (a magnificent 6-mile descent into the campsite with the first view of the redwoods). Stop at Big Tree, a ½ mile before campground—it’s worth a look before you head into the dark redwood groves. Check out the "Welcome to California" sign—it’s a big moment for the whole group and really gives you a sense of accomplishment! Try to save some time at the end of your day to enjoy the last part of your ride. It takes you through an incredible redwood forest, but the sun goes down early and it gets dark quick among the tall trees. All in all, a great day!
“I had one of the most amazing summers of my life. I loved the people and I loved the leaders. I couldn’t have asked for anything more!” Tessa Catlett, Chicago, Illinois
