Team Garmin-Slipstream’s CEO Jonathan Vaughters earned his reputation riding the most stunning road routes across the U.S. Here’s one of his favorites.
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1. From Orange Groves to the General Sherman
Visalia, California (110 miles)
California’s coast, from Marin to down near San Diego, gets the buzz, but the challenge of central California is where cyclists go to push boundaries. This ride starts in the farming town of Visalia, cuts through orange groves that litter the valley between Lemon Cove and Citro, and skirts Lake Kaweah — all as you approach the sharp contrast of the Sierra Nevadas. Soon you’ll be climbing an almost 20-mile ascent up switchbacks into Sequoia National Park, with a finish line at the largest living tree on Earth, the General Sherman. You’ll be pushed to the limit riding from sea level to almost 7,000 feet — the climbs are steady and long, so superlow gears aren’t needed — but once you see the Sequoias, the burn quietly subsides. The ride back is an effortless glide through the groves you left six hours earlier.
We’ve posted all five of Jonathan’s favorite rides. Click here to see route number two — The Gila Monster, starting from Silver City, NM. You can also click here to see route three — The Peak to Peak Highway, starting from Boulder, CO. Or here to see number four — Mount Haleakala, in Maui, HI. Or here to see the final one — Tour of the Valleys, starting from Putnam, VT.
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May 31st, 2009 at 11:16 pm
Just an FYI: as far as the climbs, it gets to 18% at the Hospital Rock area, so low gearing would probably be advised.
Thanks for the article, we’re jazzed to see our favorite ride in the magazine.
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June 1st, 2009 at 1:51 am
so glad to see the most underrated ride in california mentioned in a national publication!
careful for ‘deer in the headlights’ on the descent, i’ve been within inches of hitting bambi and his family running across the road.
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June 1st, 2009 at 5:05 pm
This is a great idea, the GPS route would have been even plain awesome! JV + Garmin, come on, you can pull that off, right?
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June 2nd, 2009 at 9:57 am
Its fun to read about cool rides, however the info above is basically worthless, there is no mention of road names/numbers, or any type of routing so that a reader could enjoy this route their selves!
Please provide these details in future routes.
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June 3rd, 2009 at 11:25 am
Scott,
Just for your (and anyone else) information. Hwy 198 is the only road you would ride on according to the article. Although I wouldn’t ride on 198 out of Visalia, as it is a highway. I’d head just a mile south to Caldwell Avenue, over Rocky Hill, the Noth on Yokohl drive and hit 198 at Exeter. Make sure to stop in at the Wildflower when you’re in Exeter and pick up a cookie and cup of coffee.
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June 18th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
I read this article with mixed emotion: Happy that MJ finally found out about the road with the BEST curvy downhill I have EVER riden; Unhappy that I have to share the ride with others. A couple of words of advice about this ride:
1.) Your best route from Visalia to Three Rivers is down Caldwell Ave to Highway 65 in Exeter. DON’T go near 198 until at least Hwy 65. Be VERY careful between Three Rivers and the Sequoia National Park entrance, as there is no shoulder, and multiple blind curves. Once you get inside the park though, traffic drives at a slow pace, so safety is not a concern during the climb, which starts immediately after Potwisha. Keep an eye out for the occasional bear sighting (an awesome experience to say the least) near Crystal Caves, and enjoy the steady climb the rest of the way to the top. Though traffic is rarely a cause for concern on the uphill, the descent can be a bit rough on the brakes and hands on days when there is a lot of traffic, because the road is steep and windy enough that a fast road bike can outpace the cars on the road all of the way from General Sherman to Potwisha. Enjoy!
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June 20th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
If you need a place to stay on your trip stop by Kaweah Oaks Campground. We are a bicyclist catered campground located in beautiful Three Rivers California.
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