California

A collection of 153 posts

Roundtrip Tour Premium Content

Central California: Around The World In Five Days

Somewhere in Hollywood, buried under a pile of discarded relics from the silent film era, is a location scouting map of California. Like a geographical butcher’s chart, the state is carved up into various portions that can mimic nearly any place on Earth.  Here, you can find everything from

Destinations

Barstow—A California Stop on Route 66

As you cross from Arizona to California on Route 66, one of the first major stops along the way will be Barstow. This city of about 25,000 sits amidst the arid, rugged beauty of the Mojave Desert. Barstow’s history is intricately linked to mining and making use of

Events Premium Content

The Hard Road to Vegas—LAB2V

A bunch of riding friends and I had spent years talking about the famous LAB2V, an annual desert group ride between Los Angeles and Las Vegas that has been held since 1983. Among California dirt bikers and dual sport enthusiasts, it is legendary.  LAB2V (Los Angeles-Barstow-to-Vegas) covers 400 miles over

City Escape Premium Content

City Escape: Los Angeles, California

The little-known village of Santa Paula, CA, sits just east of the more familiar Ojai and Ventura, and is twice as charming. It’s home to a fascinating history of the local oil business and a bronze statue that honors two heroic motorcyclists. This tour starts and ends at the

Accommodations

3 Splendid Hotels for a Romantic Motorcycle Vacation in SoCal

Southern California is a great destination for a romantic getaway with your special riding partner. Thanks to its warm climate, the area is full of great roads and sights you can explore all year round. Being such a popular tourism destination, however, means SoCal is chock-full of hotels, inns, and

Shamrock Tour® Premium Content

Kernville, California Dual Sport Shamrock Tour®

Southern California’s Kernville is a four-season tourist town nestled between the southern end of the Sierra Nevada and the north shore of Lake Isabella, one of the state’s largest man-made reservoirs. A destination for white water rafting, boating, fly-fishing, mountain biking, hiking, and other outdoor activities, the town’

Roundtrip Tour Premium Content

California: Going Out to Get Back In (to Yourself)

I found myself on long, narrow roads that reach to some far-off place, alone. The desert passed by, Joshua trees eclipsing the sun. The silence of solo travel in a barren landscape. Out here, it is the in-between that matters, with the destination being somewhat unimportant. Bands of two-lane asphalt

Roundtrip Tour Premium Content

Lockwood Valley Washout

“The greatest adventure is what lies ahead.” J.R.R. Tolkien There is a beginning, middle, and ending to every story. Everyone knows that—this one, however, is different. The Lockwood Creek reversed everything. A sign reading “ROAD CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING” stopped us in our tracks. The disappointing road

Destinations Premium Content

In Pursuit of Wildness: Pinnacles National Park

Once upon a time, it was called Pinnacles National Monument, but today it is America’s newest national park. That’s where this story begins. Graduating from San Jose State, getting married, and landing my first permanent job with the National Park Service all within one week was a miracle.

Accommodations

Review: Baywood Inn—Baywood Park, CA

Situated directly across from Morro Bay at the north end of the Sweet Springs Nature Preserve in California, the Baywood Inn Bed and Breakfast is a special lodging that entices travelers to stay for a longer time. The central outdoor courtyard is adjacent to the quiet El Moro Ave, with

Roundtrip Tour Premium Content

Northern California: The Coast Range

The Mapquest route from Ashland, OR, to San Francisco, CA, heads due south for 350 miles, covering the distance in a little over five hours. You could go that way. However, if you’re up for a slight detour—only an extra 600 miles and three more days—you can

Destinations

Explore the Desert at Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park sits in southeastern California, roughly two and a half hours from the bustle of Los Angeles. Motorcyclists looking to escape from the metropolis to the rugged beauty of the high desert can’t do much better than point their front wheels to Joshua Tree. And there’

Accommodations

Review: La Lomita Ranch—San Luis Obispo, CA

Sleeping in a stable might not sound luxurious, unless you’ve been to La Lomita Ranch in San Luis Obispo, CA. Originally constructed in the 1970s for a royal couple from the island of Mallorca, the swanky guest rooms were once the stables used to house livestock set to be

Classic Roads

Gold and Antiques: California SR 49

Locals and historians call California SR 49 the Golden Chain Highway. It runs north to south and is in the middle of the state on the western side of the Sierra. Touring it is another excuse to see the area around Yosemite National Park. Technically, SR 49 starts in the

Roundtrip Tour Premium Content

Baja California—Monkey Business

With the picnic tables dotted among the ponderosa trees of Arizona long gone, we rode onto what looks like a nose-diving dragon—775 miles in body and 200 miles in girth—from Mexicali in the north to Cabo San Lucas in the south. The Baja peninsula, or Baja California, is

Travel Guide

5 US Destinations for an Early-Season Spring Motorcycle Ride

The winter puts an end to the riding season in many places across the U.S. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, since the cold months are a great chance to maintain your motorcycle or perhaps read that motorcycling book that’s been sitting on your coffee table. Eventually,

Destinations

Fort Ross: Russia’s Stronghold in America

Touring Russia by motorcycle has always been on my bucket list. I enjoy the country’s literature and the Russians I have met have been great people, which is partly why I have wanted to see it. Sadly, the political climate over my lifetime has never really been right for

Accommodations

Review: Viking Inn—Solvang, CA

Solvang is an exceptional theme park of a city in the heart of Central California’s wine country. Positioned exactly at the beginning of the downtown area, the Viking Inn is a welcoming spot from which to explore this unique town. Like Solvang itself, the Viking Inn was originally built

Jan/Feb '24

Whale Hunting in The Desert & The 1000 Mile Cheeseburger

"There’s whales in this here desert!” I proclaimed to Caleb as we swung our legs over our matching pair of Honda Gold Wings. “There’s whales, you just have to know where to look!” And that’s exactly what we intended to do. 9:07 a.m., Las

Destinations

Visit Redwood National Park

Riding among ancient giants sounds like something from a fantasy novel. But if you point your front wheel for a motorcycle ride in Redwood National Park, you can turn that fantasy into reality. Officially called Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP), the Redwood National Park was wrapped into one administrative

News

Happening Now: Riding Past Current SoCal Road Closures

The classic California combination of an earthquake, a brush fire, and a landslide often imperils the best riding roads in the state. That has never been more true than at the present. Wet weather, following wildfires, took some of the most popular routes out of commission for most of 2023—

Urban Explorer

A Rider’s Beach Paradise—Santa Monica, CA

Santa Monica, CA, is calling all motorcycling beach bums! Although the city might be the most famous for its surf and sand, it offers much more than just sunbathing on the beach. In many minds, Santa Monica (perhaps understandably) blurs with the surrounding Los Angeles, becoming just another megalopolis neighborhood.

A Year in Review

RoadRUNNER's Favorite Destinations of 2023

At RoadRUNNER, it's about more than just the motorcycle. It's about where you go on the motorcycle. Simply put, we are addicted to exploring new places and experiencing new things. We often share short articles highlighting specific places across the country that might be of interest

Travel Guide

10 American Roads That Should Be On Your Riding Bucket List

American roads are legendary for a reason. Long and wide, they wind through this county, offering unforgettable motorcycling experiences to both homegrown and visiting foreign riders. But with so many fantastic roads in the U.S., their sheer number can be intimidating. How can you know which road to ride

Destinations

General Grant Tree: The Nation’s Christmas Tree

By now, most people throughout the country have put up a Christmas tree in celebration of the upcoming holiday. It’s only fitting that we highlight the General Grant Tree, in Kings Canyon National Park, which was dedicated in April 1926 as the National Christmas Tree. The Nation’s Christmas