Our trip starts 40 miles north of San Francisco, in Petaluma, on Sunday. Most airlines will require you to box your bike for air transport. Approach a local bike store a few weeks before the trip and ask them to hold onto a bike box for you. Charter flights generally count your bike as a piece of luggage and do not charge extra. Most of the rides are quite flat with a few rolling hills and the odd good climb thrown in to make it interesting.
Roads are in good shape, and most have a shoulder or minimal traffic.
A road bike or mountain bike with slick tires will work fine. Make sure your bike is in great working order. We will have a fairly comprehensive set of tools along. The air can be a little dry, so your bike should have the capacity to carry a minimum of two water bottles. Weather can be variable this time of year.