Why is California an ideal place to cycle tour? It's the ideal combination of generally year-round mild weather, diverse sights and scenery and, quite literally, hundreds of country roads that can take you into every nook and cranny of this beautiful state.

Whether you want to explore the coast, the mountains, the deserts, or the valleys and foothills in between, California has it all. Want inspiration? Check out our Ride Photos -- they correspond to the regions highlighted on the map at right.

Maybe you're familiar with the state's famous landmark regions -- Yosemite, Napa-Sonoma wine country, and the great Pacific Coast Highway for starters -- but have you seen them from a bike?

Or maybe you're ready to get away from the crowds and visit lesser known but equally appealing areas -- Gold Country, Northern Territories, High Sierras, Central Coast. Wherever you want to ride, California offers unlimited touring options for the well-seasoned to novice cyclist.

You could get a road map and plot out your own cycle tour...but how do you avoid the pot-holes of poor planning and lack of local knowledge?

With ever-burgeoning population growth and suburban development spreading over the landscape, it's harder to find safe, low-traffic, cycle-friendly roads to ride. What may have been a favorite, quiet cycling road at one time may be a major commuter route today.

GoodRides California specializes in providing valuable, practical insider information for self-guided bicycle touring in Northern and Central California. Geno travels extensively throughout the state by bicycle and has vast, current knowledge of the best places to tour and the safest and most scenic roads to ride.

He is passionate about cycle touring and obsessive about finding new territories to explore by bicycle. Finding new, out-of-the-way regions is one of his specialties.

If you want to ride independently or in your own small group, and want ideally situated vacation spots, let GoodRides develop custom-designed tours over distances and terrains that fit your specific cycling needs.

If your travel time is limited, try a combined drive/cycle trip, one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to see the best of California. Fly into the city of your choice, rent a car, and drive to a strategic location. Settle in for several days and do loop rides from your base.