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Best place tolive/ride in Northern California?

California?

Chimp
Oct 13, 2010
2
0
I can live anywhere I want, for this consulting gig, ideally in the SF/East Bay area, but not strictly so. I'm thinking about taking it, given the fact that I'm currently in Seattle and Seattle sucks(unless you dig rain, clouds, and morose unfriendly people).


Really like to find a small, quiet, laid back, unfashionable town/neighborhood to live, work and squeeze in as much single track as possible....when I'm not working. Oakland? Auburn? Somewhere in between?

Ride off my doortstep onto some good singletrack. Possible in northern California??

I AM interested in access to fast, flowy, challenging, amazing singletrack.

I race CAT 1 XC and have done most of my riding in Texas. So, I'm sure your California trails will rock my world.

I'm NOT a full body armor, full faced helmet downhiller, either. To chicken for that!


Anybody have suggestions for good towns and good trails?


Thanks in advance for your thoughts/suggestions/ideas!


Top five trails that fit description above?

Top 5 towns?

Top 5 trails?
 

mantispf2000

Turbo Monkey
Aug 9, 2001
1,793
243
Nevada, 2 hours from Mammoth
I'd second/third Auburn as well. Lived there for about 6 months with then wife/now ex, and it would fit your request. And it's not too far from Tahoe/Downieville/Truckee/Mammoth even if you wanted to branch out.
 

H8R

Cranky Pants
Nov 10, 2004
13,959
35
Oakland is good if you like racing slalom through streets filled with crack-heads.

North bay towns are great, but the single track is not right off your porch.

Auburn - still have to visit there, heard good things.
 

mtg

Green with Envy
Sep 21, 2009
1,862
1,604
Denver, CO
How's the DH scene in/around Santa Cruz? (Also, the "AM" trail riding...)

I live in CO and we're spoiled with multiple bike parks, lots of trails, a few shuttle runs, etc. I may have an opportunity near Santa Cruz, so I'm considering relocation, and part of the decision is the riding.

From what I've seen on the interwebs, it seems like there's hardly any DH (especially legal DH), but there seem to be a lot of DH riders that live in Santa Cruz. No need to start any fights mentioning specific riding spots, just a general comparison or description. Also, how is the trail riding?