enCYCLEpedia Southern California: The Best Easy Scenic Bike Rides

This recent bicycling book is the guide you've been waiting for. It presents over 200 scenic ride options that take you to Southern California's storied beaches, starkly beautiful deserts, pine-covered mountains, bucolic wine country, fabulous cityscapes and bustling harbors, historic city centers and to everywhere in between, from San Diego to Cambria to Palm Springs.

Anyone comfortable riding a bike can handle these easy rides that keep you entertained, exhilarated, and mostly on both paved and dirt trails away from vehicle traffic. The bike rides are perfect for the casual cyclist, social groups, most families, and more serious cyclists for a change of pace. Options tailor the length of the rides to the cyclist's ability, from beginner to the more seasoned. Most base rides are between 5 and 20 miles long plus options to combine or extend rides, and about 75 percent are on pavement. Mountain bike trails are for novices, with options for more advanced riders.

If you want to just enjoy yourself on a beautiful ride with few if any hills, away from busy roadways, in a relatively safe area, and perhaps stop for brunch along the way, then these bike rides are for you. The comprehensive volume mentions restaurants, bike rentals and recommended RV and tent campgrounds along the routes as well as the best bird and whale watching spots, beaches, historic sites and popular attractions. The book showcases the region's extensive rail system that enables many of the rides to be accessed and combined without a car.

The book is not only densely packed with detailed, carefully researched information including a comprehensive table of contents and index, but it also sparkles with creativity with its colorful scaled maps, color photos, plus song and food pairings that accompany each ride. It is the perfect book for both So Cal residents and for those touring the region, and the attractive volume makes a great gift for the cyclists on your list.