Slug at the Seashore: A Bikepacking and Birding Getaway

Photos by Guru Khalsa

A friend once described me as his housemate who enjoyed biking, camping, and bike-camping, and to this day, that holds true. When the sun is shining and the fog has lifted, I often think about pedaling to a local campsite for the night. The simplicity of bike travel is hard to beat, and I’m grateful to have many campsites available out the front door from my place in San Francisco.

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As my interest in biking, camping, and bike-camping developed, I eventually found myself with an opportunity to launch a bike brand. We’re called Slug Bicycles; it’s nice to meet you. I’m leaving a lot out, but maybe someday I’ll be back to tell the whole Slug story. For now, I’m thrilled to share some highlights from our first community campout, Slug at the Seashore.

At Slug, we’re not much for competition or racing, though we’re not “against” it. We just choose to ride the trails in our own way, and sometimes, we leave the bikes at home. To commemorate our first campout, we decided to do both.

We also wanted to partner with friends and fellow business owners at Nocs Provisions and Outer Shell. We’ve been friends with the people behind these rad brands for a long time, so getting to “work” together was meaningful. San Francisco bike people are no strangers to Outer Shell, but seeing Outer Shell bags on 20+ bikes was way cool, even if founder Kyle was MIA waiting on the tide for most of the day. Collectively, the weekend supported Bikepacking Roots and their efforts to grow the sport of bikepacking locally in the Bay Area and beyond.

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As Jim Santos from Outer Shell puts it: “With bike-camping in Marin being both the inspiration and the true origin of Outer Shell products and the brand itself, returning to our roots for Slug at the Seashore was incredibly restorative and re-centering. Partnering with like-minded brands to bring together such a diverse group of folks in one of the most breathtaking (and local!) natural settings really leveled up the alignment with our values, and we can’t wait to get back out there for the next one.”

The Point Reyes National Seashore is one of my favorite places to spend time. I’ve hiked hundreds of miles, camped countless nights, pedaled along every trail, and have become intimately aware of each rise, bend, and pothole in the roads. I couldn’t think of a better place to go for our first official campout.

“San Francisco summer” may sound like a random AI-generated playlist, but it’s a genuine season for every San Franciscan, especially those living on the city’s west side. It’s also the season known as fall for those beyond the city limits. It’s a time of year when the fog stays out at sea, when it’s hot enough to swim in the ocean, and when the sun can be seen disappearing beyond the horizon. In other words, expected summer weather but a few months later.

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We knew there was only one time of year for the campout: Slugtember. While San Francisco summer and its mythical weather patterns are probable, they’re not guaranteed. Our inaugural campout found us under a thick blanket of fog for the weekend. So it goes!

With a name like Slug, one could also reasonably assume that speed is not particularly important, especially on bike-camping trips. The whole point is to enjoy the day, stop for photos and snacks, and take it slow. We planned a route to suit this riding style and temper any urge to pick up the pace.

The elusive Bo Ridge is a section of trail that often leaves local riders in a state of anxiety. It’s relatively close to the city, but it’s a straight line from south to north, so as you pedal, you get further from home. Even if you feel okay while riding the ridge, your ride is only halfway done as you descend off the ridge and back onto the road. When you’re spending the night, though, the anxiety washes away, and the beauty of the ridge is front and center.

Unfortunately, some much-needed road construction blocked our access to Bo Ridge, requiring a last-minute route change. While our route took us off the dirt and onto the pavement, it was probably for the best. Point Reyes is always a bit further than it seems, and we were all properly shelled by the time we arrived at camp.

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As much as I love getting out to bike and camp, lately, I’ve been searching for more. Change is constant, but the current rate of change feels above average. With Slug, I try to create fun biking trips and opportunities for folks to learn about the environments we ride, hike, and travel through. I take the time to do this because the more we know, the more likely I believe we are to help protect, preserve, and advocate for our shared natural spaces and public lands. Having some background on Point Reyes and its flora and fauna, our campout would be a great time to add birding into the mix. Or at least I thought so.

Slug at the Seashore was as much an experiment as it was a bike-camping trip. I had no clue if people would be into birding, especially after riding 50+ miles over nine hours, only to do it again two days later. Thankfully, people were really into the birding! They were also thrilled to leave their bikes behind, walk along the beach, and learn something new. Few of us, myself included, had been birding before.

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Thankfully, Chris McKleroy, the man behind Nocs Provisions, brought a pair of binoculars for each of us to try out, and he had this to say about the experience: “Point Reyes is a birding paradise! Some 490 species, or 54% of all North American birds, have been recorded within the Seashore boundary. Birding is also a super accessible activity, and we had an outstanding guide in Kevin. The binoculars almost act like blinders to the rest of the world—it’s just you locked in on what’s in front of you.”

The word “community” feels overused today, but it’s the best word for daily life as a bike person in San Francisco. I want to acknowledge the other people in our San Francisco bike world who came together to help make the campout successful. Matt, Tyler, and AJ from Ornot opened their shop early to pour coffee and espresso for the group. Outside of our immediate geographic community, I must thank the folks at Old Man Mountain. They outfitted a few of us with their axle rack system. I’ve been loving their racks for over a year, so seeing others find as much excitement in the system was incredible. Even our poster artist was referred by a childhood friend.

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Without the help and major effort of good friends Guru and Pam, you wouldn’t be reading this article. Being in “ride leader” mode for an entire weekend doesn’t leave time for much else, especially framing, focusing, and taking hundreds of photos while pedaling a loaded bike. Pam and Guru nailed it, and it was totally inspiring, not just to me but to the entire group. We were constantly in awe as they leapfroged the group, finding the perfect angle on the fly and catching back up in no time. This article features Guru’s photos, but you can view Pam’s work on Instagram! We highly recommend following both of them.

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Hosting Slug at the Seashore with good friends to create opportunities for folks to learn about Point Reyes and its status as a birding haven while also supporting a non-profit in their effort to raise awareness of bikepacking opportunities in the Bay Area was something I’ll never forget. If anyone would like to join our next trip, please follow along on Instagram and/or join our email list via our website. Oh, and if you’re wondering what bike I rode out there, we’ll release our updated hardtail soon!

Further Reading

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