"California is one of the best places to mountain bike, not just in North America, but in the world," says professional mountain biker KC Deane. And he would know. As both a pro cyclist and pro skier, Deane has bounced around the world for years in search of the best trails. He recently decided to make Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Calif. (in north San Diego County) home in 2018. “I wanted to do everything that I love in one day, and that’s the reason I moved,” he says. “I love to surf and be in and around the ocean, but mountain biking is one of my careers, so I wanted a place where I had a balance and could do them both in the same day.”
In his new short film “Golden State Journey,” Deane set out to showcase his expansive new backyard. He highlights some of California’s spectacular and undiscovered trails across a variety of landscapes and destinations. The stunning footage—which Deane calls "one man's exploration of California"—shows him flying down pristine sand in Dumont Dunes, ripping down single-track in Alabama Hills near Bishop, and cruising along the coast in San Luis Obispo County’s Montaña de Oro State Park.
He also showcases the riding in California's most iconic mountain bike spots: Downieville (home of the Downieville Classic), Northstar in Truckee, Soquel Demonstration State Forest in Santa Cruz, the Flume Trail in Lake Tahoe, and Pine Knot in Big Bear.
Interested in planning a mountain biking trip to the Golden State? Deane suggests this: “Just choose what you want to do outside of riding, because there’s such a wide variety that anywhere you go, you’ll be able to find trails. There’s amazing riding everywhere.”
Watch the video below and learn more about the making of "Golden State Journey" on Canyon's website.
