When someone has been to Catalina Island their usual experience is the island town of Avalon. There you can find all the shopping, hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions and activities this beautiful island has to offer. Personally I have been there for all of the above, including some employment services offered to the island locals as an umpire officiating a girls softball tournament. I have always enjoyed my stay there and one time I went there on a short stay during a luxury cruise to Mexico. The Kayaks you can rent there are very sound and I enjoyed a short excursion to Frog Rock experiencing harbor seals swimming below me in the kelp beds, a bald eagle and many of Catalina's protected Geribaldi fish. I believe that is the most distance I have been out of Avalon combining all my Catalina Island experiences. You can see by this map that Avalon is just a small part of the island:
Growing up in the USA I have been thoroughly indoctrinated to the history of the Bison (The American Buffalo). As I have grown older and slightly wiser and have traveled the world I realize now that the Bison is as unique to north America as the kangaroo is to Australia. They are a sight to see and Catalina Island is home to an estimated 200 to 300 count herd of Bison. They were introduced there in the 1920's by Hollywood film makers in the making of a motion picture. They have been there ever sense then and the population is controlled by the conservancy. I understand that you can enjoy a buffalo burger wile you are visiting the island. Other terrestrial mammalia on the island include deer, foxes, squirrels, and at one time the island was used as a pig hunters paradise. I wouldn't count out the elusiveness of the pig. They may still exist on the island.
photo taken from: http://ayounghare.wordpress.com/category/uncanny/
Planning this bike tour has been different for me than other bike tours. I really wanted to see the more rural parts of the island and mostly parts I have not experience before. I have decided to use two base camps as I explore the islands hilly terrain. I started with the choice of Little Harbor sense I have never been on that side of the island. Parsons Landing is my other choice because of it's primitive camping appeal. I have ordered a few gallons of water to be left there for us even though it looks like there is a small freshwater stream there that I can filter from if I need to. You can order the water as you make your camp reservations online.
Link:
Two Harbors to Little Harbor
Little Harbor to Parsons Landing
As you can see from these links distance is not going to be an issue however the uphills may be a challenge. The trip starts with a ferry ride from San Pedro to Two Harbors. My greatest enjoyment will be reuniting with my son with a bike tour after his two year absence in my life wile he was serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Awesome!
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