Looking for an adventure? Take a railbike through the majestic redwoods and enjoy a beverage or two at a secret speakeasy. The railbiking builds up your appetite and helps you "earn" your reward, Nothing like seeing the moon gleam its light through the trees as you use the railroad tracks and work up a little sweat.
It all takes place at Glen Blair Bar, via the Skunk Train in Mendocino County, which runs on rails constructed in 1885 for the lumber industry. This Mendocino Railway train excursion begins in Fort Bragg, north of San Francisco by four hours. The railbikes are equipped with an electric assist, so if you decide you'd rather relax than pedal, it's all good. The bikes have LED lights to gleam your way through the dark, and you'll be offered beverages of your choosing.
The ride starts with a quick lesson and then you disembark the Railbike Station (the Skunk Train also offers many actual train excursions besides the railbikes). The ride moves past the Pudding Creek Estuary and into the redwoods until you arrive at Glen Blair Junction. There, you'll get off the railbikes to sit by the fire to roast marshmallows, stroll through the woods, play cornhole or just have a drink at the Glen Blair Bar. Your ride fee includes one drink token for Glen Blair Bar. The Bar is only accessible by railbike or train, so you have access to a bar few can get to! There you can imbibe local beers and wines and signature cocktails.
After you enjoy this little hidden speakeasy, you ride the railbike back to the Fort Bragg station. Altogether the experience covers seven miles and takes approximately two hours, depending on how long you linger at Glen Blair Bar. The experience begins at $349 which covers two people on one railbike (no discount if you're a single rider, since the price is for the railbike rental itself). Why the name Skunk Train? The original 1920s locomotives burned fuel (gas for the engines and crude oil for potbellied stoves to warm passengers) to the degree that they were as smelly as skunks. Today, the smell is significantly reduced! The trains also run out of Willits, CA.