If you think you’ve seen California, look again. Both the highest and lowest points in the contiguous United States can be found here along with more than four million acres of National Park land. From the seat of a motorcycle, a veil is lifted, a filter removed, and a hue as golden as the state itself added. With more than 1,200 miles of coastline, California teems with wild energy. The best way to experience it is to remove the barrier by trading in the confines of a car for an open air adventure that moves at a motorbike’s full throttle pace. Soar across two-lane highways running from sea to Sierras and into the deserts and valleys beyond.

Scott Toepfer is a photographer and director from Ventura, California. You can see more of his work at sgtoepfer.com.