There comes a time when we all need to just put the phone down. Stop checking our Instagram feeds. Ignore those text messages and emails and Facebook notifications. Just let it all go. Get on your bike, pitch a tent, jump in the river.

That was the premise behind an essay I wrote recently for Mountain Magazine about the high Sierra town of Downieville, California, a remote and ruggedly beautiful outpost along the Yuba River in California's gold country that's become a real destination for mountain bikers. And best of all, the place gets crappy cell phone service.

You can read the full essay here and check out travel tips for where to eat, stay, and more on your next trip to the high country.