West Coast tour: to ship or rent?

[lewellen]

Winkeldc, here is a great resources for West Coast riding info, Get yourself a West Coast map so you can match geography with Highway names, and then scroll down to the trip planning section. Pashnit members are always happy to share advice, too. They will even plan your entire route, if you let them.

http://www.pashnit.com/forum/index.php?

I hear that Highway 25 going south from Hollister in Central California is just a treat. But of course that means you will miss Highway 1 down the coast. So many choices.

It's phenomenal (I'm lucky enough to live in Monterey, CA.)

Missing Highway 1 between Santa Cruz and Monterey isn't missing all that much. It's mostly farms to the left of you, farms to the right of you, slow traffic and a one-lane road on that stretch. The riding and the views are much better north of Santa Cruz and south of Monterey along Big Sur.

That said, I generally refuse to ride 1 south of Monterey or north of Santa Cruz on the weekends - too many RVs going 20mph in the turns or gawking.

So anyway, if you get on Highway 25 and head south at Hollister, you can follow it past Pinnacles National Monument (there's no road through the park - well, maybe for Chitown...) and then here are two options for getting back north.

The shorter option: split off 25 and head towards King City on 101. Go on 101 to Greenfield, head east along Elm Ave. until it merges into Arroyo Seco Rd. That become G16, aka Carmel Valley Road. You can follow that all the way back to Highway 1 in Carmel (just south of Monterey).

Or, you could keep going south until you get to San Miguel, then head south on 101 a little bit and get over to the coast at Cambria. Sometimes you can go through Fort Hunter Liggitt, but I wouldn't count on it; it is a functioning Army base, and travel through the post is supposed to be for business purposes only. (If you catch them on an exercise or training day, forget it.) There's really not a great way (that I know of) to get on or off 1 between Monterey and Cambria.

Anyway, my point is that riding 25 doesn't preclude the coast; and the part you'd miss, you're okay with missing.

Good roads,

- Lewellen

[dbrick]

Anyway, my point is that riding 25 doesn't preclude the coast; and the part you'd miss, you're okay with missing.

+1

[winkeldc]

Hi all,

I really appreciate all the ride advice. I don't think we are going to get far enough south to get to 25, but will try to work it in. Might not be back there, so I don't want to miss anything. As of now, we are planning on taking the coastal highway, 101?, from lincoln city Oregon down the bald hill in redwood national park. I aim to cut over on that bald hill road to 299 to get across the state on 20 and on my way to lake tahoe. I am planning to take Highway 89 South to Highway 395, Head south on 395, then take Highway 120 based on all the great reviews. Is the northern part of 101 as bad as the southern? I try to get out on the road early so that I have time to walk around and visit the destination for the day, does that help with the tourist traffic?

[dbrick]

299 is a main, trans-Coast Range road: big trucks, good pavement, cops. If you've the time, consider going south past Fortuna to take CA36 - a much more interesting road: smaller, less traffic, poorer surface, more curves, equally good scenery. Then when you hit CA3, turn north. Lovely!

[sweatmark]

As of now, we are planning on taking the coastal highway, 101?, from lincoln city Oregon down the bald hill in redwood national park. I aim to cut over on that bald hill road to 299 to get across the state on 20 and on my way to lake tahoe.

Love my state, but wouldn't recommend riding 101 down the Oregon coast. The entire stretch has few scenic portions, and tourist traffic will drive you nuts during the summer. I far prefer to drive/ride I-5 over the Eugene-Redding span than to use the coastal route; was reminded of this fact last year when returning from a NorCal riding weekend - saving grace for the ride up the beach was a good audio book that eased the boredom.

In order to catch samples of Oregon's cornucopia, you can mix & match mountain passes, high desert, urban PDX, fertile valley, and soggy seaside with creative route planning. Assuming you'll ride through Portland, might I recommend:

PDX to Mt. Hood via 26;
eat desert dust en route to Sisters;
through lava fields over McKenzie Pass to Eugene;
hump it down I-5 to Grants Pass;
head to coast & Redwoods via 199;
Pacific Ocean vistas along 101 to Fortuna;
do some real riding on CA36 eastbound.

From Red Bluff you have some good options if Tahoe is destination. Avoid 395 until Carson City.

As mentioned by dbrick above and in my prior post, CA36 is highly recommended, strongly encouraged, enthusiastically endorsed. And here's why:


<edit> Added CA36 westbound @ Red Bluff warning sign. Note that there's often a photo/note tacked onto the sign post as memorial to rider(s) who die on the road, so enjoy but be careful.

Is the northern part of 101 as bad as the southern? I try to get out on the road early so that I have time to walk around and visit the destination for the day, does that help with the tourist traffic?

While the coast route for Oregon is questionable, the California coast is must-see if you've got time. Hwy 1 from Leggett to SFO is great, same for Big Sur.

[lewellen]

Another thing in Oregon - Crater Lake.

Beautiful, and quite unique in all of my travels to date. It might be out of your way, but it's worth a couple hours' detour to see.

Good roads,

- Lewellen

[winkeldc]

I am taking all the advice. I have adjusted to ride through mt hood and down through mckenzie pass. I have to find a way to get some additional time for crater lake, but am sure I can do it. Since 36 is so endorsed, that will likely be my way across the state. I can't thank you all enough for the route advice.

[lewellen]

I am taking all the advice. I have adjusted to ride through mt hood and down through mckenzie pass. I have to find a way to get some additional time for crater lake, but am sure I can do it. Since 36 is so endorsed, that will likely be my way across the state. I can't thank you all enough for the route advice.

One last bit from me ... I'll pass on the best advice anyone ever gave me for a road trip.

Take a journal along. Write in it every night.

Especially if this is a special journey, a journal (as much as photos) will help you capture your feelings, impressions, and memories. I still go back and read through my journal of my trip to Prudhoe Bay, and even though that was a while back, everything comes back when I read the words I put down then.

Good roads,

- Lewellen

[deilenberger]

One last bit from me ... I'll pass on the best advice anyone ever gave me for a road trip.

Take a journal along. Write in it every night.

Especially if this is a special journey, a journal (as much as photos) will help you capture your feelings, impressions, and memories. I still go back and read through my journal of my trip to Prudhoe Bay, and even though that was a while back, everything comes back when I read the words I put down then.

Good roads,

- Lewellen

Great idea - as a possible alternative if you're like me, and rarely write anything with a pen/pencil anymore - I found my trip to Nova Scotia last summer that posting to Facebook along with photos works well. I also posted many of those messages here (with some photos.)

I imagine a blog (such as Joe Finn uses) also would work really well. It's nice to have images to go along with the thoughts - and usually it helps distill the thoughts a bit if you know you're going to be sharing them.