View Full Version : Scenic Sections of Pacific Coast Road?
MilesFromNowhere
08-03-2006, 04:07 PM
Hi all. I am planning a trip out west and have a few hundred miles in the budget for a southerly ride down the Pacific Coast.
My travel info sources indicate US 101 along the Oregon coast and Highway 1 from Seaside to Cambria in California are scenic byways. But I do not trust my sources as the sections of Florida coastal roads recommended turned out to be overdeveloped with towns and condos; very little coastline could be seen.
From the maps, it seems like the section of Highway 1 is less developed and might be a better scenic ride. But that takes me further south and west than I really want to travel. It would be better if I could catch some good portions of 101 in Oregon. How about some advice?
Trashman
08-03-2006, 04:12 PM
Zach, when you you planning this ride? I'm leaving Sturgis SD on August 14 for the Oregon Coast then heading down the California coast to San Diego before turning east back to Texas.
Mongo
08-03-2006, 04:22 PM
I have ridden PC1 from RT 20 to Santa Cruz County, Anywhere above San Francisco is beatiful and not bad as far as population. I am sure the locals will give you the exacts. Be sure to take a good camera.
Bones
08-03-2006, 04:38 PM
I've driven PCH from Big Sur to Mendocino. Much of it is simply gorgeous. It was nice to have a convertible to take in the scenery. There were enough cages that I would have found riding a motorcycle frustrating as passing places can be scarce, but I'd still take two wheels given the chance.
Here's "Whales head" along OR 101.
CA 1 gets up close and personal with the coastline, can't go wrong DURING THE (non holiday) WEEK or when the schools are in session.
curmudgeon
08-03-2006, 07:08 PM
Here's "Whales head" along OR 101.
CA 1 gets up close and personal with the coastline, can't go wrong DURING THE (non holiday) WEEK or when the schools are in session.
I agree with Don. I have been up the coast of California from San Franciso to Oregon in the middle of the week and had fairly good luck with traffic. IMHO the northern California coast is far superior to the Oregon coast. Too much of the Oregon coast you can't even see the ocean, and the road is straigher.
Phil
MilesfromNowhere....you must be a Cat Stevens fan.
It is a great ride on a bike...I am jealous.
I hope your trip is during the week....alot less traffic.
Take pics and post here !!!!
--Bryan
04ST1300A
STOC# 5197
:04biker:
John Anthony
08-03-2006, 08:31 PM
Maggie and I hit HW 1 in early June on a Monday and we were disappointed by both the amount of traffic as well as the condition of the road in a number of spots (pretty good sized chuck holes). There's a web site, pashnit.com that has some pretty decent California rides mapped out. $20 for an annual subscription, but they have some freebies and you can post questions on their forum (no cost for that) to get expert local advice.
John
Yes the road has some beat up spots but they've had record rainfall and budget cuts.
There's a little old 370ft redwood and much that's worth seeing;
http://www.redwoods.info/
Vbird
08-03-2006, 09:37 PM
Rode along Oregon coast down to Santa Cruz last August.I found the road conditions better in Oregon but the curves on the northern coast of California are great(esp. north of Ft. Bragg).The closer you get to SF the more traffic and motorhomes you have to dodge.Have a great trip! Wish I could go back this year.
vintagemxr
08-03-2006, 09:38 PM
Debbie and I drove Highway 1 from Cambria to Monterey and back one day last December. Enjoyed it very much. Not a whole lot of population along most of it because it's either unbuildable or (mostly) protected land. Some small places here and there, an art gallery or two, but mostly empty. The road is perpetually in bad shape because of rockslides and such. During the tourist season the traffic will spoil a good ride unless you get out on the road real early.
Don-STOC237
08-04-2006, 10:07 AM
Cindy and I rode the PCH from Monteray down to San Luis Obispo last year for WeSTOC. Fantastic ride, not too much traffic during the week. I've also ridden the PCH section from Legget to Bodega Bay and enjoyed that very much as well. Each area has it's own character.
A couple pics south of Monteray.
Morro Bay to Oregon is the best... either way...
Oregon Hwy 1 was lots of sand and a continous set of small cities with slow traffic.
Mark
jnsgardner
08-04-2006, 11:36 AM
Make sure you get off the main 101 and do a slow ride down the Avenue of the Giants...preferably early in the morning while it's still misty and the knomes and hobbits haven't gone home yet.
John
Make sure you get off the main 101 and do a slow ride down the Avenue of the Giants...preferably early in the morning while it's still misty and the knomes and hobbits haven't gone home yet.
John
The redwoods are pretty anytime; but, in the morning would be awesome.
And stop at Rogue brewery in Newport OR (stay at the brewery, they have rooms upstairs!).
And at Ft. Bragg... what is that breweries name? Mendicino Brewing Co?... Ol Rasputin!!!
Can you tell Chris and I had a great ride north? :-)
Mark
curmudgeon
08-04-2006, 12:41 PM
A great place to stay in Crescent city California is the Curly Redwood Inn. All the wood in the place came from one large Curly Redwood. Not sure what that is, but the grain pattern is different. It's a one story older Motel and has a roof covering the parking in front of every room. We easily parked three bikes in front of the room and the roof covered them completely. $67 per night which is not bad for the coast.
http://www.curlyredwoodlodge.com/
Phil
A great place to stay in Crescent city California is the Curly Redwood Inn. All the wood in the place came from one large Curly Redwood. Not sure what that is, but the grain pattern is different. It's a one story older Motel and has a roof covering the parking in front of every room. We easily parked three bikes in front of the room and the roof covered them completely. $67 per night which is not bad for the coast.
http://www.curlyredwoodlodge.com/
Phil
Thanks Phil.
Next trip up we'll stay there.
Mark
Trashman
08-04-2006, 02:57 PM
A great place to stay in Crescent city California is the Curly Redwood Inn. All the wood in the place came from one large Curly Redwood. Not sure what that is, but the grain pattern is different. It's a one story older Motel and has a roof covering the parking in front of every room. We easily parked three bikes in front of the room and the roof covered them completely. $67 per night which is not bad for the coast.
http://www.curlyredwoodlodge.com/
Phil
Thanks Phil just loaded a waypoint in the GPS for this trip.
Danny C
08-04-2006, 03:46 PM
Just did that ride from Monterey to the Calif/Oregon border last week following the MotoGP at Laguna Seca. Have done the West Coast by car several times but the ride on the ST beat them all. Early morning....fog coming off the water, wonderful fresh ocean smells. North of Ft Bragg you hit a 22 mile stretch of road (slightly inland from the coast) that is non-stop turns market at 15 mph, 20 mph and even 10 mph. Brake, clutch, shift, clutch, shift, brake, clutch, shift, clutch, shift, brake, clutch, shift.....amazing. Really got to know my relatively new ST well much better as a result.
Really hoping to repeat the ride down Oregon and N. Calif coast again next year.
I'm envious.
Finewest
08-09-2006, 07:42 PM
I'm heading up that way this Sat. Plan on going through San Francisco on Sunday, then head up to the Redwoods on Monday. I'll stay a couple of days doing some photography then head back the same way.
Trip Dates: Aug. 19th to Aug. 26th. Here's my cell phone in case some of you want to hook up: 760-420-5921.
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