pacific coast hwy what section should I spend a week on?

[wibornz]

OK so next year I will be married for 20 years.  The wife comes to me over the weekend and said "I think for our 20 year anniversary we should fly to CA and rent a bike and ride up the coast"  Well hell yea.  I was thinking she wanted to just go on another cruise.  

So we are thinking of flying from Mi, renting a bike....Goldwing...Victroy Vision......beemer....Something we can two up for a week or two.


So I must start the planning.  


Man she rocks.

[miles]

Start in LA, head north until it's time to turn around.

[atypical1]

From SF to Eureka is probably the best for what you're thinking. There are lots of great side roads too....make it around the time of WCRM and you get to meet some really cool folks too.

james

[servicerifle]

Two weeks on the PCH?  Ok, I have never been on it (but I want to) but two weeks seems like too much...maybe 2-3 days.  You can do lots of things for two weeks.

Yosemite, Vegas, Coronado, Moab, and lots more.

[Mrs. DantesDame]

Two weeks on the PCH?  Ok, I have never been on it (but I want to) but two weeks seems like too much...maybe 2-3 days.  You can do lots of things for two weeks.

Yosemite, Vegas, Coronado, Moab, and lots more.

You can see a lot more than the coast. Or you could see a LOT of just the coast. I don't know if you're a "stop and smell the flowers" sort of rider (or the wife?) but if you want to stop in the little seaside towns, that can eat up a lot of your time. Or you could do a nice loop up the coast from LA, head to Eureka and then go east to Tahoe, Yosemite, Death Valley, poodle around Utah forever and then head back to the coast...

Tell us more of what you want to see and how you like to ride  

[wibornz]

Well we will have at least two weeks maybe three.  The main objective would be PCH but side trips along the way would also be included.  That why I want to know what part I have to ride.

For all of it we may just trailer the bikes (Concours 14 and 1200 Bandit S) to SD and then ride from there.  I have about a year to plan and I want to make sure I get it right.  

The wife is good for about 300 mile days if she is on her own bike, if she is on the back, she can do about 500 miles aday.  

[wibornz]

Note: we are from Michigan and have never been out west except to Vagas.  So there are many things we need to see.  She just got the ball rolling with the suggestion of PCH.

[Uni]

Best weather is in the spring and fall especially on the north coast. Summer is generally very foggy. A week would be great. You probably won't want to do more than a couple of hundred miles a day unless your wife does a lot of two up riding. You will want to take your time to take in all the sites. Lots of nice places to stay also. It's a beautiful area to ride if the weather is nice.

Jeff

[Mrs. DantesDame]

Well we will have at least two weeks maybe three.  The main objective would be PCH but side trips along the way would also be included.  That why I want to know what part I have to ride.

For all of it we may just trailer the bikes (Concours 14 and 1200 Bandit S) to SD and then ride from there.  I have about a year to plan and I want to make sure I get it right.  

The wife is good for about 300 mile days if she is on her own bike, if she is on the back, she can do about 500 miles aday.  

In that case, you might want to investigate what it would take to trailer to SD (good starting point) and then do a nice loop across the northern border into WA (Devils Tower, Bighorn Pass, Beartooth Pass, Glacier NP, North Cascades Hwy), down through volcano-land, out to the coast once you hit Oregon, follow the coast 'til you get sick of it   and then dive inland to enjoy Yosemite and points west. You can then head north through Colorado/Wyoming and hopefully your trailer will be waiting for you.

And if you do it right, you can meet up with us at the National Meet in Colorado in June this year

[DogBoy]

Start at Morro Bay and head north. Take your time and wander inland every chance you get between Morro Bay and Monterey and again north of San Francisco all the way to Leggett. Dress for weather from 100F+ and sunny to 40F and heavy fog. Take a million pictures. At least.

Then head for the Sierra Nevada mountains. Flynfink did a great loop of CA in just one week. In two weeks, you can see a lot.

[r2t2]

Two weeks on the PCH?  Ok, I have never been on it (but I want to) but two weeks seems like too much...maybe 2-3 days.  You can do lots of things for two weeks.

Yosemite, Vegas, Coronado, Moab, and lots more.

  Really?!?!?! Seeing as how it starts in the San Diego area and runs ALL the way up the coast to Port Angeles WA, I think that two weeks almost isn't enough.

I finally did the OR/WA sections this summer...  Loved it!

[R Doug]

I may do the very same thing next year (only not two weeks)  So, I'm posting up to keep tabs on this thread.

[leftcoast]

I traveled from Mexico to Washington State a couple years ago. I stayed on the 1 or the 101 the whole way. PCH is my absolute Fav!  That whole ride could be 7 days pretty easy.  It's not the thing you would want to hurry through tho.....there are many many many options for exploration along the way.

'Till you get through LA, it's pretty much a way to get from place to place.  Although the Beach towns are worth seeing.....del Mar....Encinitas...Laguna...Newport.... ...
Starting about Malibu, things pick up some.
I'm pretty enamored with the section north of SLO to Monterey.  Ragged point to Carmel to be precise. twisty turny, cliffs,  vistas.
The stretch from Monterey to SF is excellent as well.  
then North of The City to ......well.......Oregon..... a real variety.....redwoods....Leggit....littl e pocket beaches.
Oregon is also nice, but not as dramatic as the southlands.   Pretty darn nice beaches, tho.

To me this is the American Riviera....
We moved to within 1/4 mile of the PCH this year......hope to stay here to retire.

Time of year will make a difference.  Summertime on the 2-lane following a string of campers & MotorHomes can be less than exciting.   But in October, when the kids are back in school, and the temps inland cool some causing less coastal fog & clouds.....  

There are even resources like Pashnit & his Tour gig, or others around San Luis Obispo, if you want some guidance.  Want to go it on your own?  probably won't go wrong....just might miss some.......plan to take time for photo ops!


Sounds like a Great opportunity.  Probably want to check out Bike Rental opportunities & see what options you have......

[Tar Snake]

I agree with the start (or end) somewhere around Morro Bay, CA. From there north, is the best scenery.

Even then if you're picking up the bike in Los Angeles it's an easy day north to San Luis Obispo/Morro Bay area. Your wife might like Solvang, which is just inland of Santa Barbara, easy 1st day then head north as far as you can or want to.

[sagerat]

Poaching on the thread as I want to PCH next year, what months are best in terms of low chance of fog and tourists?  October?  April?  From what I understand June-Aug is a nightmare.

Oh and for the OP, when I ride the Orygun Coast I always go N>S as that way the ocean viewpoints are right turn in and right turn out, just to make things easier on me.  Left turns across the PCH are on my list of favorite things to do, at least up here.

[IvanJ]

Poaching on the thread as I want to PCH next year, what months are best in terms of low chance of fog and tourists?  October?  April?  From what I understand June-Aug is a nightmare.

I think that Sept/Oct are the best months.  Minimal chance of fog, and fewer RVs on the road because school is in session.

+1 for taking side trips inland.  From S to North, Santa Rosa Creek Rd, Nacimiento-Fergusson Rd, Carmel Valley Rd, Skaggs Springs Rd, and Mountain View Rd are not to be missed.  

Lots of nice small towns on the coast to spend a couple of days here and there.  Some of my favorites are Cambria, Gualala, Elk.  Monterey has a lot to see and do as well, and you might as well spend a couple of days relaxing in the Big Sur area.

Here is a link to my recent trip over some these areas....

http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,30520.0.html

[DogBoy]

I may do the very same thing next year (only not two weeks)  So, I'm posting up to keep tabs on this thread.

You need to plan extra days for all the people who want to buy you beers.

[Jeff N]

September and October are the best months to travel HWY 1. Especially north of SF. The Sonoma coast is exceptionally beautiful, just watch out for the cows as it's open range country. Cows are less mobile than deer and they don't bounce off a bike too well.

Visit Dr Gil and Beckzuki (that most wonderful nom de internerd) in Eureka. They're the best.

Yup, plenty of good riding up thar.

[Orson]

In my opinion, the stretch from the Golden Gate to Legget is the mostest and the bestest ride on the planet.  

forget daily mileage goals, as you will be stopping to take pictures every 50 feet.

Take the spousal unit to Mendocino. She'll like that.

If I were you, I'd PM SWilverstone and find out the place he rented the Ducati from in San Francisco, or a Beemer RT also does an excellent job in the twistie bits.

Try to a ride a bit of Highway 1 on either side of the Bay area. South to Big Sur, then the northern leg, or vice versa.

With 2 weeks, you might even be able to squeeze in the Napa Valley and Yosemite.

[goodhawk]

Depends on your first and 2 nd priority - city /town stuff , or riding , or geology ?  3 days in San Fr. , ride N. or S. along coast 2 days  , loop inland and back.  OR , start at San fr. , direct to Yosem.,( Yosem is good fer 3+ days easy - the back eastern part is just as amazin as the Valley ( or more. + Sequoias, etc.  I love Yosem.) N. thru Mts ( rts 4 and 108 E. -W. will get yer attention)  maybe to Shasta , across on rt 3 or 96, down coast . . .  last June I did that fer 12 days in middle of the fires , some of the roads were closed , but Calif is excel.  PS - rented a BMW 1200GS @ Dubelju in San Fr - $ 150. per day, unlim. miles.  there are cheaper options, mostly sportster type.  I asked 6 weeks before, my first choice bike was gone, GS was 2 nd choice.

[R Doug]

You need to plan extra days for all the people who want to buy you beers.

I can see I'll need to include beer money in my budget.  

[Chronic]

I can see I'll need to include beer money in my budget.  

We have a little bungalow up near Mendocino and we always try to take some vacation thime there in early Octonber.  The weather at that time is pretty much ALWAYS fabulous  

If you go in the Summer months, be sure to bring both cold weather gear AND hot weather gear......'cause if you hang a right off Hwy1 and go about 20 miles it can be a good 45 degrees hotter.  Real quick like.....

[Jeff N]

If you go in the Summer months, be sure to bring both cold weather gear AND hot weather gear......'cause if you hang a right off Hwy1 and go about 20 miles it can be a good 45 degrees hotter.  Real quick like.....

Yup. It could be 55 degrees and foggy and soggy on the coast and 95+ and bone dry just a few miles inland. But it's all good. Some of the most bestest riding roads in the world are up here in NorCal.

http://www.sportbikerental.com/

http://www.dubbelju.com/

Don't know about the first link, but I've heard good things about dubbleju.

[Grumbler]

OK so next year I will be married for 20 years.  The wife comes to me over the weekend and said "I think for our 20 year anniversary we should fly to CA and rent a bike and ride up the coast".

Here's a great resource you guys should check out: http://www.101things.com/

I also agree that the starting point should be Morro Bay, and ending point could
be through Collier Tunnel (north of Crescent City) into the Beaver State.

[sagerat]

Tunneling into the Beaver State.

*snicker*

[Grumbler]

Tunneling into the Beaver State.

*snicker*

[curvesurfer]

PCH is a stunning piece of road, but it's only one aspect of what California has to offer. Having sport-toured all over the state, I concur with those who recommend branching out to explore the contrasts to the coast.

One could do a "highlights of California" ride that hits the coast, Death Valley, the Sierras, and the northern Redwoods with the foothills in between. Easily done in 2 weeks with plenty of time to see the sights. I could recommend a rough outline of the route with not much notice.

Late September would by my recommendation, too.

[Dr Gil]

September and October are the best months to travel HWY 1. Especially north of SF. The Sonoma coast is exceptionally beautiful, just watch out for the cows as it's open range country. Cows are less mobile than deer and they don't bounce off a bike too well.

Visit Dr Gil and Beckzuki (that most wonderful nom de internerd) in Eureka. They're the best.

Yup, plenty of good riding up thar.

I was going to offer up the guest room at the "Semi-Unofficial, Mid-Westcoast, STN B&B&B" when I saw this thread but then realized this trip is still a year away.   Who knows what's going to be happening then?

If you do decide to do the northern route (or cover the whole thing...recommended) get in touch with me (PM is easiest) and the ever lovely Beck-zuki and I will see if we can squeeze you in here at our home in Eureka.   We are fortunate in that we live in motorcycling nirvana and can point out all sorts of world-class motorcycling roads in the area.    

And the fall (September-ish) is generally the best, most consistent weather here on the northcoast.

[sagerat]

Hmm, I sense a Sept. Cali trip for me and the Goose next year.  Or if it's gone, the KLR.  But arriving at Dr. Gill's on a Guzzi with the tankbag he graciously gave me does have a certain panache.

[Chips]

In my opinion, the stretch from the Golden Gate to Legget is the mostest and the bestest ride on the planet.  

To juxtapose this.. the stretch from Newport Beach to Manhattan Beach is the leastest part and worstest riding on the PCH but it could very well take you a week to get through (at least it seems like a week with all the stoplights).