californicators... some input please.
 

I am planning next year's escape.

I have always wanted to ride the Pacific highway, and I have a buddy in washington that owes me a beer. (i also need to get out to Illinois, but im leaning towards the ocean for unkown reasons) so im working on Plan A.

day 1 to sandiego
day 2 to something like monteray
day 3 somewhere near the northern edge of CA
day 4 seattle


hard to put much stock in the google maps drive times... but if i cling to the coast, i probably need another day in there huh? this will be a solo ride on a GS with street tires.

are there chunks of the coast that are better skipped for something a little bit east?

what time of year would you do this ride?

should i expect to find camping areas out there? Im unreasonably conditioned to think of all of Cali as being like LA i think.

I thought the department put you on motorcycle probation since your last two trips to CO resulted in desk duty? Or did they just restrict CO?

truns out that soccer is much more dangerous.

Well, you will go really far to prove a point. :)

someone has to do it.

when im too old to be a bad eample, i will give bad advice.

West Coast
 

I just did this ride in July. Portland OR (~180m south of Seattle) to San Diego. I took 5 days to do it (~1,600m the route I took) and wish I had taken 8 but I also went inland and through the mountains (Hwy 3 and 36 in CA) then out to the coast.

No not all of CA is like LA. Only from south of the Grape Vine to Mexico N to S and coast line to the "mountains" W to E. Lots of camping all over where ever you go. If you want to camp on the coast reserve now.

Living in Oregon I would have to say add at least one day to see the Oregon coast and inland if you can. The N CA coast and OR coasts are very different and although I am slanted to OR (I lived in CA for over 20 yrs) everyone I have talked to touring like the rugged OR coast best. WA coast is similar to OR in many parts.

If you want to stay out of the rain on the n CA, OR and WA portion after July 4th has the best odds for sunny or at least not raining weather. It stops raining in N OR up to the Canada boarder on July 5th 9 out of 10 years.

Some things I noticed;
Unless you're going on the freeways take Google times and add 50% so 3 hours becomes 4.5.

If you are taking Hwy 1 in CA start early to get ahead of the tourists that start piling up on the road about 10am. This applies to weekdays might be earlier on weekends.

If you have to slab it use 101 and not I5. At least 101 gives some scenery.

Ride over the Golden Gate bridge and if you have time park the bike and walk it at least half way.

google is optimistic out there then? ok. here in AZ, google says 4 hours, it takes 2.5.

this is the google route i have whipped up so far...

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=I-10+E&daddr=San+Diego,+CA+to:34.43307,-119.8758+to:35.80932,-121.36094+to:CA-1+S+to:38.39458,-123.08844+to:38.81745,-123.59944+to:US-101+N+to:42.85793,-124.47063+to:44.77305,-124.07115+to:46.44969,-123.87247+to:US-101+E&hl=en&geocode=FTD_5wEdyl9p-Q%3BFUEy8wEdeVIE-SlLHpKtD1PZgDF53xX9_SE6DQ%3BFS5oDQIdKNfa-ClRn5kisUDpgDEVRXf3Tsr-Kw%3BFShoIgId1C3E-CkZrJhD17uSgDF1KeHm7TQ0sw%3BFZZhLgIdXF28-A%3BFdTaSQIdyNGp-CnrHPRf_J2GgDHBN5bVkJgNgw%3BFapOUAIdsAWi-Ck5-Sx7QTuBgDHjIO2WAYvJPg%3BFdovgAIdgsmY-A%3BFcr1jQIdmrqU-CkdHbdTa8fEVDHqfmU6yEfxGw%3BFbouqwIdEtOa-CmHwAeir33qVDHDjbp1CDxICA%3BFRrExAIdKtud-Ckd7op8caCTVDGaHma-U2CPTA%3BFeJv3QIdpkGY-A&gl=us&mra=dme&mrcr=2,3&mrsp=7&sz=7&via=2,3,5,6,8 ,9,10&sll=42.658202,-123.475342&sspn=4.112037,9.832764&ie=UTF8&ll=42.89 2064,-119.509277&spn=4.09655,9.832764&z=7

except it doesnt work.. hmm, well, off to work. It is workde out to stay right on the coast the whole way.

fixt it

Do stay on the coast all the way up.

It takes longer..sometimes a LOT longer, but it's so unlike SV that it could be another dimension.
In some of the places (particularly WA on 101) you could just follow a logging road up into the forest 5 miles and pick a spot to primitive camp. If anyone bothers you (first they have to find you) take out your badge *grin*.

IF we all make it to that time next year without societal upheaval, AND you make it as far as Tacoma (you'll have to pass by to go to Seattle) I could offer you a potent margarita on a deck overlooking the Tacoma Narrows. I have a couple of good Ft. Geshundhidt stories from my days at EPG:)

If you want to hit some nice twistys with little or no traffic take a look at 36 to 3. I got a bit bored of the coast and the traffic along it. You could take 36/3 up to I5 to 62 and swing out to Crater Lake to 138 to 38 and back on the Central OR coast. Great riding!

Yeah... you might want to take a tad bit longer than 4 days... at least if you want to stay below 100mph AND want to see where you are actually riding.

It took me 3 days to reach the NoCal area last year... all day riding with a few breaks/photo stops thrown in...

4 days will get you here and let you have some good riding in my neck of the woods...

sounds like a great ride coming up Lightfighter SmileWavy

I'm thinkin about 6 up and 6 back. i dont really wanna have to do 100 anywhere.

Too bad the big rally wont be up there again.

Four days of In and Out burgers, hmmmm. If you stop to take pictures Brian, it'll take two extra days. The panoramas don't get much better along that route. Did it in a cage; but, on two wheels would be the ultimate method. Enjoy!

bring rain gear.
you're planning the escape, but you didn't really say how many days you have.
the only real slab you need to ride is from the corner of the 405 and 110 fwys. after that, you can go up the coast and avoid the rest of LA.

i'm gonna call that trip six days if all sails well. once you get up around the santa barbara area, it just keeps getting consistently prettier as you travel farther north. seven would be more comfy.

don't forget your rain gear.
tag ralf for SD, jwilliams for pismo, sand city flyer for monterey, tom for san francisco and i think johnny can help fill in the blanks from there. you'd be mostly covered most of the way i'd guess.

oh, and bring rain gear.

There's a few places between LA and SF that would be much nicer if you got off the 101. Depending which days, I'd be willing to tag along for some of that route, especially the local (to me) parts.

'fornicate this!

Can we change your map?

Would seem to be the easiest way to make suggestions. :)

Hmmm.... Good stuff there.

Highway One below Big Sur does not always survive the winter rains, if it isn't open there are alternative highways a little further east that are far superior to 101.