California Hwy Jackpot!!!

[DByers]

So over that last 2 weekends I have found myself driving to the bay area for both business and family reasons. So I thought I would take a few roads less traveled and I think I hit the California Highway Lotto!!!
First trip was up was last weekend (the 29th) to drop of my oldest son at his aunts house for a week of fun. We took the normal route to Santa Cruz with only a detour to drive G14/G18. Fun roads with little traffic on a Saturday. This would be a good warm up for what was to come.

The next day I returned home leaving early from Santa Cruz and took Hwy 1 south. Now most of us in Cali know this road is one of the best. Its even better when you hit it just before sunrise. Only one car between Big Sur and the Castle! Even with the few areas of construction I made pretty good time.

So this past Friday I head north again to pick up my son. I plan on a few stops for business in Redwood City and San Carlos. Get to swing by WEVO in San Carlos to see Hayden and Tyson and WEVO headquarters'! That was a treat. Had dinner with Tyson and decided on the 35 to 9 for the drive into Boulder Creek. Left WEVO just before 9pm and was in Boulder Creek before 10pm. That area was to much fun!

But the best roads I drove over the past 2 weekends had to be this combo.
Just outside Paso Robles, N. River Road -> Indian Valley Rd -> Peach Tree Rd. -> Hwy 25 into Hollister. I have never been on these roads but I did not see another vehicle from Paso all the way to just before Tres Pinos! This is some of the best canyon driving I have ever seen. For those of you who have been on this path you know what I am talking about. For those of you who haven't, well get out a map and plan for it on your next trip between NorCal and SoCal. You wont be disappointed and your Porsche will thank you.
So my new Lotto Numbers are as follows 1-14-18-35-9 with my bonus being 25. Play responsibly.
A few pics from that last section

[Don Plumley]

Shhhhh! Only I-5 folks - ignore the previous.

[Joe Bob]

Looks like fun....not a good place for a breakdown though. Was there much traffic?

[ninelevenick]

Coming from Sacramento, I have been on that "combo" route while touring with about thirty other Porsches (destination - San Simeon). I don't recall having more fun then I did on that tour!

[Palum6o]

I am from the east coast but my very first experience driving a 911 was in the hills around Oakland, CA. It was my friends '87 Coupe. We drove across 580 towards Stinson beach. There is a part around Muir woods that was just amazing. I still think about that. You guys in Cali lucky!

[cantdrv55]

Damn, the hwy 25 secret is out.

[DByers]

Mike, ZERO traffic on that stretch for a good 100miles! Maybe more. We need to get together soon. My schedule has been murder.

Sorry guys, but roads like this have to be driven.

As to breaking down. DONT, especially if your solo like I was. There was a sign about 10 miles in that read "NO SERVICES FOR 1000 MILES" I dont think any of the cows I passed had any tools or mechanical skills.

[LakeCleElum]

HEY - I come from Seattle each spring to visit my daughter and ride those roads on my m/c........Let's keep this little secret between us. OK?

[KNS]

What a great drive.... Having lived in Norcal and Socal, there are some great back roads up and down the state. Arizona is mostly void of these kinds of deserted roads. What few scenic twisties we do have are clogged with traffic. Sumertime just brings the RVs and Fifth Wheels.
Man do I miss Cali!

[yelcab1]

Now you have gone and told everyone about the best kept little secret between north and south California. Why did you do a thing like that for?

[Zeke]

Hey, to you guys that are worried about publicity of your secret roads, if no one is on them, I think they could support a little more Pelican traffic and not get too jammed.

[Nine9six]

Originally posted by yelcab1
Why did you do a thing like that for?

Jeb, Dat's jus hillbilly tauk 4, "Why did you do that?"
Jeff Foxworthy

[viejopatron]

Yeah, you heard the one "Why don't they put stripes on the road?"

"Because ranchers can't read'em."

When I lived in central California driving them-thar roads, they wuz all ovah the place, whivin thar flatbeds and damned Auzzie Shep dogs staring over the cab with their f***ing one grey eye. T'other one being gouged out by Mabel the hog.

Oh yeah, they be fun, but take care, hear.

[Trust Me]

You blew it man! Thought 25 was my own private road.

[DByers]

mmmmmm. secret? Not really since most people see it on every map of California and will still never drive it because its "out of the way". I also think the Pelican community is well aware of these roads and many others.
Its like that elusive surf spot that you find and tell no one of but everyone seems to know about anyway.

I still have about 1/2 dozen or so roads that are "truely secret" and I wont let out of the bag.

[87coupe]

Here is another one that isn't exactly secret, but is a phenomenal Nor Cal road.

Hwy 299 between I-5 and 101

[boxster03]

from Caltrans

Highway 25 is an increasingly busy and vital thoroughfare for commuters, and carries approximately 20,000 vehicles daily, including cars, big-rig trucks, and farm equipment. Future stages of this project may see Highway 25 converted to a 4-lane highway. Various options are currently under review. Construction on the project is not expected to begin until 2009.

[TRE Cup]

yeah- but that is the section from hollister north. below hollister, its a car and bike nuts dream. we did frazier park road to pine mountain, dropped to 33 up to 198, then the 25 combo on the way up to r gruppe santa rosa
on the way back we hit lucas valley to g-14 into paso robles, a little detour to 41 to 229 (just about the best roller coaster ever made for cars- at the right time of day!)- 58 drop to santa margarita for lunch- then back over the 58 to 33

sublime overload

[Zeke]

Originally posted by DByers
mmmmmm. secret? Not really since most people see it on every map of California and will still never drive it because its "out of the way". I also think the Pelican community is well aware of these roads and many others.
Its like that elusive surf spot that you find and tell no one of but everyone seems to know about anyway.

I still have about 1/2 dozen or so roads that are "truely secret" and I wont let out of the bag.

Yeah, all west of SB. I know about those, but I haven't been on them yet, save for one that goes by a bunch of gentlemens' ranches going out of town. A lot like the very western part of Mulholland. Kinda makes you feel quilty as nice as it is out there making all this racket with the motor and the tires. Not to mention the possilbility of pets, bikes, joggers, etc. I much prefer some of the roads a little further away from civilization. You guys have hit on a bunch according to the motorcycle roads Net site. (Maybe that's still a bit of a secret? Not to any that have been here for a couple years or more )

[Jamie79SC]

Dan,

Did you encounter the 'suicide' squirrels on that road? My wife and I did that run a couple of years back. It seemed like a hundred ground squirrels had to cross the road within feet of us. I think we only hit a few.