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Thread: Suggestions for CA Hwy 1 / 101 Road Trip

  1. #1
    Senior Member 302340's Avatar
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    Suggestions for CA Hwy 1 / 101 Road Trip

    Hello to everyone,

    I'm planning to spend 3 or 4 days driving Hwy 1 and Hwy 101 on the California coast, but I'm in need of suggestions on the best driving sections and an approximate time line. At this point, I plan on flying in to San Francisco on a Thursday or Friday and driving north. Whether I end up driving all the way up to Portland (if this is even possible), or driving a loop and returning to San Francisco is completely up in the air. I do not plan on doing a lot of sightseeing, but I would like to drive the coastline and see the redwoods. I'm visiting in early March, but the weekend has not been picked. Lastly, the "twistier" the roads, the better, and I obviously prefer not deal with much traffic. What have you guys experienced and can recommend?

    Much thanks in advance,

    Lee
    302340

  2. #2
    Early S Reg #1395 LongRanger's Avatar
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    The One

    Hi, Lee . . .

    Not exactly the best time of year to be out on The One --- it's not as busy now as during the summer, but the rains this time of year can cause landslides and the road to break up, especially on my favorite section . . . Big Sur to San Simeon.

    (I know, I know -- you're heading north from San Francisco. I'm just telling you that I've done The One all the way from San Ysidro to Port Angeles, and, IMHO, this is the ONLY section worth making time for.)

    Here's a map:

    http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&so...ed=0CBIQ8gEwAA

    Hwy 1 runs through The City; you can catch it from the 280, at around Pacifica. (There's a fun wooded section and a short cliff-side stretch just south of there.) Or you can go further south and catch it at Half Moon bay, from the 92. The stretch from Santa Cruz and on to Seaside and Monterey is scenic but can get tedious; the road narrows down to two lanes around Moss Landing and you can get stuck behind slower traffic. Watch for cops below Santa Cruz.

    Things open up, as you drive along the Bay. Straight.

    The 'fun' One starts below Carmel, at around Carmel Valley Road. Look for the famous sign: 'hills and curves next 67 miles.'

    BTW, an excellent alternative to get to (or from) Carmel is Carmel Valley Road, aka G16 (I think). You just go further inland, on the 101 south, then head to the coast on the G16. Carmel Valley Road/G16 is at least as interesting/challenging/terrifying as The One . . . but without the drop-offs (into the ocean) ---- or the guard-rails. Zero Law Enforcement but the road is bumpy and broken up in places, and you have more traffic. Some really nasty off-camber, blind apex stuff, too; just watch your speed the first time through.

    Either way, give yourself about two hours to get to Carmel.

    From Carmel to San Simeon on The One is about a 90 minutes, one way --- if you're flying. Give yourself some time to get used to the road. It starts out kinda tame, but then gets pretty intense --- basically non-stop twists, turns, hair-pins and short straights, 2nd-3rd gear stuff the whole time. Occasional construction. I've made the trip maybe 50 times, and it's ALWAYS worth it. Exhausting. I've never worked so hard for so long on any public road. Throw in traffic, a little passing, some fog, maybe rain . . .

    If you think you've done it all --- then do it at night.

    Either way, you'll get a work out.

    So will your vehicle. Make sure that you've checked your tires, fluids, horn and high-beams, and any loose sh#& in the trunk. Fuel's available at one point along the way --- but its stupid to have to stop, so top off in Carmel. Also, I quit taking passengers for this years ago. (There's enough to deal with, even without the screaming. Theirs. Or mine.)

    And don't forget to bring a camera. There's always something to see, even if you just snap a picture out the window. I remember one time, some lunatic actually managed to land a Cessna 152 out there, on one of the cliff stretches, then parked it in a scenic turn-out! And me with no effing camera!!!!

    I'm not sure about cell-coverage, but, if you get into The Drive, you won't care. And if you screw-up, well, someone will find you. Eventually.

    Have fun. Tell us what you think. And post some pics.

    .........

    We Can Be Heroes

  3. #3
    Senior Member 302340's Avatar
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    Hi LongRanger,

    Thank you for the suggestion about Hwy 1 through Big Sur. I've found many articles that mention this area, so I'll definitely consider adding it to my drive as nothing is set in stone yet. If I head south for Big Sur for a day, what other roads do you recommend in the area?

    Thanks again,

    Lee
    302340

  4. #4
    Member #1722 Nine17's Avatar
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    My street intersects Highway 1 and I drive a little of it every day; so do a lot of other people and that's the rub. Many stretches are very scenic but for it to be a "driving" road you'd better get up at the crack of dawn before there's too much traffic and law enforcement. Your driving pleasure also depends on whether you've got access to an air-sucker Porsche in which to tear up the scenery or if you're going to be driving a rental.

    Although I agree with Ranger that the Big Sur Coast from Carmel to Cambria is a fantastic drive at dawn or early evening in a sportscar, I personally find Highway 1 north of San Francisco to be very scenic and enjoyable to drive with many more interesting places to stop along the way. Highway 1 North ends at Leggett and from there US 101 is scenic but less interesting for a few hours until Crescent City and Redwood National Park near the Oregon border. Remember that, although RNP is the Ewok forest, there are redwood preserves all along the coast from San Simeon to Astoria. The stretch of 101 from the Crescent City to Coos Bay is particularly scenic, although it can be well-trafficked and it's a very long slog from San Francisco or Portland.

    Many of the side roads can be more interesting than 1 or 101, but remember that early March can still bring some weather -- and not just mud slides. The side roads can be very isolated, with limited map and cell coverage. A couple of years ago a family driving from Portland to S.F. tried to cut from Medford to the coast through the Siskiyous, took a wrong turn onto a logging road, got stranded in snow, and the dad froze to death trying to hike out for help.

    Enjoy your visit!

  5. #5
    Senior Member 302340's Avatar
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    Hi Nine17,

    Thank you for the suggestions, and for the information regarding the weather; I didn't know about the mudslides. I have also heard of very thick fog rolling in to make driving problematic along the coast. I'm actually flying in from the midwest and plan on renting a Hertz Corvette. I actually just got back from Miami Beach - Key Largo - Key West and put 1000 miles on the rental in 4 days, and I didn't even plan on doing all that much driving. So I'm really looking forward to this drive.

    I have no problem doing pure interstate driving to make up time and get to specific driving points. The only driving I've done in California was when I visited to buy my '66 911. I flew in to Sacremento and drove up to Red Bluff on Hwy 5. What is your opinion on getting to the Crescent City - Coos Bay drive? Would it be best to take Hwy 5 to Redding (for speed) and cutting over on Hwy 299, or something to this affect, and then looping it back around on Hwy 42 to Hwy 5? More than a full days drive for sure, but I have no specific plans other than driving, so random overnight stops are no problem.

    If I leave from the San Francisco area and head south, what is the best way to get to the Monterey - San Simeon drive? LongRanger's suggestions are excellent and I'll explore this drive more. Perhaps a day here and two days on the Crescent City loop might work out just fine.


    Thanks again for the help,

    Lee
    302340

  6. #6
    Member #1722 Nine17's Avatar
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    I've never driven 299 from Redding over the mountains and down the Trinity gorge to the coast, so I can't advise. It's really out in the boondocks, even for us natives, and not a time-saver to Crescent City. That is also certainly more ground than I'd want to cover in less than three days, as night driving on many of those two-lanes would both be a chore in the likely rain and snow in March and hide the scenery. Even I-5 can be a little dicey through the Siskiyous when you throw in darkness and weather. Remember that Highway 101 is 50% two-lane north of Cloverdale and 100% two-lane north of the Oregon border.

    As for SF-Carmel, Highway 1 is an easy and scenic drive with a few stretches of freeway along the route. Weather will be less of an issue on the Cabrillo Highway so long as the road hasn't washed-out south of Pacifica or above Gorda (as it often does during the rainy season).

  7. #7
    Early S Reg #1395 LongRanger's Avatar
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    Roads on/off The One

    Quote Originally Posted by 302340 View Post
    If I head south for Big Sur for a day, what other roads do you recommend in the area?

    Lee
    302340
    Hi, Lee . . .

    Well, if I was taking a car down The One . . . it definitely would NOT be a 'Vette. The road's pretty tight and twisty, and with all that weight and length, well, a 'Vette will just get punished. IMHO, the smaller, the better, something that can be tossed around. A bigger car just takes up too much road, and horse-power wouldn't help.

    As for the roads south of Big Sur, outside of The One, I think they're fairly tame. There's another 'G-road' that I've taken (G14? Not sure, but it dumps you out right around Hearst Castle) ---- climbs over the hills from the 101 around Paso Robles/San Miguel ---- but its a lot more civilized, more traveled . . . not as much fun. Still, if you're taking a 'Vette, you might enjoy it. I remember the road as being super smooth so you could get some good speed.

    As for going north, there are several beautiful stretches of The One, especially around Elk (check-out the Sand Piper Inn) and on past Mendecino. Dali-esque coast.

    There's another 'G-road' up here, as well, just south of Elk --- G18? --- that starts out in one of the valleys between the 101 and the coast, then threads its way through some coastal forests (including Redwoods) before dumping you out on a little flat and the cliffs over the Pacific. This road is NARROW --- I was in a VW Notchback and really had to squeeze by a couple of logging trucks. The road was absolute sh#@ --- bumpy like a toad --- but the scenery was excellent, especially once I got into the trees.

    Again, not the best time of year. If it's raining, you'll have you're hands full.

    Hope this helps.

    Rick Kreiskott

    .........

    We Can Be Heroes

  8. #8
    Senior Member 302340's Avatar
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    Alright, things are coming together with your help guys. I'll spend the first day at Big Sur on Hwy 1, and explore the surrounding roads a bit. In the evening, I'll head up to Mendocino or Elk and spend the night so I'm ready in the morning. The following day, I'll continue north on the coast, then backtrack in the afternoon and evening. I doubt I'll be able to get to Crescent City - Coos City as it is quite far, especially if the weather is too rainy; I'll have to save that section for another year. I'll also keep to the coast and avoid the upland forests so I don't get stuck in the snow. Are there any other really good driving roads just north or northeast of San Franciso that are worth a look? Perhaps I can add something else if I have the time.

    Thanks again,

    Lee
    302340

  9. #9
    Member #1722 Nine17's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 302340 View Post
    Alright, things are coming together with your help guys. I'll spend the first day at Big Sur on Hwy 1, and explore the surrounding roads a bit. In the evening, I'll head up to Mendocino or Elk and spend the night so I'm ready in the morning.
    Give yourself plenty of time. It's probably 3 hours to Big Sur from S.F. down the coast, and then a solid 5 hours from Big Sur to Mendocino via 101 and 128, much longer via the coastal route. These are drives you want to do in the daylight: the scenery is beautiful and the roads can be tricky in the dark.

  10. #10
    Senior Member 302340's Avatar
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    Hi Nine17,

    Good to know on the time line. Have a Merry Christmas!

    Lee

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