PCH to South then North thru central California

[SacramentoMike]

I'm a little envious of PoorSSJ right now. I've seen all this before, many times, but he gets to see it all for the first time!

 

[PoorSSJ]

Thanks for the advice. Malibu looks like a good area to turn inland. I have no desire to see LA.

And Mike, I am certainly looking forward to seeing it all for the first time!

I am a bit worried about some of the passes still being closed.

Any advice on what ones are usually open early, and what ones are not?

 

[bikerskier]

I just noticed Hwy 2 on a map, from just north of Pasadena running east thru the hills to Hwy 138. Does anyone know what that road is like? Looks real twisty and fun on Google Maps.

 

[Bugnatr]

The only passes that may still be closed are high ones in the Sierra Nevada Mountains below Lake Tahoe- Hwy 4,108 & 120 out of Yosemite Plenty of fun ways out of the state above Lake Tahoe

Easy to check on line with caltrans https://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/mtnhwys.htm

Or just post up close to when you are out here. We will know what is not open yet.

 

[tcfjr]

I just noticed Hwy 2 on a map, from just north of Pasadena running east thru the hills to Hwy 138. Does anyone know what that road is like? Looks real twisty and fun on Google Maps.

California State Route 2 is the famous Angeles Crest Highway. Can be lots of fun, but on a dry sunny weekend there will be tons of bikes on the road, and that also means a lot of enforcement activity on the posted 45mph speed limit.

 

[its just rain]

I too want to ride along the coast from Seattle to Southern California this summer. However, I get frustrated going south along the Oregon coast with all the little towns and up and down speed limits, I can't imagine what it must be like in California when you add in all the traffic.

 

[puppychow]

The Oregon coast is gorgeous, but really frustrating. I have done it in a sports car, and I have done it on a motorcycle. Beautiful, but a total PITA.

The California coast - not so much. Weekdays much better than weekends, but there are ample opportunities to get around slow cars, some cars will even use pullouts to let you pass in my experience, both with my motorcycle and sports car. YMMV.

The RVs are the real hurdle, to get good sight lines to get past them. In my experience, they hardly ever look in their rear view mirrors, and they hardly ever use the pull-outs and will drag an ever-growing snake line behind them. Easy peasy, if you find a good straight.

The crappy ass-hole traffic is when you get near SF, and when you get near Monterey/Santa Cruz. South of Santa Barbara, forget about it.

 

[SacramentoMike]

I too want to ride along the coast from Seattle to Southern California this summer. However, I get frustrated going south along the Oregon coast with all the little towns and up and down speed limits, I can't imagine what it must be like in California when you add in all the traffic.

I think the Oregon coast is beautiful too, so much that I almost don't mind the slow traffic, but re-read what I said in post no. 10. You can really avoid traffic almost all the way to S.F. by getting off 101 and sticking to State Rt. 1. 101's pretty much the highway all the way--1 is the fun one. The communities you'll go through are very small and you're in and out in no time. But after the Bay Area the scenery's still pretty but traffic becomes your problem. Maybe just turn around at Bodega Bay and go back north again. Kind of kidding, but kind of not, too. That north coast is worth seeing going both ways.

 

[PoorSSJ]

I've been down the coast from the NW corner of Washington to Arcata Ca and it is incredibly beautiful! I did not recall being bothered by slower traffic in Oregon. Perhaps it was just that I was so engrossed in the fantastic scenery.

 

[bigjohnsd]

Passing on CA 1 can be problematic, especially if one adheres to the double yellow lines. Heading South, right-hand hairpins are often your friend when you can look across the canyon and see that the opposite lanes are clear.

 

[gregory]

BigJohn is right. Unless you HAVE to go to San Clemente I would head inland around Santa Barbara or before, nothing worth seeing in LA from a bike. Carver and CAJW plus others know that part of Ca better than I.
Here's a suggestion because Lassen National Volcano will most likely still be closed due to snow. How about getting off 395 in Alturas and go check out Burney Falls and Subway caves (a lava tube). Both are right off the highway and easy to get to but worth checking out. I admit I haven't been to Burney Falls yet ( yes I do deserve to be slapped over that) because it's a must see in these parts. Bring a flash light for the cave, it's a short 1/4 mile walk through it but worth the time and free!.

Depending on where you start but if you make Redding your over night location then you could enjoy 36 on a fresh day in the morning and Ave of the Giants in the afternoon. Fill up in Redding, not much for cheap fuel on the way over to the coast. If your tires are flat spotted at all from the ride out 36 will fix that

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Alturas,+CA+96101/Burney+Falls,+Shasta+County,+CA/Subway+Cave+Lava+Tubes,+Old+Station,+CA/Redding,+CA/Fortuna,+CA/@40.7520065,-122.0899402,9.24z/data=!4m37!4m36!1m5!1m1!1s0x54cb90ad699500f3:0x7d078a723c607139!2m2!1d-120.5424555!2d41.4871146!1m5!1m1!1s0x54cda79191802799:0x605002b233078792!2m2!1d-121.6527649!2d41.0107162!1m5!1m1!1s0x54cd38c47335ef91:0xccd8b05cc3cbb321!2m2!1d-121.418957!2d40.6860027!1m10!1m1!1s0x54d291d63b4a202f:0x1f3358ec7b360f57!2m2!1d-122.3916754!2d40.5865396!3m4!1m2!1d-122.660753!2d40.4394706!3s0x54d2e1bf14930401:0xffc6b71085660cdf!1m5!1m1!1s0x54d40a8b7db16ccf:0x33947768f4e3df6e!2m2!1d-124.1572756!2d40.5981867!3e0?hl=en

Great idea, MT. Lassen got hammered this winter and I don't think it will be open in May. If you do this, instead of taking I-5 south to 36 (unless you want to ride all of 36, and get your photo op at the start, I would recommend taking https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Redding,+CA/Platina,+CA+96076/@40.428352,-122.868719,10z/data=!4m19!4m18!1m10!1m1!1s0x54d291d63b4a202f:0x1f3358ec7b360f57!2m2!1d-122.3916754!2d40.5865396!3m4!1m2!1d-122.5758261!2d40.4822429!3s0x54d2e698662213bf:0x4a762051f53e331c!1m5!1m1!1s0x54d31702c250ea29:0x38958a4312303627!2m2!1d-122.894741!2d40.3595937!3e0?hl=en

 

[PoorSSJ]

My Trip is getting closer!

Looking at the maps online, near Stafford Ca I see

hwy 254. Avenue of the Giants which i see is paved.. I'm wondering if Lower Bull Creek Flat Road to Mattole road to Panther Gap Road is all paved? And does anyone know what would be better, those or avenue of the Giants?

 

[FJRay]

Stay with the giants. The others are out in the lost coast area and pavment is optional.

 

[Tyler]

Unfortunately at the moment, Hwy 1 is closed at Big Sur due to the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge giving way... not really sure when it will open but I think it's going to take some time to get it repaired... the roads in the Santa Cruz mountains and out by the coast have taken a real beating this winter.

P.S. You could head south further inland via Hwy 25 out of Hollister. I'll work on a route in a bit.

 

[Tyler]

Stay with the giants. The others are out in the lost coast area and pavment is optional.

Yup... you'll get some teeth jarred loose on the Lost Coast... Ave of the Giants is gorgeous! B)

 

[puppychow]

Wonder what the already questionable pavement looks like on the lost coast after these rains.

 

[PoorSSJ]

Thanks Guys! Avenue of the Giants it is!

 

[Tyler]

Also just heard there was another slide on Hwy 1 west of Leggett that has it closed there.

https://www.mendovoice.com/2017/02/highway-1-landslide/

 

[russperry]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="PoorSSJ" data-cid="1357548" data-time="1488765625"><p>

My Trip is getting closer! <br />

<br />

Looking at the maps online, near Stafford Ca I see<br />

hwy 254. Avenue of the Giants which i see is paved.. I'm wondering if Lower Bull Creek Flat Road to Mattole road to Panther Gap Road is all paved? And does anyone know what would be better, those or avenue of the Giants?</p></blockquote>

A friend and I took our KTMs to the Lost Coast last year. Mattole Road was relatively OK condition but from the north the first several miles out of Ferndale until you get to the beach is pretty uneven as others have reported. Shelter Cove road down to the airport is in good condition, and Briceland Road is fine also so that part would probably be OK.

Other than that it's generally dirt roads of what seem to be deteriorating conditions. Kings Peak road is one of the major dirt roads between Shelter Cove and Honeydew and was OK but I would bet susceptible to damage. Usal Road from the south was pretty bad then in the dryest part of summer and I would suspect is even more sketchy after the heavy rainy season.

As long as you stayed on Mattole Road you'd probably be fine but Panther Gap road is probably dirt from the looks of it and would be a crapshoot.

Should also add that in my opinion theres only about two things worth seeing in the Lost Coast if on a big street bike and that's Shelter Cove and possibly Mattole Beach Campground which is accessible to street tired bikes. Other than that your riding through economically depressed rehab centers (Honeydew and Petrolia) and pot farms.

 

[bruinFJRguy]

I just noticed Hwy 2 on a map, from just north of Pasadena running east thru the hills to Hwy 138. Does anyone know what that road is like? Looks real twisty and fun on Google Maps.

California State Route 2 is the famous Angeles Crest Highway. Can be lots of fun, but on a dry sunny weekend there will be tons of bikes on the road, and that also means a lot of enforcement activity on the posted 45mph speed limit.

I'm fortunate enough to live right near the foot of 2 in Glendale, and manage to ride the road on weekdays often enough that I get bored with it (kind of).

It has been closed in portions for periods of time over the past couple of years, first due to a road slide/collapse, and more recently for a reason I don't know. The road is still a good one, though, and there are plenty of others to use to get through (I think Upper Big Tujunga to Angeles FOREST Hwy is one).

Tcfjr, I see you're in Apple Valley! I used to live up there, right off AV Road near the golf course. Not a bad little town.