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West Coasters,,, Info Please.

3K views 23 replies 13 participants last post by  fatfatboy 
#1 ·
I'm starting to plan a west coast ride from southern California to northern Washington. Planning on riding the coast all the way up. Looking for some info from the west coasters of the forum.
Due to time I'm planning on doing a fly and ride. Fly out to the San Diego area, rent a bike, ride north and fly back.

Weather wise what would be the best time of the year to make this trip?
Any places to stay away from?
Any places to make sure we hit,

Thanks in advance.
 
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#2 ·
July 5th - September....but depending on the year, you never REALLY know. depends on what you're looking for and to see...

I've driven the 1-101 from Long Beach up through Salem Oregon....missed from just north of San Fransisco to about Rio Dell so can't comment on that. From San Luis Obispo to SF gets real windy and windey...270 turns with cliffs @ 15 mph if not slower at times...great views though. Oregon coast is amazing but you will get sea spray on your bike and you from the dunes north. Heceta light house is cool, hay stack rock.
 
#3 ·
Man, I know you have your plan for coast riding the whole way, but you're missing out on some of the best roads. If you're not on a schedule take a little detour and do the 36E to 3N to weaverville (299) back to the coast. The 299 from Redding to coast is a sweet ride. flowing curves, etc.
Thats the only road advice I could throw your way with your critia.

The best part of CA is the riding weather and all those great roads.

Ride safe.
 
#4 ·
Theres the Rock store.. biker, yuppie, people with monkeys and lipstick in LA. I did some riding in those hills when I lived in Simi. 30354 Mulholland Hwy, Cornell, CA 91301 Home - The Rock Store

An option to hit some decent back roads in So-call, get off the 101 at Ventura on to the 33N. Go through Ojai (cool little town). Stay on the 33N to Mckittick. Then take the 58W. The 58 is a great road.
That'll take you from coastal green, to low mountain, to desert, back to coast. The 33 south of Mckittrick is lack luster.. oil rigs, if i remember, but it get you there.

I think that ride is worth missing that part of the coast, but I've seen it too many times.. Someone else chime in.

If I remember right, there's a seal beach in San simeon, cool for a good leg stretcher.
Like mentioned up top, the 1 between Cambria and Big sure is a parking lot. Plan on it.. Use the pull outs to capture those views. Cool bridges.

Theres a restaurant in Big Surr with a hell of a view.. Its the only one.. They know it too......

I reread you post and for some reason thought you were flying into San Fran... Reading Righting and Rithmatic...
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the info guys.
Time will not allow me ride from Missouri to the coast, I'm not a fan of the plains anyways, so I'm not sure if I want to rent and ride or ship my bike out. Looking at both options.
 
#6 · (Edited)
You can miss the SW Washington coast without missing much. I would suggest after getting through Astoria, get on the Washington side of the Columbia and ride WA 14 along the river to Carson, WA. At Carson take the Wind River Rd. north. This takes you along the east side of Mtn. St. Helens. The road (NF 25) is narrow and heavily forested and beautiful with great views of St. Helens. Follow that all the way to US 12, Randle, WA. There you can decide if you want to ride the Mtn Rainier complex or head to the coast. I would recommend the Wash coast from Aberdeen north, taking in the Olympic Peninsula and around to Port Angeles and then south through/along the Hood Canal. If your in need or want to upgrade your seat, one of the premiere seat builders in the country is in Kingston, WA. Rich Connor owns richscustomseats.com. He has rooms there as well. Check out his website.
From there, you can ride into Bainbridge Island and take the ferry over to Seattle. Anytime before November should be good on the Oregon and Washington coasts, but, of course, that is the Pacific NW and expect some rain along the way. Have a great ride!

A riding buddy advised me that the Wind River Rd is good. When it sects with NF 25, from there to Randle are rough patches but ride able. You won't be wanting to make any land speed records anyway. The scenery is spectacular!
 
#11 ·
You can miss the SW Washington coast without missing much. I would suggest after getting through Astoria, get on the Washington side of the Columbia and ride WA 14 along the river to Carson, WA. At Carson take the Wind River Rd. north. This takes you along the east side of Mtn. St. Helens. The road (NF 25) is narrow and heavily forested and beautiful with great views of St. Helens. Follow that all the way to US 12, Randle, WA. There you can decide if you want to ride the Mtn Rainier complex or head to the coast. I would recommend the Wash coast from Aberdeen north, taking in the Olympic Peninsula and around to Port Angeles and then south through/along the Hood Canal. If your in need or want to upgrade your seat, one of the premiere seat builders in the country is in Kingston, WA. Rich Connor owns richscustomseats.com. He has rooms there as well. Check out his website.
From there, you can ride into Bainbridge Island and take the ferry over to Seattle. Anytime before November should be good on the Oregon and Washington coasts, but, of course, that is the Pacific NW and expect some rain along the way. Have a great ride!
I second this. The Oregon side of that ride is beautiful too, though it will be faster with less curves. I haven’t been back since the fires though. In my opinion the Columbia Gorge is a can’t miss on a trip like that.
 
#7 ·
Been a member here for awhile my first posting.

Riding Hwy. 1 north out Morrow Bay is great ride depending on the weather any time of the year. Fog shows up unexpectedly and marine layer brings in cooler temps. This applies to entire ride up coast. Morrow Bay is tourist town with some good food along bay area.
Morrow Rock is quite the attraction in itself. Ride Safe
 
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#8 ·
Ditto on Morro Bay! Beautiful riding along the coast all the way to Carmel at least! It gets busier from Carmel to Santa Cruz.
Also Montana De Oro State Park is a cool drive through the trees in the park to the beaches.
A couple of fun coastal mountain roads exit as well. Just north of Morro Bay is the Old Oak Creek Rd exit from highway 1.. It takes you on a twisty, curvy ride through the back country to Highway 46 which is the main route back into Cambria. The road is definitely worth the ride!
A second back area ride is from Highway 46 is the Santa Rosa Creek Rd which takes you through the hills into the back door of downtown Cambria. Historically the road has been extremely rough but I have heard that it was repaved a couple of years ago. It is a great ride! Enjoy your ride!
 
#9 ·
@fatfatboy I don't have the knowledge that a lot of these cats that already gave you advice do, but would like to add my .02. I rode from the mid point in Oregon to about 60-70 miles north of S.F. in '16 and if you ride from north to south you're on the "right" side of the road! No looking "through" cars, motorhomes, etc. to see the view which also means if you see a pull off that you want pics from you don't have to worry,(as much) about a cager eating your rear-end. That's all: FWIW Have a great trip bro!
 
#13 · (Edited)
I'm not a west coaster, but I have ridden out there so take it for what it is worth. Make a wide circle around the LA basin, preferably in the middle of the night. :wink:

Motorcycleroads.com is a good source for what the locals consider their favorite roads.

Riding along the coast, but so are opportunities to gain some altitude to increase your views.

Fish Tacos on the Ventura Pier.


Of course you have to ride the Avenue of the Giants and stay in Eureka.




The PCH road from Morro Bay to Monterrey with Big Sur was my favorite.









You could visit Hearst Castle and take in the views from there.

33 from Ojai north over the mountains was a fun road. Then backtrack or continue on to 166 west into Santa Maria.

Half Moon Bay is where my wife and I rented horses for a guided excursion on the beach which was one of her dreams.

Riding the Trolley Cars, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory were the highlights of San Francisco for us.

On the north side of the bridge the Point Bonita Lighthouse was very cool.

Then on to Muir Beach and Muir Woods National Monument for a little walking after eating all the chocolates.
 
#14 · (Edited)
I'm not a west coaster, but I have ridden out there so take it for what it is worth. Make a wide circle around the LA basin, preferably in the middle of the night. :wink:

Motorcycleroads.com is a good source for what the locals consider their favorite roads.

Riding along the coast, but so are opportunities to gain some altitude to increase your views.

Fish Tacos on the Ventura Pier.


Ventura Pier

Wow

That was one of my surf spots for nearly 40 years.

One of many old surf spots I surfed at for most of my life.

That surf spot is called C-Street but it's really called California Street and during the winter there are huge quality waves.

I have to say I miss it.

Anything from Ventura north is beautiful.

The coastline of CALI is something special.

The further north you go, the more beautiful it gets.

I've been to all of those spots many many times.

Myers Flats is one of my favorite spots for camping near the Ave. Of The Giants.

If you have never been there I can tell you that you will not see bigger trees anywhere on this planet.

If you have never been there before I highly suggest it.

The eel river runs right thru the campgrounds there.

Thanks for sharing your pictures and I know you had a great time.

Swomack
 
#15 ·
Up near Fortuna on the 101 is 36 east to Rosewood that is a challenging ride if want a little diversion or had decided to run up the 5 and wanted to get back to the coast.

In Astoria there was a seafood place on the sidewalk that was a ship on land that served great fish and chips and was featured on the food network.



I would recommend running inland from there and visiting Mount Saint Helens and possibly riding up the east side of the Volcano. Amazing!




 
#17 ·
You can't go wrong. Sweet ass response posted here. My friends in the bay use to say that i would "ride up for lunch" when I was at pendleton. The cambria back roads are excellent. biggest hit on you is timing and traffic. Enjoy the ride. Stop and get some good picks. Be safe. CA drivers are the best in the US...
 
#24 ·
Hey,, Thank you all for some great advice. Very much appreciated.
It's looking like the ride will have to wait until next year but when I get there and back I'll be sure to post some pix.
 
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