Need Info Please - PCH from LA to Seattle - pre planning stage

[DonB]

Hello,

 

I am recently retired and looking to mark some MC bucket list items off while I am still able.  I live in Ohio and am looking to put together a little ride - 4 weeks give or take.  I am looking to link the western and central USA "10 best roads" along with the PCH.

 

Has anyone travelled the whole length of the PCH?  Tips, tricks, where to stay, what to see?  I will mostly be camping broken up with hotel/motel stays.  No strict itinerary.  Will be riding a 2017 1200 GS.

 

Thanks!

Don

[TEWKS]

Missed this one when I coasted the coast. Looks worthy! 

 

This place was stunning!

I ate here when Clint owned the place. Didn’t see him but it was cool. 
 

Hogs Breath Inn

 

Golden Gate View Point

[DonB]

15 minutes ago, TEWKS said:

Missed this one when I coasted the coast. Looks worthy! 

 

This place was stunning!

I ate here when Clint owned the place. Didn’t see him but it was cool. 
 

Hogs Breath Inn

This is on the list.  I saw it on a vid I was watching.  

[DonB]

Hogs Breath looks like a stop too.  

[szurszewski]

I imagine lots of us have traveled the whole of PCH, but I'm having trouble coming up with specific suggestions as there's just so much... For me, I prefer it north to south so I'm on the water side, and my favorite bit is the part along Big Sur (between SF and La, basically) as that's the most dramatic big views of the Pacific. That said, the northern part feels more like home to me with big trees - sometimes dark and damp. How long do you have to spend on this section of your trip? 

[Dennis Andress]

Temperatures along the coast are usually in the 60's and 70's, often wet and foggy. Yet can be near 100 only five miles inland. Be prepared, and have a plan B.

 

CA-1 has its good and bad parts. Avoid weekends and holidays. I used to live near Ventura, so I'm most familiar with the southern part of CA-1. I did ride all the way to Crescent City a couple of years ago.

Interstate 10 westbound ends in a tunnel and a hard right curve. The end of the tunnel is the beginning of PCH (CA-1 in the L.A. area). Get there early on a Sunday morning and visit the Rock Store. I say early because that's when the really rich people bring their toys out.

The name Pacific Coast Hwy is not used after (about) Malibu.

Not part of CA-1, but Jalama Beach offers first-come-first-serve camping and good hamburgers. Don't walk on the beach, there's naturally occurring tar.

Pismo Beach to Monterey is good. Nacimiento-Fergusson Road might be open again. There's the Hearst Castle too, if you're into that sort of thing.

Near Salinas is Phil's Fish Market. I see they've moved away from Moss Landing, which is an interesting place. Most of the world's artichokes are grown in that area, try one at Phil's.

 

North of the Golden Gate until Fort Bragg was not my cup of tea, too exclusive and snooty (one restaurant told me I had to get up from my table and sit outside, in the back).

CA-1 from Eureka to Crescent City was great! I will ride that part again.

The Hitchcock movie The Birds was filmed in Bodega Bay.

 

BARF (Bay Area Riders Forum) has been around a looong time. Somewhere on their site they have a map of every cool road they know. Check them out for help.

 

 

 

[DonB]

23 hours ago, szurszewski said:

I imagine lots of us have traveled the whole of PCH, but I'm having trouble coming up with specific suggestions as there's just so much... For me, I prefer it north to south so I'm on the water side, and my favorite bit is the part along Big Sur (between SF and La, basically) as that's the most dramatic big views of the Pacific. That said, the northern part feels more like home to me with big trees - sometimes dark and damp. How long do you have to spend on this section of your trip? 

No specific time limit.  7-10 days just for PCH.

[DonB]

22 hours ago, Dennis Andress said:

Temperatures along the coast are usually in the 60's and 70's, often wet and foggy. Yet can be near 100 only five miles inland. Be prepared, and have a plan B.

 

CA-1 has its good and bad parts. Avoid weekends and holidays. I used to live near Ventura, so I'm most familiar with the southern part of CA-1. I did ride all the way to Crescent City a couple of years ago.

Interstate 10 westbound ends in a tunnel and a hard right curve. The end of the tunnel is the beginning of PCH (CA-1 in the L.A. area). Get there early on a Sunday morning and visit the Rock Store. I say early because that's when the really rich people bring their toys out.

The name Pacific Coast Hwy is not used after (about) Malibu.

Not part of CA-1, but Jalama Beach offers first-come-first-serve camping and good hamburgers. Don't walk on the beach, there's naturally occurring tar.

Pismo Beach to Monterey is good. Nacimiento-Fergusson Road might be open again. There's the Hearst Castle too, if you're into that sort of thing.

Near Salinas is Phil's Fish Market. I see they've moved away from Moss Landing, which is an interesting place. Most of the world's artichokes are grown in that area, try one at Phil's.

 

North of the Golden Gate until Fort Bragg was not my cup of tea, too exclusive and snooty (one restaurant told me I had to get up from my table and sit outside, in the back).

CA-1 from Eureka to Crescent City was great! I will ride that part again.

The Hitchcock movie The Birds was filmed in Bodega Bay.

 

BARF (Bay Area Riders Forum) has been around a looong time. Somewhere on their site they have a map of every cool road they know. Check them out for help.

 

 

 

Denis,

Thanks for the detail.  Good info.  I didn't think about being fogged in.

[Dennis Andress]

1 hour ago, DonB said:

Denis,

Thanks for the detail.  Good info.  I didn't think about being fogged in.

 

It's unlikely you'll be fogged in until you get close to Oregon. It's more likely you'll get wet and have to deal with slick roads. Fog is usually gone by mid morning.

 

[Twisties]

Hmmmm..... Mattole Rd aka The Lost Coast.....  it's rough and remote.  Not my most favorite in the area.  

 

I think the PCH is still closed one or two places in CA.  You can look for road status by route number at Caltrans.

 

I would spend some time around Ft Bragg or Mendocino.  Seriously good riding

 

Stewart Point-Skaggs Springs,

CA-128 from 1 to 101

CA-20 from 1 to Willits

Branscomb Rd from 1 to Laytonville

1 from coast to Legget

 

A little further north:

 

CA-36 from 101 to Red Bluff or up 3 to Weaverville.  

CA-96 

Graysback Pass from Happy Camp to O'Brien

 

Riverwalk RV Park in Fortuna might be a nice place to stay.  Walking distance to Six Rivers Brewery, shaded and good people.

Up the Rogue from Gold Beach consider Huntley Park for camping, or further up river maybe Quotsana. 

 

The ride up the Rogue to Agness is sometimes good, if they've got the road in good shape.... last rode it about 6 years ago and you had to be super alert for hazards.  You can go on up and over Bear Camp to Grants Pass it you like.  I haven't been on Bear Camp since they worked on it, so I wouldn't hazard a guess as to condition.  Can be a fun ride, with up to half a mile of dirt sections last I was there.

 

In the Brookings area, get off the bike and onto the beaches.  Harris is easiest access and most crowded, but still great.  Lone Ranch has easy access, much less crowded usually and you can walk forever to the south.  Whaleshead has a rough steep dirt access road, quarter mile or so...  I've ridden it, should be fine on a GS if you have some dirt experience.  Least crowded. 

 

Natural Bridges and Thunder Rock Cove are marked overlooks just north of the Thomas Creek Bridge.  These are not beaches, but rather up high on the rocks.  Both well worth your time.  Thunder Rock Cove is a short hike.

 

Also, if dispersed camping is on your game card, up the north bank of the Chetco from Brookings on the river bars (marked), at Loeb Park ( a real campground), or further upriver just about anywhere.