LA to SF: 101 or 1?

[emptym]

I'm planning to ride down from SF to LA tomorrow, then back on Friday. What's the best route? Any good things to see on the way?

In terms of route, I know that 1 is more beautiful, but slower than 101. How long would it take going the whole way on 1? Someone told me it'd take two days. I'm thinking of taking 1 for half the trip, then switching to 101 half the way down, and then doing the same on the way back up. That way I'll see the whole of 1 and not take too much time.

Any wise recommendations?

 

[gamelan]

if you're gonna do the 1 which will take forever, do it from about Santa Barbara to Carmel. that's the most scenic part.

-Jeff

 

[Xiaogou]

Originally Posted by gamelan

if you're gonna do the 1 which will take forever, do it from about Santa Barbara to Carmel. that's the most scenic part.

-Jeff

Excellent advice. The view is so worth it.

 

[MetroStyles]

Take 1. Leave at like 10 to avoid rush hour. You will be in LA at a reasonable hour, depending on how often you stop - it is really pretty empty during weekdays. There are so many places to stop and take gorgeous pics along the way. +1 on Carmel - beautiful beaches and the color of the ocean is really nice.

Oh, and I'd just take 1 all the way and then 101 the other way. I like seeing it all in one day but that might just be me.

 

[CorneliusP]

It ain't no thing:

http://tinyurl.com/d9d4la

10.5 hours on the hippest highway in the country.

 

[emptym]

Thanks guys. I've ridden 14-15 hrs. in a day before, but then I need a day for my butt, neck, etc. to recover. So I may do 1 the whole way down. I'll see how I feel and where I am.

Just got off the phone w/ a friend who grew up in Monterey. He suggests I take 1 down to Saint Lois Obispo, and then stick to 101 when they separate.

Any good, cheap restaurants or attractions on the way?

 

[matadorpoeta]

Originally Posted by emptym

Thanks guys. I've ridden 14-15 hrs. in a day before, but then I need a day for my butt, neck, etc. to recover. So I may do 1 the whole way down. I'll see how I feel and where I am.

Just got off the phone w/ a friend who grew up in Monterey. He suggests I take 1 down to Saint Lois Obispo, and then stick to 101 when they separate.

Any good, cheap restaurants or attractions on the way?

no way! take pch all the way down! take the 5 on your way back.

 

[thomaswendell]

Ventura to Carmel, for the 1,

In the daylight, check for fog first, make sure it is not raining...

Best drive in the world on a nice day.

Worst drive on the planet at night or in the fog...

Good luck...

 

[emptym]

Thanks guys! Weather looks good, but your warning about the night, TW, is a good one. Thanks. After checking out a few threads on ADVrider, I see that there's a vintage motorcycle museum halfway down. PSG may not forgive me if I don't stop to see it.

 

[Cas Ruffin]

Ummmmm....Take the 5, and use all the time you save to explore San Francisco.

 

[acidboy]

^^^ ummm, emptym lives in SF.

emptym, like your other thread, I hope you share your pics and stories here. have a safe trip!

 

[emptym]

Will do AB. Made it down in the 10.5 hrs Google maps predicted. At first I thought, "This is nice, but I've seen better on the East Coast." But then that incomparable Western grandeur cranked it up a notch. Sheer rocky cliffs, huge rolling green hills, varied blues in the ocean with white-foamed waves crashing against the black stone outcroppings. Several nice beaches and wooded campgrouds too. It was incredible. I took a couple picts and will post them when I get home on Friday. While all of it was great, the views by Devil's Slide, Santa Cruz and Big Sur were just glorious. I revelled in a strangely reassuring senses of my own insignificance that came from having massive cliffs on my left and the endless Pacific ocean to the right. I knew it'd be a special trip when a sign said twisty roads for the next sixty miles! Usually the warning is just for . 5 miles or maybe a couple miles. Need to do it again sometime in a car with someone else driving, so I can just enjoy the views. Nearly went over the guard rails a couple times while glancing around. Wouldn't have been good, especially when over the rails was a hundred feet, plus, of sheer cliff running straight down to the rocks and ocean. Ouch. On ADVrider there's a video of some nut going 2-3xs the speed I went. Badass dude. My favorite part is the second half with the tango (?) music. It really looks like he's dancing with his bike.

 

[tiecollector]

Take 1 around Carmel. I-5 is the fastest, I routinely drive over 100mph.

 

[kaxixi]

Originally Posted by emptym

Will do AB. Made it down in the 10.5 hrs Google maps predicted. At first I thought, "This is nice, but I've seen better on the East Coast." But then that incomparable Western grandeur cranked it up a notch. Sheer rocky cliffs, huge rolling green hills, varied blues in the ocean with white-foamed waves crashing against the black stone outcroppings. Several nice beaches and wooded campgrouds too. It was incredible. I took a couple picts and will post them when I get home on Friday.

While all of it was great, the views by Devil's Slide, Santa Cruz and Big Sur were just glorious. I revelled in a strangely reassuring senses of my own insignificance that came from having massive cliffs on my left and the endless Pacific ocean to the right. I knew it'd be a special trip when a sign said twisty roads for the next sixty miles! Usually the warning is just for . 5 miles or maybe a couple miles.

Need to do it again sometime in a car with someone else driving, so I can just enjoy the views. Nearly went over the guard rails a couple times while glancing around. Wouldn't have been good, especially when over the rails was a hundred feet, plus, of sheer cliff running straight down to the rocks and ocean. Ouch.

On ADVrider there's a video of some nut going 2-3xs the speed I went. Badass dude. My favorite part is the second half with the tango (?) music. It really looks like he's dancing with his bike.

That sign is 5 miles South of our house. A few weeks back a couple of Stanford GSB kids went over the side rails driving down to an event at night. They did not survive. It is a very dangerous drive.

 

[teddieriley]

what are you doing in socal emptym?