This August I'm riding from Phoenix to Spokane for a wedding... I'll probably go through Salt Lake to Butte and on to Spokane... On my return though I'll take my time and head down the West Coast and see some sights...

Any ideas and thoughts other than just keep the ocean on my right and head South??

Thx

 

Ride down the coast in Oregon and stop at the light houses.

catch hwy 1 up by Legget and ride it all the way to Cambria (you will go through part of San Francisco riding by the Cliff House and the Great Highway. You really need to catch Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

 

from sf to LA
take 101 till you see gilroy (unless you want to stop in santa cruz then take 17) stop at garlic world and get a brisket sandwich with grilled onions.

follow 101 to the monterey exit. stop in monterey and do tourist things.

take 1 south till you hit santa maria. plenty of scenic places to stop along the route

take 166 from santa maria to I-5. then decide if you want to have fun splitting traffic in LA. (roscoe's chicken n waffles !)

 

Columbia river gorge is real cool from either side of the river. It does get windy though.The ride up MT Hood to timberline lodge would be epic that time of year. or hwy395 through eastern oregon to cali and through Tahoe would be a good one also, LL

 

Columbia River Gorge is nice but Oregon coast on 101 is simply too good to miss. I hope to be doing the same trip South to North about the same time you are doing it North to South. My third time. Too many Great Rides to get it all done in one trip. Wonderful little ride around the rim of Crater Lake if you get tired of the coast. Cross the Sierra Nevada at Tioga Pass (120 through Yosemite) when you head back East, check out Mt. Whitney from the Owens Valley side (14,500 feet).

 

Crater Lake

 

Oregon Coast at Cape Meares. Also, dont miss the Redwoods at Jedediah State Park in Northern Cali near Crescent City. There is a little gravel road running between Crescent City and Huachi that will give you a very intimate look at the Redwoods in just a few miles, with many good hiking trails, Howland Hill Road. Tallest Trees in the world are reported to be close to the Mill Creek Trail parallel to Howland Hill Road, the Grove of Titans, if you can find them.

 

If you do go by way of Crescent City, and if it is still in operation, check out the Miller Redwood sawmill. They did have a demonstration forest about redwood trees that is quite interesting. Further south, in Eureka, there was a great restaurant at Samoa. Once you get to Willits on 101, take the road west to Fort Bragg, awesome scenic drive. Then you can take US 1 all the way down to the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge.

Its been 25 years since I worked in the redwood business. I have a lot of good memories of interesting times in the redwood timber industry.

 

Worst part about getting to San Diego is you have to go through LA.
When I go to PHX, I avoid the whole SoCal mess and go over the Tehachipies from Bakersfield, through Mojave and Barstow where I catch I40 to AZ.
If you are returning from a wedding, you just want to get home anyway.

 

GG Bridge is overated but then I have to look at it everyday.
Be careful and keep your head on a constant swivel in SF.