May I know about fun, public California back-roads?

[robroy]

Good morning!

Every time I'm getting ready to take #50 for a joy-ride, I wish I knew of more fun public back-roads. It's kind of awkward to mix #50 up in all of the mundane transportation traffic on most roads, since unlike 99% of other drivers, I'm not out there to reach a destination. I like being able to vary my speed without twenty-five Toyotas trying to drive up my tailgate!

The closer the road is to the Monterey Bay area the more interested I'll personally be, yet there are tons of California guys on here that live all over the state, so let's hear about any cool California road you know of!

Here are a couple roads that happen to fall within my snail-like world awareness:

• Salinas: Paved: San Juan Grade Road: Google Map. This runs through a small town area, then hits the country, becomes a single lane (with no painted lines), and runs for miles and miles through massive rolling hills. Some areas up there have cattle grazing, and there are a few ranch houses with private driveways that branch off. If you keep driving up this road, you can reach Fremont Peak State Park. On clear days there are some superb views from up there! It gets pretty narrow and twisty though the further up you go, so it's a little cramped for our trucks.
• Big Sur: Dirt: Coast Road: Google Map. Coast Road is a public dirt/gravel road that connects to Highway 1 at both ends, but runs inland for ten or fifteen miles. The entrances to this road are marked, but the sign's really small and most people are going too fast on Highway 1 to notice it, so this road's not known to many. On a weekday you're pretty much guaranteed to be alone for the entire stretch! In dry weather the road's perfectly good for any non-lowered 4x2 Bumpside, and there are lots of really great views of the Pacific Ocean from up there.

I'm looking forward to hearing about more places to drive! Thanks very much.
Robroy

[forrestbump]

Robroy, GREAT Idea!

I've lived in SoCal most of my life and I have a lot of family in the San Francisco and Southern Oregon areas.

My favorite "drive" has always been taking highway 1 from LA to SF than on to Brookings, Grants Pass and Cave Junction Oregon to see my family in those locations.

I've always tried to do the drive during week days to avoid traffic and take as many rest stops as possible to simply enjoy the scenery. A slow, leisurely pace, was what I was after and enjoyed the most.

I hope you have the time of your life and I know the Great Memories will last you a lifetime! Godspeed...

[fireguywtc]

I agree with forrestbump, one of my most memorable trips was when my wife and I drove from stockton (were we lived at the time) to Lincon City, Or. We got on the Pacific Coast Hwy. around Petaluma and stayed the night in Brookings. What a great trip and it was a great escape from the summer heat in the valley, from 110 to 65 in Brookings.

My other favorite drives where in the Serria range and gold country. You can't miss if you take a drive up to Yosemite, the back way to south lake Tahoe, or even up to Shaver lake which is east of Fresno. The small towns that dot the back highways and the scenery is an always win drive imo.

[390Nut]

Just keep in mind that on the more twisty the roads you may go on, the more motorcycles you are likely to encounter (especially in California). Most of them don't like a slow pace (I know I don't most times, it's the main reason I ride ) so don't be surprised if they pass you where they, umm, shouldn't. If you can, make it easier for them to pass you where they SHOULD.

Being both an old truck AND a motorcycle enthusiast, I see the world from both sides of the road, so to speak. I have many times pushed the boundaries of what is "legal" on my bike, but I have also tried to maintain a sense of courtesy to cagers (regular vehicle drivers) while doing so. A lot of people get overly pissed off about motorcycles, and I've never understood the logic behind doing so. Some start chasing bikes; recently saw one on youtube where the azzzhat chased a bike for miles through rural area dotted with small towns, the video has now been pulled, but the guy was driving his truck 3 times as dangerously compared to the bikes. which can lead to a riders death, or a lot worse (multi-vehicle collisions etc). I've had it happen to me because I made a LEGAL pass before. Two tons of rolling steel and plastic is pretty dangerous to an exposed human on a motorcycle.

I really don't feel a motorcyclist deserves to die for busting a double-yellow to pass (the MOST common reason why cagers get pissed off at bikes).

Anyways, off my soap box, don't want to turn this into a pissing match or

Enjoy the drive, where ever you end up out there, just be aware that I know some of those riders that call the back-roads, canyons, and such a playground, and I know most of their riding habits (not slow ) Share the road, and if one of them wants to be a Darwin candidate, let them. You can't fix stupid.

[Mancar1]

If you are ever up in Tehama County, there is Hwy 36. You can go E and head towards Mineral, Elev. around 6,000. and Lassen Park. If you go W and head for the coast. It is very curvy, and up and down. A real fun drive, with small communites thrown in here and there. I have always just liked taking off and ending up at ????? I have always carried a fishing pole. My brother likes sand dune camping. I on the other hand figure it isn't camping if I can't fish.

[impappy]

Robroy,

Down in your area Hwy 152 cuts across from Gilroy to Los Banos. Its a long lonely road with a few small towns along the way. Try to avoid this road in the middle of summer as the heat can be quite oppressive in an old truck with no A/C

[rjewkes]

Robroy, GREAT Idea!

I've lived in SoCal most of my life and I have a lot of family in the San Francisco and Southern Oregon areas.

My favorite "drive" has always been taking highway 1 from LA to SF than on to Brookings, Grants Pass and Cave Junction Oregon to see my family in those locations.

I've always tried to do the drive during week days to avoid traffic and take as many rest stops as possible to simply enjoy the scenery. A slow, leisurely pace, was what I was after and enjoyed the most.

I hope you have the time of your life and I know the Great Memories will last you a lifetime! Godspeed...

And Kirby(sp?) And O'brien are nice too. I lived in CJ for a year in 97-98. O'brien even has or had a real cool old 40's or 50's cop car for parades.

[ezernut9mm]

is 17 mile drive still a viable route? i lived in Monterrey in 1979 for about nine months and at that time my dad had a 65 austin healey. lets just say that i experienced g forces for the first time then. it was a really fun road.