advice for the coast?

[hwunger]

heading in the same direction in two weeks ...

you can go fast, or you can go slow, either way it's one the top ten in the world.

the town may be Ferndale, CA ? ... some really nice century old restored houses

[Tom1500]

You pay the toll southbound on the bridge. Weekday afternoons, and weekends are fine going south, but you'll pay for it leaving town via the Bay Bridge or your escape of choice.

Here are a few suggestions take what you want, and understand there are hundreds of additional good options. This route takes you through Marin Headland, then after crossing the Golden Gate quickly leaves the highway through the Presidio and takes you on Great Highway along the coast past Cliff House and the Zoo to Skyline Blvd. This takes you around the city for the most part to San Jose where you can go over Mt Hamilton to the Lick Observatory and through some twisty wilderness in Del Puerto Canyon before emerging into the Central Valley. This route takes you by Hwy 120 but cuts south on Hwy 49 for the much coveted section known as the "Little Dragon" before heading east on 140 into Yosemite proper via the. If you like twisties, you'll like this route. Be sure to head up Hwy 41 at Yosemite to Glacier Point for the best scenic views in the Park.

[Orson]

Originally Posted by OCZ

This trip could get out of hand in a hurry. Every day I add means I lose a day somewhere else.

Just my opinion, but Highway 1 is the best motorcycle road in the world.

Lose a day somewhere else, but not on Highway 1

[CRASH]

Originally Posted by Orson

Just my opinion, but Highway 1 is the best motorcycle road in the world.

I think there may be a few more of us that share that view. You are in good company and have impeccable tastes sir!

[OCZ]

A friend of mine mentioned that "since you'll allready be there" I should go to pier39...I think it was 39 anyway. He said there were a few good places to eatand a good a view of Alcatraz - is it worth interrupting my motorcycle trip to stop here?
By the way, thanks to everybody for all of the great advice.

[Fastfar]

Originally Posted by OCZ

A friend of mine mentioned that "since you'll allready be there" I should go to pier39...I think it was 39 anyway. He said there were a few good places to eatand a good a view of Alcatraz - is it worth interrupting my motorcycle trip to stop here?
By the way, thanks to everybody for all of the great advice.

Hope it wasn't Pier 29...it burned down yesterday...

Rob, cross the GG Bridge in the late morning to early afternoon, this will allow you to get the heck outa 'Frisco and over the Bay Bidge before the commute...in general you should vacate the SF Bay Area (or the Gray Area as we like to call it) before 3PM PDT or you'll be in the s**t, a slowly moving parking lot exiting 'Frisco develops every weekday afternoon about then. Once on the Oakland side, hit 580 or take 24 to 680 and get over the hills ahead of the commute, or plan on lane-splitting for an hour or two......go ahead AMHIK...

Also I recommend you traverse Yosemite on a weekday, a little less traffic than a weekend, not much though...popular place - and watch out for rocks...

[CRASH]

Pier 39 is a tourist trap ... personally I would not bother. There are a few good restaurants and chachky shops galore. Cruising the Embarcadero and stopping someplace for chowder in a bread bowl would be higher on my list that Pier 39.

[jim98107]

I will be visiting Ferndale Ca. for a few days next week. I took Mattole Rd out of Ferndale on a Goldwing pulling a trailer in 2007. It was slow going but doable. Can someone give me a report on the road conditions?

Thanks,
Jim in Everett WA.

[hwunger]

Originally Posted by jim98107

I will be visiting Ferndale Ca. ... Can someone give me a report on the road conditions?

was just there ..

the road into Ferndale is no problem, but going further into the Lost Coast is not my idea of fun - we rode an ST1300 fully loaded.

head back to 101 and continue the fun .. by all accounts, the roads into Lost Coast are crappy ....


also the town of Garberville provided an unexpected nice stopover ... several motels and a few restaurants, but - cash only ? ... wow these small towns are interesting !

(and it was warm and sunny while the coast was colder and foggy, in July at least)