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Oregon and California coastal route

Yahoo Message Number: 9869
My wife and I would like to drive the full length of the Oregon and Northern California coast this summer. Since this is new territory for me I would like to ask if any portion of this route should be avoided with our coach and toad.

We enjoyed the CCI Spring rally (our first) very much and everyone was wonderful. We had such a good time that we have now registered for the August Class Reunion and look forward to meeting more CC travelers.

Jim and Betty Ferguson
Winter Springs, Fl

Re: Oregon and California coastal route

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 9870
We live in CALF and the coast road is wonderful.
However we try to drive it going North vs. comming down from Oregon. You get the same views going up the coast but you have a mountain on your right side an not a cliff.

Dean Ansley
04 Allure 40'

--- jfwsfl JFWSFL@...> wrote:

Quote
My wife and I would like to drive the full length of
the Oregon and

Northern California coast this summer. Since this is
new territory

for me I would like to ask if any portion of this
route should be

avoided with our coach and toad.

We enjoyed the CCI Spring rally (our first) very
much and everyone

was wonderful. We had such a good time that we have
now registered

for the August Class Reunion and look forward to
meeting more CC
travelers.

Jim and Betty Ferguson
Winter Springs, Fl

=====

Dean Ansley

Home Office 949-733-3232

E-Mail ansleyd2001@...

Re: Oregon and California coastal route

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 9871
We have driven that route a couple of times and heartily recommend it. The Oregon coast is different from any coast we've seen.
One caution----Oregon requires that you pull over if traffic ( I believe it's five vehicles) stacks up behind you. The problem is that the pull-over spots they provide won't handle a 40ft rig w/toad. A Buddy of mine was fined $ 135 a few years ago on US101 AND WAS DRIVING THE SPEED LIMIT. I guess they expect you to speed up so the traffic behind you falls back.

Enjoy!

Walt Rothermel
03Allure30811

Re: Oregon and California coastal route

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 9872
Hi, You will have a great trip down the coast. But if I were you I would avoid the Hwy1 from Carmel/Monterey area down towards San Simeon. That part of the road has switchbacks upon switchbacks and is very narrow. If you are going south you will feel like you are hanging over a cliff over the ocean most of the way. We made the mistake of taking a 40' Magna with a tow car down that road because I suggested we go the scenic route. There were many rental Cruise America type motor homes driving that route also and sometimes the rental drivers are not the best in the world. My husband said he was not able to see any of the scenic area because he had to watch the road and tow car so closely. To top it all off, our cat was car sick because of all the turning and my husband open his window at some point while driving. Because he opened the window, the black tank and the grey tank started roiling and the vacuum created caused the water to jump up in the sinks and the shower. We were never so glad as when we got to the bottom of the road near San Simeon.
We have never driven the lower part of Oregon down (or up) Hwy 1 in Southern Oregon. Maybe someone on the website will give you information about that part of the Hwy 1.

Happy and Safe Travels,

Dale & Candace Hollick

2005 Affinity #6370 Quad Slide
See You Down the Road!

Re: Oregon and California coastal route

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 9873
Yipes. As an Oregon resident I apologize for this. I recently got a speeding ticket on I-84 in my CC with toad attached. Can't win coming or going. Can we!?

Tom Sims

2002 Intrigue - 36'

Re: Oregon and California coastal route

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 9877
Great trip, but avoid the Hwy 1 stretch from Fort Bragg, CA to Leggett, CA. It is way too twisty and narrow for a motorhome with a toad. Take Hwy 20 back to Willits then go north on 101 from there.
20 is no cakewake either, but it has a lot of safe turnouts and there is a really nice park to stop and enjoy the redwoods about half way to Willits.

Also, that stretch of Hwy 1 north of Bodega Bay is really no place for a big motorhome....it's got some really tight and steep hairpin turns. Other than that....it's one of the best drives anywhere.
Definitely make a reservation at the Sea Perch RV Park in Yachats, Oregon and get one of the ocean front sights. The Pacific Ocean, a great beach, and a beautiful sunset right out your front windows.
It doesn't get much better.

Enjoy.
Mike

'95 Intrigue, pullin' a Suburban
10061

Quote from: jfwsfl
My wife and I would like to drive the full length of the Oregon

and

Quote
Northern California coast this summer. Since this is new territory > for me I would like to ask if any portion of this route should be > avoided with our coach and toad.

We enjoyed the CCI Spring rally (our first) very much and everyone > was wonderful. We had such a good time that we have now

registered

Re: Oregon and California coastal route

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 9880
I reguards to the California Coast
That stretch of road below Carmel, down to San simian is some of the most spectacular coastline you will ever see....the problem is that there really isn't a lot of places to stop at in the middle, and its about a 3 - hour drive.
I would recommend, driving up the coast from Santa Barbara through San Luis obis and through Cambria (a small art town) up to San simian (hearst castle) but go no farther.
So many places to see, just in this area alone you could spend weeks.
Anyway, to save the all the switch backs uncomfortable driving for 3 hours, go back to hwy. 101, and drive the inland route up to the Carmel turn off, there are a few ways to get into Carmel, I've been on several of them, you are going over a small group of hills.
or you can go a little further and take the Monterey turn off, i think why 152 (check) takes you on a 5 mile straight road in north of Monterey, turn south, and visit Monterey and go into Carmel, now, about the next 30 miles of road takes you down to big sur....this stretch of road is spectactualar and there are several areas to pull off and enjoy the view...a few restaurants along the way as well.
i have camped in these areas for 20 years, and they are not to be missed.....but this might be a better way to see them all, and not fight the road switch backs between San Simion and Carmel .......and you will still see everything you need to see.
on a final note, try to see it in the spring or in the fall, our summers along the northern california coast bring in the coastal fog....when summer hits and the central valley heats up into the 100's it pulls the fog onto the coast....now you can get beautiful summer days, but the odds of the beter coastal days are spring and fall. (march-april-may) (sep-oct-nov)
remember Mark Twains famous quote " The coldest winter i every spent was a summer in San Francisco"....this is why.

take care and enjoy,

bill brunelli

Re: Oregon and California coastal route

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 9883
We took 6 weeks to travel from Napa to Florence, OR and LOVED it...going 101 all the way. GREAT trip. Some days we only moved to a park 50-60 miles away which in my opinion is the way to do it. The travel times for going places in the toad are slow because of all the wonderful sights.

Don't miss: Bandon by the Sea (go find the overlook area which is breathtaking...one of our favorites.), Tillamook Cheese Factory (for the ICE CREAM!), Cannon Beach, ALL the lighthouses, but our favorite is Heceta Head, Avenue of the Giants (Redwoods north of Benbow..do it in the toad), etc, etc.! Too many to list!

Here's a link to our website that has photos and ideas of what to see...

http://www.mcneillsonwheels.com/march_2002.htm
That'll give you an idea...

ENJOY IT! We can't wait to do it again! Jan McNeill

2001 Intrigue 11320

Re: Oregon and California coastal route

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 9905
Highway 1` between Morro Bay and Carmel. AAA says its a six hour drive along Big Sur - it took us 12 hours on one of the longest sundays I've ever spent driving the coach and that road I'll never do again, except in a towd only

Ron and Molly, '01 Intrigue # 11262, San Diego
 

Re: Oregon and California coastal route

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 9916
Morro Bay to Santa Cruz. Did it in about 8 hours in a Safari, towing a small pickup. A bit of a workout but loved it, (except for the lane closure delays due to road construction). Beautiful scenery. Plan on doing it again in a year or two.

Steve

Bodie6413@... wrote: