Touring - All the advice I can get please...letting you know about myself too

After reading some threads here, I, like those other first timers, also seek all the tips and information people on this forum can give me....I appreciate your knowledge...I plan on taking my first tour in 2 weeks or in early December...I already have my Burley Nomad on the way and I am preparing for other things needed..Please give me as long a list of all things I would need to know and things I need to buy for this 8 day or longer trip...I am asking those who have experience riding through Highway 25 in the south eastern portion San Benito county in Northern CA..I plan to ride through King City and into Jolon...anyone with knowlege of this area please tell me how to connect from King city to Jolon Road without getting on to the 101...or can I get on the 101 for a while to exit on to Jolon Rd?....

I am planning to ride into Jolon and finally descend down Ferguson Rd so as to get to my destination which is Lucia and then Big Sur or San Simeon depending how much time I want to spend since I only have ten days off...I am almost 40 and in top shape---actually have more stamina than in my 20s since I eat very healthy and excersize frequently for over 10 years....please advise me on what I should take no matter how long the list is or how long the reply is to read....I need all the advice I can get...sometimes even simple and basic things are ignorred which can make a big difference down the road...I already have installed those plastic liners between the tube and tire and have done some other things as well as buying some necessary items for this "mini adventure"...I cannot afford top of the line stuff and I plan to camp out in open spaces where I can put up my light weight tent away from traffic or public view...I forgot what this ind of camping is called where you camp out in the wild...I am still looking for the "right" tent that will be used out in the areas I plan to ride through...I apprecaite advice on which kind of tent is god for the conditions out there at this time or in early December...I do not want to buy something over 4 pounds...tent must weigh under that for me...
Ive read about some of the suggestions concerning tents that you guys gave to people like me...I have "ski" gloves that will do fine and I also have light bicycle gloves to keep me warm when its not raining----if it rains-- which I believe I will encounter...I got my sleeping bag...I already imagine riding through the rain since it tends to rain at this time....but I love riding through the rain and I have experienced it while kayaking...its so awesome feeling it on my face and experiencing the rain...I have been living up here for three years now since moving from southern CA which I lived all my life there...I am living out a dream that I never imagined would happen at my age much less in a tiny historical town with unique and rare ecosytems nearby with a supposed population of less than 1,800...but I recently took up bicycling since I live around in one of the most spectacular places with one of the highest air qualities in the world...
I cant understand why I didnt start bicycling sooner though I have driven through Highway 25 and Jolon and Hwy 1 frequently in my convertible...I just love how isolated it is on Hwy 25 and how at night I can enjoy driving for hours without the light pollution and traffic I dreaded so much in Southern CA (after Santa Barbara going south)---Hwy 25 is considered one of few least trafficed in the nation!...and I thought Trabucco Canyon and Ortega Hwy in south Orange county were the most spectacular!!....This time I want to experience the beauty and adventure of Hwy 25 and Hwy 1 between Moss Landing and Big Sur on a bicycle.... I am excited about doing this and just want to plan ahead in what I should bring....Thank you so much, Mark...

Hi Mark,

You live in a beautiful area and you have a great trip planned. That type of camping is referred to as Stealth Camping. Be careful doing that on the military reservation, though. Camping on Hwy 1 on the coast will be excellent, however. Naciemento Ferguson Rd thru Hunter-Liggett is a beautiful drive which I have done a couple of times on my motorcycle. I would give you better directions but always just take Jolon Rd off of 101. I think you can get to it from Hwy 25 without going on 101, but do not personally know how. You will be able to find answers to all of your touring questions by searching the threads on the Touring forum and asking questions there, also the question about directions might find an answer there as well.

Good luck,

john

I always seem to forget the term "stealth" when I am trying to explain the type of camping I plan to do. I now know how to get to Jolon w/out getting on the 101. I did as you said and read different posts and looked up one excellent resource, www.recreation.gov, which is very accurate in detail as you use the various tools available. I wonder how long you think it would take me from my town of San Juan Bautista to the coast assuming I dont make frequent stops and I dont make this a slow leisurley ride. I know that each person is different but I am just asking in a general way. I am thinking it will take me about 12 to 16 hours to get to the portion of Ferguson Rd where the last campsite on that road is located as you descend to Lucia. I plan to begin this mini tour between the first and second week of December. I have almost everything I need to tour. Recently I read that Nacimiento Ferguson Rd was considered one of the most spectacular and adventurous roads in the world by some well known motorcyclist magazine. I was planning to purchase a motor bike a while ago and several articles in different magazines about this road and others in remote San Benito county and north eastern Monterey county got me excited to travel on them on a bicycle. Ive traveled on them in a convertible and they were a blast to enjoy them.

I hope you realize that before you "descend" ferugon road you are going to do a pretty stout *climb* to the top. I did it the other way, which was brutally steep. I believe the climb in your direction is less horrendous, but still pretty serious. Make sure your brakes are good for the descent, and that your trailer handles well.

Have fun!

Yes valygrl I do realize the steep climbs along that road coming from Jolon and going to Lucia.. but I apreciate you reminding me of it since I will be doing the climbs on a bike as opposed to my convertible auto. Ive been on that road several times coming from both directions on a car but this time I must expect a real challenge as I use myself as the engine. Now this realization is coming to me which I need to mentally prepare myself for so thanks for letting me know valygrl. Looks like I may be taking this tour between the last week of November and the first two weeks of December....