17-Mile Dr. is a bit funny. Since it's a private property they open and close it to bicycles on a whim. You originally signed up and apparently paid a small fee. In the last 14 years I've never paid a fee though. And when you approach the north entrance you go on the sidewalk and there is a little stand with a sign-up sheet on it. When they are out of sign-up sheets you just ride through. Last year when I arrived they weren't allowing bicycles at all. Sometimes they allow them only on weekdays and at other times only on weekends and holidays. But that one time was the only time they didn't let me in.

Follow the Red Lines and it will take you all the way to the South Entrance which will lead you to Carmel. At the split between the 17-Mile Dr. and the South Entrance road there are signs but you have to keep looking for them if you intend to do the 17-Mile Dr. instead of going to Carmel.

The roads are NARROW over some of these areas so be polite to drivers to keep the Drive open to others.

There is a little commercial area with a deli about 3 miles before the South Entrance turn-off.

The actual 17-Mile Dr. turns uphill near the South Entrance and climbs for a couple of miles. When you reach the Freeway Gate entrance you turn left and climb another 1/4 mile. and then turn right. This leads you around the hilltop and eventually back out onto the ocean side again.

There are two outlooks that are rather spectacular when the weather is clear as it normally is between 11 and 3.

Be CAUSIOUS on the downhill from this point. There are right angle turns and the incline is enough for you to get well over 50 on a tandem.

Be sure and stop to see the Lone Cypress along the ocean. This is the tree which is the symbol of Monterey. It's about 10 miles in I think.

Also there is a road that goes up the Carmel Valley for a long way. There is moderate to heavy traffic over the first half and then after the town of Carmel Valley it gets a great deal lighter. You could follow this road all the way to King City I believe if you wanted to do a century. But the valley is pretty scenic.