Originally Posted by
spinnaker
You are just riding from San Luis Obispo?? Do what you want but IMHO not worth it. If I ever did the trip again coming from San Francisco, I would likely stop in SLO next time and take the train. Guadeloupe is OK but really not worth the ride. And that ride down from Lompoc into Santa Barbra completely negates any of the good in that section north.
People often warn about Devils Slide north on Montarra. I would ride Devils Slide 20 times before I rode that section from Lompoc to Santa Barbara again.
I would consider riding the Big Sur area instead. I believe there is a shuttle back in the summer.
San Francisco to Monterra would even be more interesting than that lower section of the PCH.
I'm doing that stretch for several reasons. First, I live in San Diego, so the one way trip ends at home without further travel required.
Second, I can take the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner to SLO without boxing up my bike or sending it as baggage. I can in fact roll it fully loaded onto the train in San Diego and leave it that way until SLO. North of that on the Pacific Sunset requires sending it unloaded as baggage.
Third, this trip will take about 7 days, which is about what I want to do right now as training for longer future trips. Astoria to San Diego is in my plans.
Having spent over 43 of my 67 years in California, I've traveled every mile of every major North/South highway several times. CA 1, US 101, US 99, and I-5 are all quite familiar to me, and the prettiest one, CA1, is still closed just north of Ragged Point. Except for the stretch from Malibu to Long Beach, it's a pretty ride.