California: Lost Coast and Hwy.1

[tubebender]

I took the Tenere for a little ride a couple of weeks ago. 2000 miles and 10,000 corners later I can say the 2 of us have bonded! Well, maybe not 10,000 corners, but some days it sure felt like it!

I had been hearing about the Lost Coast of California and wanted to see it for myself. The plan was to ride north as far as Fortuna, CA then turn around and head south on Mattole Rd and check out places with names like Ferndale, Honey Dew and Shelter Cove. After that I was going to follow Hwy 1 as much as possible and meet my wife in Carpinteria, CA for the 25th Annual Avocado Festival. I packed my camping gear planning for 2 or 3 nights under the stars and I kept an eye on the weather reports. As my departure date got closer the long range forecasts showed some rain on the horizon. How bad could it be? As it turned out, I managed to ride into the first major storm of the season. Although I did get a little wet, I had a great time and can’t wait till my next trip.

BTW, don't pay any attention to the date/time stamps on my pictures. I am not a photographer and I don't play one on TV

Let’s Go!

 

[tubebender]

Day 1

I took off on Oct. 1. My destination for that day was my dad’s place in Santa Barbara. But riding straight there through LA from my home in Oceanside would be boring. Since I was going to be riding on Hwy 1 later in the trip I said to myself ‘Lets ride Hwy 2’, otherwise known as Angeles Crest Highway.
I rode the super slab of I-15 and I-215 to the Cajon junction and then jumped on Lone Pine Rd. to Wrightwood, then Angeles Crest back towards Los Angeles. I had not ridden this road in many years so it was a great detour. I dropped back into the LA basin, then worked my way up through San Fernando, Simi Valley, Oxnard, Ventura, and finally Santa Barbara.

Lone Pine Rd.

Angeles Crest West

Angles Crest East

Ventura looking north to Santa Barbara

 

[tubebender]

Day 2

I had no set destination for my second day other than to take Nacimento-Ferguson Rd from Hwy 1 back over the coastal range, cross Hwy 101 at King City and meander up Hwy 25 to Hollister. I did but it took less time then I had anticipated so I ended up riding all the way up to the Oakland area and staying with some friends

San Simion Bay

Little Beggars

Hwy 1 looking south

The view from Nacimiento-Fergusson

Mission San Antonio

Hwy. 25

 

[tubebender]

Day 3

On Oct. 3 I set out and rode through Napa and Sonoma counties. As I approached Napa I checked my map and noticed a road called Silverado Trail paralleled my intended route so I took it. It turned out to be a very nice detour as a lot of the major wineries were along this section. When I reached Calistoga the storm rolled in and I rode in the rain for the next 4 hours to get to Fortuna. I cut back to Hwy 101 at Geyserville. I had planned on some detours in the redwoods like Avenue of the Giants above Garberville but I wasn’t in the mood. No pictures either. I pulled off the highway in Fortuna and started looking for a place to stay. As I crept down the frontage road I spotted a sign that made my day. It read ‘Eel River Brewing Company & Restaurant’. Needless to say, I booked a room in the motel next door!

Silverado Rd

Calistoga Water Company artwork

Downtown Calistoga

 

[tubebender]

Day 4

The next day I headed over to Ferndale, turned south on Mattole Rd. and explored the Lost Coast of California. Talk about remote. There are a few small communities and people that live along this road, mostly cattle ranches and probably some farming of the illicit nature. I was in and out of thunder storms all day. I had to detour from my planned course because one of the roads was dirt and I didn’t want to take the risk. I’m not afraid of dirt roads but these were more likely mud now and I was by myself. I rode out to Shelter Cove, then continued south. Once again I encountered a dirt section that looked iffy so I backtracked to Garberville, took Hwy. 101 to Leggett, turned back onto Hwy. 1 and stopped in Fort Bragg for the night. And yes, it was raining.

Ferndale

Mattole Rd.

Lost Coast

Structures

Shelter Cove

Rock slide on Hwy 101

 

[tubebender]

Day 5

The following morning was overcast but clearing. I continued south on Hwy. 1. I stopped at the Point Arena lighthouse but I was too early and they were closed. I encountered some small rain showers but nothing major. That is until I got to a place called Marconi along Tomales Bay. The cold front behind the storm had moved in, the sky was getting dark, and I could see lightning ahead. Damn. I had planned to explore and camp in the Point Reyes National Seashore area but it wasn’t looking good. Changed my plans again, thinking that I’d stay with my friends in Oakland. As I was leaving Point Reyes Station, the skies opened up and it just poured. I even think it hailed on me briefly but I was too busy concentrating on the road ahead of me. Just as I was going to jump on Hwy 101 above Sausalito the rain stopped and the sky began to clear. Took a break and some pictures at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and changed my plans again, deciding to head down to Monterey and camp at Laguna Seca Raceway. Once again, the weather was a factor with gusting winds that would have made a night in a tent miserable. I opted for a motel in Seaside instead. And yes, it rained that night.

Point Arena

Hwy 1

Leaves and Pine needles on the road

Bodega Bay

Tomales Bay at Marconi

Golden Gate Bridge

 

[eemsreno]

Great Great ride!!! nice pictures now I got to get my map out and see if I can follow your route.

 

[tubebender]

Day 6

Thursday came around with clearing skies and no forecast of rain! I knew that this would be an easy day so I stopped a little more often and took some pictures. Took another detour at Cambria and rode up Santa Rose Creek Rd, then down Fish Creek Rd to Cayucos, through Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo, back on to the 101 and got to Santa Barbara in the mid afternoon.

Leaving Carmel

1931 Bridge

Rugged Coast

Rising from the Sea

Storm Surf and Surfer

Hwy 1 construction

Cambria

Santa Rosa Creek Rd.

 

[Twisties]

Sweet! Lost Coast has been on my list for several years now. But yours are the first pics I've seen. Thx.

 

[Don in Lodi]

Re: Day 4

Lost Coast

I was north bound here on the evening of the 9th! This hill you're going down was a first gear climb after the switch back. By the time I got unloaded for the night in Fortuna it started to rain. Rained all day Monday coming home. I'd love to see this stretch of coast in decent sunlight, the dim overcast views I got where fantastic. Mattole was rougher than a pure road bike would do. But after what, 70 miles? enough was enough even with the Tenere. I did 10 or so miles up Usal Rd off of 1 above Fort Bragg earlier in the day. Kinda what made me late for the Mattole Rd loop. That is what the Lost Coast is about. Next time you're through there you're gonna have to check it out. I only went as far back as Usal Beach. Fantastic isolation.

 

[tomatocity]

Great RR. Like your route. Too bad about the weather. How was Leggett to Hwy 1? The route I sent to you appeared in September 2011 Friction Zone about a week later.

Marconi CA is the USA site of early wireless radio. 1984 California State Parks built the Marconi Conference Center now a State Historical Park. Guess what did not work there? Yep, wireless phones. Took a couple years to get a service provider to provide service.

Next time -
Calistoga: 29 North and 175 West would have gotten you to 101. 175 is fun with few to no trucks.
128 to 1: Cloverdale to Navarro is an excellent redwood ride.
Point Reyes Lighthouse is a must do during good weather.
Bolinas: hidden community with good food and casual riding.

Give me a call if you are in the area again and I will share a Berryessa Knoxville ride with you.

 

[Twitch]

Re: Day 2

Awesome report and photos! ::012::

You've got some great places to ride.

Hwy 1 looking south

 

[colorider]

Awesome photos and RR Carl!!! I'm anxious now to visit California again!!!

Thanks,
Rod

 

[keeponriding]

My old stomping grounds..that was my home before moving out to KY. One caution...the weather on the CA coast from Sonoma County north is rotten, pretty much all the time. Once you get 20 miles or so inland, it clears up but on the coast; Damp, fog, wind and rain pretty much 13 months a year.

Gorgeous scenery, great roads and as the pictures atest...beautiful Victorian towns and homes.

 

[20valves]

Nice!! ::008::

 

[toompine]

Done Lost Coast many times, great goat trail. Now lets talk Leggett to Highway 1. Amazing piece of 22 mile road. We counted the corners once, someting like 300+plus in 22 miles. We once rode from Legettt to Highway 1, grinning so hard we turned around and run it the other way. Got a drink in Leggett and headed back to Highway 1. 66 miles on a 22 mile road. Flat out cooking, that road has amazing rhythm, great traction, little traffic and no cops ::015:: A definate knee dragger ::001::

If you have not been to Pashnit.com you need to go there, sign up and get all the info on the best roads in California. Tim has logged too many thousands of miles documenting the roads for our use. Amazing thing is no matter how goaty the road and how adventerous you feel taking it on, he already did it on his Hayabusa. ::013::

 

[phplemel]

Great RR, was thru alot of these roads last week!!! Never knew it was called the Lost Coast. Glad you took pic's I didn't take many, just road Rained on me several times but overall was great area to ride. Spent 13200km on the S10 in the last 8-9 weeks so saw a lot of roads ::021:: Thanks for the pic's to remind me where I've been

 

[Mike Sisson]

Great RR! ::012::
Thanks for sharing!

 

[SpeedStar]

Wow Carl, awesome RR. I hope to make that one someday.

 

[dcc46]

Great pics and rr , thanks ::26::