West Coast trip WA - CA april 2013

[Trashed675]

I did something similar a couple months ago. Grants Pass, OR to Brookings, OR, then North on 101 to Astoria(Goonies action) the over to Everett, WA then back down I5. We stopped at the tillamook air museum too. 101 was tons of fun but I5 kiiiiiinda sucked.

/theadjack

[bcj]

Oh. Yeah, everyone. Please threadjack. Trying to get some discussion about driving and destinations.

Feel free.

[CamryDS]

Head to Herst castle, or Monterey bay. You can also head to halfmoon bay as well. Santa Cruz is a nice place to be

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[bcj]

Originally Posted by CamryDS

Head to Herst castle, or Monterey bay. You can also head to halfmoon bay as well. Santa Cruz is a nice place to be

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 2

This is a relevant threadjack.

Thanks you for your attention 8)

[CamryDS]

Originally Posted by bcj

This is a relevant threadjack.

Thanks you for your attention 8)

Lolz np -- there's plenty of stuff up and down the coast. Have fun visiting =)

[bcj]

13-04-14 Sunday
Leaving Palm Springs this morning I got caught in a gravel storm just before getting onto Int 10.
Not just dust or sand. There were small rocks being flung trough the air, it was blowing so hard.
Tried matching speed with someone in the upwind lane, but there was still too much wind and turbulence.

Ran back west to San Bernardino then picked up Int 15 to Sr 138 then SR 2 that goes over the San Gabriel mountains to Glendale.
Found out that Sr 2 was closed west of Grass Valley. It was a nice day and a nice road though.
Berdoo is somewhere down under all that.



Backtracked to Big Pines then decided to stay north of the mountains rather than try LA again.
Took N4 (Big Pines Hwy) back to 138. This has a good surface and nice corners, but it's all 30mph and in the park.
Stayed on 138 all the way to Int 5 and Frazier Park. Boring and mosty flat, but relatively uncongested.

Turned of on Lockwood Valley Road to connect up with Sr 33 later on.
Lockwood has tight corners at the start and finish with a fairly large plain in between. Had a good time
Some gravel in corners, and lots of elevation.




Got to Sr 33 after that. Mostly long straight road through fields with some abrupt corners.
Turned off on Sr 166 to Santa Maria. More of the same until about 30 miles outside of town.
The turns are long a sweeping, but it's more about the views going through Los Padres NF.
Was getting too late for pictures through there.

Writing from SLO tonight.

[OjiGeorge]

Just got back from a California coast trip few weeks ago, and it was awesome! Glad you are enjoying yourself, drive safe.

[bcj]

13-04-15 Monday
Started back up Hwy 1 this morning but turned off shortly up the road.
Took Sr 46 at Cambria up the hill to Paso Robles. Long sweeping turns and a good road.
Stopped at a viewpoint a bit up the hill and took a picture back down.



From PR I got onto G14 going back up into the hills over the dam at Nacimiento Reservoir
then along San Antonio Reservoir, eventually ending up at King City on 101.



This was a great road with a mixture of tight and sweeping turns and going through Fort Hunter Liggett.
Vurry Pastoral to say the least.
I started nodding, so pulled over along the way for a 20 minute nap, then a sandwich.
Could hear some large charges going off in the distance once I got outside munching.

My Nose Goblin collection !!!!!
Let me show you them !!!



Up 101 a way I turned onto G16 at Greenfield. G16 eventually turns onto Carmel Valley Road.
This is among the most interesting drives I've been on these weeks.
Did this in my van as well and had to come back with the right tool.
Very tight with some one lane sections until very close to Carmel where the recreational horse farms begin.



Turned up Laurel Grade just because racecar - Laguna Seca.



Ending up in Santa Cruz this afternoon. Man, is it windy and cold here. Didn't bring my down parka.
Silly me.

[bcj]

13-04-17 Wednesday
Finally got up to SR 36 from Red Bluff to Alton on the coast. Decided to take on SR 96 as well in one day.
Didn't sleep well thinking about it and got up about 5:30. This bit me in the butt later on.
Anyway: THE SIGNPOST



36 starts out twisting right away. Have to cross a pretty wide plain before the mountains start proper.
It's not flat though. Looks like they didn't do a whole lot of cutting and filling, but followed the landscape wherever it went.
Lots of abrupt dips after which the road might decide to go off another direction immediately. Don't try flying them.



Found this Shoe Tree along the way. There was another on on the wet side of the pass, but it didn't appear to be as fecund.



SR 96 from Willow Creek to Yreka follows the Klamath River upstream.
Seems to be comparable to SR 36 as far as corners and surface.
Likely because the same people built and maintain the two and they follow the same sort of terrain.
36 is just longer. What I found really strange was that I perceived the road to tend downhill a lot more than uphill.
I could see the river flowing opposite to my travel, but it seemed that I was decending.
Must be a ginormous concentration of dark matter around here, or Hwy9 slipped some in my trunk. 8)



Sleep deprevation caught up with me and I was starting to nod off again. Took an hour of down time in a shady turnout.
Felt much better after that. Got to Happy Camp to get a shot of the Yetti.



Finally joined up with Int 5 and headed out of California to Oregon. Ashland tonight.
Think I'll take the boring route and finish up with this report. Going to head home tomorrow.
Catch up with unfinished lawns and gutters. I hear it's still wet up there.

Might try out 96 the other direction sometime next year to see how it works that way.
Can check into SR 3 then to see what that's like.

Exclusive update:
Nose Goblin collection
May update again when I get back home if they don't wash away first.

[CamryDS]

Great shots! love the one in front of the twisty road for 140 mile sign!

[bcj]

13-04-18 Thursday
I couldn't give it up. I don't get down to central Oregon often so thought I'd do it while I was here.
The weather was clear and I could afford a couple of extra hours.
Turned left at Drain, OR and took Hwy 36 to Reedsport on the coast.
Wonderful road. Wide and in good repair with mostly long sweepers and plentiful passing lanes.
I understand it's got a dedicated trooper that keeps the speeds down.
I put it on cruise and watched the scenery. That was nice too.







From Reedsport I went up the coast to Florence and drove Hwy 126 to Eugene.
Similar to 36 through mostly the same terrain. Coming into Eugene it crosses the southern end of Fern Ridge Reservoir.







From there I droned up Int 5 to Lake Oswego. At about 4:30, traffic was backed up on 205 starting at that exit.
Luckily, that's where I was headed. I was on a mission for some Aged Sumatra coffee from Peets.
I scored a pound ground for espresso to keep me running for the rest of the week.

I knew that traffic on the highways through Portland would be impossible this time of day so I followed the river north.
Followed the river front through downtown to the east side of the railroad tracks to near the St. John Bridge.
Followed OR 30 west to Longview and made the crossing there. Was considerably more scenic and quicker than I5.

Near home, I did some shopping and made it home about 10 pm.
Had a great trip overall.
Thanks again to M&M_Hwy9 for the tour, and all the rest of you that had a look in or commented.

[Clipdat]

I've really enjoyed all your posts and pics! Thank you so much for sharing your drive!

Now post up some pics today after you wash that bad boy and make it sparkle.

[bcj]

It's getting an autowash right now in the rain 8)

I was too bushed last night to move the old car and park the FR-S out of the weather.
Hopefully a little less elbow grease needed when I can get to it.

[SLEEPER WRX]

Thanks so much - I enjoyed all the pictures
I will doing my own road trip end of April & first week of May