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kingfisher24 · 09-11-2010, 02:52 PM

Well I am determined to ride this highway from its beginning to San Juan Capistrano...just put the first 44 miles under my tires...From Leggett to Fort Bragg

just slow and easy hour and a half for 44 miles....

Could not find any accomodations at Big Sur that suited my weekend fri/sat/Sun schedule...so lucked out (maybe) and found San Simeon State Park....

Sounds great.....

I am going to try my luck at Pillar Point based on its website...i know that it is a parking lot squezed together and rather expensive,,,but according to its website is it has all i want ant this point

...maybe i'll be disappointed, maybe not...

and Jalma beach does not tale reservations but i am going on Mon and tuesday and maybe i'll luck out...

Got lucky and got reservations at Malibu Beach RV....

so, I am set.....

Alburqueque here I come

.

wilkes711 · 09-11-2010, 03:54 PM

You did good Kingfisher! You will like San Simeon - close to Cambria - if you feel like a gourmet meal, try to get reservations at The Brambles in town. Fun town to poke around in . . . you will probably be lucky at Jalama on a Monday or Tuesday and you will like that too - be prepared for some wind, most likely.
We love Malibu RV - maybe you'll get lucky and see Matthew McConaghey working out there next to his Airstream! We did last year!! Great seafood restaurant just below the park and a good hiking trailhead right there, too! You will fall asleep to sounds of the ocean and after a beautiful sunset! Enjoy!!!

Berry Bunch · 09-11-2010, 10:11 PM

Here are a few photos of one of our favorites. The attached three photos are from the same spot looking east, south & north.
Safe Travels!

kingfisher24 · 09-12-2010, 03:40 PM

great place with some great state beaches....wish i had known...but next time....Westport Union state beach at Howard Creek....great place on a bluff over the ocean..Has a KOA with a beach for its parking...it is pretty neat as well.

SteSpot · 09-12-2010, 06:14 PM

Earlier this summer we came south on the 101 over the Golden Gate Bridge in mid morning....no problem at all. We even pulled around to the View Point area on the south end of the bridge.....a little tricky with all the tour buses but we made it fine...then we went to 19th Avenue to Pacifica RV park that is now called San Francisco RV Park.....then down 1 to Moss Landing......certainly doable with our 28' Ambassador.....beautiful....only problem was the GG Bridge was in a fog......so no photo ops.....I understand this is quite common. p

kingfisher24 · 09-13-2010, 04:37 AM

today we leave Fort Bragg, after a nice stay...Headed to PortoBodega, at of course, Bodega Bay...got a copy of "The Birds"...going to watch tonight

Then same route across the GG Bridge on Thursday as SteSpot took...can't wait

Headed for Half Moon Bay for a two day stay....

kingfisher24 · 09-13-2010, 05:08 AM

The redwoods...beautiful...the avenue of the giants..

The beautiful pampas grass growing wild

The Fog obscuring the coast, and then the lack of Fog.....

The Elk on the road at Orick...

These beautiful Pink flowers...what are they and these orange torches

all of these are first impressions of Northern California

Lily&Me · 09-13-2010, 12:55 PM

We spent last night in the El Chorro Regional Park at San Luis Obispo---pricey at $30, IMO, but we wanted electric, showers and needed to dump.

Neat, tidy and available---unlike the coastal parks, which were full. Two nights ago we boondocked comfortably on a pullout off a canyon road. Our preference to plan day by day limits us, at times, but we still love getting up in the morning and deciding what to do that day!

SLO is a beautiful city and worth a detour to drive through.

Once we were through Big Sur, Hwy 1 rather heads inward, so we are doing some wine country today before heading to Ojai. Going to try to find Carol Clarke, who we are told is still there but she has not been on the Forums in a long time.

Travel safe,

Maggie

Gene · 09-13-2010, 01:11 PM

I'm wondering about availability of sites in campgrounds in late October. Have people stopped traveling by then? I guess it is California and you don't have real winter along the coast, so maybe it is crowded all the time.

Gene

wilkes711 · 09-13-2010, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

I'm wondering about availability of sites in campgrounds in late October. Have people stopped traveling by then? I guess it is California and you don't have real winter along the coast, so maybe it is crowded all the time.

Gene

The only campgrounds that are continually busy are along the coast, especially in the really touristy areas. State parks book up on the first day that the sites are released. Most other sites, especially during the week, are easy to get.

kingfisher24 · 09-13-2010, 03:48 PM

Another 110 miles or so of the Shoreline Highway under my belt...beautiful and breathtaking...the California Coast just keeps gettin More Spectacular...we are at PortoBodega...a beautiful spot right on the Bay...A beautiful area with beautiful weather.

Lily&Me · 09-13-2010, 04:43 PM

We just reserved the 15th & 16th at Malibu Beach RV Resort---couldn't resist.

Kingfisher, thanks for naming those beautiful pampas grasses---we didn't know what they were but they are everywhere and the most lovely shade of pinky-mauve. Watch for more Elk in Big Sur, and the elephant seals near a large visitor turnout by the shore.

Forgot to mention that there was a covey of quail having breakfast in our campground this morning, also what we think were Mountain Bluebirds.

We have done some wine-tasting (and purchasing) today at the vineyards south of San Luis Obispo, a hilly area full of immaculate and thriving vineyards. Drove the scenic route to Santa Barbara and are looking for a spot in or near Los Padres NF as we head back north to pick up 166.

Travel safe,

Maggie

kingfisher24 · 09-14-2010, 05:19 AM

thanks doug and maggie...keep leading the way and sending reports...our paths will no doubt cross at some point. I can't get over the pampas grass..it is so beautiful and growing wild everywhere,,,,,,,

Lily&Me · 09-14-2010, 11:20 AM

This NF campground is off Hwy 166 a few miles east of New Cuyama, on Aliso Canyon Road. You are driving through rather arid, desert-like countryside, then drive 6 miles off the road to a campground encased in huge, mature trees! Must get a lot of water there in the rainy season. The road is paved and there is one 5 mph curve to the right about halfway, but plenty of room to maneuver and shouldn't restrict a trailer. Doug notes two marked dips where the road probably washes out when it rains.

The area is as dry as a bone, no electric, no water and NO FEE! A handful of established "campsites", with picnic table and fire ring, but well-spaced and plenty of room to spread out for tents, pop-ups, small trailers, etc. We were the only ones there, and would have stayed a couple of days had we not been booked into Malibu tomorrow.

The little silver spot in the lower left-hand corner is us,

, there is an outhouse nearby I wanted to omit while still showing the size of the trees. There was not a sound in the night other than the woodland insects, and no light from anything but the moon. This would be a great place for a rally!

Kingfisher, we are spending the weekend with friends near Riverside, will then be heading back out and will find you next week.

Travel safe.

Maggie

kingfisher24 · 09-15-2010, 08:53 AM

This marina/rv spot is really great...peaceful...beautiful setting...
but i am headed out this morning for Half Moon Bay, which i am sure is, asthe the prior part of this trip has been, more beautiful that the part before

In our exploration yesterday we headed out to scout the route,...the part of CA1 from here to its intersection with the 101 at just north of the GG bridge..
.we headed out and accidently got on the Petaluma highway (bodega bay road) and reached petaluma about 9am local and got on the 101 with the traffic backed up all the way to SF

I suppose.

But we just rode it out and it only took about 40 minutes to get from Petaluma to the intersection of CA1...and then the 50 miles of the 1 was great and more windy and sheer cliffs and inclines and ...just beautiful.....

So I drove it, but , not that it can't be done, because it can, .....i will not travel that way today with the stream

...they don't give medals for pulling a trailer through there.....

The clam chowed at Spud Marina at bodega bay is awesom

Gene · 09-15-2010, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingfisher24

In our exploration yesterday we headed out to scout the route,...the part of CA1 from here to its intersection with the 101 at just north of the GG bridge..

...and then the 50 miles of the 1 was great and more windy and sheer cliffs and inclines and ...just beautiful.....

So I drove it, but , not that it can't be done, because it can, .....i will not travel that way today with the stream

...they don't give medals for pulling a trailer through there.....

True they don't give medals for driving all the way along the coast, but you get to tell the story over and over and over. When I drove the highway north I had no idea what I was getting into—well, I had probably read it was a challenge, but I read that about a lot of roads I don't think are that bad. I probably won't do it again, or maybe I'll do it southbound someday. Maybe that's easier.

There's a nice CG in Olema near the entrance to Pt. Reyes Nat'l Seashore. When we left that CG, there was a bike rally traveling north on the highway and we had to weave in and out of bikes on that narrow, hilly road for more than 10 miles—that was worse than any part of the road south.

Glad you got to see that section of 1 because it is beautiful. Did you get to drive through the National Seashore?

Gene

NJtoNC · 09-15-2010, 10:11 AM

funny how everyone is converging out there at once. we were supposed to be doing redwoods down to sonoma and then half moon bay / SF / san luis obispo... but we broke down in boise ID and are trying to get back on the road today. we have a bit of a schedule to stick to as we both have to get back to work in NJ in october, so we are going to truck it out there tonight as we have a rez for half moon bay SP tomorrow - if we dont make it, it might be available...

Gene · 09-15-2010, 10:20 AM

NJ', that's quite a haul for less than 24 hours. Take it easy. It's a vacation.

Gene

NJtoNC · 09-15-2010, 10:25 AM

Quote:

NJ', that's quite a haul for less than 24 hours. Take it easy. It's a vacation.

i know, most ambitious yet. we've lost 5 days on a limited, month long vacation. we made (what now appears to be the mistake of) making reservations ahead of time. so we lose $$ if we cant make the CA / grand canyon campgrounds when scheduled. :/

if we cant make it, we wont worry about it and we'll overnite in reno. from what i hear theres not much along 95 from boise to reno, so.... 7 hours at least.

Gene · 09-15-2010, 10:32 AM

I understand the eagerness of trying to get back on schedule. I'd feel the same way. You probably know Boise very well by now and sorry to hear you've had some problems (they only happen when you're traveling). There's a really good classic car museum in Reno, but I doubt that's on your schedule.

Gene