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scarletbison · 11-02-2017, 05:50 PM

Have any of you driven North or South on Route 1 from San Francisco to Oregon?

We’re headed to Corvallis Oregon for Thanksgiving and have the week so we thought take the coastal route north and take our time, taking 2 or 3 nights to get there, staying in RV parks near Mendocino, crescent city, and coos bay(if needed).

We plan on arriving in Corvallis on Tuesday, and leaving on Friday or Saturday with hopefully a speedy return down I-5 for School and work on Monday morning.

Any hints or concerns would be appreciated.

SilverHouseDreams · 11-02-2017, 05:59 PM

Watch the weather for any major wind storms (as resident Oregonian). The coast highway can get treacherous depending on weather, and the section around the CA/OR border often has landslides that result in closures if any really heavy precipitation happens. Bandon is a beautiful area, if you like golfing you should see if you can fit it in. I don't golf, but I recognize the beauty of the place.

You might find some useful info here: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f42/...st-174387.html

I don't known a B-van, and we haven't camped in our AS on the coast yet (bought it too late this year)...but happened to see your post on the "Portal".

scarletbison · 11-02-2017, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilverHouseDreams

Watch the weather for any major wind storms (as resident Oregonian). The coast highway can get treacherous depending on weather, and the section around the CA/OR border often has landslides that result in closures if any really heavy precipitation happens. Bandon is a beautiful area, if you like golfing you should see if you can fit it in. I don't golf, but I recognize the beauty of the place.

You might find some useful info here: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f42/...st-174387.html

I don't known a B-van, and we haven't camped in our AS on the coast yet (bought it too late this year)...but happened to see your post on the "Portal".

Thanks for your input

SilverHouseDreams · 11-02-2017, 06:05 PM

Oh, the only other thing I would add is to consider Oregon's strict tire chain laws. In general it is a requirement to "carry chains" in the winter months, including the I5...and especially the I5 passes down toward the CA border. You can just return them after your trip, perhaps...and Les Schwab actually has a policy to allow returning unused chains after the season is over.

You can find ODOT's info all here, including road conditions for all state highways and traffic cameras: https://www.tripcheck.com/Pages/Chain-Law

OTRA15 · 11-02-2017, 06:10 PM

You should be fine, but be advised that Route 1 up the coast is full of hair pin curves, slow traffic and steep drop-offs. Heading north is the safer route, with the ocean on the other side of the road. It is a spectacularly gorgeous drive.

FYI the new search function above, in the blue box, works great, and here are the results for "Oregon Coast" --

https://www.google.com/search?q=oreg...=airforums.com

"Route 1 California" -- https://www.google.com/search?ei=G7P....0.XJqIoMDEr5I

You also might want to review the list of threads in the On The Road forum:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f42/

as there are several threads about that area in general, for instance:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f42/...no-174353.html

Have fun!

Peter

PS -- Guessing that you will probably not encounter extreme snow conditions, requiring chains, in the next month IMO.

tjdonahoe · 11-02-2017, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scarletbison

Have any of you driven North or South on Route 1 from San Francisco to Oregon?

We’re headed to Corvallis Oregon for Thanksgiving and have the week so we thought take the coastal route north and take our time, taking 2 or 3 nights to get there, staying in RV parks near Mendocino, crescent city, and coos bay(if needed).

We plan on arriving in Corvallis on Tuesday, and leaving on Friday or Saturday with hopefully a speedy return down I-5 for School and work on Monday morning.

Any hints or concerns would be appreciated.

Watch the weather...take your time...

FlyFishinRVr · 11-02-2017, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OTRA15

be advised that Route 1 up the coast is full of hair pin curves, slow traffic and steep drop-offs.

+1

If anyone in the vehicle has any issues with motion sickness, I would recommend against this route. My daughter can get sick on this road at times, but the real problem is the dogs! They really don't do well with all the rolling and turning....

FreshAirStmr · 11-02-2017, 06:22 PM

North from Leggett, CA, you'll be driving 101, not 1.

Also, it'll be different in a Class B, but when we left Fort Bragg, we chose not to take Highway 1 to Leggett because of the many sharp hairpin turns on that stretch.

Lotus54 · 11-02-2017, 08:42 PM

We did in after picking up our 2006 AI- in the pouring rain (about this time of year).
Great fun.

It did just fine on those few tight corners etc.
Be aware a lot of campgrounds will likely be closed- if you are expecting that.

It was a good ‘leak test’ for ours. (I posted about it here)

Mark

PKI · 11-02-2017, 08:53 PM

PCH up the coast has a reputation, but with reasonable care it's not that bad and you get beautiful scenery to compensate. However, the section mentioned above from the coast up to Legget is tight and twisty. Not horrible in a B-van, but be prepared to grow some arm muscles. Note, that most interconnecting roads between 1 and 101 are twisty as well.

Watch for bicycles and give them their 3ft clearance when you pass. Watch for turnouts that have severe drop off at the drives or big holes to miss. Fuel up early and often as it's not a short distance to the next station. More RV parks at Fort Bragg. Reservations may be required as the area is popular.

Do not miss the "Avenue of the Giants" as it is spectacular.

Travel slow and safe. Pat

wahya · 11-02-2017, 10:28 PM

I have done it on a motorcycle going south. Watch out for the hairpin curves. I want to go back out and do it with the camper but that will be down the road sometime. Just take your time and you will have no problem. Stop and see seal beach and make the drive thru the avenue of the giants
. It is a side trip through the giant redwoods. Hwy 1 thru cali is more scenic that the 101 thru Oregon.

Lara Me · 11-03-2017, 12:24 AM

I love the section from Eureka north through Coos Bay. Stop by Trinidad, cool coastal town. Gorgeous coast. Central and Northern Oregon coast is pretty but speed limits are slow throughout the towns.

Lily&Me · 11-03-2017, 05:55 AM

We did this a number of years ago, and it is a spectacularly beautiful drive.

Slow going in spots, but eminently doable.

Enjoy.

Maggie

tyggeln · 11-03-2017, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lara Me

I love the section from Eureka north through Coos Bay. Stop by Trinidad, cool coastal town. Gorgeous coast. Central and Northern Oregon coast is pretty but speed limits are slow throughout the towns.

There is a little diner right at the entrance to he wharf in Trinidad that has great breakfast!

Lots of RV parks in the Trinidad area...great views. We did it about 4 years ago in late December, from San Jose to Crescent City. No major issues but take your time, we went during drought years, but a good storm will make you want to hunker down and and enjoy the pitter patter of rain on your tin roof!

darsea · 11-03-2017, 09:38 AM

We did it north bound from LA to Oregon with our 25 FC.
Land slides blocking the roadway at almost any time is a word of caution . Hairpin turns with a down grade and a decreasing radius are tricky requiring very slow speed and extreme caution. Then you also have to watch for overhead ledges.
We thought the scenery was spectacular.
John and Dottie

unifreck · 11-03-2017, 09:51 AM

Do not miss Winchester Bay, the nicest glamping (a county park Reedsport Ore.)
Oysters are fabulous. Oregon has a law requiring gas station attendants to pump
any GAS but does not include DIESEL, so you can pump your own diesel or wait for attendant, I find that an interesting " make work law".
We try to make the Oregon coast at least once per year, the California highway 1 not so often. 101 is a beautiful drive in Northern California.
Be sure to check out campgrounds along Oregon coast, there are State, National Park, National Forest Service, County, and City operated beside private operators.
Quite a choice along the way. Oh, I failed to mention the Indian casinos and their RV campgrounds.
I'm envious , we do enjoy the Northern California coast, Oregon coast, Washington coast to visit but for year around usage and living, the Southern and Mid California coast is our home stamping grounds. AEW

Rgentum · 11-03-2017, 09:56 AM

I drive this route practically every year, although typically between April & October, the "drier" season. At other times, particularly, be prepared for rain & possibly incessant rain; I've been on the OR coast over Christmas when it's rained hard, heavy, & incessantly for over a week, nonstop. Snow is unlikely along the coast, but a real possibility inland, for example, on I-5, especially over the Siskiyous, around the CA/OR border. Mind you, it snowed in Seattle last night --- we've got a couple of inches of the stuff, our first snowfall this Fall.

wswhiting · 11-03-2017, 10:36 AM

You might check out Harris State Beach for an overnight stay. Just north of Brookings, OR.

rwsjms7 · 11-03-2017, 11:00 AM

I did the trip in June on my motorcycle. The roads were fine on that stretch of the road. It is beautiful along the coast.

c21 · 11-03-2017, 11:26 AM

Great road on a motorcycle. Never drove it in our Airstream but we did drive over the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. We also used it to hunt down Hatfield-McCoy fued sites in W. VA and Kentucky. Once we were on a steep narrow mountain road to see the Perry Cline grave site and made a u-turn on a switchback. Very versatile vehicles.