Hwy 1 north of the bay area vs. big sur?

profdant139 wrote:
This is where Naio's "small is beautiful" strategy really pays big dividends -- that van is not much bigger than an ordinary SUV . Naio, I forgot to mention some great boondocking near Ft. Bragg in the Jackson State Demonstration Forest. It is not free, but it is true boondocking -- silence and isolation amid big redwood trees. There is the whole Mendocino area -- Van Damme, Russian Gulch, Mendocino Highlands. Farther north you have the Lost Coast and Mattole Beach. Heaven on Earth.

Oh, thank you! What is the deal on the Jackson Demonstration Forest? Is there a pay box at entrance or something?

Yeah, I love my little rig :). Sometimes I look at small trailers like yours, or Sportsmobiles, but I keep coming back to feeling like mine is enough for me, so far, and is so easy to park and drive!

This is where Naio's "small is beautiful" strategy really pays big dividends -- that van is not much bigger than an ordinary SUV . Naio, I forgot to mention some great boondocking near Ft. Bragg in the Jackson State Demonstration Forest. It is not free, but it is true boondocking -- silence and isolation amid big redwood trees. There is the whole Mendocino area -- Van Damme, Russian Gulch, Mendocino Highlands. Farther north you have the Lost Coast and Mattole Beach. Heaven on Earth.

I would never attempt this drive in an RV. We did it in a Mercedes S-500 and I nearly peed my pants. There are portions of this road where the north traffic has to pull as far to the right as you can to let the southbound traffic go, and vice versa. It's a death wish in an RV.

profdant139 wrote:
Naio, with your little rig (a van conversion), you can go anywhere!! Both north and south are great. Depends a lot on the time of year. Oddly, the views are better in the winter -- not so much low cloud and fog. In either case, north to south is better than south to north, so that you are that much closer to the ocean (not to mention the cliffside). In December, you can often see whales spouting far out to sea, sometimes lots of them.

Take lots of time to do this trip. There is so much to do and see. Great hiking, great photography, great seafood (especially in Monterey). Redwoods right by the ocean (in Big Sur). Fun, fun, fun!

Thanks, prof!

Yes, everyone, I am talking about the rig in my sig. Size is not really an issue.

Naio, with your little rig (a van conversion), you can go anywhere!! Both north and south are great. Depends a lot on the time of year. Oddly, the views are better in the winter -- not so much low cloud and fog. In either case, north to south is better than south to north, so that you are that much closer to the ocean (not to mention the cliffside). In December, you can often see whales spouting far out to sea, sometimes lots of them.

Take lots of time to do this trip. There is so much to do and see. Great hiking, great photography, great seafood (especially in Monterey). Redwoods right by the ocean (in Big Sur). Fun, fun, fun!

debraindi wrote:
I'm right at 60 ft with 2013 LML duramax and 36 ft 2015 toy hauler. We came back from Co Ridgeway, Oury and up to 60 and 14 to Ft Collins I'm assuming that Hyw one couldn't be any worse then the Co high country assuming LOl.

Actually, it is worse due to the length of the drive and the lack of shoulders for greater distances. 550 from Durango to Qury is only narrow with no shoulders or turn outs for a very short stretch above Oury.

I drove 550 winter and summer for years when I lived in Durango and the HQ was in Grand Junction. I retired from my last assignment in LA and my son was in school in San Francisco. We drove up there 1-2 a month. Most of the time we used 1 from San Luis Obispo to SF.

High 1 between Morro Bay and Carmel through the Big Sur area has been listed as one of the great scenic drives in America, with good reason. That said: DO NOT ATTEMPT THE DRIVE IN AN RV. Two lane, very tight sharp turns, shear drops into the rocks and ocean on the west and cliffs rising up against the road on the east. I did drive the motorhome on the road heading north but white knuckled it all the way and really didn't get to see the scenery. There are no turnouts large enough for a 38fter much less with a towed. Basecamp someplace and take the beautiful drive in a car. Stop at the turnouts, stop at the wineries or small shops at Big Sur, even stop for the night if you wish, but leave the RV behind. From Carmel to Morro Bay take highway 101, an easy divided highway. For the rest of the trip from Santa Barbara to Canada you can shift from the 101 to the 1 depending on how fast you wish to travel and how many lighthouses you wish to see. From Santa Barbara to San Diego is a whole different story, as you will be driving heavy traffic the entire route.
Happy Trails

I'm right at 60 ft with 2013 LML duramax and 36 ft 2015 toy hauler. We came back from Co Ridgeway, Oury and up to 60 and 14 to Ft Collins I'm assuming that Hyw one couldn't be any worse then the Co high country assuming LOl.

I like both with no choice one over the other.

My favorite trip is to take HWY 1 from San Luis Obispo north through San Francisco all the way up to where it connects again with Hwy 101 in Leggett.

Then I travel north on Hwy 101 north up to the Oregon Border. Turn around and follow Hwy 101 all the way back to Los Angeles area.

Great coastal views, redwoods, San Francisco, wine country, fun and quirky tourist traps, great food stops, quaint villages and more.

This trip consists of narrow winding roads along the coast and through the Redwoods. I just take my time and watch out for idiots pulling out from hidden side roads. Stop for each night before sunset.

The alternative is to go up I-5 and come back Hwy 101 if you prefer a safer route.

Just depends. The Cal trans site helps. North of Fort Bragg has limits on how big the MH can be. I just returned from a trip in my 35' MH to Fort Bragg. The drive from 128 along hwy 1 was a piece of cake in that area - 45-60 mph in most places. But there are areas both north and south of that that are brutal.