Hwy 101 and Hwy 1 (PCH) Can it be done in a larger Fiver?

[Johndeere4955]

We are looking at our options as far as travelling down Hwy 101 from Canon Beach,OR to the start of Hwy 1 in California. From there I understand that driving a RV from the start of Hwy 1 to San Fran is slow going, narrow and very windy. I don't mind driving in situations like this as I spend a lot of time on roads that are not fun to drive. (Logging and oilfield roads Northern Canada). I see that we can just stay on Hwy 101 in California and tike side trips over to Hwy 1. From south of San Fran I have read that it is not so bad and definately worth it as long as I have patience.

So my options are truck and 36" Fiver and staying on 101 from Canon Beach down to San Fran and then Hwy 1 to LA.

Or wifes SUV and a tent. And doing 101 to the start of Hwy 1 and then following it all the way down to LA. I have a feeling the tent though will just be for decoration on most nights and hotels.com might be my best friend:W

Has anyone done Hwy 1 in a larger fiver or travel trailer? I have already read some MH and toad stories which were not to fun.

[barbandwayne]

Johndeere4955 wrote:
We are looking at our options as far as travelling down Hwy 101 from Canon Beach,OR to the start of Hwy 1 in California. From there I understand that driving a RV from the start of Hwy 1 to San Fran is slow going, narrow and very windy. I don't mind driving in situations like this as I spend a lot of time on roads that are not fun to drive. (Logging and oilfield roads Northern Canada). I see that we can just stay on Hwy 101 in California and tike side trips over to Hwy 1. From south of San Fran I have read that it is not so bad and definately worth it as long as I have patience.

So my options are truck and 36" Fiver and staying on 101 from Canon Beach down to San Fran and then Hwy 1 to LA.

Or wifes SUV and a tent. And doing 101 to the start of Hwy 1 and then following it all the way down to LA. I have a feeling the tent though will just be for decoration on most nights and hotels.com might be my best friend:W

Has anyone done Hwy 1 in a larger fiver or travel trailer? I have already read some MH and toad stories which were not to fun.

Camping World has a book about PCH. WE gave it to our GS who was just transfered to Point Magu Navy Base. It has a ton of points of interest to see.

[msmith1199]

enblethen wrote:
He could get a very rude awakening! Many states consider a vehicle over 10,000 pounds must follow rules of the road for trucks.
If he still considers going that way, he should call CHP to verify restrictions.

California does not consider it a commercial vehicle. For rv's Highway 1 is restricted to 40 foot max length for a motorhome or trailer, and 65' overall length when you include the tow vehicle or the toad. When a California road is posted as restricted to trucks more than 30' from Kingpin to rear axle, than that road will also be restricted to motorhomes and trailers of no more than 40' in length.

[enblethen]

He could get a very rude awakening! Many states consider a vehicle over 10,000 pounds must follow rules of the road for trucks.
If he still considers going that way, he should call CHP to verify restrictions.

[msmith1199]

enblethen wrote:
The op needs to fiscally measure his king pin to rear axle dimension. He could be close to 30 foot mark.
Caltrans restrictions for king pin

The OP is not driving a commercial truck.

[enblethen]

The op needs to fiscally measure his king pin to rear axle dimension. He could be close to 30 foot mark.
Caltrans restrictions for king pin

[msmith1199]

Johndeere4955 wrote:

aerbus32 wrote:
Recently talked to a guy in a 40' Phaeton pulling a dinghy. He'd just did the portion of 1 south of Monterrey. He admitted that there were stretches where he had no choice but to cross the center divider. The question of Highway 1 does come up a lot. I will continue to respectfully state the following. The RV stays on 101. Use the dinghy/tow vehicle for days trips on 1. Lots of very nice private parks on 101 will facilitate this.

The more reading up I do the more I am thinking that 101 is the way to go and doing side trips over to Hwy 1 with the tow vehicle. I think it would be more enjoyable that way and less stressful for my navigator in the passenger seat.:W

I guess the next question would be for people who have done it or live in the area would be when is the best time to go? Is fog an issue, the amount of people on the highway?

Thanks

I'm of the opposite opinion as I've taken my DP on 1 quite a few times and it's a great drive. But you do what you think is best. The flaw with your plan though is there are not many roads available to make side trips over to 1 from 101. And the ones that are available are very long drives if you want to go to the coast and back in a day. For example the stretch of Highway 1 from Monterey down to Highway 46 is over 100 miles long and there really is no way to get onto it except from Monterey or Highway 46.

[msmith1199]

enblethen wrote:
You can do the majority of CA 1, however the potion between Legget and Fort Bragg was restricted to a length. South of San Francisco the road is crooked and driver needs help from navigator to watch for on coming traffic.
US 101 doesn't have any problems except traffic.

It's restricted to 40' single vehicle length. The OP is under that.

[Johndeere4955]

Veebyes wrote:

Johndeere4955 wrote:

Francesca Knowles wrote:

Johndeere4955 wrote:

Fuzzy Bear wrote:
I did the trip last May with my truck and slide in camper. Hwy 101 from Astoria to Willits, then Hwy 20 to Ft Bragg. South on Hwy 1 to Bodega Bay. From Ft Bragg to Bodega Bay was about 5 hours. A lot of curves and slowing down. A couple of spots seemed tight for a rig of your length.

I like the way you did it using Hwy 101 to Willits and going to Fort Bragg on Hwy 20. Thanks for the tip on Bodgea Bay. I think after seeing Fort Bragg I would get back on 101 down to San Fran then pick up Hwy 1 from Santa Cruz to Santa Maria.

:E

Danger Will Robinson! 😉

I think you must've missed the below earlier, spot-on post from Veebyes:

Veebyes wrote:
Hwy 1 between Legget & Ft Bragg, a short extremely twisty section with length restrictions. Did it, TV only, not to be done with a trailer.

Also bearing in mind that Fuzzybear went over it in a truckcamper...I've done it with a trailer, BUT the tug/tow combo wasn't even as long as your fiver alone. Even then it was a white-knuckler, what with the drivers stacking up behind, and the pullouts either too small or not-enough-notice for pulling over to let them pass.

And if you need any more proof of how slow that thirty or so miles is, even Google maps gives its driving time as nearly an hour...and that's in an ordinary car.

Yeah after doing it on google earth, we wll be sticking with 101 the whole way down just past San Fran and doing sidetrips with the TV over to Hwy 1 between Legget and San Fran if there is something we want to see.

Thanks for the info.

Cheers!

Unless you have a special fear of mountain driving you will be missing some of the best coastal scenery. Your rig is not particularly large for the road. How do you think gas stations get their product? How do you think every store is supplied?

No fear of mountain driving. I realize that there are logging trucks, reefer trucks, and probably a few B-train fuel haulers on this road, just getting a lot of different info from all types of RV drivers. (Very much appreciated to all of you) Seeing that your setup size is a bit larger than mine I would like to hear your opinion.

Others have said to avoid Hwy 1 north of San Fran and south of Legget to Bragg. What were your experiences on this highway with your setup? I understand that I will be throwing a shedule out the window and that it is not going to be a fast trip which is fine.

Thanks.

[Veebyes]

Johndeere4955 wrote:

Francesca Knowles wrote:

Johndeere4955 wrote:

Fuzzy Bear wrote:
I did the trip last May with my truck and slide in camper. Hwy 101 from Astoria to Willits, then Hwy 20 to Ft Bragg. South on Hwy 1 to Bodega Bay. From Ft Bragg to Bodega Bay was about 5 hours. A lot of curves and slowing down. A couple of spots seemed tight for a rig of your length.

I like the way you did it using Hwy 101 to Willits and going to Fort Bragg on Hwy 20. Thanks for the tip on Bodgea Bay. I think after seeing Fort Bragg I would get back on 101 down to San Fran then pick up Hwy 1 from Santa Cruz to Santa Maria.

:E

Danger Will Robinson! 😉

I think you must've missed the below earlier, spot-on post from Veebyes:

Veebyes wrote:
Hwy 1 between Legget & Ft Bragg, a short extremely twisty section with length restrictions. Did it, TV only, not to be done with a trailer.

Also bearing in mind that Fuzzybear went over it in a truckcamper...I've done it with a trailer, BUT the tug/tow combo wasn't even as long as your fiver alone. Even then it was a white-knuckler, what with the drivers stacking up behind, and the pullouts either too small or not-enough-notice for pulling over to let them pass.

And if you need any more proof of how slow that thirty or so miles is, even Google maps gives its driving time as nearly an hour...and that's in an ordinary car.

Yeah after doing it on google earth, we wll be sticking with 101 the whole way down just past San Fran and doing sidetrips with the TV over to Hwy 1 between Legget and San Fran if there is something we want to see.

Thanks for the info.

Cheers!

Unless you have a special fear of mountain driving you will be missing some of the best coastal scenery. Your rig is not particularly large for the road. How do you think gas stations get their product? How do you think every store is supplied?

[Johndeere4955]

Francesca Knowles wrote:

Johndeere4955 wrote:

Fuzzy Bear wrote:
I did the trip last May with my truck and slide in camper. Hwy 101 from Astoria to Willits, then Hwy 20 to Ft Bragg. South on Hwy 1 to Bodega Bay. From Ft Bragg to Bodega Bay was about 5 hours. A lot of curves and slowing down. A couple of spots seemed tight for a rig of your length.

I like the way you did it using Hwy 101 to Willits and going to Fort Bragg on Hwy 20. Thanks for the tip on Bodgea Bay. I think after seeing Fort Bragg I would get back on 101 down to San Fran then pick up Hwy 1 from Santa Cruz to Santa Maria.

:E

Danger Will Robinson! 😉

I think you must've missed the below earlier, spot-on post from Veebyes:

Veebyes wrote:
Hwy 1 between Legget & Ft Bragg, a short extremely twisty section with length restrictions. Did it, TV only, not to be done with a trailer.

Also bearing in mind that Fuzzybear went over it in a truckcamper...I've done it with a trailer, BUT the tug/tow combo wasn't even as long as your fiver alone. Even then it was a white-knuckler, what with the drivers stacking up behind, and the pullouts either too small or not-enough-notice for pulling over to let them pass.

And if you need any more proof of how slow that thirty or so miles is, even Google maps gives its driving time as nearly an hour...and that's in an ordinary car.

Yeah after doing it on google earth, we wll be sticking with 101 the whole way down just past San Fran and doing sidetrips with the TV over to Hwy 1 between Legget and San Fran if there is something we want to see.

Thanks for the info.

Cheers!

[kazmir]

We were just on the Big Sur coast in January and Highyway 1 is in good shape from SF to San Simeon. New tunnel between Pacifica and Half Moon Bay is really cool! Once you get to San Luis Obispo, just stay on 101 to Santa Barbara, its along the coast most of the way.

During the winter months there is alot less traffic, even on the weekends. So far we haven't had much rain and the days have been clear and nights cool. Autumn is good too for no fog & less crowds but the hills will be brown and dry.

At Bodega Bay it is a good spot to cut back to 101 to hit the Golden Gate Bridge, then say right and take 19th Ave though the city and catch Hwy 1 in Daly City to head over to Pacifica.

Enjoy the ride!

[clubhouse]

Is PaC NW home? Are you planning a down and back trip? If so I suggest heading South the entire way via I5 or 101 then taking a combination of 1 and 101 back north. For me it's a little more comforting not having the cliff and ocean just outside the passenger door. Heading north provides a little more margin or error.

[Francesca_Knowl]

Johndeere4955 wrote:

Fuzzy Bear wrote:
I did the trip last May with my truck and slide in camper. Hwy 101 from Astoria to Willits, then Hwy 20 to Ft Bragg. South on Hwy 1 to Bodega Bay. From Ft Bragg to Bodega Bay was about 5 hours. A lot of curves and slowing down. A couple of spots seemed tight for a rig of your length.

I like the way you did it using Hwy 101 to Willits and going to Fort Bragg on Hwy 20. Thanks for the tip on Bodgea Bay. I think after seeing Fort Bragg I would get back on 101 down to San Fran then pick up Hwy 1 from Santa Cruz to Santa Maria.

:E

Danger Will Robinson! 😉

I think you must've missed the below earlier, spot-on post from Veebyes:

Veebyes wrote:
Hwy 1 between Legget & Ft Bragg, a short extremely twisty section with length restrictions. Did it, TV only, not to be done with a trailer.

Also bearing in mind that Fuzzybear went over it in a truckcamper...I've done it with a trailer, BUT the tug/tow combo wasn't even as long as your fiver alone. Even then it was a white-knuckler, what with the drivers stacking up behind, and the pullouts either too small or not-enough-notice for pulling over to let them pass.

And if you need any more proof of how slow that thirty or so miles is, even Google maps gives its driving time as nearly an hour...and that's in an ordinary car.

[Veebyes]

Never did hwy1 south of SFO but north of SFO we have done what johndeere4955 did with his TC. We are 55'LOA bumper to bumper. Yes the trailer will cross the centerline, many times. You just do it & assert your size to cars coming the other way sometimes. Most are understanding & give you space.

Do it going south. Makes for easier getting into & out of turnouts. Also puts the passenger looking down the cliffs. Scared the DW a few times. She is usually pretty good about challenging roads.