Rt 1(PCH) or 101 from Ventura to Half Moon Bay

Seangie · May 18, 2014, 02:10:42 PM

We are leaving for half moon bay (a gamble if you will) and trying to decide if its adventurous or stupid to drive up 1 with a 40' bus with a 6v92 engine and 8000 pound van in tow. What say you left coasters?

-Sean

Fulltiming somewhere in the USA
1984 Eagle 10S
www.herdofturtles.org

Dave5Cs · May 18, 2014, 02:20:52 PM

There will be some tight spots Sean. Half Moon is ok as well as Monterrey, Carmel, Capitola/ Santa Cruz area, , which are very nice. Stay on the inside and watch for bike riders along the way. North of SF it gets pretty narrow, I would take 101 through Sonoma!...Beautiful if you can. I wouldn't even try Hwy 1 ( Pacific Coast Hwy)after the Russian river area at Jenner. Lot of road work going on there right now after the road fell down the cliffs this winter in spots.

Dave

lvmci · May 18, 2014, 03:48:56 PM

Hi Sean, coast hwy is not a good choice for a bus, the 101 is newly repaired and sometimes better, especially than the grape vine on the I5, the 101 is near by the coast for many miles, as you saw near Ventura, great rv parks at Carmel, dont trust your GPS! Visit Big Sur with your van, not the bus, great restaurant, the riverside, in big sur, sit in the tree canopied river on a rustic wooden chair and have a drink. Take the coast hwy again north of Monterey/Carmel, a good koa north of there, but make sure younstop at montery aquarium, its great! Lvmci...

Lin · May 18, 2014, 04:40:06 PM

Hwy 1 is okay except for the Big Sur segment which runs from Cambria to Carmel. We once did that in a smaller motorhome, but would be more work in a bus. It can be done, but I don't think I would want to work that hard.

You can take 1 as far as Hwy 46, near Cambria, and then take 46 to 101 at Paso Robles. You could then cut back toward the coast as you reach the north end of the Salinas Valley. If you want to take a short detour and get a little taste of the Big Sur views, you could go south on 1 at Carmel a little distance to Point Lobos State Park. It's really impressive.

FolkBus · May 18, 2014, 07:18:12 PM

I would take Cal.Hwy 1 all the way. quite doable with the rig you have. That said you will work (as the driver) to enjoy the beauty. As stated above watch for bicycle folks. They are well known for rudeness in thinking they own the road and DO NOT understand they will not do well when touched by something with a motor in it.
A mental disorder i believe.
I have driven that road in all size vehicles from VW bug to 60" of semi I would not try that one often) You WILL fit on the road, just be very aware that on some of the corners you will need to 'borrow' some of the oncoming lane.
Take it slow, don't hurry and enjoy on of the greatest drives in North America.

--Mike

RJ · May 18, 2014, 07:32:56 PM

Sean -

40' charter buses run up and down Hiway 1 from Monterey to SLO year-round - it's a spectacular drive!! I've probably driven that route in a coach well over a hundred times in both directions 'way back when. . .

Ya, it gets a little twisty, but you're doing it the "safer" way, 'cause you can always kiss the mountain if you have to. Don't have that option SB, unless you want to take up scuba diving complete with coach!

There will be a few turns where you'll have to take your half out of both sides - if there's oncoming traffic, simply stop and wait for them to clear, and don't worry about the traffic behind you.

Use turn-outs as necessary if you get a string of 5 or more vehicles behind you - CA law, btw.

At ANY time you feel there's not enough clearance, STOP! No reason to scratch your coach just to give somebody extra room.

Once you get north of Hearst's Castle and it starts getting twisty, you may find it's more comfortable for the other turtles to simply leave the transmission in 2nd or 3rd, shifting manually rather than having the trans hunt back and forth. Your 6V92TA has plenty of power, this drive isn't like you're going over Rocky Top, the elevation changes are gradual and easy.

The suggestion to visit Big Sur in the van is very valid. Easy quick trip from Monterey area. There are several campgrounds along the coast between Monterey & Santa Cruz, including a KOA outside Watsonville that I've stayed at numerous times, back when my turtles were young. Good jumping-off point to visit more of the area, such as the Mission in Carmel, the Aquarium in Monterey (Bubba Gump's is there, too!) and the infamous Beach Boardwalk in Santa Cruz.

The Half Moon Bay area is also a good jumping-off point to experience the sights & sounds of the SF Bay Area. Since I grew up in Silicon Valley, I know there's enough "stuff" to do that a month almost isn't enough time.

FWIW & HTHFN. . .

RJ · May 18, 2014, 07:35:59 PM

Sean -

To REALLY confuse you:

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/engineering/bus-motorhome/45-bus-map.htm

luvrbus · May 18, 2014, 08:03:37 PM

We have done the trip many times in a 40ft bus and towing a Jeep one of favorite trips

lvmci · May 18, 2014, 08:14:41 PM

Sean, if your gonna go up the hwy 1 as far as Cambria, Morro Bay has a couple of great rv parks right on the beach, the hwy46 to Paso Robles is a great drive to the 101, big difference in temperatures between the coast and just a few miles inland, lvmci...

Boomer · May 18, 2014, 09:13:26 PM

I've taken my 45 footer north on the PCH with a tow car. No problem if you look for on coming traffic because you may scrape a rock wall northbound with your tires. But no problem for a good driver, albeit quite a workout. As stated, north of San Simeon is where it gets interesting. The state park just south of Hearst Castle is a good overnight so you can visit the Castle. A good cheap over night parking spot is at Moss Landing, last time it was 8 bucks for 24 hrs.

Seangie · May 18, 2014, 09:41:43 PM

Y'all are awesome. (thats south east slang for you all) We are really looking forward to this drive. Ill just take my time with it and try not to work too hard pulling over when we can to enjoy the scenery.

Mark - big thanks for the heads up on places to park. We should be up near you in a month or so's time.

Tommy - I think you know every beach RV spot in the state of CA!

Had a long talk with RJ...Im pretty sure we will be fine driving it in the bus.

Thanks!

-Sean

Fulltiming somewhere in the USA
1984 Eagle 10S
www.herdofturtles.org

Seangie · May 18, 2014, 09:41:58 PM

Y'all are awesome. (thats south east slang for you all) We are really looking forward to this drive. Ill just take my time with it and try not to work too hard pulling over when we can to enjoy the scenery.

Mark - big thanks for the heads up on places to park. We should be up near you in a month or so's time.

Tommy - I think you know every beach RV spot in the state of CA!

Had a long talk with RJ...Im pretty sure we will be fine driving it in the bus.

Thanks!

-Sean

Fulltiming somewhere in the USA
1984 Eagle 10S
www.herdofturtles.org

lvmci · May 19, 2014, 06:55:31 AM

Sean, shadowbrook-capitola.com most unusual restauraunt, on beach santa cruz, for you and your lovely wife, tom...

edvanland · May 19, 2014, 02:56:51 PM

Sean, if you can back your bus down my driveway with a 45 degree turn then you do not have anything to worry about, that will be a piece of cake for you. Just watch out for the high spots as we know your bus does not like them.
We sure enjoyed you guys and your family is awesome as are you and your wife. We will coming down that hwy in in July from Organ.
Take care and drive safe.
Ed & Janet MCI 7 in Cornville, AZ

lvmci · May 19, 2014, 04:44:01 PM

Hi Sean, storm coming down the coast from SF tommorrow, maybe some of the guys more familiar with the coast hwy, might chime in if this changes anything, lvmci...