Pikes Peak

[rpoppen]

Spending these snowy days the best way possible - planning a summer trip to the west coast. Has anyone ridden to the top of Pikes Peak? How bad was the gravel? The weather? Other scenic sites you would recommend?
--Roger

[xprof]

Entering California from Reno: I-80 is fast but not scenic, Hwy 395 south to Lee Vining and then over Tioga Pass is slow, but gives you Mono Lake and Yosemite and lots of twists and turns. Entering from Oregon: I-5 is fast but dull, Hwy 101 to Leggett then North Hwy 1 is scenic and twisty down the coast to SF. San Francisco is scenic, LA is not. North/South: Hwy 1 is slow, twisty and scenic (especially between Monterey and Morro Bay), Hwy 101 is less of each, and I-5 is fast but deadly dull. Have a great ride!

[Meatloaf]

My wife and I rode to the top of Pikes Peak last summer - it's fine. She rode an F650GS and I rode my R12R. One of our friends was on a Harley - if he could make it, you can too

Here's a pic of my wife at the top.

[tl440]

Following up a bit on Mike in SB:
If you do Tioga, try to get to the Mobil station at the 395/Tioga intersection at meal time.

Legett out to the 1 is outstanding. Fort Bragg a good place to overnight.

All of 1 is well worth the effort. 25 from Hollister to King City is a good alternative if you must. 101 (between about Willits and Santa Barbara) and 5 aren't worth leaving home for.

LA is to be avoided. If you can't, stay close to the beach

Dave

[rpoppen]

Thanks. We'll be coming from MO thru KS, to CO. Then on thru NM, AZ, CA, OR (to the Rally). Back thru ID, WY, SD... Plan to camp at Natl or State Parks along the way.

[tl440]

I'm not fond of telling other folks what I would do, but I'm kinda proud of my end of the country, so here goes: 58 off the 40 bypasses LA and gives you several choices northbound: 395 (good); 99 (bad. unless you scootch east to the 49 at Fresno); 5 (real bad); 101 (best if you have time, and you get a nice ride over the Coast Range). From 101, it's a short run out to the coast from Atascadero. Stay on the coast all the way to Leggett. Thence 101 to Florence, Or and over McKenzie Pass to Redmond. Plenty of state, county and KOA camping on the coast

See you there.

Dave