Two Day California Highway 1 Ride

Who dreams of riding the California coast?  All of us!  The allure of the Pacific coast is hard to ignore.  Popular movies, the surf beat, freedom.  It gets into one’s psyche.  If you haven’t already, make this the season to ride the California coast.  It’s everything you imagine and maybe a little more.  

California offers over 1200 miles of linear coast, nearly 3000 miles counting bays and inlets.   Enough for most any rider to enjoy for days on end.  Given the technical nature of the road and considering traffic, planning a ride on the coast should allow for at least a couple days to cover a good part of it but probably not all.  The views are so breathtaking there’s no reason to rush.  You’ll find plenty of turnouts that offer great photo opportunities.   

Let’s take a look at a 400 mile route we call A taste of the California Coast.  It’s a two day ride that works for anyone heading south or north and includes some of the most scenic sections of California Highway 1. 

Start by find your way to Red Bluff California, just 100 miles south of Oregon on I-5.  The ride starts there.  Arrive early in the morning around 7 or 8 if possible so you have plenty of daylight.  Gas up, have a coffee, and get ready for a twisty ride to the Pacific Ocean. 

Red Bluff to San Francisco on CA Highway 1 Tour Plan

Day 1 Red Bluff to Fort Bragg

Waypoint	Miles to Waypoint	Ride Time	Notes
Depart Red Bluff	114	2:35
Bridgeville CA	30	0:57
Alderpoint CA	17.6	0:35	Good place to stop for lunch & fuel.
Gaberville CA	66.2	1:45
Arrive at Fort Bragg			Find a hotel for the evening and place for dinner.  Fort Bragg offers many hotel options; The Harbor Lite Lodge is motorcycle friendly and within a reasonable walk to Silver’s at the Warf for dinner.
Daily Miles & Riding Time	227.8	5:52

Day 2 Fort Bragg to San Francisco

Waypoint	Miles to Waypoint	Ride Time	Notes
Leave Fort Bragg heading south	107	2:46
Bodega Bay CA	34.3	0:52
Olema CA	18.6	0:36
San Rafael CA	18.4	0:34
Arrive at San Francisco CA			You will find several name brand travel hotels around Fisherman’s Warf with off-street parking and plenty of restaurant choices within an easy walk.  Check out the Holiday Inn Express on North Point St. or the Courtyard on Beach St; both are steps from the wharf.
Daily Miles & Riding Time	178.3	4:48

Enjoy the ride.  Let us know what you think.  We’re always looking for new ideas.