Pacific Coast Highway Bicycle Trip - Advice

Bo, you may find this website of aid in your trip/sightseeing planning. It lists many of the points of interest arranged by type, county and cost. You can click the top of each column to filter or search for specific things. It also gives links to pages with more detail about each point of interest.

http://californiathroughmylens.com/pacific-coast-highway-stops

Here is another one, not as neatly organized and flexible, but is another list of points of interest on Hwy 1.

http://www.scaruffi.com/travel/hwy1.html


And an article in Sunset Magazine with many photos so you can get a preview of what you might see at these stops.

http://www.sunset.com/travel/california/highway-1


And there is always the Wikipedia list of sightseeing possibilities.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_Route_1

I just saw this in the news - might be useful:
http://www.sfexaminer.com/sanfrancisco/dolan-green-bike-boxes-make-intersections-safer-for-all/Content?oid=2929911

I'll be back later with notes about places I like/routes.

Sorry I'm on the slow side to get back to you.
I've dug out my now older Northern California Atlas and Gazetteer w/detailed topographic maps, to tweak my memories.

Aha, there's Orick, on 101 (Redwood Highway).
There's a road that tucks out to the Ocean, Davison Road, 2 miles north of Orick. At the turn, there is some grassland (with a herd of Roosevelt Elk when I was there) and a restaurant, then named (I forget), which has elkburgers on the menu.
Nearer the water, you reach Fern Canyon and then Goldbluffs Beach and campground, all this part of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.

Link -
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=415


Ah, the Restaurant is still there - Rolf's.
Good link re Fern Canyon, oh, and the restaurant -
http://www.cecilyadams.com/redwood.htm

http://www.cecilyadams.com/redwood.htm

Trinidad is a small town worth a look, neat working pier. One of my favorite places in the area.
Between Orick and Trinidad is Patrick's Point State park, which I know less about - but it also has a campground.
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=417

My main advice is to take the long view, dont make up your mind what you think of this trip till the end. I have a pretty good idea that you will find the Washington segment disappointing, and I would hate for your bad attitude to poison the rest of the trip.

The problem with WA is that a lot of it is though economically depressed areas, where the tourist traps are junky, where there are few services, and where the people you meet are not all the friendly. I hope that I am wrong. Nature is a big plus, but it is one of the few plusses. I bet Or and CA are better.

Back to maps -
I'd continue on 101 south (I love the miles of forest there) and perhaps, if I were you, turn off at Leggett to Fort Bragg and Medocino. But, I've never driven that, so don't trust me. I think I remember people saying that the road 20, which is also an offshoot from 101, takes forever..
depending on your interests and research, you may want to stay on 1 all the way down..

If you cut back from (1) towards 101 from the ocean, via highway 128, you'll eventually get to wine country. I've only taken 128 east of 101, and like it, but that's me.

There are endless websites about the CA wine country, which I like even if it's not a wine tour trip, because I think it is beautiful. I used to stop in Healdsburg regularly because I like Oakville Grocery near the plaza there. Great sandwiches.. it was my ordinary fuel stop.

Here's a link of Sonoma Valley wineries/mention of restaurants, from the Guardian of all places. There's much more to see than Sonoma... Napa.
A comment on that site complains about all the cyclists..
http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/may/20/california-sonoma-valley-wine-route-top-10-guide

1o1 gets sticky with cars around Santa Rosa at various times of day, if one is driving. There are likely side roads you can escape to with a bike.
Ah, Petaluma is next on 101 after Santa Rosa, and there is a totally gorgeous drive from Petaluma to Point Reyes Station and then to the whole Point Reyes Area... That's Point Reyes Station Petaluma Road.
then to San Francisco via 1..

Did this ever happen?

____


Just saw on FB that a friend of mine and her husband just completed a 5 month walk up the Pacific Crest Trail.