Don't know where you'll hit the coart in Oregon as there's several places to cross over Portland to Tillamook? Portland toward Lincolin City? Eugene to Florence? In Oregon there are several beautiful historical light houses you can stop at. If you have time, when you are in California, I strongly suggest you cut inland to 101 and ride the Avenue of The Giants. You can then go back west and continue down the coast. The west coast drive is one of the most beautiful rides in the country. I rode hwy 1 in Marin and Sonoma counties so many times in the summers, there are probably still grooves in the pavement there from my motorcycle.
Just be aware that summertime is also fog time on the coast. It often burns off by 10-11am but it can also be stubborn and hang around longer. Oh, and there's lower fog and upper fog. Lower fog comes all the way to near the ground, and the upper fog just looks like low clouds. I grew up in Marin, and people from out of town would see the upper fog and ask: "Is it going to rain?" I'd explain, it's famous SF fog, and it'll be gone by around 10:30am. Don't let the thermometer fool you, when riding through the damp fog, it'll feel a lot colder than the temp numbers suggest. My wife and I still have this memory that became a 40 year long joke, that when we first met, she was willing to ride to the coast on the back of my motorcycle, fog and all, in a shorty shirt and shorts, until we got married, and she told me she really didn't like riding the bike, and certainly didn't like riding in the cold. Ahh, the things we do for love, until the ring is on the finger. :roflblack:
You'll encounter neat little places down the coast where you can stop for a meal. When you get to Marin, there's the famous Tomales Bay Oyster Company in Marshal. North of that is Bodega Bay where the Alfred Hitchcock movie The Birds was filmed. Sadly, the cafe in the movie is gone, but the street and house in the film is still there.
Rather than taking 1 all the way south to where it cuts inland in Marin at Muir beach, I'll send you on one of my vary favorite motorcycvle roads in Marin. Take Fairfax-Bolinas Rd right before Bolinas Bay. This will start off heading East, and up hill, but will then head south for a while. Lots of Twisties! in 4.4 miles, it'll make a right angle left turn, but instead of turning left, continue straight, and this will be West Ridgecrest Blvd, which becomes Ridgecrest Blvd, and finally East Ridgecrest Blvd which will take to to the top of Mt Tam. From the parkinglot, there are some trails that'll take you around the peak area for some incredible views of the Bay Area - IF, it isn't foggy and to the old Gardner Fire lookout. Speaking of fog, the area of Ridgecrest Blvd, that breaks out of the trees and crosses the grassy hill, is right at where the top of the lower fog's altitude, and if the conditions are just right, you dip in and out of the top of the fog and can actually watch it pour over the ridge as it heads inland. The top of Tam often sits above the fog, so even if the Bay area is fogged in, you get a neat view of the top of the fog, and again, when things are just right, parts of SF sticking up through the grey blanket. An excellent way to experience the world famous San Francisco fog from above.
When you leave the top, set your next stop on your GPS as Stinson Beach, and this will get you back down to 1 without having to backtrack too far.
As has also been suggested, a ride through wine country is wonderful in the summertime - the Silverado Trail is a good one. Unfortunately, parts of this area was ravaged by fire a few years ago.
You can do both although not in a single day. To do wine country AND the trip to the top of Tam, you cut east off of 1 just south of Jenner to 116, then 12 to Sonama and on to Napa, take the Silverado Trail North to Calistoga (Pacifico Restaurante Mexicano) is a nice place to eat in Calistoga, then south on 128/29 to 37, and West on 37, then South on 101 to San Rafael - where I grew up - West though San Anselmo - where I was born - to Fairfax, then pick up the east end of the Fairfax to Bolinas road, until it Ts where it meets West Ridge Blvd and heads up to the top of Tam. Along the Fairfax-Bolinas Blvd, you cross the Alpine Lake Dam which a is a place that used to be weekend party central in the late 60s early 70s - don't ask me how I know. Phew!
Anyway, you'll take 101 across the San Francisco bridge where I suggest you take the Alexander Ave exit before the bridge, park, and walk the bridge, then check out the old Gun Batteries along the south cliffs of Marin where there's an outstanding a dn very famous view of the bridge and the City. At the other end is Fort Point, then head to Fisherman's Wharf where you must stop for Cioppino at well... Cioppino's.
As you head south another cool place to stop is Santa Cruise to check out the boardwalk. Lots of great childhood summer memories for me there. My grandmother used to Summer in Santa Cruise just a block and a half from the boardwalk. Needsless to say we always loved going to stay at Grandma's for a few days! I'll pass you off to the more Southern California travel advisors
Good luck with your plans. So many places, so little time.
Ok, time to pass you
opcorn:
