Nor Cal Coast ride - smokey coast?

[leftcoast]

I've planned a ride to the MotoGP races from Seattle & the Fires are freakin' me out.....
We will continue south after the races on Sunday to the SLO area
Less than 2 weeks till we roll & last I saw, PCH was closed for about 12- 15 miles @ Big Sur....well sh!t....that pretty much closed that south route for us.

Up North CDF looks like they really have their hands full.

Our plan is to Ride down the 5 to Ashland & cross over to the coast there.... 199 is it?

I've been following this site Road Conditions for closures.

and another one that has some traffic cams.

But anybody been through this area lately? Nuthin like a first hand report.....

TIA

bob

[reg71]

I haven't been up there with the fires, but I can offer alt routes. If you find a back way over to Hollister you can take 25 down which goes on the east side of the pinnacles. It's a nice twisty road and hardly driven. Occasional gravel in the road but not much. It'll take you all the way down to northern SLO county and you can come back in and grab 101 or take paechtree (I think that's the name) through some fairly scenic dry land which isn't on fire yet... I may be coming back Sun with Brian and Tori if we all ride up for the race. I'm pretty sure they are. I just haven't committed yet.

[leftcoast]

Muchas Gracias, Senor.....

It looks like there are options.......
at least for now.

Guess we'll see how things look in a bout a week or so.

Not sure if we should pack some kind of mask for the air quality.
I'll have bandana's....& water. If we can get west of the fires, I'm thinking the prevailing winds will keep us in the clear mostly.

Once I get settled in Nipomo (haha) I hope to explore the area a little more.

ride safe.

bob

[leftcoast]

Latest look at the CalTrans site shows no restrictions on PSH @ Big Sur...

Anybody know otherwise?

Division of Traffic Operations - Road Information - California Highway InformationCheck Current Highway Conditions
Enter Highway Number(s)
You can also call 1-800.427.7623 for current highway conditions.





This highway information is the latest reported as of Sunday, July 13, 2008 at 12:36 .




SR 1
[IN THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA]
NO TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS ARE REPORTED FOR THIS AREA.

[IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA]
THE NORTHBOUND CONNECTOR TO NORTHBOUND & SOUTHBOUND SR 35 /IN DALY CITY/
(SAN MATEO CO) FROM 1000 HRS TO 1400 HRS MONDAY ON 7/14/08
- DUE TO CONSTRUCTION - A DETOUR IS AVAILABLE

[IN THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA]
1-WAY CONTROLLED TRAFFIC 0.5 MI NORTH OF FORT BRAGG (MENDOCINO CO) FROM
0600 HRS TO 1630 HRS MONDAY THRU FRIDAY THRU 7/25/08 - DUE TO CONSTRUCTION
- MOTORISTS ARE SUBJECT TO 15 MINUTE DELAYS

[SLOVFR]

I heard they were opening hwy 1 back up...

[drewl]

We rode all over last weekend with no closings at all. We did not go south of the Bay though. Most of the current closings are far inland east of Chico and some intermittant closings on the west side of Redding.
Enjoy your ride.