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Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Re: Pacific Coast Route - Section 4 - March 2011
« on: March 29, 2011, 02:36:44 pm »
We just finished a modified route from Pacifica, CA to Newport Beach, CA. After talking with locals and our knees we decided to come down Salinas Valley via farm frontage roads following the 101. We ended up with a weather system sitting off of San Francisco which gave us a very nasty southern headwind but otherwise the riding was lovely this time of year. I understand that in the summer Salinas Valley is exceptionally hot so that's something to consider if you ride that time of year.
The Carmal Valley road mentioned in this thread is a popular local ride but considered hilly. Here is the alternative we took:
On map 46 of the Pacific Coast Route continue on Molera Rd as it turns into Nashua Rd. Then either take a left into town on Blanco Rd (We can recommend the GoodNite Inn, 545 Work St, Salinas, CA (831) 757-9681, as a cheap clean place to stay) or a right to G17/Reservation/River Rd. Be careful on Blanco Rd as it's very busy but has a good shoulder; my riding partner wasn't comfortable crossing this road and ended up riding on the wrong shoulder into Salinas. Follow G17 to Soledad (stop in at the Soledad Mission for bathrooms, free oranges in season and a bit of CA history). Ideally at this point we wanted to cross over to the other side of the 101 and take G15/Metz Rd but the bridge across the river/stream was out. Instead we took Central Ave to the 101 and crossed into King City.
From King City we caught a bus to San Luis Obispo because of the wind. However the maps show more frontage roads all the way down. I'm confident that we could have continued down the valley and hooked back up with the route there.
Ride safe and with a strong tailwind!
-Kathe
The Carmal Valley road mentioned in this thread is a popular local ride but considered hilly. Here is the alternative we took:
On map 46 of the Pacific Coast Route continue on Molera Rd as it turns into Nashua Rd. Then either take a left into town on Blanco Rd (We can recommend the GoodNite Inn, 545 Work St, Salinas, CA (831) 757-9681, as a cheap clean place to stay) or a right to G17/Reservation/River Rd. Be careful on Blanco Rd as it's very busy but has a good shoulder; my riding partner wasn't comfortable crossing this road and ended up riding on the wrong shoulder into Salinas. Follow G17 to Soledad (stop in at the Soledad Mission for bathrooms, free oranges in season and a bit of CA history). Ideally at this point we wanted to cross over to the other side of the 101 and take G15/Metz Rd but the bridge across the river/stream was out. Instead we took Central Ave to the 101 and crossed into King City.
From King City we caught a bus to San Luis Obispo because of the wind. However the maps show more frontage roads all the way down. I'm confident that we could have continued down the valley and hooked back up with the route there.
Ride safe and with a strong tailwind!
-Kathe