Pacific Coast September 2012

[Jambi]

Hello all.

I am going to be cycling down the Pacific Coast Highway this year starting in Vancouver September and finishing in San Diego 1st November. I'm going to have 8 weeks to do it which is more than enough so I was thinking of maybe starting higher up in British Columbia to kill a bit of time, or continuing to Baja or a combination of the two. Any suggestions? I think I would rather go check Mexico out but I hear Canada is nice too I just don't want to spend too much time in bad weather.

All suggestions welcome

Peace, Jambi

[staehpj1]

September is really nice on the coast.  You might also consider some detours into the Cascades or Sierras if you have extra time.  I don't generally think of them as part of a PC tour, but Sequoia and Yosemite are pretty amazing as are the places in the Cascades.

[adventurepdx]

If you have the time, I'd definitely check out some more of B.C., particularly the areas around Georgia Strait and over on Vancouver Island. Also, which way are you heading through Washington? The shorter (inland) route or around the Olympic Peninsula? I find that the riding on the Olympic Peninsula (US 101) isn't all that thrilling, but there are lots of worthy sidetrips into the National Park.

[litespeed]

Along about the middle of October you run a good chance of foul weather - storms rolling through. I left Petaluma about October 22 a few years ago and slogged through two miserable storms before I got to San Simeon. If I were doing it again I would try to get at least as far as Santa Barbara by October 15.

[Jambi]

Well my flight is on the first of september to Seattle and I fly back on the 1st of november from San Diego. I was planning on taking the inland route in washington, I think the weather might be a little easier on me than the peninsula. I like the sound of Yosemite, Sequoia and Big Sur I hear it's pretty amazing. Thanks for the suggestions

[staehpj1]

Given your time frame you should have plenty of time to see various locales and spend extra time in places you want to.  It is a beautiful coast with other beautiful places inland a bit.

I have not ridden the Washington coast, but I did not find the inland route in Washington to be my favorite place to tour.  I found camping opportunities to be somewhat limited and the scenery somewhat underwhelming.  Some places were nice, but overall it wasn't my favorite.  This was limited to the ACA Pacific Coast Route from Bremmerton to Astoria.  From Astoria down I thought it was much nicer.  Just one persons opinion though YMMV.

I decided after that trip that if I did it again I'd either take a coastal route or start in Astoria.

[johnsondasw]

Given your time frame you should have plenty of time to see various locales and spend extra time in places you want to.  It is a beautiful coast with other beautiful places inland a bit.

I have not ridden the Washington coast, but I did not find the inland route in Washington to be my favorite place to tour. 

I decided after that trip that if I did it again I'd either take a coastal route or start in Astoria.

The loop around the Olympic Peninsula is great and far superior to the inland route.  Of course, you'd want good weather for it, and there should be windows of good weather early in September. I'd opt for that. 

[nlsteve]

I did that many years ago (flew into Vancouver, went to Victoria & West Vancouver, then downthe coast just across the Mexican border) and it took about 5 weeks.  We were heavily loaded & mostly taking it easy.  So yes, you have a generous budget for some extra sightseeing and touring.

The suggestions you're getting are good.

Steve