Just completed San Fran to Mexico in sections. I strongly recommend riding closer to the coast as you head out of Santa Cruz, many beautiful paths and bike-friendly roads (mostly E Cliff Dr all the way to Capitola).
Then various roads on the SW side of Hwy 1 from Capitola to San Andreas Rd
Hwy1 closed to bikes from Lee Rd near Watsonville to Jensen rd. (google earth shows the alternate route thru the farm fields)
And to miss 17 mile drive in Monterey, and Scenic Rd in Carmel is almost criminal.
Riding thru Big Sur was one continuous highlight reel, alternately very slow and very fast!
Meeting some jade divers at Jade Cove was pretty cool - what a collection they had!
All the way to Torrance was amazing - I strongly recommend catching the Hwy1 bus near the intersection with Palos Verde Blvd and get off at the 1st stop south of the LA river - then's it a bike path ride into Long Beach.
The complete absence of bike lanes in Malibu beach, Newport beach and Laguna beach (3 of the richest towns on the coast) and often downright hostile riding conditions, was very disappointing.
In contrast, the long stretches of bike paths from Santa Monica thru Redondo beach were extraordinary. LA County rocks.
Most important of all, plan on a slow ride thru this entire segment of the PCH - not due to traffic but because there is so much to see and do. Just amazing.
Enjoy
Dan
