Pacific Coast Route

[Biketouringhobo]

When is the best time of the year for riding North to South on the
Pacific Coast Route???

I hear that September or October is the best of the year for riding the
Pacifc Coast Route. and I am planning to ride from
Portland, Oregon or from Sacramento, California to San Diego, CA
after 9-3-2017 or 9-3-2018 time will tell me......

https://www.facebook.com/groups/PacificCoastRoute/

Thanks

[dkoloko]

Be advised that a number of campgrounds may be closed in Sept and Oct.

[John Nelson]

I think August and September. I don't like to get to Southern California until after school starts, but September is early enough that most campgrounds are still open.

[johnsondasw]

We had a fantastic time, Olympia WA to Santa Monica CA, June 21 to July 10.  We are used to traffic and had few issues.

[dkoloko]

Add, "The Western Region of Washington is one of the rainiest places in the world.", and "This results in a wet season beginning in October" .

[jamawani]

How soon the rainy season starts varies from year to year.
(This year has started with a bang in N. Calif and S. Oregon.)
But it always starts sooner in Washington, then Oregon, then N. Calif, then S. Calif.

The only problem with Sept & Oct is the risk of fire.
After a rainless summer, the forests and chaparral are tinder dry.
Combine that with hot, dry Santa Ana winds in S. Calif and you can get some big fires.

Article on the massive Cedar Fire in October 2003 -
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/the-conversation/sdut-cedar-fire-ten-year-anniversary-memories-2013oct24-htmlstory.html

Daylight hours also decline rapidly by mid-September.
A six-week tour beginning August 15 might work a bit better.

[MarcV]

There seems somewhat of a consensus early autumn. I was thinking late spring May...why not...?

[johnsondasw]

Late May could be great, especially if the summer north winds have kicked in by then. They can blow you all the way down the coast, and that makes a huge difference.

[MarcV]

That sounds good but how about late April early May start in Vancouver...?

[johnsondasw]

Carry rain gear.  It could be everything from hot and sunny to pouring rain. 

[PeteJack]

 I wouldn't recommend it in the fall. I've just rode from Seattle to San Fransisco this Sept/October. The weather was a challenge, headwinds and rain much of the way in Oregon and California. I got as far as Gualala and caught a buses to SFO rather than battle more rain and headwinds on narrow shoulderless roads.

[JHamelman]

I wouldn't recommend it in the fall. I've just rode from Seattle to San Fransisco this Sept/October. The weather was a challenge, headwinds and rain much of the way in Oregon and California. I got as far as Gualala and caught a buses to SFO rather than battle more rain and headwinds on narrow shoulderless roads.

We must have hit different weather windows. I did a stretch of the Oregon coast (Manzanita to Florence) beginning Labor Day weekend and in our 7 days out (including getting to Eugene, a day off and short mileage days) we only had a half day or so of wet and the winds were mostly crosswise rather than headwind. I can't imagine it was much fun riding any of it with a headwind.

Jennifer

[adventurepdx]

I wouldn't recommend it in the fall. I've just rode from Seattle to San Francisco this Sept/October. The weather was a challenge, headwinds and rain much of the way in Oregon and California. I got as far as Gualala and caught a buses to SFO rather than battle more rain and headwinds on narrow shoulderless roads.

We must have hit different weather windows. I did a stretch of the Oregon coast (Manzanita to Florence) beginning Labor Day weekend and in our 7 days out (including getting to Eugene, a day off and short mileage days) we only had a half day or so of wet and the winds were mostly crosswise rather than headwind. I can't imagine it was much fun riding any of it with a headwind.

Please note that this October was a particularly wet and nasty one for the Northwest. Here in Portland we had record-breaking rain. Basically we got the amount we might see in December. Winter came early to these parts. Normally, September is usually dry and October fairly dry, but this year was quite the anomaly.

[Soulboy#1]

I'll be tackling this route toward mid July 2017. I'll be tacking it on to doing the trans am trail. Fingers crossed that this time is ok for me....

[johnsondasw]

It should be ok, but be prepared for lots of foggy gray days along the Oregon and Calif coast throughout the summer.  Temps are ok for riding, and winds should be consistently from the north!