Author Topic: Earliest time of year to do Pacific Coast in terms of weather  (Read 6559 times)

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Offline Pao

Hi. I am taking a month off too to ride from Seattle to San Francisco along the coast. I have a couple of questions I am hoping people with more experience on bike touring and the area can answer:

1. What is the earliest time of the year I can do this trip? I would like to start at the end of April but I am not sure if that is too early to do the trip in terms of weather.

2. A friend told me that if you do this trip in summer you get some nice tail wind (riding north to south) but if you do it any other time of year the winds blow from south to north and hit you in the face the entire trip. Does anyone know if this is true?

Thanks!

- Pao

Offline bern

Re: Earliest time of year to do Pacific Coast in terms of weather
« Reply #1 on: March 30, 2011, 04:08:23 pm »
Hi Pao,

I have ridden the CA coast the second week of May and Second week of November, both "off season" times were wonderful.  Minimal traffic and people out and about - that's nice! Also, pretty decent weather both times.  The May trip saw only 1 rain day (maybe just good luck) Both trips had either a side or tail wind going North to South.  In May, we were the first tourists that the park rangers had seen, it being a bit early in the warm season. 

Bern

Offline johnsondasw

Re: Earliest time of year to do Pacific Coast in terms of weather
« Reply #2 on: March 30, 2011, 08:21:16 pm »
bern is right.  I wouldn't try it before May.  You may get lucky and get OK weather earlier, or you may get days of rain.  After early Oct is also dicey. 
May the wind be at your back!

Offline Pao

Re: Earliest time of year to do Pacific Coast in terms of weather
« Reply #3 on: April 03, 2011, 01:02:19 pm »
Thanks Bern Johnsondasw! This is really helpful!

- Pao