I took a short trip to Big Sur over the weekend. It was about 800mi
round trip including trail riding. We tooled around some dirt roads
off Nacimiento Road (sp?) which is about 7mi north of Gorda off US Hwy
1. There is a narrow winding asphalt road with tons of blind corners
leading up to several fire roads.
The trails are all fairly well groomed fire roads with some areas with
moderate erosion damage. This is where I noticed my turn signals
failed (I think it's the $28 relay). It was cool enough by the surf
to where my jacket was completely zipped tight. Hwy 1 passes so close
to the surf that you get sea spray on your visor! Once on the trail,
it was hot enough to where I changed into my offroad gear and still
sweat up a storm just sitting on the bike. It was easily a 15-deg F
temp difference.
The distance from Hwy 1 to our campsite is about 20mi - half
asphalt/half dirt. The view of the ocean is spectacular and you can
hear the waves crashing on the surf. Elevation is about 3,200' ASL.
The flies and mosquitoes were hellacious. No amount of pure DEET
would keep the mosquitos at bay. I must have a gabillion bites. DEET
didn't seem to do anything at all to keep the biting flies away.
Except for the turn signal failure, the bike performed well. The
Progressive rear shock made a huge difference compared to the last
time I was out w/ the OEM unit. It was much easier to control the
bike when climbing. I got almost 50mpg on the hwy and about 46mpg
when mixing in trail riding. Trail speeds were limited by the number
of blind corners. We saw a couple trucks on the trail. Bummer to
drift through a turn to meet a truck head on.
I'm a newb rider on the dirt. I bought Neduro's Dual Sport Riding DVD
and put the knowledge to good use. Steering with the pegs makes all
the difference in the world. No more fear of getting the bike stuck
in small ruts. Now, if I can just figure out how to get the bike to
wheelie over rocks and small logs. It's so much easier getting the
nose up on my mountain bike.....
More on Gorda: Gas in Gorda is $5.75/gal for premium, about $1.40/gal
more expensive than anywhere else. This is not a big deal if you're
only taking on a couple gallons. Sucks if you're one of those people
who trailer your bikes in a big toy hauler and need to take on 40+
gallons. If coming from the south, gas up in Cambria which is 40mi
south on Hwy 1. The pumps do not accept payment. If you arrive when
they are closed, no gas for you. The snack shop, which sells fancy
coffees and simple food, accepts cash only. The owner was nice and
let me spotted me $3 on a $5 cheeseburger! The burger was very good,
too. If you ride at during dawn/night/dusk, watch out for deer.
John
california marriage decision--what now? chris rock!
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- Posts: 155
- Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2005 10:06 am
short trip to big sur
"about 7mi north of Gorda off US Hwy 1."
Hey, US 1 is on our side of the country. You guys have California 1, the famous Pacific Coast Highway, which I was on a few months ago (the same stretch as you, by the way) and which is a much nicer 1 than ours. Our 1 runs from Maine to Florida and is much less scenic for most of its length.
Stephen
--- On Mon, 5/19/08, oldrider25 wrote: > From: oldrider25 > Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Short Trip to Big Sur > To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > Date: Monday, May 19, 2008, 12:25 PM > I took a short trip to Big Sur over the weekend. It was > about 800mi > round trip including trail riding. We tooled around some > dirt roads > off Nacimiento Road (sp?) which is about 7mi north of Gorda > off US Hwy > 1. There is a narrow winding asphalt road with tons of > blind corners > leading up to several fire roads. > > The trails are all fairly well groomed fire roads with some > areas with > moderate erosion damage. This is where I noticed my turn > signals > failed (I think it's the $28 relay). It was cool > enough by the surf > to where my jacket was completely zipped tight. Hwy 1 > passes so close > to the surf that you get sea spray on your visor! Once on > the trail, > it was hot enough to where I changed into my offroad gear > and still > sweat up a storm just sitting on the bike. It was easily a > 15-deg F > temp difference. > > The distance from Hwy 1 to our campsite is about 20mi - > half > asphalt/half dirt. The view of the ocean is spectacular > and you can > hear the waves crashing on the surf. Elevation is about > 3,200' ASL. > The flies and mosquitoes were hellacious. No amount of > pure DEET > would keep the mosquitos at bay. I must have a gabillion > bites. DEET > didn't seem to do anything at all to keep the biting > flies away. > > Except for the turn signal failure, the bike performed > well. The > Progressive rear shock made a huge difference compared to > the last > time I was out w/ the OEM unit. It was much easier to > control the > bike when climbing. I got almost 50mpg on the hwy and > about 46mpg > when mixing in trail riding. Trail speeds were limited by > the number > of blind corners. We saw a couple trucks on the trail. > Bummer to > drift through a turn to meet a truck head on. > > I'm a newb rider on the dirt. I bought Neduro's > Dual Sport Riding DVD > and put the knowledge to good use. Steering with the pegs > makes all > the difference in the world. No more fear of getting the > bike stuck > in small ruts. Now, if I can just figure out how to get > the bike to > wheelie over rocks and small logs. It's so much easier > getting the > nose up on my mountain bike..... > > More on Gorda: Gas in Gorda is $5.75/gal for premium, > about $1.40/gal > more expensive than anywhere else. This is not a big deal > if you're > only taking on a couple gallons. Sucks if you're one > of those people > who trailer your bikes in a big toy hauler and need to take > on 40+ > gallons. If coming from the south, gas up in Cambria which > is 40mi > south on Hwy 1. The pumps do not accept payment. If you > arrive when > they are closed, no gas for you. The snack shop, which > sells fancy > coffees and simple food, accepts cash only. The owner was > nice and > let me spotted me $3 on a $5 cheeseburger! The burger was > very good, > too. If you ride at during dawn/night/dusk, watch out for > deer. > > John > > > ------------------------------------ > > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com > > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: > www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650Yahoo! Groups > Links > > >
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- Posts: 41
- Joined: Sun Aug 06, 2006 11:07 pm
short trip to big sur
Stephen is correct: it is the California 1 I rode over the weekend.
John
--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Stephen Grisanti wrote: > > "about 7mi north of Gorda off US Hwy 1." > > Hey, US 1 is on our side of the country. You guys have California 1, the famous Pacific Coast Highway, which I was on a few months ago (the same stretch as you, by the way) and which is a much nicer 1 than ours. Our 1 runs from Maine to Florida and is much less scenic for most of its length. > > Stephen > > > --- On Mon, 5/19/08, oldrider25 wrote: > > > From: oldrider25 > > Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Short Trip to Big Sur > > To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > > Date: Monday, May 19, 2008, 12:25 PM > > I took a short trip to Big Sur over the weekend. It was > > about 800mi > > round trip including trail riding. We tooled around some > > dirt roads > > off Nacimiento Road (sp?) which is about 7mi north of Gorda > > off US Hwy > > 1.
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- Posts: 833
- Joined: Sun Apr 04, 2004 10:53 am
short trip to big sur
US 1 is scenic at each end: Maine and the Florida Keys. That's about it.
I was on PCH in October. Came through Nacimiento Fergusson Road and
down to the coast. Very scenic and very fun on a KLR. October's issue of
Dual Sport News had a picture of a new KLR on the cover in the same spot
I stopped and took almost the exact same picture (this was before the issue
came out). It was hot that day and I was way overdressed. 1 was OK with
the cool ocean breezes, but when I turned inland to head back to the
central
valley, I was sweating inside my cool weather gear.
I keep on looking for out of the way unpaved roads from the coast to I-5
anywhere from Carmel to Cambria, but haven't found any other than through
Hunter Military Reservation.
Mike >
> Stephen is correct: it is the California 1 I rode over the weekend.
>
> John
>
> --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com
> , Stephen Grisanti
> wrote:
> >
> > "about 7mi north of Gorda off US Hwy 1."
> >
> > Hey, US 1 is on our side of the country. You guys have California
> 1, the famous Pacific Coast Highway, which I was on a few months ago
> (the same stretch as you, by the way) and which is a much nicer 1 than
> ours. Our 1 runs from Maine to Florida and is much less scenic for
> most of its length.
> >
> > Stephen
> >
> >
> > --- On Mon, 5/19/08, oldrider25 wrote:
> >
> > > From: oldrider25
> > > Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Short Trip to Big Sur
> > > To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com
> > > Date: Monday, May 19, 2008, 12:25 PM
> > > I took a short trip to Big Sur over the weekend. It was
> > > about 800mi
> > > round trip including trail riding. We tooled around some
> > > dirt roads
> > > off Nacimiento Road (sp?) which is about 7mi north of Gorda
> > > off US Hwy
> > > 1.
>
>