OT: Driving California Options

[patssle]

Seems like there are a ton of Cali 914ers around here, so thought I would pop the question here.

In September I will be driving out to California for 2 weeks (not in the 914). Never been west of Vegas yet, so this will be a first. Last year I drove about 10k miles between the 4 corner states in May and the Appalachians in November - so I love driving.

I'm in the research phase right now. I tentatively have in mind of heading up California on the eastern end through Death Valley, Yosemite, and to Tahoe...then over to the coast and down Highway 1.

My main question would be...is it worth the entire drive from San Francisco down to San Diego on the coast, or does it get repetitive?

I'm not really interested in the touristy stuff (with a couple exceptions), I'm more for the geography, national parks, and getting away from the populated areas. If you have any suggestions on natural areas, I'd appreciate it!

[Tom_T]

Lotsa good ideas already by the others here for you.

My suggestions are:

1 - Reverse your circle route to go up/north on PCH & down/south for the Yosemite, Kings Canyon, Sequoyah (that's the correct spelling for this famous Cherokee's name - not Sequoia), etc. This is particularly so if you're wanting to drive it aggressively, because you're on the inside lane of the 2 lane SR1 against the mountain, & you can cross over to the otherside at scenic points.

If in the 914, it's fun to play "double the speed limit" with the yellow diamond signs on the curves! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

2 - Below/south of Morro Bay, PCH/SR1 has only bits worth driving, such as Malibu-Zuma-Pt. Huneme, San Clemente to Newport Beach or maybe as far as Huntington Beach & Surfside, & La Jolla/Torrey Pines to Oceanside (if you don't mind the traffic stops every light & tons of traffic. The other OC & LA County Beach Cities cruises on PCH/SR101 are likewise congested but fun for the "eye candy" (see below). These are the old urban Beach City cruises, with the little beach towns now all grown up & sprawled together for a continuum of humanity! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

3 - The legendary postcard mountains to the sea Route 1 is north of Morro Bay & broken by San Francisco/Bay Area metropolis - so Los Osos/Morro Bay to Santa Cruz or Half Moon Bay (or into SF), then north of SF to the OR border.

BTW - I strongly disagree with vsg914/Curt, that Morro Bay to SF is anticlimactic, since Big Sur sits right in the middle of that run with the National Park on both sides. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

4 - Death Valley in Sept. - plan on 120+ degree days out there even then! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/prop.gif)
Furnace Creek Inn is aptly named for the temps, & also a nice place to stay.

5 - You might want to consider going "the back way" down US 395 from Tahoe & take the side trips or cross over for Yosemite & the other Sierra spots. Bridgeport, June Lake, Mono Lake (Big Mama Tufa's live there! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) ), & Mammoth Lakes/Mtn. are all nice. You can still cross over at Lake Isabella at the Southern Sierra NFs' reach.

6 - Can you tell that way back in 70-74 when gas stations gave you stuff to buy gas, that I worked during college doing green marker lines on maps for people who sent in the little 4x5 trip cards from Texaco!!?? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)
So today, you can go to the local AAA & peruse the maps, tour books, etc. & then have them lay you out a killer trip! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

7 - Last but not least - remember that it's still Summer in SoCal & inland CA up through Sept./Oct. (except at higher elevations & the far north of the state). So you just may want to reconsider bringing the 914, because after all - THAT is what Porsche obviously intended for us Teeners when the made this promo shot!

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Being a Trojan Alum & a Teener & lover of a good road trip, I'll modify our "Fight On" theme to .....

Drive on! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

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