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Highway 3 from Peanut to Yreka. (36 to 299). Highway 299 from Yreka to Arcata. Highway 49 from Grass Valley to 89 then on to Quincy. Highway 88 from Jackson to Alpine village, then take 89 either direction. Highway 4 from Angels Camp, then take 89 in either direction. Highway 108 from Yosemite Junction to Sonora Junction. (all those east west passes in the Sierras obviously must consider weather.
Ortega Hwy is undergoing major road work. They are widening the road and adding safety barriers. It is closed a lot of the time and when it's open its a controlled traffic route. I live about 20 minutes from Lake Elsinore and unfortunately this route is off our schedule for the few years. But yes, it's a great ride.
245 is freaking amazing!!! Great road. Went through there north to south the first time (180 to Elderwood), liked it so much I turned around and did it again. Got to my campsite in the dark but it was well worth it.
The verbal description of Ortega hwy is East bound describes Palm to Pines Hwy. Ortega is West bound starting at Lake Elsinore, ending at San Juan Capistrano.
1) Hwy 1 - Big Sur from Carmel to San Simeon, 2) Hwy 128 from Coverdale to Mendocino, 3) Avenue of the Giants, 4) Hwy 1 from Tamalpias Junction to Tomales (best ride in NorCal IMHO), 5) Hwy 1 from Dehaven to Leggett (stunning NorCal coast then into never-ending twisties into the forest), 6) Hwy 162 from Quincy - past Bucks Lake - to Lake Oroville (fast and fun)
Sonora Pass (hwy 108) was repaved a couple years ago. Smooth as velvet all the way across the spine of the Sierras! Watch for the sign for "Leavitt Falls Vista Point" it's easy to miss.... about a mile or two east of the summit, gravel parking lot with a large wooden deck hanging on the edge of a cliff. Gorgeous view but, even though it's only a few yards away, you can't see it from the road. '83 Goldwing 1100A
When I lived in the Bay Area one of my favorite rides was Hwy 9/Skyline Drive! Also the back roads between Livermore and Morgan Hill /San Jose. You could combine a trip with Hwy 1 between Half Moon Bay abd Santa Cruz using Hwy 9. Hwys 152 and 25 near Gilroy are also beautiful!
State Route 2, Angeles Crest did not make the list? Or is it a bit overdone already? I drove it by car a few years back from east to west and it was impressive in many ways. It was the middle of the week in the morning before 10 am and it was very quiet, no traffic. Great views, good corners, and a wild swing in temps between the mountain ridge compared to the L.A basin below. It was over 100 F in L.A., but only 54 F at the highest point on Angeles Crest.
Another ride in the southern Central Valley is to take highway 178 from Bakersfield up to Lake Isabella, and then cut back to the CV on highway 155 (which is closed seasonally due to snow). it takes you from about 400 feet in elevation up to 6100 feet at the highest point. You also are next to the Kern River for the first half-ish of the ride, which is amazing in its own right, and then the middle to about 3/4 of the ride is in the Southern Sierra Nevadas with pine trees and a few mountain streams.
I find a discrepancy on this hwy 33 part of your video, information appears to be wrong- San Luis Obispo is no where close to the one shown in the video- kindly correct this.
All the 101 to coast connectors in that area are fantastic. 253, 20, Mountain View Rd, Annapolis/Skaggs/Stewarts, Comptche-Ukiah/Orr, Branscome. Yeah. Leading a tour up that way in June...cant wait!
If someone hadn't put down Hwy 128, I was going to do it. It's a spectacular road. Multiple sections of undulating twisties. It's just pure fun as a motorcyclist. And the redwood forest along the Navarro river at the end is absolutely beautiful. Hands down this is one of the best roads in California.
Good list! Cant fault your choices; been on all of them =). Riding California for over 50 years, there are dozens of roads that could be considered highlights...243, 79, 155, 190, 58, 198, 25...and way too many in NorCal to mention. Have family in Redding, and did the 36-299 loop in 22 (Heading up to Garbervillein June, spending a week day riding from there). I ride an adv-bike, and Cali offers a lot of great off-road options to combine with the pavement. As for Highway 1: Was there last week (have friends in the area) and it is closed at Limekiln (they MIGHT have it open by June). Still a great section coming up from Cambria, but due to work on the slides and other repairs, there are BIG trucks (trains of them) running all day, Monday through Saturday (they flag the tighter sections off for them because they use ALL the road). On the plus side, not many people venture past Ragged Point, and it's pretty empty after 5 pm. Someday, they will re-open Nacimiento-Ferguson Road and all will be right in the world... As for 33: I live near Ojai... fortunately still open, but expect five traffic signal controlled single-lane sections, and heavy construction equipment Mon-Fri.
Rode Hwy 33N about a month ago. Awesome road, but had a couple spots where you had to stop for one way traffic. The longest wait was 15 minutes, but all in all worth it. I was surprised with blowing snow once I reached the summit. Always good when you can improve your riding skills as I’m sure I did.
as a californian who knows all these roads. I approve of this message. I recommend for most of these roads to plan motocamping. It's just much easier as California can usually very crowded or very sparse in these areas. If you have an ADV bike you can even take the Usal Road instead of the Matole road as an example and camp along the way, which is unpaved but you will never forget it. Absolutely breathtaking.
Another great video! I have been living in California for years and I have not been on several of the roads in this video. Can't wait to check them out.
for someone like me living here in east asia who grew up watching western movies and series for me California is the most beautiful state in america, not perfect but still its the most beautiful place to ride a ride. it's my dream to ride there and i hope someday!
I had the same dream. As a kid riding dirt bikes in the Caribbean I would read about these amazing road trips in California on the motorcycle magazines. At 55 I moved to Northern California and the 1st thing I did was get a motorcycle. The legendary roads are real, and the experience of being on the open road here is breathtaking.