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[WaSEEG]

My wife and I are leaving Yakima Friday May 20 on a 2 1/2 week bike trip.  We plan on taking US 97 through WA and OR and hooking up to I-5 at Weed and getting into Redding Friday evening.  I done this ride before and its approximately 500 miles.  We have to be in Hollister on Monday the 23rd and were considering taking Cal 299 through the mountains and hooking up to 101 and then 1 south.  Is it feasible to ride 400 miles on Sat on 299,101 and 1?  Cal 299 looks as if it meanders along some rivers and sometimes that really slows you down.  Will the traffic on 101 and 1 on a Sat. be something to avoid?  Is it a good idea to try and get through SF early on Sunday(seems to me it would make sense)?  Any recommendations on where to stay Sunday evening in the Hollister area?  Or, would it be better to head south out of Redding and stay east of SF and come into Hollister from the east.  Any thoughts or obsevations?

We motel it and I have a Cal Road and Recreation atlas so feel free to suggest alt routes.

Thanks
Dan

[Coolbreeze]

 Is it feasible to ride 400 miles on Sat on 299,101 and 1?  

Yes, my wife and and I ran that route last year in June, and did it in one day, although it was a LOOONG day.  (I was on the chopper and she was one her lowrider, with no windshields, so we were pretty battered at the end of the day.  On a bagger you should be fine)  Plan on starting early and riding ALL day.  (probably close to 12 hours by the time add in time to eat, fuel, and pee...) If you want to stop and smell the posies and play with your camera, you might be happier if you just take your time and pack into a hotel when you run out of butt or daylight...

Cal 299 looks as if it meanders along some rivers and sometimes that really slows you down.  Will the traffic on 101 and 1 on a Sat. be something to avoid?

We didn't have any trouble at all with the traffic.  It was medium to heavy but moved right on along with the usual dose of idiots in pickups pulling trailers passing long strands of traffic that was moving along at 65 or 70 already...  Kind of disturbing, but they didn't make any messes we had to get through so I guess its okay?

 Is it a good idea to try and get through SF early on Sunday(seems to me it would make sense)?  Any recommendations on where to stay Sunday evening in the Hollister area?  

No recommendations, we stayed with relatives, but they aren't there any more, so I can't send you to them...

Or, would it be better to head south out of Redding and stay east of SF and come into Hollister from the east.  Any thoughts or obsevations?

Those routes look good too,... but I haven't done that, so I couldn't tell ya...  Wish we could could tag along, that's a really nice ride through there...

[JCZ]

There are several motels in Hollister.  The only one that I can remember the name of is "The Cinderella" motel.  But if you do a search for lodging in Hollister, you'll come up with something.

Nothing exciting coming down I-5, on the eastern side.  Come on through SF on Sunday (the earlier, the better) and you'll be fine.

Once you come across the bridge (Golden Gate), stay on 101 south to 280 south.  Follow 280 south to 85 south to 101 south again.  That's freeway, all the way, but you'll get nice views, scenic and keep moving, too.

[sailordb]

299, out of Redding is only tight for the eight miles up to Buckhorn Summit and then it becomes a "motorcycle road, extraordinar" all the way to Eureka. Long sweepers, long stright through the river valley, knock out views and some good places to stop: Weaverville, Blue Lake and Willow (something) that advertises it's self as the "home of big foot". They have a (supposed) life size statue of BIG FOOT!

101 south of Eureka is another "riders road", God knows I love that ride. You hook up with 1 south of there and it is a.....twisty... road down to Fort Bragg and then levels out (pretty much) to the 'Gate' - but, give yourself extra time because there are places and things that are gonna make you want to stop. If you stay on 101, you'll make better time and it is a fun road too. The Rock House bar in Willets is good for food and ale.

There ain't no place in SF that a human would stay: why would a human even want to go there? YUK!

Go through SF  to Half Moon Bay on the Coast and down 1 to Santa Cruz and through to Montrey  and over to Salinas and to Hollister. I don't know about Hollister, but Salinas and Gilroy (to the north on 101) have lots of places to stay.

Man, you have planned one of the greatest rides on this planet (right up there with the Feather River Canyon and the Monarch Valley) are you sure you have to go that fast? Can't you take a month to do that trip?