Monterey to Santa Barbara
02-16-19, 07:55 AM
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Monterey to Santa Barbara
I would like to do a bike packing trip from Monterey to Santa Barbara down coastal highway number 1. I would be making it a 4-5 day trip. I have watched a lot of videos and the route looks hilly with no shoulders. Here lies the problem, I would be pulling my 3, almost 4, year old daughter. I am considering buying a wee hoo trailer to limit my overal width versus my current trailer and running a flag for visibility. I normally pull her behind my aluminum lemond tourmalet but considering if I need something with disc brakes considering her weight and the hills. Buying a new touring trek 503 is making this trip expensive but may be necessary for safety. I am wanting to ride this in March. Anyone who has rode this routes option in greatly appreciated because I am trying to decide what to do.
02-16-19, 10:21 AM
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Monterey to Santa Barbara is in the Southern California region, not Northern.
The girls mother is ok with this trip? I think not.
The girls mother is ok with this trip? I think not.
02-17-19, 05:10 PM
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Highway 1 along that stretch is hilly, narrow with no shoulder, and has lots of traffic. I know lots of people ride it, but I wouldn't be comfortable riding it outside an organized event and definitely not with a young child .
02-19-19, 05:39 PM
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From my experience:
Shoulder: Everyone kept warning about the lack of shoulder, but surprisingly there was a lot more shoulder than I expected.
Hills: Sure, it's hilly, but mostly rollers with a few longer grinds, nothing too steep.
You can check out a video of the 3-day Coast Ride I did in Jan (SF - SB):
That said, Hwy 1 (and a section of 101 I rode to get into SB) I think is too dangerous to be towing a child due to the high speed of cars and the curves. In addition, your daughter would be low to the ground and more subject to all the flying road gravel/debris.
Shoulder: Everyone kept warning about the lack of shoulder, but surprisingly there was a lot more shoulder than I expected.
Hills: Sure, it's hilly, but mostly rollers with a few longer grinds, nothing too steep.
You can check out a video of the 3-day Coast Ride I did in Jan (SF - SB):
That said, Hwy 1 (and a section of 101 I rode to get into SB) I think is too dangerous to be towing a child due to the high speed of cars and the curves. In addition, your daughter would be low to the ground and more subject to all the flying road gravel/debris.
02-19-19, 05:42 PM
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I live in Santa Cruz and bike on Highway 1 regularly. I have also done the tour you describe. I have 3 kids.
I would not take my 3 or 4 year old kid on that ride. My wife would slit my throat for even suggesting it.
I would not take my 3 or 4 year old kid on that ride. My wife would slit my throat for even suggesting it.
02-19-19, 06:39 PM
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+1 to not taking a 3-y-o on such a trip. I tow our twins (age 3.5) in a Burley and even enclosed I wouldn’t take them on a potentially busy highway with high speed traffic.
ive done the route from Santa Cruz to Monterey, and it’s wonderful biking. I would suggest either a) do the trip without kids or b) wait until your daughter is old enough to ride it with you (if she even wants to).
Also, I would consider Monterey to be on the Northern edge of Central CA, so absolutely within the remit of this thread, though I know there are those among the posters here who consider everything south of Chico to be basically suburbs of LA.
ive done the route from Santa Cruz to Monterey, and it’s wonderful biking. I would suggest either a) do the trip without kids or b) wait until your daughter is old enough to ride it with you (if she even wants to).
Also, I would consider Monterey to be on the Northern edge of Central CA, so absolutely within the remit of this thread, though I know there are those among the posters here who consider everything south of Chico to be basically suburbs of LA.
02-22-19, 02:03 PM
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hi-way one from Carmel thru big sure has minimal shoulder......but of more concern lots of tourists in rental cars, motorhomes etc many of which are doing more looking at scenery than the road and overall not driving attentively. I have always been adventurous with my now 21 year old son, but no 3 year old in trailer for me on that road
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