Originally Posted by
Paul J
Our more grand thoughts are leave from Seattle and then ride down into Oregon to Portland and then angle over to the coast. Then on down the coast through California to San Diego. That looks to be a little over 1,800 miles.
Just me, but, having driven some of your proposed route and having ridden from Seattle to Astoria to ride the coast (leaving Seattle via the ferry to Bremmerton), I don't think I'd choose either if doing it again. I found the part getting to the coast far and away the least enjoyable part. I'd probably do one of the following if doing it again:
- Take surface transportation to Astoria to start.
- Ride to the coast from Portland.
- Start in Vancouver if I really wanted to ride the whole coast and I'd most likely ride a more western route than the Adventure Cycling maps recommend at least for the Washington section south of Elma and possibly the whole southern half. My experience is based only on the section below Elma so I'd have to research the rest before I'd decide, but I didn't enjoy the ride there much compared to the rest of the coast. Not sure what or how good the options are, also not sure any option there is really on the coast much so they may or may not be much different. I mentioned my observations to some guys from Washington that I met on the ride who ride the coast every year and they said, "That's why we start in Astoria".