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 ... (or) to ride a portion of the West Coast, for a 500-600 mile tour.
Best visuals and remoteness would be, at least IMO, along the Hwy 1 route between the Golden Gate Bridge and the Columbia River. Most areas simply don't have a lot of shoulder area, let alone bike lanes, and the traffic speeds can get up there. But it's a frequently-traveled route and most motorists expect to see the occasional cyclists.
Hwy 1 from Stinson Beach up to ~Fort Bragg is stellar. Picturesque. Hwy 101 becomes necessary from just north of Fort Bragg, but it's also quite wonderful. (Faster traffic, though, overall.) The redwoods and rivers of Humboldt County are great. The "Avenue Of The Giants" loop is worthwhile. As is Hwy 211 (which winds its way along the coast and hills south of Ferndale, through Petrolia, and up the hills back to the Avenue Of The Giants"). Very hilly, that loop, but stunning views and very little traffic.
Myself, I've never done a long cycling tour along the coast between Portland and San Francisco, but I've driven it a good hundred times over the years. Most every bit of it's well worth the trip. If you can get comfortable with the relatively higher vehicle speeds, and the general lack of wide shoulder areas.