Cycling around Monterey

try down highway 1 thru the Big Sur coast...it's a beautiful ride.

 

they also allow riding on the racetrack in the evening.

 

There is a road just east of the track entrance called Laurelles Grade. It goes over to Carmel Valley Road. Great road with some 10-16% grade climbs. Roughly 8mi to Carmel Valley Rd then you can continue from there.

 

Hm, I fell off my bike going down the corkscrew at 10mph. That'll go over well.

 

I like riding thru Pebble Beach.
The cars are going 25 MPH
There are flats along the ocean, and hills if you want a steeper course

In Ft Ord there are old roads that are blocked off to cars, a little rough, but no cars.

Carmel valley road is nice if you go early and avoid traffic.

Down the coast is nice, but the bike "lane" is narrow or non existent, so again early to avoid traffic.

How far do you want to go?

 

Less traffic on the roads between Carmel and Pacific Grove. You can also run a loop to the west and north of the track on back roads.

 

The suggestions of Highway 1 South to Big Sur are good, ditto Carmel Valley Road, but Los Laureles Grade is very steep, over a 1000 foot+ climb, and going down to CV is even steeper, all braking around fairly sharp corners. IMO better to drive over the grade or to Highway 1 & Carmel Valley Road, park there at the shopping center & ride to Carmel Valley Village or beyond, some 10 miles or so. CVV has some coffee shops, nice break, then back to the mouth of the valley where your car would be. Also Chateau Julien is a large winery on CV Road; call ahead. There's a charge for tasting. Don't ride at night or dusk....some accidents have taken place there involving pedestrians or cyclists, some folks drive too fast on narrow roads.

A State Park (Garland) is on CVR, nice place to hike. Find it on mapquest.

If you go to Big Sur (about 35 hilly, windy coastal road south of Carmel) the River Inn in Big Sur has reasonably good food, not expensive, nice green lawn along its stretch of the Big Sur River (more like a large creek, really, but not much water now). Big Sur is in the coastal Redwood Forest, a State Park. The road south has elevations- cliffs- along the ocean rising several hundred feet; it's possible to see migrating whales fairly easily as they spout. Bixby Creek Bridge, crossed on the way to Big Sur, is often featured in many different types of commercials.

Another ride would be to leave Laguna Seca on Highway 68, go towards Salinas until River Road, then right off onto RR, and take a tour down the valley towards Greenfield. Not much elevation change as it runs along the Salinas River, more or less, but the road winds a lot. Fairly scenic, not as much as going to Big Sur, though. Several wineries along the way, call ahead to make sure they're open for visitors. Nice ride, could be warm. Many car club wine tours take place along this road.

If you choose the 17 Mile Drive tour into Pebble Beach- accessed from either PG or Carmel (PG is easier to find!) access for pedrestians and cyclists is free. Lots of scenery but lots of tourists as well.

You can access maps online (mapquest) as well as addresses & phone numbers for wineries, look under Monterey County Wineries.

Enjoy your stay in Coastal California!

Rich Saylor
Monterey, CA

 

17 - Mile Drive, for sure -- did it this morning and thought it would be a great ride!

 

A few years ago one of the road races on the NRC calendar was a 100 mile road race that was right around the Laguna Seca area. I can't remember exactly how to get to it as we left the track at the start neutralized by the chief race referee on the motorcycle until we got to the start of the circuit a few kms away. The circuit itself might only be about 8 to 10 miles in length and was very fun, with lots of small climbs, other than a fairly rough feed zone climb. The road is a little dead and rough in places but it's still a great ride. And best of all, I'm sure there is little traffic there.

I think that if you ask some locals, they can direct you to that course.

 

Laguna Seca twilight bike ride on the track - 2014 Twilight Cycling Schedule - Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

 

That's always fun. Especially when they run it counterclockwise.

 

Seems to be many more bikers going up San Benancio round around the loop to corral de Tierra!

 

I'd never cycle Hwy 1 from Carmel to Big Sur. Too much automobile traffic ....unsafe.......leave it for the sports cars!