2013 Spring drive - Carmel/Big Sur

[Sean]

Planning to take the day off from work on some arbitrary pleasant weather day next Spring (gotta be a week-day, for traffic purposes) to have breakfast at Wagon Wheel and lunch in the park across the street from Bruno's. Something to consider?

http://goo.gl/maps/0ik3E

Or breakfast at Jefferey's, or... it's all just a wild idea at this point.

edit [2013 March 19] --
Tentative list of interested parties:

Sean
Elv15
DaveL
Doug Liedblad
Rod
rnr

[Elv15]

Sean, this looks good. I'm tentative (weekends are easier for me).

Tom

[Sean]

I could do a weekend. I figure that with 4-5 months of advance notice like this, we might be able to get two or maybe even three cars in attendance.

[slomove]

Big loop in reach of LA? I am interested.
Maybe stay in Paso Robles or San Simeon?

[randychase]

Some of us are planning a road trip up to Seattle and back centered around the July 4th weekend for the West Coast Lotus Meet. Not sure if that matters, but I will throw it out there.

[Sean]

Gert - Another option would be to stay at The Hacienda, which is a hotel within the Fort Hunter Liggett Army base, and is damn near right on the proposed route. It is a bit different, as I understand the pool is now permanently closed and there are few options for food other than BYO, but it has an interesting history and is very close to the Mission San Antonio de Padua. I haven't stayed there yet myself, but plan to one day. I understand the "tower" rooms are the ones to get.

Randy - Did you mean "Hey, anybody want to road-trip it to Seattle with us?", or was it more like "Let's arrange a Nor Cal drive with the WCLM group when they'll be in the area in July?" Only asking because the former takes a lot more planning/commitment than the latter!

[randychase]

Not sure really.

That is why I am mentioning it now in case something strikes you as making sense.

My very preliminary plan (subject to changes based on developing plans of the northwest club and the WCLM) is this:

Leave San Diego and drive north. End up in Portland Oregon on Wednesday July 3. Leave with the Oregon Lotus Club and caravan up to the WCLM site. Along the way we may include some roads like heading out to Multnomah Falls and the Columbia River Gorge. We *may* take the back roads up by Mt St Helens and Ranier. I am not sure.

Post WCLM is up in the air... but thinking about taking the ferry from Anacortes to Victoria for a 2 day stay, then ferry south to Port Angeles and drive through the Olympic Rain Forest.

Stopping points in Astoria, Tillamook, Crater Lake, Eureka, Avenue of the Giants, Napa and then south to SF, Big Sur, Hearst Castle, Solvang, Santa Barbara, collapse

This will probably take up July 7-12.

But again, just thinking out loud.

[DaveL]

I am also interested in a trip like this, coming spring. I too would prefer a week day as for less traffic, but if we can get more attendance weekends are OK with me. How about just picking a date and picking a couple of "rain days" and see what happens

DaveL.

[Sean]

Okay then; how about... April 13th (a Saturday).

[DaveL]

April 13th sounds good to me - How about a rain date of April 20th and/or April 27th I'm not in to a long raining Drive

DaveL

[Doug Liedblad]

I'm interested for any of the dates in April.

[slomove]

Date is probably good. I marked the calendar.

[Rod]

I plan to attend as well

[Sean]

Great! Now we only need to be concerned about the weather being good enough and the Army not closing the road for training exercises that day (as they sometimes do - always call ahead before going there).
Just so I can locate the numbers next Spring, the phone numbers to Fort HL to ascertain road status are: (831) 386-2513 and (925) 875-4636

[Sean]

Just over 7 weeks away now, so time to nail down accommodations and whatnot if that might be required for some. Let's hope we hit the weather lottery on April 13th weekend.

It is worth mentioning that the Army base has been known to sometimes stop cars and ask to see registration, proof of insurance, and drivers license. If anything requested isn't presented, they may deny access to the road. Shouldn't be a problem as long as you don't forget any of these things, which are technically required for everyday driving anyway. You have been forewarned.

Feb. 27 edit --
Hmmm... Looking to be clear and in the '70s in the area this Friday. Maybe I'll make a reconnaissance run on this route, just to test how the new R888s take these roads. That should adequately scrub off the mold release. If I do end up going, I'll try to snap a few photos.