# Riding in/near Carmel, Ca



## Bulldozer (Jul 31, 2003)

Clint invited me out to Carmel at the beginning of May for a conference. Sadly, it will be two weeks after the SOC. How's the riding round those parts? What else is there to do?

(This same conference was in GA last year. I rented a bike, went for a ride and got bitten by a dog for the first time in my life. I'm packin' in Carmel.)
<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->


----------



## balzaccom (Oct 11, 2006)

Terrific. 17 mile drive is a lovely ride, and Carmel Valley is stunning--although the road surfaces aren't great. Lots of really good rides.


----------



## robwh9 (Sep 2, 2004)

Probably my favorite ride of all time is Carmel to Big Sur and back. Incredibly spectacular views. About 26 or 27 miles one way. You can do shorter rides to Point Lobos or Garapata Beach and back - or just ride until you feel like turning around. Enjoy.


----------



## Bulldozer (Jul 31, 2003)

Any good climbing routes with ocean views?

edit: In looking at those pics, it looks like there could be quite a bit of climbing. Is that hwy 1?


----------



## sometimerider (Sep 21, 2007)

Bulldozer said:


> it looks like there could be quite a bit of climbing. Is that hwy 1?


Yes, it's CA 1. And there is significant climbing to be faced (although each one is under 1k feet vertical). See http://www.routeslip.com/routes/14786


----------



## RenoRider (Oct 17, 2007)

Bulldozer said:


> Any good climbing routes with ocean views?
> 
> edit: In looking at those pics, it looks like there could be quite a bit of climbing. Is that hwy 1?


One of my all-time favorites is Nacimiento-Fergusson road. It's ~ 50 miles south of Carmel (but worth the drive !!!) Starts right across the street (Hwy 1) from Kirk Creek Campground, and switchbacks straight up over 2k in 7 miles. You can keep going to ~ 20 miles for a 40 mile out and back. The climbing and vistas in the 1st 7 miles are beyond compare !!!! :thumbsup:


----------



## robwh9 (Sep 2, 2004)

A 3-day tour I've done twice is from Carmel Valley, to Kirk Creek, up Nacimiento-Ferguson, though Fort Hunter Ligget to Arroy Seco, and back to Carmel Valley. Camped at Kirk Creek and at a campground past Hunter Ligget. There's about a 20 mile stretch before Arroyo Seco that's dirt, so we rode mountain bikes, but you can probably do it on a touring bike with wide tires. Ocean and Ventana Wilderness views, redwood forests, oak woodlands, wild flowers - even a mission...spectacular.


----------



## goloso (Feb 4, 2004)

*Agree with hwy 1*

I dont ride down there too much but one very do-able ride is just to head down 1 about 25mi to a roadside stop called Nepenthe. There you can get something to eat and drink and have a great view of Big Sur. Then just turn around and ride home.

I recommend staying off 1 on weekends. There is little shoulder and lots of traffic. We always ride down the coast on weekdays when there is much less distracted tourist traffic.










Have a good trip,
G


----------



## robwh9 (Sep 2, 2004)

*Nepenthe...*

That's where my pic was taken from. Cool place. Great view, lots of crystal power and other new age-y stuff, hippy-types, expensive food and drink...


----------



## blofeld42 (Jun 25, 2006)

The down-and-back on hwy 1 is good. Weekend traffic can be bad--lots of RVs, and not much shoulder. Odds are you'll have a headwind on the way back. The hills are basically rollers with moderate grades. Nepenthe is more like 30-35 miles south of Carmel. Rocky Point is a similar place to eat that's closer, only about 10 miles south. Indifferent food but a great view when you eat on the patio.

17 mile drive is OK.

Fort Ord has good riding. There are a lot of paved roads closed off to traffic. Try the climb up to Laguna Seca on Barloy Canyon road, then down South Boundary Road back to Monterey.

You can also head out Carmel Valley Road. The traffic drops off a lot after about ten miles and it's some classic California riding. You can make a semi-loop with Tassajara Road and Cachagua Road--there are some significant climbs. If you don't have much time you can go out Carmel Valley and up Robinson Canyon, a longish piece of canyon climbing.


----------

