North Coast: California Highway One

Wild flowers and the Pacific Ocean

Traveling to all points of the globe has had an unintentional consequence.  We’ve neglected the plus routes near home.  We’d make amends on our annual trip to the Northwest.  This excursion we avoided the fast road, Interstate 5 North, and stuck to the less traveled byways.  We began our scenic expedition with California State Route One south of San Francisco in Daly City.  California SR-1, better known as Highway One or the Shoreline Highway, is famously scenic both north and south of San Francisco.  Indeed, Highway One is designated as an All-American Road.

Highway One is not the fast way north.  One wanders slowly along the coast.  Curves and hills make progress slow.  Add in the distracting coastal scenery and the quaint pristine small towns and One passes leisurely beneath the wheels.  Nevertheless the journey progresses too fast.  It took us two full days to transit the 400 miles to Klamath California.  We needed more time.  We had forgotten how beautiful this route is and how striking the Pacific Coast can be.  We’d forgotten how delicious the fresh out of the ocean Tomales Bay oysters are and how inviting the small towns can be.  Indeed we’d forgotten that some of the best roads are close to home.