Ron_H

Here is a suggestion: take Hwy 68 into just before Laguna Seca and turn onto Laureles Grade Road. Take that nice ride over the mountain into Carmel Valley Road and then head into Carmel on that route. It won't be crowded like Hwy. 1.
Or go on past Salinas to Carmel Valley Road at (I think) Gonzsales and come into Carmel that way.

Oh let's just stay home and watch the Speed Channel on the big screen and bank the gas money. You guys are all nuts anyway. You need to get your priorities straightened out. And I need the sleep.

All right. What time do we meet then???

Nicole

Just found out there will be a marathon in Big Sur, for which Hiway 1 will be closed from 7AM to about 12:30PM or so between Big Sur and Carmel. See www.bsim.org

Nicole

OKOK:

My thoughts would be to do the following:

Take Bernal to Santa Teresa Blvd.
Left on Santa Teresa Blvd.
Right on Bailey Ave.
Left on McKean Rd.
Right on Uvas Rd.
Right on Watsonville Rd.
Left on 152 over Heckler Pass towards Watsonville
Left on Carlton Rd.
Left on 129 East
Right onto 101 South

Then we'd have two options:

Option A:
Exit 101 in Salinas
Take 68 West
Left on Laurels Grade Rd.
Right on Carmel Valley Rd.

Option B:
Exit 101 in Greenfield
Go East to Arroyo Seco Rd. Which turns into Carmel Valley Road

Route A is the faster choice. However, I'd favor option B - simply because I haven't drivn it. Your thoughts?

Bill Ball

Nicole: Good ideas - Let me look them over tomorrow. Looks like what was posted before minus the long leg down 25. It would be pretty quick, in which case we could start a little later of just have more time for lunch, etc.

Nicole

I just don't know what to expect in Carmel with all the Marathon people around...

We might have to get to Carmel early, while everyone is focused on the Marathon - or avoid it until after lunch time (when the marathon is done and Hiway 1 is open again). In the latter case, we should plan for lunch in Monterey - how about fresh sea food at the pier? Uh, my mouth is watering...

Where is blau928 when you need him?

IcemanG17

Bill
SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY.......I'm in!!!

ether_joe

I'll see if I can get us a 'group buy' at a gas station

Bill Ball

If the marathon involves Carmel, we can skirt it and head up to Monterey.

gersar928

Monterey is good.

ether_joe

do they still have that shark at the Monterey Aquarium?

We could go and pay our respects.

gersar928

No. They removed him last spring, made headlines with visitors being unhappy that they made the trip and the shark was gone.

svp928

I'll chime in here, since I live in Carmel Valley- the road from Greenfield to Carmel has a lot of very slow, blind corners, but its a very scenic route with everything in bloom. Bring yer allergy pills. Its a nice drive to not be in a hurry on, is what I'm saying. The Big Sur Marathon creates a lot of traffic around the mouth of Carmel Valley, where it hits Hwy 1, but its mostly localized to that area. Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey is very nice, easy to get to, has good parking and good restaurants. So does Cannery Row. Laureles grade can be serious gas... I don't know what is going on at Laguna this weekend, since the Grand Am race is next week. Might be fun to drop in and see..

If you have any specific questions about the area, I'll be glad to try and answer them!
Steve

Bill Ball

Steve - thanks for the input.

Ron_H

Nicole, I favor Option B simply because it is a great but sometimes slow drive, and it isn't always done, and I have done Laureles Grade so often I could do it almost sleeping. Plus the village up in Carmel Valley is a nice place at which to stop. I once worked up there for awhile, and drove Carmel Valley Road every day. Just past the Village is where the road narrows and becomes slower and twisty. Then we could take Laureles Grade the other direction over the hill to 68; it interesects just at Laguna Seca if anyone wanted to go snoop around there. And 68 ends in Monterey not Carmel if you want to avoid the traffic jam around Carmel Valley. I will go into Carmel anyway sometime during the day so it makes no difference to me. I need to pet the fat cat, Mr Taffy.

Nicole

I think Ron's suggestion makes perfect sense - let's plan on doing it that way. It gives us a scenic drve few of us have doneo before, avoids the Carmel traffic risk, and drops us into Monterey, where we could have lunch at a nice seafood place at the pier. How is that?