Best route (ie. least freeways) between L.A. and Santa Cruz?

[Topangster]

Hey y'all:

I have a short film in the Santa Cruz Film Festival next week, and I'm thinking about taking my Monster up instead of the cage. It'd be my first long trip on the bike (i mostly canyon ride), and would like to stay off the slab as much as possible.

I'm told there are some great "blue highways" heading up north that offer great scenery and fun twisties, but I'm not sure of the route. Anybody here done this trip before (or gone to Monterey, which is fairly close to Santa Cruz)? Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Topangster

(Btw - Any of you Ducatistis who will be up in the Bay Area are welcome to come check out my film, THE COLONY, it screens at 2:00 PM on May 13th. santacruzfilmfestival.com has all the details. Or, feel free to check it out on my website, stevenjlist.com. I warn you though, it's pretty dark...)

[zedsaid]

Start on PCH (hwy 1) and stay on it.... there are a few times that it merges with the 101, but it's a pretty ride through malibu, and then gets VERY pretty and twisty north of San Luis Obispo.

It's gonna be a long ride. Depending on how long you want to allow yourself, there are plenty of cool places to stop and check out California history (the Missions are pretty interesting) and tons of touristy places like Solvang, Harmony, and Cambria. Not to mention little beach towns like Avila, Morro Bay, etc.