Question on Lake Tahoe

[California]

Foresthill Bridge has had that honor since 1973. Not as picturesque as the "Rainbow" bridges though. Remember seeing that bridge rise out of the canyon during our family camping and 4-wheeling trips in the late 1960's and early 1970's. It was built for the canceled Auburn Dam which would have flooded the Middle and North Fork American River canyons.

Yep.
I've taken guests down to the river there when they wanted to try gold panning, back when the road went all the way down to a narrow bridge near the water.

 

[RobertN]

Yep.
I've taken guests down to the river there when they wanted to try gold panning, back when the road went all the way down to a narrow bridge near the water.

Back when Mammoth Bar was a HUGE sand bar. Remember going to the Sand Drags down there; used to run full blown/injected sand dragsters down there, as well as "funny Jeeps".

Getting further off topic, but I saw and article a short time ago that the old bridge that washed out in the 1960's dam failure is going to be removed. It was originally left, as the Auburn Dam would have flooded the canyon. Now, 60 years later they're in talks and funding to remove it since Auburn Dam was never finished.

 

[Sigarms]

Another from the same time period: Bixby Creek Bridge.

Coastal Highway, SR-1, 100 miles south of San Francisco on the way down to Big Sur.

Highest bridge of its type, when built.

I think it's impossible NOT to take a picture of that bridge when you're there

Down the road (no pun intended) thinking about making a trip of just flying to Washington and ride 101 down the entire coast.

Only question is does the coast north of California have as many land slides that affect the road like California? Originally we wanted to drive from San Francisco down to Santa Barbara last year "just to do it", but the road was out for sometime south of Big Sur so that's as far as we made it.

I could be wrong, but I don't think Washington and Oregon may not have the same type coastline as California.

 

[California]

Great photo!!!

Others can tell you more about Washington and Oregon. In my limited visits, my impression is coastal Washington is famous for rain forests, and some of the coast inaccessible, much of it backwoods logging country. Oregon coast similar to what you saw in NorCal but roads reaching the coast only in limited areas, not the entire length of the state. Both states, lots of nice retirement communities on the coast. Hey NWers, please fill this in!

And an aside: Grandma moved from the Oregon Caves region to San Francisco as a teen after her father died in a sawmill accident. Her family were original Oregon Trail pioneers in the 1840's. Her major memory of San Francisco after marrying there, was the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Family legend is their first kid was conceived in a tent camp in Golden Gate Park while the city burned for weeks.

US 101 is the practical way to go down the west coast near the ocean and visit the major cities, while modern I-5 is more inland and more practical. California SR-1 hugs the coast and is scenic, but much slower, it's all tight curves mostly uphill or downhill. More a place to try out a motorcycle or the cornering capability of a sports car. Gorgeous if you have the time for leisurely sightseeing.

There can be, and are, landslides that close SR-1 but the area below Big Sur is the only part with no reasonable detour, so far as I know. Up toward Eureka, detouring a slide on back roads is just a part of country living. The coast is steep and unstable because it's where Tectonic Plates crowd each other.

 

[ericm979]

Pretty much the entire CA coast is unstable. It's on a fault and the land side is being uplifted. The geology in the coastal mountains where we live is mostly weak sandstone that was seabed in relatively recent time, geologically speaking.

Highway 1 is spectacular for nearly its entire length. The part in SF is merely nice for a city. North of SF it gets pretty remote until it turns inland to meet 101 south of Garberville.

From there 101 goes through redwood country inland of the coast. You can detour and take the Avenue of the Giants which goes past a number of redwood state parts. 101 gets back to the coast when you reach Eureka. From there north and through Oregon 101 is kinda on the coast. Sometimes right on the coast and sometimes a little inland.

Redwood National park between Eureka and Crescent City is really awesome and worth visiting.

 

[ultrarunner]

I think it's impossible NOT to take a picture of that bridge when you're there

View attachment 1941811
Down the road (no pun intended) thinking about making a trip of just flying to Washington and ride 101 down the entire coast.

Only question is does the coast north of California have as many land slides that affect the road like California? Originally we wanted to drive from San Francisco down to Santa Barbara last year "just to do it", but the road was out for sometime south of Big Sur so that's as far as we made it.

I could be wrong, but I don't think Washington and Oregon may not have the same type coastline as California.

I've done San Diego to SF on Highway 1 and then SF to Oregon followed by Oregon to the tip of Washington...

The California segment was in my 68 Mustang with the top down the entire trip with Beach Boys Endless Summer in the 8 Track...

Car and me much older now...

 

[Sigarms]

The California segment was in my 68 Mustang with the top down the entire trip with Beach Boys Endless Summer in the 8 Track...

When we were staying in Monterey, there is a company who rents classic autos to drive.

It was the late 60's mustang convertible I called about...