41 vs 46, California Left Coast or Bust

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

If you have driven 41 or 46 from the 101 in California in the westerly direction, what was your take on both or either.

Taking a poll! LOL

[brenkco]

Carol,
My neighboring rver is from Morro bay. I just knocked on his door....he said if you're towing, use 41 from Atascadero. They do not advise 46...bets are off if you're not dragging tana.

Ken

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

OK Ken, we will be in a TOW condition.

41 eh??? OKKKK.

Any other feedback??

THANK YOU Ken!

[brenkco]

Morro Bay is great & I remember making that drive many years ago. They said they wouldn't head north on hwy 1 towing. Didn't say about south. Are you planning on just heading out & back on the same route? If so, 41 is the way to go.

Ken

[HamRad]

Ken,
Are you sure your neighbor doesn't have those hwys backwards? I've driven both routes at least a hundred times or more. And 46 is a much better road for towing. Even though they have improved hwy 41 it is still a very windy road.

Carol and Al,
There is another but much more round about route. You could simply stay on 101 to San Luis Obispo and connect to hwy 1 going north. There is one 1500 ft grade just north of San Luis and it is a bit steep but relatively short. The connection between 101 to 1 is a bit convoluted but as long as you take your time you should not have too much trouble.

Highway 1 from San Luis to Morro Bay is a four lane road. And stays that way until just past Cayucos where it turns into a good 2 lane road.

This route is the flattest and straightest but is longer than the other two. Since you haven't seen any of this area you may want to opt for the longer route. Good luck, Dennis.

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

Thanks Dennis, I do appreciate your alternative suggestion. I have looked at that route as well.

Any more opinions?? I sure learn a lot from these discussions.

[adelmoll]

I would take Dennis's advice on this one. It is a great route.

Helen

[brenkco]

Carol,
I too would defer to Dennis. Now that I have looked at the map, the road I drove years ago was Hwy 1 from San Luis Obispo, which as Dennis described, was easy. I have no 1st hand knowledge of 41 or 46 as Dennis does.

Ken

[mtheo]

We go to Pismo regularly w/ Monty in tow. In coming from Fresno take 41 to 46 to Paso Robos. Don't tale 41 from the junction of 41 and 46 to Atastadero. If going south 46 is good to 99.

[Carl n Susan]

quote:Originally posted by mtheo

We go to Pismo regularly w/ Monty in tow. In coming from Fresno take 41 to 46 to Paso Robos. Don't tale 41 from the junction of 41 and 46 to Atastadero. If going south 46 is good to 99.

Good advice for travel between I-5 and Hwy-101. But Carole is asking about the route from Hwy-101 westward to Hwy-1. I haven't driven either of those routes.

[Mynabird]

" There is one 1500 ft grade just north of San Luis and it is a bit steep but relatively short." Shhhhh.... That was to be a surprise!

Our son & family lived in Atascadero for approximately 3-4 years and 3 of his children were born in SLO! Upon visiting there I used to anticipate that grade with baited breath the first time and then it got to be old hand!!! . Just be aware that it is a steep grade!

When we drove through there last year this time there was highway repair being done at the exits to the main part of town. Perhaps it should be said that it is 4-lanes with a slow lane for slow vehicles going up to Atascadero from the south (SLO).

Our first trip to Morro Bay was from SLO when our son was at SLO for school. It is a 4 lane as I remember, making you think it would be that way clear up to Monterey!.

[Crossthread]

Carol, We live about 50 mi. south of Paso Robles. The area west of Hiway 101 is considered the mountain ( hill ) coastal range. There are ups and downs.
As I recall you are full timers. You tow all around the USA. Both 41,and 46 are state hiways. Take Hiway 46 west if you are going to Cambria, or Hearst Castle. Do not tow north of Hearst Castle. Should you want to drive up hiway 1, check to see if it's open. There are hill slides this time of the year.
41 into Morro Bay from Atascadero is ok too. I wouldn't be concerned with either road.
Enjoy the coast. Bill

[mtheo]

Sorry miss read the post.
Hwy 46 is ok west to hwy 1

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

Thank you all for continuing to read and comment.

Thank you for the honorary membership in the full timers club! Even tho we still have a stick built, I like to think we think like full timers. Tana is my current home of choice.

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

Now, that we have been there, done that, thought I would report back.

We drove 46 out of Bakersfield to 101. 101 to 41, 41 to 1 and Morro Bay.

We did NOT drive that section of 41 that is EAST of 101.

Jolly did fine, Tana still has a roof and sidewalls (nothing torn off). CountryGuy had a blast driving the hills and the curves. I believe I could have done it too.

One afternoon while out driving around we found ourselves on 46, bout half way between 101 and 1. We were going back to 1. Whewie baby. The road is wider, sections of 2 lanes going downhill. But, the LONG downhills were something. We had no trouble with Jolly (Tana was safely tucked away in a campground), but, I guarantee you, if we had Tana hitched on there, there would have been some serious exhaust brake and careful choosing of the correct gear!

I am sure that 46 is just as good with the rig, but, having driven that section of 41 with Tana (both ways!), we were happy with our choice.

Just stay off that section of 41 that is EAST of 101!