Riding Highway 1 from Astoria to the Redwoods is a first stretch that already hints at what’s coming on this motorcycle trip down the West Coast. Of the roughly 2,390 miles (2,846 km) of coastline it covers in full, we didn´t ride the whole thing, but we did cover a solid chunk of it – enough to understand what it´s so fameous.
The Astoria Bridge, the One That Lifts to Let Boats Through
Right at the start, we ran into the Astoria Bridge, which crosses the river running parallel to the sea and, just before reaching land, suddenly rises several meters to let boats pass underneath. The first time you see it, you don’t expect it — you’re riding along calmly and suddenly the road turns into a ramp climbing sharply; there was no wind that day, but if there is, that quick climb can get tricky. Shame the photo doesn’t quite capture that final rise.
Further along, at other points on the coast, we came across an even more curious variant: old bridges where the central section, instead of lifting, rotates ninety degrees and sits perpendicular to the rest of the bridge, opening the way for boats without raising anything at all. Engineering from another era that still works like the first day.
The Portable Coffee Machine: A Better Idea Than a Starbucks Run
This calls for a monument to JP, who’s a self-taught master of gadgets. Before leaving, he bought a battery-powered portable Nespresso machine. You’d think it was just another one of his impulse buys. Big mistake.
The number of coffees we made between forests, on empty beaches, stopping wherever we felt like without depending on finding a place with people around — that’s priceless. Pop in the capsule, wait a moment, and out comes a coffee just like the one at home, in the middle of nowhere.
Mexicans, Tacos, and an Intimidating Dog
As we headed down through California, the Spanish-language signs multiplied — and plenty of them were for Mexican restaurants. So at one stop we walked into a taqueria and stuffed ourselves with some seriously good tacos.
With Malu, Nati and JP’s Akita, along, we’d always end up seated off in a corner somewhere — he’s intimidating at first glance, no doubt about it. But once people watched him for a bit, he behaved beautifully.
White Rocks (That Aren’t Made of Limestone)
On the rockier stretches of coast, the landscape filled with rocks of a white so bright it caught your eye from a distance. It took us a while to figure out what it was: seagull and other seabird droppings, built up over the years. No special geology involved, just that — but the visual effect, with the ocean behind it, is stunning.
The coast is genuinely stunning, and riding this road while soaking in the views is a real luxury. Wherever you pull over, you find something different and beautiful.
The speed limit sits between 50 and 55 mph, which feels just right for this road.
Here are the two bikes, the Honda and the BMW. I really liked the paint job on the Honda, and when I asked JP about it, he told me it was the colors of the Argentine flag.
In other spots, you run into people enjoying these beautiful beaches, but that’s more the exception than the rule.
The Train That’s Still Running
One thing that’s clearly well looked after here is heritage — old towns, traditions, and also trains that have been running for decades and still pick up passengers like it’s nothing. We crossed paths with one of these historic trains, several stations still ahead of it and people boarding without a hint of rush. A good idea to dedicate a full day to, if time allows.
Credit Cards at Gas Stations
I learned pretty quickly that if you fill up at a Chevron — which were the ones we saw the most — a non-US card simply won’t work. You have to go into the store, tell them how much you want to put in, and then go back to the pump. A bit of a hassle, especially if there’s a line of people waiting to pay.
But if you’re not at a Chevron, almost everywhere else (Shell, Gulf, etc.) has a vapor recovery system that makes it genuinely hard, on a motorcycle, to get the fuel flowing at all.
JP showed me how to do it, and it takes both hands: one to pull a little funnel-like flap up, and the other to actually get the gas flowing. Not easy.
Prairie Creek Redwoods: A Gateway to Another World
And then came Prairie Creek Redwoods, a state park just before San Francisco, right along the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway. We hadn’t planned it much, but as we passed by, we decided to pull in — and thank goodness we did.
Riding through that forest of centuries-old redwoods feels like passing through a portal into a giant, green world: ferns covering moss-lined trails, light and shadow playing between trunks that have stood there for centuries.
Nati took photos of us from behind, so you can see the roads we rode through Redwood — pretty magical stuff. But the best part was how few cars and motorcycles we saw.
From the visitor center, iconic trails like the Cathedral Trees Trail and the Prairie Creek Trail head out, connecting to the towering Big Tree Wayside — roughly 90 meters tall, to give you an idea — and nearby, the golden meadow of Elk Prairie, where Roosevelt elk roam freely, although we didn’t spot any.
📍 Resources and recommendations
- The Astoria Bridge and its rotating cousins along the coast are a must-stop — it’s worth pulling over for a minute to watch them work.
- A battery-powered capsule coffee machine (Nespresso-style) is one of the best investments for a long motorcycle trip: decent coffee at any stop, no need to hunt for a café.
- Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, along the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, is close to a mandatory stop before reaching San Francisco.
Seattle to Yosemite Motorcycle Trip — Full Series
- Seattle to Yosemite: Planning an 11-Day Motorcycle Trip
- Highway 1: From Astoria to the Redwoods
- San Francisco to Big Sur Motorcycle Trip: Golden Gate, the Gremlin Myth, and a Wildfire Closure
- Sequoia National Park Motorcycle Trip: Heat & Gas
- Yosemite National Park Motorcycle Trip: El Capitan & Half Dome
- Crater Lake, Lake Tahoe, and the NF23: The Last Days of the Ride