A Road By Any Other Name...

[RoadTripper Brad]

Okay, this came about after seeing two different highways being mentioned by the same name. I am refering to the famous Pacific Coast Highway. I see PCH refered to a lot on this board as being CA 1. Yet, MS Streets and Trips defines it as the Cabrillo Highway, and PCH being US 101 from LA to Washington State.

I just don't want to be confused, or confuse anyone, if I reference PCH thinking US 101, and the reader thinking CA 1.

Just thought I'd bring this to everyone's attention. Anyone else have any input on this?

[AZBuck]

Did a Google on "Pacific Coast Highway" and here are the first two sites listed:

US-101
CA-1

AZBuck

[Mark Sedenquist]

Okay, this came about after seeing two different highways being mentioned by the same name. I am refering to the famous Pacific Coast Highway. I see PCH refered to a lot on this board as being CA 1. Yet, MS Streets and Trips defines it as the Cabrillo Highway, and PCH being US 101 from LA to Washington State.

As is often the case, since one of the tenets held dearly by Americans is based on the notion of "states rights" there is no one single definition that anyone from one state has to adopt with respect to PCH. So you are both correct. PCH is a unofficial "nickname" for a series of highways that more-or-less parallel the coast. I guess as Moderators and members of this forum, we could adopt an "accepted name" for these roads, but no one else would ever accept it -- so whenver possible it might be useful for us to avoid the PCH name and simply refer to the number of the highway we are describing.

Thanks to Arizona Brad and AZBuck for bringing this up!

Mark

[Midwest Michael]

I always thought the PCH was CA-1 from LA to SF, and then US 101 picked it up from there north to Washington.


On a similar note, frequently I-5 is refered to the Pan-American Highway, but if you actually were going to do a "Pan American" Alaska to Panama and/or Argentina trip, the most direct route would follow I-29 and I-35 through the plains.

[Mark Sedenquist]

I always thought the PCH was CA-1 from LA to SF, and then US 101 picked it up from there north to Washington.

According to California -- PCH is only highway one from San Diego to Cresent City (but parts of CA-1 and US-101 follow the same road way).

Mark

[RoadDog]

Regardless of the numbers, I'm driving that road this fall. I would guess a week to ten days to be a somewhat reasonable time to drive it, especially since we tend to stop and look at things of interest.

Did anyone see the geat History Channel show on it? It's construction was quite an accomplishment.

OK, maybe two weeks.

Keep on Down that Coastal Road. --RoadDog

[Mark Sedenquist]

Regardless of the numbers, I'm driving that road this fall.

Where are you starting and driving to?

I would guess a week to ten days to be a somewhat reasonable time to drive it, especially since we tend to stop and look at things of interest.

Personally, I don't think one can drive it and do it justice in less than thirty days. But, ten is a good start!

Happy Planning!

Mark

[RoadDog]

Once off 66, we'll drop down to the Mexican border and drive all the way to the cape. We'll most likely check out Victoria, and this time go to the gardens. Last time, we found out about them on the ferry back to Washington. RoadDog

[Mark Sedenquist]

Once off 66, we'll drop down to the Mexican border and drive all the way to the cape. We'll most likely check out Victoria, and this time go to the gardens.

What an amazing journey you will have. Seriously, I don't think you can really drive that entire distance (on the coastal road) in less than 10 days and truthfully, you could spend an entire month and only being to scratch the surface of awesome places tucked away just out of sight.


Here is one view of Butchart Gardens captured on a nearly-foggy day last summer.

mark

[AZBuck]

I assume by "the gardens" you mean Butchart Gardens. If so, then if you enjoy gardens, it is absolutely worth the trip while you're in the area. Simply a unique combination of spectacular and tranquil. And as long as you're in Victoria, be sure to have a traditional English High Tea at Blethering Place.

And if you're into geographic oddities, get to Pt. Roberts, WA, a town you can only get to from Canada.

AZBuck