June 26-27, 2004
Site updated July 9, 2004
Site updated July 9, 2004
| The Plan | Meeting Place | Hotel / Dining | The Route | Pismo Beach | Contact | Maps | Attendees |
We met at the Crossroads Center in Carmel for breakfast and waited for the rest to arrive. A total of 18 Cobras were present for the drive down the coast. We had a briefing (some say it was too long) and then got in our cars and started snaking together down Highway 1. The morning was cool and windy (a few lost some hats), but by the time we passed through Big Sur, the weather was beautiful. Bright sunny day with a cool breeze. Perfect driving weather.
First stop was Ragged Point Inn and Restaurant for a leg stretch and some relief. We took over the bus parking area with 17 Cobras (one dropped off earlier) and had lots of "lookers" as we carried on with business. A few minutes later, over four thousand horsepower started off again down Highway 1.
Scenery was great and I was amazed we all kept together. Traffic was light and I wasn't pressuring anyone in front of me to "get out of the way" so we could get by. After all, 17 cars is one long line! The pace was comfortable and we clicked along between 45 and 60mph. Arriving at Cambria, we all took refuge in the public parking lot. Lucky for us, it was mostly empty, until we arrived.
People took off to do their own thing and we spent 1.5 hours just browsing and taking it easy. Afterwards, it was back to Highway 1 for the final leg to Pismo. We waited for everyone to get onto Highway 1 before taking off. When we did, it looked like the LeMans start of years gone by. What a sight to see all 17 cars pull out onto the road at once. Too funny!
After fueling up in San Luis Obispo, it was on to join the rest of the group in Pismo Beach at the Seacrest Hotel.
Dinner was a A.J. Spurs in Arroyo Grande. What a spread! They were well prepared for us and had a room dedicated for our group. At least 64 people were in attendance. Food was great and so was the company. Everyone introduced themselves and where they were from. A lot of new faces and names for me, but it was great to see so many people having a good time.
Sunday morning came around with NO POWER! The entire "Five Cities" area was blacked out. We had contemplated going to Madonna Inn for breakfast, so a call was made and at 8am. a few of us took the route up to Madonna Inn and had a wonderful relaxing breakfast. The remainder of the group was to meet us at 10:30am. By 10:40am, no one was there and the small group of six Cobras headed out.
We stayed on the inland route I planned the entire way. One dropped off to see Morro Rock and another after we hit Paso Robles and another two when I turned off to River Road. Weather was T-shirt comfortable all the way with temps in the mid 80's. By the time we got to Moss Landing, the two of us left, stopped for a bite at the Sea Harvest restaurant and talked about the weekend.
Thanks to everyone who attended and hope to see you on future runs.
Glenn (aka: weendoggy)
The idea is to have a leisurely trip driving down Highway 1 to Pismo Beach and then returning either via Highway 1 again, or taking off through some of the side roads and traveling inland back to the Bay Area and points north.
In either case, I'm sure it will be an enjoyable weekend.
The weather can be very unpredictable at this time of year. The coast can be fogged in very heavily and very damp. You should plan on very warm clothing to keep you dry. On the other hand, it can also be very beautiful with temperatures in the 70's along the coast. The inland trip back (for Team Ween) will be a little warmer so you need to be prepared for temperatures in the 90's. In either case, we want you to be prepared and comfortable.
Weather related sites:
| Carmel Weather | Big Sur Weather | Cambria Weather | Pismo Beach Weather | Paso Robles Weather | Greenfield Weather |
There are two "run groups" this year. One group is leaving Friday from the Monterey area and the other group is leaving Saturday from the Crossroads Shopping Center in Carmel.
We're asking that you let Don DePontee know which group you plan to travel with. He will be keeping a master list of cars, drivers and dinner reservations together. When the time comes, the group leaders, Hula Master, for the Friday run group and Team Ween, for the Saturday run group will both get a master list so we know who's going in which group and we can make sure we don't leave anyone behind.
Another good idea is to let the group leaders know your cell number. This can be done just before departure. Even though parts of Highway 1 don't have service, we will at least have a way to communicate with you should you have problems or need assistance.
I've been in contact with an ATV rental company in Pismo and if we can get 10+ folks they will pick us up at the hotel, take us out to the dunes and bring us back when we are done Plus provide us a group discount.
ok here's a proposed plan for those that want to ATV, We will leave the hotel at around 9:00 for a 2 hour rental returning back to the hotel by noon. From there you can drive up the coast, take a drive in-land to explore Santa Maria wine region, or just kick around Pismo Beach. Later in the evening (6 or so) folks can meet back up for dinner.
We do have some time to review options, however if folks are interested in going ATV'ing (and I know that we do have some couples and individuals that have already expressed an interest) We do need a head count to make sure that we have enough for the planned pick up and so that the company can have enough ATV's ready for us.
Here a site to gve you an idea of the ATV's and the area:ATV Rentals.
Important news on the ATV Outing on the Cobras to the Coast Trip.
When: Sunday 10 till noon
Where: We will be picked up at the Sea Crest Hotel and driven to the dunes a couple of minutes down the road (this will provide a level of safety for cars by leaving them at the hotel)
What: . If you are interested in coming on the ATV Outing you NEED TO CALL ASAP BJ's at: 805-481-5411 and reference the "Cobra Club"
BJ's ATV Rental of Grover Beach. BJ's is giving us a 15% discount (our price $65 for 2 hours)on their rental for the following :
Select either:
250ex (semi automatic)
200 rally (full automatic)
Here's a link for information on BJ's and on ATVing in the area. www.bjsatvrentals.com.
As you see, there will be several choices to make this year.
This site is intended for those who will be traveling down Highway 1 on Saturday. We will be leaving the Crossroads Center in Carmel (Rio Road and Hwy.1) at 9:30am on Saturday, June 26, 2004. A Chevron gas station and a restaurant are located there.
We will travel Highway 1 south, stopping once at Cambria for lunch. You should plan on either a snack lunch to bring, or dine at one of the many restaurants there. Hopefully, we will be able to wander for at least an hour or more, depending on the traffic we encounter. This is approximately 2.5 hours from Carmel and a total of 100 miles.
Here are links to some of the dining places in Cambria: Cambria Restaurants.
Some folks have been interested in stopping here, Ragged Point Inn and Restaurant, which is about 1/2 hour before Cambria, and if everyone would like to stop there, I'm open for that as well. Whatever the group would like to do is fine by me.
Some of us are planning to have breakfast at the Black Bear Diner in the Crossroads Center before we depart Saturday. We will be there by 8:00am and that should allow ample time to eat and get the cars filled up with gas across the street. For those who will be meeting us, please send us your cell number or let us know your plans. In order to keep everyone together and our timeline in tact, we need to adhere to a schedule. The less time taken now, will allow us to mingle later on in the day.
This is a sample of their breakfast menu. We have eaten there recently and the food and service is great!
The Sea Crest Hotel, located at 2241 Price Street, Pismo Beach, has a block of rooms available for us. If you plan on staying Friday and Saturday nights, you have a choice of an ocean view, partial view or non-ocean view. If you are only staying Saturday night (something Len had to leverage), you can only get a non-ocean view room.
Please call the hotel at: (800) 782-8400 or (805) 773-4608 to make your reservations. As of this posting, January 30, 2004, there were still some non-smoking rooms available. See this post on www.ffcobra.com for further information Coast Trip Being Planned.
Group dinner arrangements have been made by Hula Master for Friday and Saturday nights. Any questions should be routed to either Len or Don. Friday nights dinner is Jocko's in Nipomo and Saturday night is A.J. Spurs in Arroyo Grande. Dinner will be at 6:00pm both nights.
When I went to Pismo for a test run, I did stop at the Marie Calendars restaurant on Sunday morning for breakfast. However, we decided a "brunch only" was a little steep at $15.00 per person. This seems to be their normal fare for Sunday's. Saturday is their regular priced menu.
We drove into Pismo and found two small cafe's for breakfast. They are a 10min. walk from the hotels or you can drive and park on the street. Note that parking is not always available depending on when you get there. There's a place called "Scrambles" (the name has recently changed to something else, but in the same place) and one called "All American Cafe". Both are small and seat about 30 - 40 people maximum and may be another option for some.
There are others a little further away, but well within a short dirving distance or longer walk.
Another option that has come up is to leave Pismo around 9:00am and drive 20min. to Madonna Inn for breakfast. It is too late to make group reservations, so everyone will be on their own. We can meet up at 10:30am there for the drive home as it is on the route I proposed. More will be discussed on the trip.
You can find out more about Pismo Beach by clicking on this link: Information about Pismo Beach, Calif.
If you plan on leaving with the Friday group, please check here for their plans Coast Trip Being Planned.
Saturday run group only.
Drive routes will be handed out to everyone before departing.
We will leave Saturday, June 26th at 9:30am, from the Crossroads Shopping Center located at Highway 1 and Rio Road in Carmel. This is about 1/4 mile south of Carmel Valley Road.
We will take our time driving down Highway 1 and stop for lunch in Cambria (approx. 2 1/2 hrs) or the Ragged Point Inn and Restaurant (approx. 2 hrs). The Ragged Point Inn only has their burger bar open for lunch. You can also pack a snack or picnic lunch for our stop. There is fuel at both places for those who can't go more than 100 miles on a tank of fuel. If you can wait until San Luis Obispo, gas is cheaper.
After our stop, we will continue on to San Luis Obispo where we will stop for gas (Chevron Station) before getting to Pismo Beach.
On the arrival to Pismo Beach, we will take the Price Street exit off Highway 101 and then turn left at the stop sign. The Sea Crest Hotel is about 1/8 mile down the road on the right, next to a Marie Calendar restaurant.
If we keep to a simple schedule, we should be in Pismo Beach by 3:30pm, which will allow time for us to check in and get ready for dinner later that night at A.J. Spurs in Arroyo Grande. Dinner is at 6:00pm so we should have plenty of time to relax after the drive.
Sunday's drive back is a little different.
If all are in agreement, we can start our drive back at 10:00am from the hotel parking lot.
NOTE: We recently came back through the proposed return trip and the temps were in the 90's! Yes, the valley can be miserable, so I suggest we see what the weather is like, i.e. fog, and decide on Sunday which way everyone returns. It really makes no difference to me other than I prefere not to drive in the fog if at all possible. I do have a heater but would take the sun any day. One note: if it's foggy along the coast, inland won't be too hot.
We will take Price Canyon Road to Highway 227 into San Luis Obispo. This is a very good two lane road and travels the Coastal Hills into San Luis Obispo. We will travel through downtown and then connect to Highway 1 again, retracing our drive back to Morro Bay and then take Old Creek Road (twisty's) to Highway 46 and then into Paso Robles, where we can stop for food and fuel.
From Paso Robles, it will be up Highway 101 to Exit 252 (G18 Jolon Road). This travels along the coastal hills, through sections of Fort Hunter Liggett, and connects Highway 101 just north of King City. We'll hop back on Hwy. 101 for ten miles to Greenfield.
From Greenfield, I plan on taking River Road to Highway 68, where people going on to the East Bay or further, can split up and get back to 101 or join us the rest of the way to Reservation Road and come out on Highway 1 at Marina.
If all goes well, we should be at the River Road/Hwy. 68 crossing around 3:00pm, which should get everyone home at a decent time.
Maps will be posted in the coming weeks to show and outline the route.
This is open to suggestions as well.
For more information, you can click on the links below.
Please contact Don DePontee and inform him what days you'll be traveling and dinner plans.
Please contact Hula Master for information regarding the hotel and Friday run group.
Please contact Team Ween for information regarding the Saturday run group.
This is an overview of the Saturday/Sunday drive route. This can be adjusted to whatever drivers would like to do. Some may want to drive back Highway 1 and others can go inland via Highway 101.
The drive is down Highway 1 to Pismo Beach. The return goes back up Highway 1 (green) and connects to Highway 101 via Highway 46 (green). The remainder is up 101 to River Road.
| Friday Group | |||||||
| Names | From | Days | Hotel Stay | Meeting Point | Lunch Fri. | Diner Fri. & Sat. | Verified |
| Don DePontee & Jonah | Carmichael, Ca. | 2 | Fri. & Sat. | Pocket Rd. | Yes for 2 | Fri. & Sat. | Correct |
| CobraCSX@aol.com | |||||||
| Len & Sher | Rocklin, Ca. | 2 | Fri. & Sat. | Pocket Rd. | Yes for 2 | Fri. & Sat. | Correct |
| feeln16@starstream.net | |||||||
| Reno & Jenelle Morella | San Jose | 2 | Fri. & Sat. | Crossroads Center | Yes for 2 | Fri. & Sat. | Correct |
| morella@earthlink.net | |||||||
| Jeff and Terri Bozzo | Pismo Condo | 2 | No | Big Sur or on route | ? Maybe 2 | Fri. & Sat. | ? |
| jeff_bozzo@comcast.net | |||||||
| John & Susann Rymer | San Jose, Ca | 2 | Fri. & Sat. | Crossroads Center | Yes for 2 | Fri. & Sat. | Correct |
| jrymer@earthlink.net | |||||||
| Kevin and Liane Cornell | Fresno, Ca. | 2 | Fri. & Sat. | Sea Creat Hotel | No | Fri.? Sat. Yes | ? |
| kcornall@comcast.net | |||||||
| Len and Nancy Stevens | Grass Valley, Ca. | 2 | Fri. & Sat. | Pocket Rd. | Yes for 2 | Fri. & Sat. | Correct |
| lstevens@gv.net | |||||||
| Luke Lucas and Aya Iwata | Los Angeles, Ca. | 2 | Fri. & Sat. | Crossroads Center | Yes for 2 | Fri. & Sat. | Correct |
| lukescobras@aol.com | |||||||
| Ray and Cathy Shepherd | Penn Valley, Ca | 2 | Fri. & Sat. | Pocket Rd. | Yes for 2 | Fri. & Sat | Correct |
| rms427@inreach.com | |||||||
| Chuck & Doreen Fletcher | Grass Valley, Ca. | 2 | Fri. & Sat. | Pocket Rd. | Yes for 2 | Fri. & Sat. | Correct |
| racyasp@prodigy.net | |||||||
| Carol and Larry Gross | 2 | Fri. & Sat. | Crossroads Center | Yes for 2 | Fri. & Sat. | Correct | |
| Larry.W.Gross@us.ul.com | |||||||
| Gary and Pat Eckman | Bay Area | 2 | Fri. & Sat. | Crossroads Center | Yes for 2 | Fri. & Sat. | Correct |
| eckmaninc@aol.com | |||||||
| Brad and Ryan Hinckley | Salinas, Ca. | 1 | Sat. | Crossroads Center | Yes for 2 | Fri. & Sat. | Correct |
| Boss289@Redshift.com | |||||||
| Ken Rolle & Trish Murphy | Pacific Grove | 1 | Sat. | Crossroads Center | Yes for 2 | Fri. & Sat. | Correct |
| KRolle@ci.pacific-grove.ca.us | |||||||
| Saturday Group | |||||||
| Names | From | Days | Hotel Stay | Meeting Point | Lunch Fri. | Diner Fri. & Sat. | Verified |
| Glenn & Jeanne DiOrio | Aptos, Ca. | 1 | Sat. | Crossroads Center | No | Sat. | Correct |
| Weendoggy@aol.com | |||||||
| Mike & Gayle Tirri | Campbell, Ca. | 1 | Sat. | Crossroads Center | No | Sat. | Correct |
| mikeyt@sbcglobal.net | |||||||
| Randy & Bessie Rosenberg | Fremont | 1 | Sat. | Crossroads Center | No | Sat. | Correct |
| rbjrrose@comcast.net | |||||||
| Al & Cee Solomko | Santa Cruz, Ca. | 1 | Sat. | Crossroads Center | No | Sat. | Correct |
| asolomko@sbcglobal.net | |||||||
| Ed and Clare Robison | Saratoga, Ca. | Canceled | |||||
| Ed.Robison@nidec.com | |||||||
| Larry & Jen Davi | Bay Area | 1 | Sat. | Sea Crest Hotel | No | Sat. | Correct |
| lrdavi@attbi.com | |||||||
| Mike and Lorraine Brasfield | San Rafael | 1 | Sat. | Crossroads Center | No | Sat. | Correct |
| MBrasf5012@aol.com | |||||||
| Tim Graham, no passenger | Canceled | ||||||
| bwana50@cox.net | |||||||
| Mike and Marv Viramontes | Bay area | 1 | Sat. | Crossroads Center | ? | ? Sat. | ? |
| mv8471@sbc.com | |||||||
| Russ Thompson | Richmond, Ca | 1 | Sat. | Crossroads Center | No | Sat. | Correct |
| rtcobra@comcast.net | |||||||
| Shaun Cottingham | Bay Area | 1 | Sat. | Crossroads Center | No | Sat. | Correct |
| SCottingham@onlinedocuments.com | |||||||
| Dave & Debbie Frey | Danville, CA | 1 | Sat | Crossroads Center | No | Sat. | Correct |
| dlfrey@bechtel.com | |||||||
| Chris Hutchings & Kimberly McCubbin | Livermore, Ca | 1 | Sat. | Crossroads Center | No | Sat. | Correct |
| cj428cj@comcast.net | |||||||
| Jim and Mary Savoy | San Ramon, CA | 1 | Sat. | Crossroads Center | No | Sat. | Correct |
| toscano1@sbcglobal.net | |||||||
| Bill and Karen Meyer | Kensington, Ca. | 1 | Sat. | Crossroads Center | No | Sat. | Correct |
| wgmeyer@sbcglobal.net | |||||||
| Stan and Renee Ambrozy | Bay Area | 1 | Sat. | Crossroads Center | No | Sat. | Correct |
| sambrozy@aol.com | |||||||
| John & Rosemarie Place | Danville, Ca. | 1 | Sat. | Crossroads Center | No | Sat. | Correct |
| jhplace2@aol.com | |||||||
| Fitz & Denise Killingsworth | Walnut Creek | 1 | Sat. | Crossroads Center | No | Sat. | Correct |
| fitzroyk@aol.com | |||||||
| Scott & Danette Beall | San Jose, Ca. | 1 | Sat. | Crossroads Center | No | Sat. | Correct |
| michael@z-best.com | |||||||
| Non-Cruise Group / So-Cal | |||||||
| Names | From | Days | Hotel Stay | Meeting Point | Lunch Fri. | Diner Fri. & Sat. | Verified |
| Bill Dobbins & Diane Visencio | Canceled | Canceled | |||||
| william.k.dobbins@boeing.com | |||||||
| Calvin & Vivian Abernathy | Los Angeles, Ca. | 1 | Fri. | Not Needed | No | Fri. | Correct |
| group7@earthlink.net | |||||||
| Roger and Karen Stine | Dana Point | 1 | Fri. | Not Needed | No | Fri. | Correct |
| mstine@surfside.net | |||||||
| Greg & Linda Melnyk | Pismo Beach, Ca. | Live in Pismo | Not Needed | No | Fri. & Sat. | Correct | |
| aliforniamelnyks@worldnet.att.net | |||||||
| Chuck and Penny Robertson | Las Vegas,Nv. | Pismo RV Pk | Not Needed | No | Fri. & Sat. | Correct | |
| swarchery@earthlink.net | |||||||
