Driving Hwy 1 N - Cambria to Monterey

Yes, I have read over the many, many posts about taking this route with an rv and I am...so confuzzled by now that I will ask regarding my specific rig.

Driving the route around the first two weeks of July.

First, it is getting quite obnoxious planning to leave the camper behind. Right now I have it where I am driving the camper N on Hwy 101 (fastest route) and dropping it off at a KOA in Salinas (spending the night). Then I am driving by car around Carmel then S on Hwy 1 (my mother's favorite route direction) to Cambria. Now, I could either turn right around and drive back up north on Hwy 1 (I dislike to back track, but maybe the repeat drive going the opposite way will be well worth it) or I could stay the night at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo (a childhood favorite, but dislike spending money for a hotel room when I already am paying for camping fees).

So...two questions:

1) Can I drive Hwy 1 N pulling a 27' camper and easily find parking to pull over and see the sites along the way? Because i don't see that addressed as much and, honestly, if you can't pull off, what's the point? Note: I am very comfortable driving roads as I do about 4k miles each summer.

2) If I leave camper behind and drive south route, then turn around and drive back north, can that easily be done in a day or better to break it up? Note: I am used to driving long hours, so that's not a big deal. Just thinking about how much time that gives us to stop and see the sites (not going to Hearst Castle - been there, done that, eh). Though...it was fabulously surreal driving past the open fields and having a zebra matching me pace for pace!

It's been hard to gauge as google maps can't do timing on Hwy 1 with all of the closures. Same goes for figuring Yosemite timing. I am staying near Groveland and hedging bets that the road into north Yosemite will be open by July as, otherwise, the traffic will double down as a nightmare on Hwy 140 and..I as much as I LOVE Yosemite and want my son to see it, I am just not willing to sit in that kind of traffic ordeal

Thank you all! As always, comments in this group are fabulous!

Samantha

That road is closed due to a bridge that is out.

http://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/la-tr-highway-1-road-closures-20170223-story.html

Yes you can drive PCH pulling a 27 footer and find plenty of places to pull over. It would be a two day journey going up and back.

Thank you for your response. Yes! I just came across a definitive article on the bridge. I had read something else earlier saying that they would get it all taken care of by summer. But I realize now that must've only been about the washout, not Pfeiffer bridge.

But you did answer the one comment that is usually missing in so many of these replies...there are turnouts. Good to know. I am now reworking the plans to go as far as San Simeon and then turn back to Cambria, go up Hwy 101 and leave the camper at Salinas. Then we can check out the little bit of Hwy 1 from the northern side. <sigh>

Again, many thanks 

There is a large parking lot at the Elephant Seal Colony which is one of the high points of the road. There is also parking at San Simeon State Beach and in Morro Bay. There are several turnouts on PCH proper.

About ten years ago, I drove my Porsche Speedster north on Hwy 1 behind a Class A much of the way. That guy didn't slow me down in least as he stuffed that beast through the turns without missing a beat. There's lots of places to pull off to let traffic by but most drivers on Hwy 1 know that RVs are just part of the landscape and we might as well enjoy the scenery, too.