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Round trip WV to WA to CO to WV this summer

huddlec

huddlec

Guest
Guest
I mapped out my (solo!) trip for this summer. Plan to take 3+ weeks in July to get to Pollock Pines in the California Sierra Nevada for a one week jazz camp and then back home via Colorado in August.  (Taking a curved soprano sax that should fit in the hard luggage!)  I did some of this route in 1973 on my CB750 so I know just how big some of those flat 'deserts' are.  If anyone has any suggestions that are parallel to or too good to miss that are near my route, please let me know. 

Links to the mapquest routes.

First leg: http://www.mapquest.com/?version=1.0&hk=5-9GTsz46n
Second leg: http://www.mapquest.com/?version=1.0&hk=4-spRihye6

Christy
 
You are missing some great riding in north western Arkansas.  If you have the time but still want to make progress west seek out 16 in its many forms and try to follow it across the state.  If you have the time to stop and spend a day or two then enjoy the entire area north and west of Little Rock.
 
I am envious for sure. However..... There is so much on the west coast you should not miss. I can understand the need to move fast and the interstates, but out west even the state highways can get you where you want to go at about the same speeds.

I'd take hwy 50 through Delta UT and stop at Great Basin National Park near Ely. Hwy 50 is so much more "real" than 80 through Nevada. From there head south through Tahoe and see Yosemite. This is a must see! Head to San Francisco and up Hwy 1 as planned however do it via the Golden Gate Bridge (another must see). From there continue up to Hwy 101 (legett) to hwy 42 Bandon, OR. Head east on 42 towards Roseburg then East on Hwy 138 to Crater Lake. ANOTHER MUST SEE!!! Up hwy 97  up through Bend then hwy 126 to Hwy 242. Hwy 242 is the most kickass hwy through a real volcanic lava field. Yes a freaking lava field!! Belnap crater. Head west towards Eugene then to save time up I5 to Hwy 12. Head east towards Mt St Helens. Then head over Mt Rainer and from there towards Seattle and your final destination of Skykomish.

I know there is only so much time and there are so many possibilties, but consider this. When will you ever have the time to do it again?

Stay off the interstates as much as you can. State highways and local roads are the real America. Interstates suck. And yes you can make time out west.
 
Thanks for the advice for Arkansas and the west coast. I used to live in Santa Barbara and the SF Bay Area so got a lot of riding done then on Rt 1 and 101 and all the Gold Country and Sierra Nevada roads.  On the 1973 ride I took, I got in a lot of the coastal and first inland valley route between SF and Seattle. This time I'm going the opposite (counterclockwise) direction.  I like your recommendations for northern CA and points north and for crossing Nevada. As for the stuff in the Bay Area and Yosemite, I've already spent a lot of time in those areas (lost a contact lens on the Golden Gate Bridge - heard it ping off the gas tank) and flew a hang glider off Glacier Point in Yosemite - which is hard to top even on a motorcycle.

Rt 16 in Arkansas looks like it has some really nice parts going through the mountains so it might be a little less hot than the flatter stuff to the north I'd planned on crossing. I won't be using a GPS, so I hope the road is well marked since it appears to have a lot of turns.

If anyone has recommendations for crossing North Dakota from east to west....  Anyone know Rt 2? 

I've probably crossed the US over 20 times, mostly in a pickup truck with a hang glider on the roof and am intimately familiar with most of Rt 50 between Salida CO and the western Ohio border and again through WV. It's my preferred route since I don't care for Interstate driving - so boring.
 
From Missoula I'd cut South and go through Lolo Pass. Seventy miles of twisties along the Clearwater River with only a slight grade. Set the cruise on 60 and just lean! You can cut back North from Pasco, Yakima, etc. Nice ride. North Dakota blows no matter what road you take. I'd rather take 90 across the Black Hills and across Montana. It's an Interstate but there is scenery alongside.
 
Ditto on the Lolo pass out of Missoula MT.  It is not out of your way, and if you miss Lolo #12 you are missing one of the best motorcycling rides of the trip. 99 miles of smooth winding blacktop curving around a stunning wild river. After getting to Missoula MT just go south a couple of miles to the highway 12 turn off over Lolo pass. This will take you over the mountains into Idaho. The best part by far is on the other side. Then near Lewiston you can take #95 back up to intercept your chosen route.  You will love Lolo pass!
 
North Cascades is one of the best areas in the country as many others. Once you start riding in the Northwest everything else is downhill. Pick up some Ride With Us maps, free at many dealers. If it works out stop by one of our events. Many of us ride every decent day winter or summer, we could give you an impromptu tour.
 
That Rt 12 looks fabulous on mapquest, but I was planning on being a lot further north - Rt 200 being the furthest south where Rt 28 comes into it. Are you saying Rt 12 is worth skipping northeastern Washington State?? 
 
Your planned route already takes you very near the turn onto Highway 12 (Lolo Pass) if you are still going thru Missoula MT. It really shouldn't affect the rest of your route thru Washington. If you take Lolo #12 across into Idaho you will come down into Lewiston and then it's a nice ride back up to Spokane and continue on your way. The only part you will be missing is the leg from Missoula to Sand Point and Sand Point into Spokane. Lolo is worth giving up that part.

Another thing to consider when going into Washington. Unless you are pressed for time you might consider heading further north to pick up highway 20 somewhere before it gets to the small town of "Winthrop". The ride from Winthrop across the Cascades is another stellar motorcycle ride although it will add miles to your planned route. If you decide to stick with going over highway 2, that aint such a bad route either.

Okay, here's another change you might want to strongly consider. Unless you are intent on seeing Seattle here is another very good option. Take the Lolo pass route into Lewiston, and then instead of going over Cascades on highway 2 or Hyway 20, take the two lane roads from Lewiston thru the wheat fields of Washington (very scenic and light traffic) down south west to enter the Columbia River Gorge area. This is still great motorcycling and it shaves off a big chunk of real estate by bypassing Seattle all together with all the traffic and all. Also eliminates that part of I-5. Believe me, you are not missing anything by not traveling l-5 thru the Seattle Tacoma area. And the Columbia River gorge is super scenic and a good motorcycle road to boot if you stay on the north side of the river which is highway 14. The main freeway part l-84 is just across on the south side of river. 14 is much better. This is the way I would go if I was doing your trip. You will just hit massive traffic the closer you get to Seattle.
 
I had already dropped Seattle so I'm thinking of taking Rt 12 across Lolo Pass. I'll be coming down from Glacier NP. Would you also recommend Rt 83 and Rt 200 to Missoula?

Is Rt 12 via Walla Walla to Rt 730, crossing the river at Umatilla to get on Rt 14 to Rt 35 at Hood River the way to go?  I want to spend a little time in Bend OR to get new tires and drink some beer (microbrews). 

Thanks for the suggestions. My route has changed quite a bit from what I posted before and will likely change some more in the next two weeks.
 
Christy said:
I had already dropped Seattle so I'm thinking of taking Rt 12 across Lolo Pass. I'll be coming down from Glacier NP. Would you also recommend Rt 83 and Rt 200 to Missoula?

Is Rt 12 via Walla Walla to Rt 730, crossing the river at Umatilla to get on Rt 14 to Rt 35 at Hood River the way to go?  I want to spend a little time in Bend OR to get new tires and drink some beer (microbrews). 

Thanks for the suggestions. My route has changed quite a bit from what I posted before and will likely change some more in the next two weeks.
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If you are heading to Lolo from Kalispell just take 93 south through Missoula (NICE TOWN) 93 and 200 are fine, but honestly not worth the extra miles.

Once on Hwy 12 if you are heading to bend I would consider running south on hwy 95 in Idaho then hwy 71 to Oxbow and 86 (Oregon) to Baker then hwy 7 to hwy 26 then down to Bend.

Where ya going from Bend?  DO see Crater Lake it is a must!
 
After Bend I'm taking a convoluted route to Klamath Falls (I did the coast on a previous trip):
Rt 20 NW to 126 S, to Rainbow, then Rt 19 to 58 out towards Eugene, I-5 down to Roseburg. Then 138 to Diamond Lake. Next day thru Crater Lake (W side) to 62 to 97 and on out of Oregon.

I don't do dirt or gravel roads by choice which is why that stretch of freeway is included.  Can't afford to have the bike fail me (or me it!) out in the middle of nowhere.
 
Christy said:
After Bend I'm taking a convoluted route to Klamath Falls (I did the coast on a previous trip):
Rt 20 NW to 126 S, to Rainbow, then Rt 19 to 58 out towards Eugene, I-5 down to Roseburg. Then 138 to Diamond Lake. Next day thru Crater Lake (W side) to 62 to 97 and on out of Oregon.

I don't do dirt or gravel roads by choice which is why that stretch of freeway is included.  Can't afford to have the bike fail me (or me it!) out in the middle of nowhere.
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I am confused. Rt 19 do you mean NF-19? This is the Aufderheide road down to Westfir. While certainly a great motorcycle road, it is not what anyone would consider a main route.  If this is the way you really want to go  I would strongly suggest that you take route 242 from Sisters over Belnap crater to hwy 126. Possibly and arguably the best twisty and scenic short ride in the entire state, then the Aufderheide road to Westfir.  Back up 58 to Goshen then down I-5 to Roseburg. This is going to be a very long day of mostly 317 twisty miles. You might reconsider and stay the night in either the Eugene or Roseburg area rather than heading back up 138 to Diamond lake.
 
I did mean the NF 19. Mapquest showed it as 19.  I'm going with your suggestion of Rt 242.  I don't take the twisties fast so they don't wear me out. Freeways wear me out. And the Concours is so much easier on the butt compared to the Nighthawk 650 I used to have, I figure I can handle the 320 or so miles. (I did over 400 miles in a day last year on the Concours - the last day of a 2 week trip and it wasn't the road, but the heat and humidity that was nasty.)  This day may be long, but the day before this I'll be stationary in Bend and the day after this I'll be doing 190 miles down to Horse Creek CA.  As for that next day, I notice that Dead Indian Memorial Road between Rt 140 and Ashland looks like it could be nice. Are you familiar with it?  Right now, I'm planning on going into Medford and then south on I-5 to the CA rt 96 turn off to Horse Creek.
 
Christy said:
As for that next day, I notice that Dead Indian Memorial Road between Rt 140 and Ashland looks like it could be nice. Are you familiar with it?  Right now, I'm planning on going into Medford and then south on I-5 to the CA rt 96 turn off to Horse Creek.
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Dead Indian is a fine road, but for a really fun road Hwy 66 is Da Bomb!  Just head further south to K-Falls then take 66 to Ashland. The last couple miles past Hyatt Lake Rd, are a blast. Very twisty and all downhill. I'll put you out right at Exit 14 in Ashland. This is a really cool town home of the Oregon Shakespeare festival.
 
I'm camping near Logansport IN tonight. I'll be in Oregon east of the Dalles on the 15th and 16th and in Bend on the 17 and 18. I'll be getting new tires on that Monday. Did 670 miles total so far almost all back roads. Found some great ones in Ohio - Rt 800 started
my day right. Indiana not so wonderful.
 
Heartland?  Try Flatland.

Right now I'm in Kankakee at the public library.

Forgot Diamond Lake on the 18th.  Then on to CA

Christy
 
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