Trip from Alberta to Calif then up the west coast.

Posted: Thu May 20, 2004 8:22 pm

I am looking for input into a trip myself and a couple of friends will be taking in two weeks.

We will be entering the U.S. from Alberta and going through Glacier Park in Montana. We will then head South West through Montana, Idaho, Nev and into Calif. On our return we will travel up the West coast.

I am looking for input regarding good motorcycle routes. We will avoid the straight and fast Interstates whenever possible, if not all together.

As some of you live in areas where we will be travelling through I am sure you can supply excellent suggestions that maps will not necessarily hilite.

Please use hiway numbers and the start and end points as much as possible. This will help us tie the route together.

Thanks in advance for you input

Posted: Thu May 20, 2004 8:38 pm

Red,
When are you planning to do this trip?

CB1100F Joined: Jul 02, 2003 Posts: 3189 Location: Phoenix

How far south do you plan on going. L.A. area is very heavy traffic. PC1 Pacific Coast Highway is awesome. It is quite time consuming, but the scenery is awesome. My brother and I took it up to Monterey Bay and had a great time.

Posted: Thu May 20, 2004 10:19 pm

Let me know when you are coming to So. Cal.... Perhaps we can meet ride along together for a while....Always anxious to meet fellow "F"ers

Posted: Fri May 21, 2004 1:20 am

I will be doing this trip from June 11 to 20th. We will leave after work on Friday, go to Waterton Park. Wake up the next day and go into Glacier Park, which is fantastic. We will go South West from there.

As for how far South we will go, this is time relavant. We are going for a ride not a destination. I do own the Destination Highways Washington and BC books, with the California book on order. So we will be able to plan through those areas. Although BC is a regular destination when you live in Alberta.

I am still looking for info on the Idaho, Nev and Calif States. If any would like to ride along PM your contact info.

As for choice of bikes. I will not be riding either of the three 1100F's I own. (1 Cdn Red, 1 Cdn Blue, with 1 Aussie Green Model) I will be riding the Beemer (K1100RS)

Posted: Fri May 21, 2004 4:58 am

Red, do you need routes through Washington?

Posted: Fri May 21, 2004 6:13 am

As someone who used to commute from Vancouver B.C. to Cabo San Lucas Mexico where I used to live, I think I can help you out.

The top motorcycle road is Hwy 12 in Utah between Bryce Canyon and Torrey Utah. If you want to really experience a road with no traffic and mile after mile of fast sweepers then make sure you drive Hwy 72 and Hwy 10 between Bicknell and Price Utah. One of these last two roads is better than the other one, and I can't remember which is which. Highway 12, 72, and 10 pretty much connect up so take them all. Of all the scenery in the western U.S. I enjoyed going through Utah the most.

I liked Hwy 93 from Twin Falls Idaho down to Ely Nevada.

Hwy 95 from Interstate 80 in Nevada to Coaldale Nevada is a great road to make good time and is quite interesting along the way.

Hwy 95 from Coaldale to Goldfield is one big radar trap!!!!!!!!!!! Go slow.

Hwy 395 from Pendelton Oregon to Ridgecrest California is the prefered route back to Canada vs I -5 which is the most boring road in the world and should be avoided at all costs.

An awesome motorcycle road that is hard to beat is MEX 1 from Ensenada Mexico to Cabo San Lucas Mexico but that is another trip.

Have a great trip. I wish I was going with you.

Revs 1981 CB900F

Posted: Fri May 21, 2004 12:09 pm

There are two ways to go up Californias coast. Hwy1 is the way to go if you have the time.It is very twisty and hugs the coast. Plan on it taking about two days. The other is 101 which is mostly four lane til you get pretty far north. Its not bad if you want to make time. Personally I like taking 101 from Ventura north and then picking up Hwy1 in Mill Valley, just north of San Francisco. Heading north it joins 101 north of Mendicino. 101 through Oregon is another long and beautiful ride. Especially the southern part..

Posted: Fri May 21, 2004 2:53 pm

Red? Are these yours?

Posted: Fri May 21, 2004 5:16 pm

Yup, those are mine! And, that is me.

Posted: Fri May 21, 2004 6:01 pm

So are you traveiling with the CBX guys.

Posted: Fri May 21, 2004 6:39 pm

No, the CBX guys will not be joining me. They wil be travelling to Wetaskwin on June the 12 to the Reynolds museum. the CBX guys will also be going to 3 Valley Gap in July. Check the calender for details.

Posted: Fri May 21, 2004 6:50 pm

Well have a great trip.

I'll be doing roughly the same trip from July 26th to Aug 15.
Not going as far south and going further north to Terace BC.

Traveling with a group of ST'ers, should be fun getting away from the wife and kids to a whole 3 weeks.....I cant wait.

Cheers
beerchug

MB-5 Joined: Apr 28, 2004 Posts: 25 Location: Westie

Jeeeeez, gorgeous bikes Red. I regret selling mine everytime I come to this site.

GO FLAMES GO!!!!

Posted: Sun May 23, 2004 1:57 am

Red...I have done most of that area as far south as s. colorado...

which way are you heading through Glacier...going East or west..??.

Should be great this time of year....

If east...go right thru it to St Mary and then head south to Browning on #89..this stretch is a ball!! Its got a long run of switchbacks and NO traffic...fun..then its a bit dull going south till you get nearBozeman...

Now i can recommend 2 diff routes..both will take you thru the Beartooth pass(#212)....If its open...and the Chief Joseph hiway(296), and the bighorns (14A+14)...

1st...longer and fun+ go South to West yellowstone on #191(not a bad mtn trail!)...east thru the park ..could be enjoyable as not busy this time of year...and North toCooke city ..and NE over the Beartooth to Red lodge..Then turn around and go back cause its a diff ride looking the other way..and its a blast..You think Glacier is fun..wait till this one..Just as hairy and 5 times more of it!!..then come back thru beartooth going S and turn east on # 296 till Cody.....

2nd..just go east from Bozeman down the interstate to Columbus to Redlodge and south over the Beartooth and to Cody...

From Cody go east over the N Bighorns on 14A ...from here you can go all the way east to sheriden, south a ways, and back west over the S bighorns...

But I would reccomend turning S when you hit #14 and head to Thermopolis and South on #20...From here I have gone south a bit into N colorado...but I cant tell you anything from there.

OR you can go west back to Jackson Hole on #287/191 and there you have options again of heading south..or west into the snake river Plain.

I just cant imagine ever heading south and not going thru the Beartooth pass and Chief Joseph..its still the tops for me in 30 yrs!!

Another route I would reccomend ..if you dont want to go east of Glacier, is head straight to Missoula via flathead lake...(stay on the east side..west is a dud)..south to Salmon and go up the salmon river to Stanley Id..its a great run.... from stanley g0 west on #21 to Boise..I havnt, but all claim its a real dandy!! I have gone straight south to Twin falls and back east!..Ok if you want to see the "craters of the moon" are.

If you are going WEST thru Glacier and the going to the sun road and want to go to the beartooth..Either go south from Kalispell to Missoula and then wherever, or you can go back east from West gl on #2..its a nice ride also....then south.

heres some pics of the same area....and check out the links at bottom for the Wy area

http://www3.mb.sympatico.ca/%7Ervanwyck/biketrip03.html

From there good luck..I dunno.. cept I have done the pacific coast hiway and its darn nice for the return trip!

Myself am doing the above route and then into Colorado and up every pass I can find, west to the coast and back thru N states....Have a blast!

Nitro

Posted: Sun May 23, 2004 4:38 pm

Red,

Jons gave you good advice. However, Highway 1 from Monterey south to Pismo is at least as spectacular as that north of San Francisco. It includes the spectacular Big Sur and the oft photographed bridge in that area.

BUT, choose one or the other. I would advise against doing Highway One down the whole way. Even the most avid rider will find that the number of switchbacks, wet curves and slow RV's make for a long day. You can't make time unless you work, and this is scenary to be savored with frequent stops. Besides, 101 has its own history and charms.

For what it's worth.

Tyson
(Stuck here in the flat lands of Oklahoma this summer!)

Tyson

MB-5 Joined: Apr 23, 2004 Posts: 7 Location: Spokane, WA

Go the Sun Highway. Either way you take this road you will want to make your way on highway 2 to Columbia Falls which is right outside of West Glacier.

From Columbia Falls you will want to head towards Kalispell on highway 2. I would recommend at this point that you take highway 35 down the east side of Flathead lake. The ride seems to be better and there are a couple of nice touristy towns. One of them is Big Fork. At the Southside of Flat head you can join up with highway 93 and go into Missoula.

Once on 93 head south through Missoula where it will hook up with highway 12 at Lolo. Then take highway 12 west to Lewiston.

One of the things I found at Glacier is you want to get your campsite early or make reservations. There are lots of rules for staying at Glacier and you will want to be careful the park rangers are not the nicest that I have met.

Here is a picture taken from highway 12 it speaks for it self.