Crazy idea after Inzane

[Serk]

So I've got some vacation time built up.

I padded my and Serk Jr's Inzane trip with ten days counting the Friday Inzane ends to get home.

I've been toying with ideas, after he held up very well for 1300 miles this past weekend, and assuming he handles the trip to Billings well, thinking about getting a little crazy and (Assuming Canada has dropped all border quarantine requirements by then) thinking of something like this:

Thoughts? Input? This map is still very rough, I'm sure it'll change more before we leave and even more while we're on the road (If this happens)

(And yes, I'm aware I'll have to be disarmed, and likely change one of the flags out on my bike to make sure I'm not jumped, but that's for the other forum)

https://goo.gl/maps/nPFyPXzcUKXQ1SWF8

Partially recreating a crazy trip my dad and I made when I was 15 in a 1984 Toyota Pickup.... But that was in just a week, we went from Dallas -> Albuquerque -> Red River NM -> Grand Canyon -> Las Vegas -> San Francisco -> Portland -> Seattle -> Vancouver -> Dawson Creek -> Edmonton -> Yellowstone -> Rocky Mountain National Park -> Denver -> Red River NM -> Dallas

Not QUITE that crazy on this trip, but pretty aggressive I realize...

IF this happens and IF we're doing well time wise might stay on PCH longer, but keeping all ideas very loose to not get caught into any timelines, I figure at any point if I'm 3 days from having to be at work we just point the bike east and grind it out...

And also yes, I know, I could spend a week in each of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks, I could spend a week doing the PCH, and a week at Grand Canyon, and Glacier, and..... But I'm not retired yet, so have to do a "That's the Grand Canyon, get a good look, isn't it majestic? Okay, get your helmet back on and let's GO GO GO" unfortunately...

[carolinarider09]

We have ridden US 2 west and considered going to Canada, just because.  I know there are several members on here who can provide lots of information on what and where.  All I can tell you is a story.

Wife and I were taking a trip around the upper Great Lakes and were somewhere in Ontario for the night.  We saw a car with plates (I think it was plates) from Saskatchewan. 

We started a conversation with the couple and asked about their travels to where we were.  They said that they did the trip non-stop.  I asked why and they said it was just all the same.  Not much to see. 

Just what we found out and I think was just because their travels were just north of the US/Canada border.

[The emperor has no clothes]

I don’t want to rain on your parade, but you did ask. That is about the worst route you could take to see that country. I would cross in to Canada further west. I would definitely not take Interstate 5 down thru WA, OR, CA. And most definitely don’t come across the desert that time of year. It will most likely be 120* that time of year for many miles. Your route is going to take you thru many hours of city traffic. It ain’t going to be fun for either of you.


Canada just dropped the testing for vaccinated people. You just have to download your info on their app 72 hours prior to crossing. Does Serk Jr. have a passport ? If not, you may not have enough time to get it.

(Sorry to be a downer) 

[Serk]

I don’t want to rain on your parade, but you did ask. That is about the worst route you could take to see that country. I would cross in to Canada further west. I would definitely not take Interstate 5 down thru WA, OR, CA. And most definitely don’t come across the desert that time of year. It will most likely be 120* that time of year for many miles. Your route is going to take you thru many hours of city traffic. It ain’t going to be fun for either of you.


Canada just dropped the testing for vaccinated people. You just have to download your info on their app 72 hours prior to crossing. Does Serk Jr. have a passport ? If not, you may not have enough time to get it.

(Sorry to be a downer) 

No worries, I asked for input and WANT it!!!!

Both Serk Jr. and I have passports and Vaccination cards... (I went ahead and got passports for all the triplets, it was expensive but I figured it was a good thing to just get taken care of)

That's actually part of it, KK and Blake have traveled interstate on air planes, Serk Jr has not and is feeling rather left out, so I figured HE should get the first international trip.....

And I get the route isn't the prettiest, other than a few pretty spots, looking at cramming in as much "Oooooooh!" as possible into as little time as possible....

Which cities do you think would be quicker to take back roads around? Not challenging, I'm legit trying to build as much info as I can!

The last time I was in this area was when I was 15.... which was.......... a long time ago... like Valkyries didn't exist yet, and Gold Wing's were 1200cc.....

[The emperor has no clothes]

I would enter Canada on Hiway 93 and come back down thru Osoyoos. Take 101 down thru WA, OR, CA. Cut across thru Yosemite and go east on 80. If you take 40, Bakersfield to Albuquerque is going to be brutal that time of year. I would do everything you can to avoid all of 5 from Seattle thru California.

[f6gal]

I think this would be more fun... some awesome roads, like Lolo pass, 95, and a lot more PCH.  

https://goo.gl/maps/DyQyMjBiftbdZuwN6

[gordonv]

If you know what you want to see, let us know, and we can get a little more specific on your travels.

From Billings, if you want the PCH, then where to hit it? Over to the Columbia River, and through Portland to the coast at Astoria. Then north around the Olympic peninsula. Either over to Vancouver Island, or to I-5 and cross the border near Vancouver. Full vaccination required and the ArrivCan app filled in.

How far up into BC do you want to go? North Vancouver Island has an expensive all day ferry ride to Prince Rupert, then you can go east over to Prince George, and further to Dawson Creek and northern Alberta, or down through the Icefield Parkway (? most of the glacier is melted) from Jasper to Banff.

Through Vancouver, and I would go up past Whistler and into the interior from there. Kind of hard to see the lower Fraser Canyon if you take that route, but you can still see some of it's majestic beauty along with the Thompson River too. Maybe Barkerville gold rush, stay the night in an 1800's hotel.

I would cross back over into Idaho, and from there, others could suggest a better route home.

If you don't want to go as far around as the PCH, then from Billings I would again cross over somewhere near the BC/Alberta border, and along Hwy 3 towards Vancouver. Depending on when you leave there will be others heading towards Spokane and points beyond.

Temps in Canada should be fine. The Columbia basin in WA almost killed me when I rode through to Spearfish SD Inzane, and it's a large plain so not much to see but prairie like conditions (like central Alberta & Saskatchewan).

[..]

Yellowstone - road construction
Going to the Sun Rd - reservations.
Grand Canyon - north rim.

Do less miles see more stuff.

Quality not quantity.

Badlands
Mt Rushmore
Devils Tower
General Custer
Museum in Cody - lotsa firearms
Lake ferries in Canada

[..]

Monument Valley
Goblin State Park
Zion
Bryce
Bonneville Salt Flats

So much for Jr to see.

Watch some classic movies with great locations and then take Jr to see them

Too many miles and it will become a blur.

[Valker]

Serk, I’m assuming Junior already has a passport also? Each person needs one. Since he’s a minor, it’ll be a good idea to have a notarized letter from his Other parent giving you her permission to cross international borders.

[Jess from VA]

Serk, I’m assuming Junior already has a passport also? Each person needs one. Since he’s a minor, it’ll be a good idea to have a notarized letter from his Other parent giving you her permission to cross international borders.

Otherwise, how will they know you aren't kidnapping him across international borders to claim sanctuary (and avoiding divorce court orders)?      

[Serk]

I would enter Canada on Hiway 93 and come back down thru Osoyoos. Take 101 down thru WA, OR, CA. Cut across thru Yosemite and go east on 80. If you take 40, Bakersfield to Albuquerque is going to be brutal that time of year. I would do everything you can to avoid all of 5 from Seattle thru California.

Looks a lot prettier, will play with these routes and see how the miles/time changes.....

I think this would be more fun... some awesome roads, like Lolo pass, 95, and a lot more PCH.  

https://goo.gl/maps/DyQyMjBiftbdZuwN6

Definitely, but it skips one of the goals of the trip, letting Serk Jr. be the first of the triplets to step foot outside of the USA. 

If you know what you want to see, let us know, and we can get a little more specific on your travels.

Good point!

Goals:
Enter Canada
Ride through Canadian Rockies
That's pretty much it for Canadian goals for this trip. I considered Dawson Creek, but if I made it that far I'm not sure I could force myself to turn around and head south without doing the thing fully first...

Silly goals:
Ride in Idaho, WA State, Oragon, California, Arizona, possibly Nevada

Pretty goals:
Ride as much of the PCH as realistically possible.
Spend a day in Monterey to hopefully hang out with the elder spawn.

Stretch goals:
Grand Canyon
Golden Gate Bridge

Too many miles and it will become a blur.

I agree, but the blur of memories made with my dad when I was a kid has stuck with me, and that was an even crazier trip than what I've got planned out.... I wish I had the time and resources to do everything, having to be extremely picky.... I hope when I get to the retirement goal line I'm still physically capable of trips like this, that's the REAL goal!

Serk, I’m assuming Junior already has a passport also? Each person needs one. Since he’s a minor, it’ll be a good idea to have a notarized letter from his Other parent giving you her permission to cross international borders.

Yes, we took over the post office and got a lot of funny looks a month or two back getting passports for three precocious 10 year olds all with the same DOB...

The notarized letter is something I hadn't considered, but will definitely look into that, thanks for pointing that out!


Seriously, please keep the input coming, this is still a dream, but it's starting to firm up a tiny little bit... Serk Jr. is excited about being the first to leave the USA (He's the only of the triplets NOT to fly on an airplane yet, the other two like to taunt him on that point, this will give him a big feather in his hat to counter with)

Also on I-40 across the desert in the summer - Yeah.... Will have to think on that one. I've done it before, in the summer, in a car with no air conditioning, so I know just how much of a blast furnace it can be...  That's how we knew it was true love, I flew to Los Angeles and drove the now spousal unit home to Dallas in her 1984 Chevy Nova jalopy.... In late June.

[carolinarider09]

Monument Valley
Goblin State Park
Zion
Bryce
Bonneville Salt Flats

Been to them all and would recommend. 

The only issue I have/had, was I love to ride.   And yes, we did stop at all of those places but the shear magnitude of the scenery and "stuff" you see as you travel is just "wow".   

For instance, we found the Arches National Park because I elected to stay at a motel near there.  But the next time we went that way, we took the route along the river.

Again, as we traveled north from the Grand Canyon to Moument Valley, the scenery, landscape changes, dramatically as you ride.  And yes you can stop and see stuff, but.......

Just my opinion. 

[0leman]

Serk
I do live in OR and driving/rode I-5 more times than I want to remember.  This is a major North/South hwy.  Lots of truck traffic.  Not a road I would want to do with a son on the back of the bike.  Also is patrolled a lot, especially looking for drug traffic.  A good portion south of Portland is thru timber country, views are good. 

PCH is a better road, but also is a slow road.  Lots of summer traffic the time of year you will be driving.   The view of the ocean is really cool plus lots of places to pull off to see the water.   

There are two other north/south roads thru OR.  Hwy 97 and 396.  Neither are really good for seeing the country.  Hwy 395 has the lease amount of traffic.

[Jess from VA]

The notarized letter is something I hadn't considered, but will definitely look into that, thanks for pointing that out!

Looking online for basic power of attorney language, such a letter could be easily cobbled together.  Just customize the language to fit the purpose.

One on here for minor child.

https://eforms.com/power-of-attorney/tx/

[ridingron]

If you're near Las Vegas (F6Gal's map) I'd consider taking  a cruise around town if he is old enough to recognize and remember the casinos and landmarks.

[Serk]

If you're near Las Vegas (F6Gal's map) I'd consider taking  a cruise around town if he is old enough to recognize and remember the casinos and landmarks.

Yup, if things are going well will definitely include that (And the Hoover Dam), just like I did in December while driving his big sister back to her base in California with the girl of the triplets too...

[cookiedough]

enjoy, sounds like you have a few bucket lists items to cross off the list of things to do.

As you said, retirement cannot come soon enough and as long as we are still physically able to do them in our 60's.....

[..]

Go see the Redwoods?

[3fan4life]

A slight modification of Connie's suggested route gets you into Canada for a bit:


https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Billings+Hotel+and+Convention+Center/Lolo+Pass+Visitor+Center/46.4405245,-123.8619834/''/35.3876061,-120.8418545/Grand+Canyon+National+Park,+Arizona/Rowlett,+TX/@35.7003887,-118.4755643,6.99z/data=!4m64!4m63!1m5!1m1!1s0x5348633e4007af77:0xc30ca605407d918d!2m2!1d-108.5546297!2d45.7472004!1m15!1m1!1s0x535e8ae983619bbb:0x194d1a0a910a6c02!2m2!1d-114.5775398!2d46.6346061!3m4!1m2!1d-118.2236616!2d48.9754516!3s0x5362ba6fcdc02ecf:0x3cf143662a310d63!3m4!1m2!1d-121.2258346!2d49.2721788!3s0x5483894b0e292d47:0x9b24d972e77d3e61!1m0!1m25!1m1!1s0x54c4ce5125fc9fd5:0x5e1b7e6ce7828cd7!2m2!1d-124.494311!2d42.7433227!3m4!1m2!1d-123.6512192!2d38.8567471!3s0x808122f012445aef:0x2f55ee06d4d582f6!3m4!1m2!1d-122.7319401!2d37.9747339!3s0x8085c03cdf930921:0xc1afa70aa851a10!3m4!1m2!1d-122.3655451!2d37.1750746!3s0x808efffd5d4688c7:0xc86d4b8710b83185!3m4!1m2!1d-121.8662119!2d36.2952229!3s0x808d91125f9377af:0x973498c1c84e33cb!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x873312ae759b4d15:0x1f38a9bec9912029!2m2!1d-112.1129484!2d36.1069258!1m5!1m1!1s0x864c029ac508bb4d:0xba91030e44b729ef!2m2!1d-96.56388!2d32.9029017!3e0


From what I remember of my one excursion into that part of Canada it was very nice.


And it takes you through Hope, BC where the original First Blood movie was filmed.

[..]

I forgot this.

ICEFIELDS PARKWAY!!!

From 10 years ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XsyIGUi3F0&t=304s

[..]

Let Jr. wear a digital camera on a lanyard around his neck so he can take photos.

[Oss]

The road into Yosemite from the east is I think 120   We took 395? south from Tahoe on a day trip in early October  saw lots of bear in Tahoe and took a motorboat on the lake and swam  (think the last scene in Titanic where Dicaprio sinks into the depths  freakin cold !)

120 going up and down is WOW  actually my favorite part of that trip

Another great road is the northbound exit from MUIR WOODS just north of sausalito

San Francisco I dont care to visit ever again, a real downer these days  The Bronx is cleaner and safer

Lolo Pass was great fun, but I had sleet at the visitor center in late June but only for an hour then cold rain    You know a road is fun if after 3 hours of rain you want to go back

Expect some wind going west once near the Columbia River  Your clue is the thousands of windmills

I am taking unknown roads to Seattle then 2 east  I probably cant keep up with ya

[Bret SD]

Hey Serk, if per chance your plans take you to San Diego I'd love to meet you and your boy.
Heading north on the coast is pretty nice from here, it takes about 2 hours to get past LA.. Once you're through there it's golden, if you go up the 101 just past Santa Barbara you'll head Inland through the Lompoc, Vandenberg Air Force Base vicinity.

Once you're into San Luis Obispo you can head over to the coast and Morro Bay. Going straight North from there you'll pass some nice scenery and Hearst Castle.
If you continue N on Highway 1 from there you'll go through Big Sur and see that Majestic View. Continuing North through Carmel, Monterey and Santa Cruz. Pick up the 101 again in San Jose or maybe find the 5 north at that point. The last time I went up that way the 5 wasn't bad at all through Northern Cal and Oregon.. All the way into Washington state for that matter. Trinity Lake is awesome and 5 takes you through some great scenic areas, Southern Oregon is also very nice. It's all about time vs scenery, either route offers some good.

Washington state is very beautiful, I really love the Sequim area. You could cross into Vancouver from there and head E through Canada dropping down into the states at some point.. then drop back South to home base.

You could spend a month and still only see a small part of what's available to see on the West Coast.

[f6gal]

A slight modification of Connie's suggested route gets you into Canada for a bit:


From what I remember of my one excursion into that part of Canada it was very nice.


And it takes you through Hope, BC where the original First Blood movie was filmed.

The Lolo Visit's Center is at the beginning of Lolo Pass... The pass is 12 down to were it turns Northwest.

EDIT:  But you could still go Northwest to Spokane from the end of Lolo Pass

[Jess from VA]

in Tahoe and took a motorboat on the lake and swam  (think the last scene in Titanic where Dicaprio sinks into the depths, freakin cold !)

I've swam, well bathed more than swam, in Lakes Erie and Huron in April, and it's cold.

I swam in Lake Tahoe in June, very briefly, and that is the coldest water I've ever been in.  About the same as falling through the ice, anywhere.  The day was bright and sunny and warm, and at first I wondered why every person you could see in Lake Tahoe was in full wet suits.  Frigid is why!!

And part of that, besides mountain runoff and elevation is, Tahoe is 1,644 at its deepest.  Lake Superior, the largest, deepest and Northernmost of the Great Lakes is 1,332 at it's deepest.

[..]

Goonies Island? If Jr is old enough to see the film.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Goonies+Island%3F&t=newext&atb=v320-2&iax=images&ia=images&iai=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.squarespace.com%2Fstatic%2F510dee80e4b0c0190c350c2b%2F510df1abe4b002b7926b38a1%2F510df1abe4b002b7926b38bc%2F1336321103000%2Fyou_goonie.jpg%3Fformat%3Doriginal

[Bret SD]

in Tahoe and took a motorboat on the lake and swam  (think the last scene in Titanic where Dicaprio sinks into the depths, freakin cold !)

I've swam, well bathed more than swam, in Lakes Erie and Huron in April, and it's cold.

I swam in Lake Tahoe in June, very briefly, and that is the coldest water I've ever been in.  About the same as falling through the ice, anywhere.  The day was bright and sunny and warm, and at first I wondered why every person you could see in Lake Tahoe was in full wet suits.  Frigid is why!!

And part of that, besides mountain runoff and elevation is, Tahoe is 1,644 at its deepest.  Lake Superior, the largest, deepest and Northernmost of the Great Lakes is 1,332 at it's deepest.

Last trip to Truckee I made it my mission to get into the cold water at Lake Tahoe, I wanted to hang out in the water for a few minutes to test cold water skills.. mission accomplished, it was cold 

[Willow]

Traveling south on the PCH is most scenic.  In that direction the sea is to your right with no intervening traffic.  The mountains to your left are above the traffic.  Not the fastest route but enjoyable.

[Wizzard]

Rode the PCH from Santa Monica all way to Seattle and enjoyed every minute of it. 

[f6gal]

Rode the PCH from Santa Monica all way to Seattle and enjoyed every minute of it. 

North to South is even better!   

[Valker]

^^^ She's very correct on that!

[msb]

Serk, if it works out for you to make it up into or through  BC, please know that you can contact me, Gordonv,  or just post on the BC board and you'll get a response to specific questions, or just general suggestions if you wish. The stricter border crossings have been lifted. I believe effective April 1 you just have to be vaccinated, and register using the ArriveCan app. Testing is no longer required. There are other fantastic mountainous regions in the South to ride as well as the Rockies if you're not carrying on to the North. There are also some real good Valk friends just South of the border in both East and West WA, who I could hook you up with and who I'm sure would be willing to safely babysit your firearm(s) for you while you're up in Canada.
Unless you're bent on seeing Seattle and Vancouver , I'd stay Central or East coming through WA, entering through a smaller Eastern crossing or one in ID into BC. That will put you right into the best riding in the Southern half BC...the Kootenays, and with a direct route to the Rockies. The traffic madness of the metropolises and surrounding urban areas of Seattle and Vancouver along with the Western border crossings are enough to suck any enjoyment you've accumulated from Inzane and the first US part of your ride, right out of your journey...so beware!
Keep us posted on whatever route you choose...can probably put together a few bikes to welcome you and Jr to BC and maybe even ride a few kms with ya

[Serk]

Go see the Redwoods?

Possibly, seems to be pretty much off the PCH but a little further north than I was thinking of getting on it, but definitely something I'd like to see...

I forgot this.

ICEFIELDS PARKWAY!!!

From 10 years ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XsyIGUi3F0&t=304s

Another I'd love to do, but it's way further north than I was planning on going this trip, in fact leaning towards staying even further south overall, just over the Canadian border, to save some time/miles...

Let Jr. wear a digital camera on a lanyard around his neck so he can take photos.

A capital idea! A few times I'd have Kali keep my Canon D-SLR on a tether around her neck while riding passenger, might dust it off or just get a cheap, smaller camera for him to use...

The road into Yosemite from the east is I think 120   We took 395? south from Tahoe on a day trip in early October  saw lots of bear in Tahoe and took a motorboat on the lake and swam  (think the last scene in Titanic where Dicaprio sinks into the depths  freakin cold !)

Yosemite is another I'd love to do, but it's further inland that I plan on getting at that point in California, however if I manage to sneak out to visit Kali in Monterey again at some point she's expressed interest in going as well (And she loves the fact that her military ID gets the whole family into national parks gratis)

Hey Serk, if per chance your plans take you to San Diego I'd love to meet you and your boy.
Once you're into San Luis Obispo you can head over to the coast and Morro Bay. Going straight North from there you'll pass some nice scenery and Hearst Castle.

I'd love to meet up, but San Diego is sadly much further south (And it'd require crossing LA) than I had planned for this trip...

And yeah, I drove Monterey to Gorda and back and also a further south part near Hearst Castle this past December/January trip out there, but that was in the car, not a bike.....

And indeed, that trip is partially the impetus for wanting to do this one, I was blown away by the beauty of the area, and kept wishing I was on a bike the whole time...

Serk, if it works out for you to make it up into or through  BC, please know that you can contact me, Gordonv,  or just post on the BC board and you'll get a response to specific questions, or just general suggestions if you wish. The stricter border crossings have been lifted. I believe effective April 1 you just have to be vaccinated, and register using the ArriveCan app. Testing is no longer required. There are other fantastic mountainous regions in the South to ride as well as the Rockies if you're not carrying on to the North.

Sounds good! Any chance with the border relaxing some of ya'll might be at Billings too?

Taking what you said, and some input from others I've been tweaking the route a bit, does this look a little saner? Still pretty crazy, I know averaging 400 miles a day for 10 days is a slog, but that's also part of the adventure...

Two possibilities, the Banff route:

https://goo.gl/maps/SiY3M7StNhEhPPsz7

Or shave a few hundred miles (or those kill a meter or whatever ya'll call those things ) off and stick south of Banff and smaller areas (From Street view looks not quite as majestic as Banff but still pretty darn nice scenery!)

https://goo.gl/maps/12QDiGego46p3LjH9

Edit to add - and I didn't reply to your comment specifically please don't take it as a sleight! I'm reading all the input and percolating on all the very good advice given, and appreciate all of it!

[The emperor has no clothes]

https://goo.gl/maps/12QDiGego46p3LjH9

Your route is improving. If you find yourself hungry as you near Eureka, try this place. It’s an old cookhouse from the days of logging. First time there was in ‘79, and it hasn’t changed much at all.

https://www.samoacookhouse.net/

[f6gal]

OMG... route around Portland!!! 

[Serk]

OMG... route around Portland!!! 

Because it's a big city, or because it's Portland?

[f6gal]

OMG... route around Portland!!! 

Because it's a big city, or because it's Portland?

Both, but mainly because it's Portland.

[Bret SD]

OMG... route around Portland!!! 

Because it's a big city, or because it's Portland?

Both, but mainly because it's Portland.

Portland is such a unique, beautiful and cool place.. shame it's become what it's become.

[Bret SD]

"And indeed, that trip is partially the impetus for wanting to do this one, I was blown away by the beauty of the area, and kept wishing I was on a bike the whole time..."

Yep, still haven't been able to ride Big Sur due to natural disasters like fire and collapse events getting in the way. I'm not giving up though.

This riding site is incredible, he's totally rebuilding it.. it's a massive project, I think the original site had some 20,000 pages? He's remapping in Northern Cal right now. There are gobs of beautiful roads in Ca where near nobody travels, perfect for Valkyries

https://www.pashnit.com/