I gotta get out of here!

[Alien]

I have an app on my phone that is counting down to my departure for InZane. As of this moment, it says 25 days, 17 hours and 25 seconds.  I work 6-7 days a week as well as most nights and I have to say that although I love what I do, by the end of each fiscal year (June 30), I'm very nearly ready to rip someone's lungs out of their ass.  I need a break, I need my bike, I need to be on the road.  Somehow, I always come back recharged and able to do it all over again.  

I decided to stretch the ride out this year.  I'll be leaving Los Angeles on June 19th.  Below are my planned waypoints, which will change according to my whims, as well as my finalized route.  

Day 1 - Los Angeles, CA (home)
Day 2 - Gilroy, CA (garlic capitol of the world)
Day 3 - Eureka, CA (stopping to visit the in-laws)
Day 4 - Astoria, OR
Day 5 - Seattle, WA
Day 6 - Pinehurst, ID
Days 7-12 - Billings, MT (InZane!!!)
Day 13 - Casper, WY
Day 14 - Denver, CO
Day 15 - Salina, UT
Days 16-17 - Las Vegas, NV
Days 18-20  - Big Bear Lake, CA
Day 21 - Los Angeles, CA



Hope to see you all there.

Ride Safe,

Alien

[wiggydotcom]

Looks like a great trip to me, Alien. It's always nice to NOT be rushed on a trip so you have the ability to stop and take lots of pics and smell the roses.

Someday I hope to plan such a trip WITH adequate time. I'm about a yr and 8 months from retirement so I hope to be able to do it after that.


See you at Inzane!

[Serk]

Nice route! If possible I'd re-work it to spend a little more time in Colorado and less time in Denver though. SO many awesome roads in Colorado, need to get off the beaten path and meander a bit. At the very least make the run through Rocky Mountain National Park and ride up to the top of Mount Evans (The highest paved road in North America)

[msb]

Looks great Alien... Yes only a few short weeks away now. Not sure by your map the exact route to Seattle you've chosen, but a little further North across Upper Cascades would be my choice... Spectacular views and great roads. Also... stay away from I5 through Seattle area during the day... Yikes, what a nightmare that would be on a bike...

[..]

Hopefully PCH will be reopened by then. Had a big mudslide. Can't remember where.

[..]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4532734/Massive-slide-covers-stretch-iconic-California-highway.html

[fudgie]

Id hit Glacier while your up there in MT. You wont be disappointed. Its only a days ride (500 miles) to Billings.

[gordonv]

I'll be leaving Los Angeles on June 19th.  Below are my planned waypoints, which will change according to my whims, as well as my finalized route.  

Day 5 - Seattle, WA
Day 6 - Pinehurst, ID
Days 7-12 - Billings, MT (InZane!!!)

This would put you in Seattle June 24? The BC and PNW VRCC chapters will be in Post Falls ID on the 23-25, then ride over to Billings on the 25.

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,88623.0.html

Like msb suggested, from Port Townsend WA take the ferry over to Fort Casey and Hwy 20, which you can follow over the Cascade mountains. Nice roads.

[Savago]

+1 on visiting the Glacier National Park (and riding through the road 'Going to the Sun'). Then head next to Yellowstone and ride the 'Bear tooth Pass').

But before getting there, while in California, around Monterey there is the Carmel Valley, which is an interesting ride (if you follow next to the Pinnacles National Park, through the Skyline Road).

In the Bay Area, I would definitely ride the Skyline Boulevard (CA-35) and stop at Alice's Restaurant. When you are in the area, let me know and we can have a burger there.
:-)

In NorCal, I would try to visit the Redwoods National Park (and ride through the 'Avenue of the Giants'). If you are not in a hurry and could add another day in the trip, I would also try to ride the 'Serpent to the sea' a.k.a. CA-36. I'm planning to ride the CA-36 in the coming months.

In Oregon I would head East and try to visit the Crater Lake National Park. The Pacific Route (CA-01) gets very boring as soon you cross the border to Oregon.

[gordonv]

Oh ya, one more thing. It's been mentioned many times, here I think is the most I heard this.

When riding the coast Hwy, if you plan on stopping for the sites, then you want to be traveling south bound, so you make right hand turns into the parking, and rights back onto the Hwy.

I know myself, I get lazy, and just keep on riding.

[longrider]

Your trip sounds good.  One more suggestion  you'll be riding right by  The turn off to mount Evans.  14293 feet at the parking lot.  It may be the highest paved highway in the USA.  Hope you have time for it. Breath taking scenery and ride.  Should take about three hours of time

[Oss]

The best fish and chips I ever had was in Cannon CIty just south of Astoria   They make them with Halibut   Wash it down with a fat tire beer and man thats a good dinner

East of the Astoria Bridge is a ferry, that was a great little ride with just 1 or 2 other vehicles then single lane roads going east, you can cross back south the 20 miles to 84 pretty much lots of places for Portland   Motels will be less $ away from the city, just sayin

If it were me I would forget about Seattle and head east thru (around) Portland to the big double waterfall east of the city then visit the Stonehenge monument and head up 12 Lolo pass in Idaho

You will be going uphill the whole way lol  Think there is just 1 gas stop on 12 on your left going east, stop for gas and coffee there.
Thousands of windmills along the columbia river and the wind will be at your back, that is a very good thing indeed

[hubcapsc]

The best fish and chips I ever had was in Cannon CIty just south of Astoria

So... Oss... you got there just for the... halibut... ?

-Mike "yuk yuk FIL joke..."

[Willow]

... mount Evans.  14293 feet at the parking lot.  It may be the highest paved highway in the USA.  ...

It was.  I believe they paved on up Pike's Peak and took that claim away.

[Serk]

... mount Evans.  14293 feet at the parking lot.  It may be the highest paved highway in the USA.  ...

It was.  I believe they paved on up Pike's Peak and took that claim away.

While I do believe you are correct about Pike's Peak road being paved, it's "only" 14,114 feet at the top of Pike's Peak, meaning Mount Evans is still Rocky Mountain Higher...

[Willow]

... mount Evans.  14293 feet at the parking lot.  It may be the highest paved highway in the USA.  ...

It was.  I believe they paved on up Pike's Peak and took that claim away.

While I do believe you are correct about Pike's Peak road being paved, it's "only" 14,114 feet at the top of Pike's Peak, meaning Mount Evans is still Rocky Mountain Higher... 

Pike's Peak is listed at 14,110.  Mount Evans is listed at 14,267.  When I rode up Mt. Evans and hiked to the top they made a point of telling us the parking lot (and end of paved road) was 300 feet below the top.  The road up Pike's Peak leads to the top.

Rob, don't you tire of this?   

[Serk]

Pike's Peak is listed at 14,110.  Mount Evans is listed at 14,267.  When I rode up Mt. Evans and hiked to the top they made a point of telling us the parking lot (and end of paved road) was 300 feet below the top.  The road up Pike's Peak leads to the top.

Rob, don't you tire of this?   

You know I can't let it go, right?

Mount Evans Scenic Byway
The byway is 28 miles (45 km) in length and gains over 7,000 feet (2,100 m) of elevation. Achieving a final elevation of 14,130 feet (4,310 m), this is the highest paved road in North America.

Source - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Evans_Scenic_Byway

14,130 > 14,110

[fudgie]

No wonder you have triplets, your persistent! 

[Serk]

No wonder you have triplets, your persistent! 

...and I think I might be needing this ride even more than Alien does...

[Willow]

14,130 > 14,110  

I stand corrected (with some reluctance).  As I looked through various reports of the Colorado mountain peaks there was a fair amount of variation but twenty feet seems enough to overcome that.

Oops. Not only was I corrected; I mistook who corrected me.   

[Oss]

captains log..........

On this date, Willow stood corrected

check of world shows it is still spinning on axis

Also Motomama may be unaware of event

Serk sadly (note missing  " , "  for Willow to reflect upon) remains needing a ride

resuming normal programming        

Oss

good one Mike  

[Alien]

Thanks for all the suggestions.  Oss, you are the 3rd person in as many days to tell me about that fish and chips joint near Astoria.  I will have to make it a stop for sure.  As far as the high altitude stuff goes, I'll pass.  Altitudes of more than about 8000 feet have given me severe headaches ever since I was a kid.

Ride Safe,

Alien

[fudgie]

Thanks for all the suggestions.  Oss, you are the 3rd person in as many days to tell me about that fish and chips joint near Astoria.  I will have to make it a stop for sure.  As far as the high altitude stuff goes, I'll pass.  Altitudes of more than about 8000 feet have given me severe headaches ever since I was a kid.

Ride Safe,

Alien

That sucks cause your gonna miss nice roads west of Billings. Beartooth, CJH, etc. At least ride out to Red Lodge MT and to the base of the BT pass. Still neat to see. Red Lodge is a neat little town.

[The emperor has no clothes]

14,130 > 14,110  

I stand corrected (with some reluctance).  As I looked through various reports of the Colorado mountain peaks there was a fair amount of variation but twenty feet seems enough to overcome that.

Oops. Not only was I corrected; I mistook who corrected me.   

I was trying to figure out if you were trying to send me a subliminal message or something. I feel a lot better now. 

[sheets]

Cali - PCH Hwy 001 - northwards from Morro Bay . . . is closed at Big Sur due to bridge construction (dividing the village in half - foot traffic only at certain times of the day). From what I've read about the slide a few days ago, that location is to the north of the bridge project.

The Avenue of the Giants parallels the freeway (north of Garberville to south of Fortuna), so that excursion is not out of the way. Find the sign directing you to Founders Grove. A good place to take a break and walk around a bit.

Redwood Nat'l Park - north of Orick . . . right where the freeway bypass begins is your exit to take the old road through the State park. About 9 miles two-lane road dissecting the old growth redwood forest. Many foot trails along the way if you wish to take a short break and walk around a bit. The old road through the park puts you back on the freeway so you can't get lost.