Good evening all, We are tripping from east side of PA and are looking for advice as such:
Known recommended route out/ what routes to definitely avoid.
Known route back.
Any time of year things to be aware of, Mountain snow/ things of that nature.
Any general advice will help.
Thanks guys and gals!
Take a spare gas can. High octane fuel.in Kansas across US 50 is far and few between. We were sweating it a few times last year when we went from Ohio to Colorado.
It all really depends on what you want to see and do, what kind of roads you enjoy riding on, and how much time you have to make the trip.
If you want to visit National Parks or Historic places research them and string together a route.
If you want to ride amazing motorcycle roads do a search on the top 100 motorcycle roads in the US and string together as many of those as you can.
Many of the high mountain passes are only open for a short window in the summertime. When I went over Beartooth pass in July of 2012 there was 6 feet of snow on both sides of the road leftover from the winter.
If I can't avoid a major city and hit it at the wrong time of the day I will usually get a hotel room and then get up very early in the morning and get through it before the commuters get out on the road. Hope you have a very enjoyable adventure.
Thanks for all of the above info. We still have to have a good sit down session. I think we were told by someone to do July/ August for snow on the mountains. I would prefer to do it when it is cooler than those months can be. Not sure if trip will be 2 or 2+ weeks yet either. Beat it out there come down the P.C.H. and head home.... Open for suggestions until we go. Thanks again, keep'em coming....
I have done long haul riding before, Sturgis 2x, Key West, North Maine, Colorado shark week/4 corners. Fuel quality no real issue for me. Looking for pitfalls like... On the way to/from Sturgis, Chicago was a long, hot parking lot, killed my wrist. I would like to hit 66 just fore the above reason, the desolation..... as long as there is gas....Keep'em coming please.
Yes on the rain gear, I always travel with it, if you gotta be home by a certain date, git yer gear on SON!
and I hope there are some old buildings/ history left. I have to do current research on that. My biggest concern as of now is what month to go/earliest...... Thanks
Good evening all, We are tripping from east side of PA and are looking for advice as such:
Known recommended route out/ what routes to definitely avoid.
Known route back.
Any time of year things to be aware of, Mountain snow/ things of that nature.
Any general advice will help.
Thanks guys and gals!
Some great riding routes: Idaho, Utah, Nevada, western Colorado
1; Baker City, OR and John Day area- July 9th to the 13th https://hellscanyonmotorcyclerally.com/ - some of the best riding in the west. You can camp at the Baker City High School ball fields for $30.00 for all 4 nights. They usually have hundreds of folks camping. It is a smaller friendly rally developed for riding. Each day you can have 200-300 mile scenic riding days, your choice. Wallowa Lake is a must see.
2. Highway 12 Idaho-Whitebird,ID to LoLo, Montana
3. Highway 12 Utah - Torrey,UT through to Bryce,UT
4. North Rim Grand Canyon- Kanab, UT to Jacob Lake and the North Rim and Marble Canyon and the Vermilion Cliffs
5. Lake Mead National Rec Area- Logandale,NV to Hoover Dam and Boulder City,NV. Excellent riding and desert scenery. You can take in the Valley of Fire State Park which has phenomenal scenery.
6. Delores River Valley just outside of Cortez,CO. Ride either way from Delores to Telluride to Ridgway or the reverse. Beautiful. And, you will be near the Millon Dollar Highway 550, Durango, Silverton and Ouray and Mesa Verde NP.
7. I have not mentioned Zion NP due to the throngs of tourists. The scenery is exceptional, but the waits to get into the park and at the tunnel will dampen the ride through. Some good restaurants in Springdale though.
Ridden out west a couple of times. Love pretty much anything west of Sioux Falls. Unfortunately, leaving from Michigan, we lose 3 days of riding to go out and back because we have to travel through Illinois and Iowa (you know what I mean if you have ridden to Sturgis). Not trying to offend anybody. They are great people and flyover country is the backbone that makes our country what it is. But I can only look at so many cornfields and we usually only have 9 days to ride (taking a week vacation). Hopefully, you have more time. So we have to haul ass through there to get to the hills and twisty's further west. I know, I am a flat-lander too and there are hills and curves everywhere in the country. But DAMN, you think they could have put at least one curve on 80 just to break up the monotony along that stretch??? I am with twowheel, research well reviewed rides and try to string them together. You really can't go wrong as long as you can be on two lane and ridin' a shark IMHO!! Good luck with the ride and look forward to hearing about it after.
If your asking about Utah and Nevada weather, fall, early winter, spring and early summer are good for Lake Mead and southern Utah. The summer heat gets 110 plus in southern Nevada. You can ride Lake Mead, Havasu, the Sultan Sea area, which is the Anza-Borrego Desert in eastern San Diego County and Imperial County, just about year around. The summers do get quite hot though.
For Idaho 12 and western Colorado I would look at no sooner than mid June and on through the fall. It just depends on how much snow there is from winter and how the storm systems come in from the coast. As with most riding, you have to be ready for just about any weather condition in the southwest, wind, heavy rain, snow, cold and extreme heat.
The North Rim services don't open till mid to late May depending on snow. I would plan on June through the fall for the North Rim and as early as mid May for Torrey and Highway 12 in Utah.
You may want to narrow those travel dates down to July and August. Some mountain roads out west are still closed in June if there is a late heavy snowfall. Early snows come in September.
There may be no more potent reminder of California's humongous snowfall than the plows still clearing roads that snake across the state's highest mountains as summer approaches.
www.vcstar.com
Middle of June two years ago in and around Yosemite roads still closed.
My suggestion is late July to early August. You'll still have heat to deal with, however all roads and parks should be open. Even that time of year you'll be surprised at how cool/cold the mornings will be at any elevation. I waited one year until late August into early September and it was amazing how cool the mornings were already getting. Whatever you decide, enjoy the ride and the beautiful scenery this country provides.
When we get West, we plan to ride down from Oregon, we pick up 1 and ride it all the way down to Big Sur Area. Now looking to add more southern dip to the beaches below L.A. Then plot a course to Las Vegas. What roads should we avoid for traffic or painful slowness? Thanks
90 west through S.Dakota, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho was an amazing ride in July '19. As stated by someone else, Beartooth pass still had snow and tourist issues. But, it puts you in range of plenty of Nation parks/National Monuments.
As For Shitcago, ya gotta know the best times for the highways and it helps to know backroads. DM me if you want different routes to get past that shithole..
I did this trip back in 2014 A trip of a lifetime Ontario to Washington - California and back July - Aug 2014
the pics are all messed up thanks to Photobucket but the story is there.
Mind you I did it over 6 weeks.
You doing it in 2 weeks is gonna be a push.
Things to consider…Maybe look at Lake Express Ferry…totally wipes out going through Chicago J
I did my trip July and Aug and had great weather…no rain till the last day
There was plenty of snow on top of Beartooth Pass but warm and sunny at the bottom.
All the highlights of my trip are in that post.
Hope you have a great time and take lots of pics
I have not been so lucky to be able to go to the west coast from NC, but I did go to SWIIX in Durango, CO. I did part of the Gypsy Tour on Rte. 66 and was so looking forward to it because I had researched it for years. Even though I had a great time seeing the sights, I had a terrible experience because I have a spinal cord injury and a back that's bolted together. The road is really rough because they do not maintain it at all in many places. It actually shook my exhaust loose and I have upgraded my entire suspension and seat. The lesson I learned was "wear a back brace!" It will really help keep your body from absorbing those bumps that your suspension cannot. I never leave home without one now. I hope to make it out that way for SWXI. Hope you have a great time!
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