[hunzee]

I would appreciate any help with planning a 2up route from SE MN up through the Pacific NW, down as far as N Kalifornia and back home.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Daylight]

US 12: Lolo Pass, across the Idaho Panhandle, is generally considered one of the best motorcycle rides in the NW US.

Two good options for getting to western side of Washington State... US 20 (North Cascades Highway) and US 12 (White Pass).

North Cascades is a great ride, but does get closed to through traffic, each year, late in the Fall/early Winter due to snowfall. Typically doesn't re-open until Spring (was even later opening, this year).

White Pass takes you right along the south side of Mount Rainier (dormant volcano, and one of the highest peaks in the lower 48), and isn't all THAT far from Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument.

You can take US 12 out to the ocean (there's a section that is co-located with Interstate 5), and then head down the coast to Astoria, OR -- crossing the mouth of the Columbia River on a multi-mile set of bridge spans. From Astoria, you can either continue down US 101 all of the way through Oregon -- and into the California Redwood (sequoia sempervirens - the tall coastal redwoods) groves (Redwood National Park)... and down to San Francisco,

or, you can head back towards Portland, OR on US 30, and head south on Interstate 5.

US 101 down the Oregon Coast is a beautiful ride, but it might not be a great ride two-up. The road is in 'not particularly great shape' in places -- due to erosion of the hillsides above the ocean, and it is a long slog through the coastal towns. One option would be to take I-5 through Oregon, and cut across to the coast -- via US 199 -- between Grants Pass, OR and Crescent City, CA.

 

[keltic]

Don't forget the Columbia Gorge ride Hwy 14 northside of the river for best views and gets you off the freeway. Hwy 101 is a nice ride it does get a little rough in places but over all not that bad. Try to do it on the weekdays as weekends get crowded. When you get into the area give me a shout.:doorag:

 

[hunzee]

US 12: Lolo Pass, across the Idaho Panhandle, is generally considered one of the best motorcycle rides in the NW US.

Two good options for getting to western side of Washington State... US 20 (North Cascades Highway) and US 12 (White Pass).

North Cascades is a great ride, but does get closed to through traffic, each year, late in the Fall/early Winter due to snowfall. Typically doesn't re-open until Spring (was even later opening, this year).

White Pass takes you right along the south side of Mount Rainier (dormant volcano, and one of the highest peaks in the lower 48), and isn't all THAT far from Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument.

You can take US 12 out to the ocean (there's a section that is co-located with Interstate 5), and then head down the coast to Astoria, OR -- crossing the mouth of the Columbia River on a multi-mile set of bridge spans. From Astoria, you can either continue down US 101 all of the way through Oregon -- and into the California Redwood (sequoia sempervirens - the tall coastal redwoods) groves (Redwood National Park)... and down to San Francisco,

or, you can head back towards Portland, OR on US 30, and head south on Interstate 5.

US 101 down the Oregon Coast is a beautiful ride, but it might not be a great ride two-up. The road is in 'not particularly great shape' in places -- due to erosion of the hillsides above the ocean, and it is a long slog through the coastal towns. One option would be to take I-5 through Oregon, and cut across to the coast -- via US 199 -- between Grants Pass, OR and Crescent City, CA.

PM sent.

 

[Tooth]

101 is fine......there is some repaving in south of Yachats and some work south of Port Orford but not a reason to avoid.

Stay off the 5 as much as possible.....unless you have interest in riding with west coast semi trucks.

If you need to make some time take the 5 down to Corvalis and then take 20 to Newport and head south on 101 less towns on coast south of Newport,,,,,,Heceta Light house..

Take 101 down to Redwoods and Cresent City come back up 199 thru Cave Junction and then get over to Medford and take 62 up to Crater Lake. 97 to Bend

 

[Richard Clem]

nw

I don't know how much time you have, but from SE Mn, the obvious 1st major location would be the Badlands area in SD....unless you've already done that. From there it's a long day across Wy to the Tetons and Yellowstone. From there you can choose 12 across or further north on 89 to Glacier NP. That alone, if you have 2 weeks or less and you've never done it, will probably make it all you want to get home. Being a midwesterner myself, I found some difficulty planning and accomplishing as much as I thought I would. I did GNP and Icefields parkway plus 3 days in Cascades NF in 10 days from northern Mi last fall. I would still have had a couple thousand miles home at that point, so it would have taken most of the rest of 2 weeks. I was alone and did some long days getting out there. You would have about a 700 mile advantage (each way) on me.:shrug: I guess the bottom line is how much time and how many miles do/can you ride per day. Next time I go I won't try to do as much milewise, and some more off of the beaten path type stuff.

Richard