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Need advice for a West Coast trip

Dustin

Dustin

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June 2012 -- Half of California tour

So, I've booked a proper block of vacation days in the middle of June and I want to ride! I've mapped out a route that takes me down the coastline of WA, OR and CA and stops in to visit a friend in Fremont, CA. The rest, I don't quite know what's good but here's my proposed route.

Edit: I will be leaving this coming Monday! Woot
 
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Well done

Dustin said:
So, I've booked a proper block of vacation days in the middle of June and I want to ride! I've mapped out a route that takes me down the coastline of WA, OR and CA and stops in to visit a friend in Fremont, CA. The rest, I don't quite know what's good but here's my proposed route.

Thoughts? I'm looking to do that in maybe 7 or 8 days, so a VERY leisurely pace indeed
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Looks good to me. I am planning a trip from Sacramento to Yosemite and back on Hwy 49 (The Little Dragon), maybe this year. The wife will be on the back of my 08, so we might take a leisurely 8 hours to do the 180 miles down Hwy 49, two nights in the park and 8 hours home. (LOTS of stops to rest our tails.)

Your trip looks like allot, but FUN, so let us all know about your travel gear and back, daily miliage, were you stayed and how the bike traveled.
 
I have heard that the coast highway can be cold and windy (even in summer) so be prepared. Good rain gear (I have used mine over other gear to help stay warm in a pinch) . If you have never been it's good that you have lots of time because you will probably stop for pictures a lot (I hope so). If you are taking the FZ plan on 180 km between fuel stops.
 
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I will be taking the SV, it's better equipped for touring duty. Plus, if friends come (I hope so), I can haul some gear for them with my 90L of storage :)
 
PM me....I live in Northern Kalifornia (100 miles from the Oregon border on the coast) and have ridden 99% of all roads here. I can give you several great routes and what you can expect.

Robert
 
Dustin said:
I will be taking the SV, it's better equipped for touring duty. Plus, if friends come (I hope so), I can haul some gear for them with my 90L of storage :)
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Probably a good plan. At least until you get to know the new steed a little better.

In June I will be a little further East, in Utah. I should make it as far south as the Grande Canyon (north rim) before heading back toward Colorado on the return leg of the trip.

Should both have good pictures for ride reports.
 
You need to make one major change.

When crossing the Mountains you must go through Yosemite and make a stop in Yosemite Valley. Pictures do not do justice to the awe inspiring cliffs and waterfalls you can experience there. It is well worth the fee to get into the park, plus riding up and through toulomme meadows is incredible, feel like you are on top of the world up there.

You will not regret is, I promise.
 
Klurejr said:
You need to make one major change.

When crossing the Mountains you must go through Yosemite and make a stop in Yosemite Valley. Pictures do not do justice to the awe inspiring cliffs and waterfalls you can experience there. It is well worth the fee to get into the park, plus riding up and through toulomme meadows is incredible, feel like you are on top of the world up there.

You will not regret is, I promise.
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This advice is 100% correct. If you go through california and skip the Redwoods or Yosemite, you're a damn fool.
 
Looks like fun! I live in Portland so we are close to the coast and we spend a fair amount of time there, if i could offer a couple suggestions? In Astoria there are a couple of nice B&B's, even better there are a couple really good brew pubs, if you love beer as much as I it might be a good stop for the night? Or if you wanted to go a few miles south to stay I would suggest Manzanita, its a great little town with a good pub and not the tourist trap Seasides is! One more, take it real easy from Astoria thru Warrenton and Seaside. The local PD is notorious for speeding tickets. Safe journeys!
 
Dustin said:
Thanks for all the advice! :)

Here's a modified route through Yosemite. I had forgotten it was so close. Definitely a must-see
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That looks pretty good. The only change I might make (if you have time, I don't want to add more length to your ride) is, instead of taking the 92 straight to the san mateo bridge in SF, take skyline all the way down to 84 and then take that across the dunbarton, or even down to page mill rd and then around the south bay expwy.

Skyline and La Honda/Page Mill are some of the coolest rides in the bay area, it'd be a shame to miss it and then take a longer drive through hayward (not the world's most scenic area).
 
Definitely ought to see Yosemite and Red Woods if you can. I'll never forget a trip I made with a girlfriend, even though it wasn't on a bike. And check out El Capitan! You might also check out the Monteray Bay Aquarium, if you are into that sort of thing. :)
 
Absolutely agree with the "don't miss" the Redwoods and Yosemite. The Oregon coast can be iffy all year; I joke that summer begins the weekend after the 4th of July.

I do have some suggestions for alternate routes through western Oregon if the weather is nasty; also a plug for the motel in West Walker, just a skosh north of where you're fixin' to stay...very motorcycle friendly place. PM if you'd like more. The trip looks like a bunch of fun, and regardless of the route, you'll have a blast.
 
If you have time stay on CA89 and ride the west side of Lake Tahoe. Then continue on 89 up to 36 over to Susanville. This will keep you in the high country of the Sieria's instead of the desert of Reno.
I live 1 hour west of Tahoe and can help you with even better twisty routes, if interested send me a pm.
June is a busy time for me but perhaps I can get away to ride a bit with you and show off some great roads in the Sierra's.
 
Sea Lion Caves. Almost as many seal lions as Nanaimo harbor but all inside one huge echoing cave.

Also, there is a fairly obscure road that climbs up from Fresno (?) through the old California Gold Rush country of Stanislaus County and comes over the summit at Mono Lake. The last stretch of road to the summit is so steep that I had to put my truck in 4WD low range to make it but a bike shouldn't have a problem if you ride weight forward like a hill climber.

Mono Lake is fascinating and one of a kind. I think the road past Mono stays at the crest of the summit as you travel north.
 
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Recon Viper 1 said:
Also, there is a fairly obscure road that climbs up from Fresno (?) through the old California Gold Rush country of Stanislaus County and comes over the summit at Mono Lake. The last stretch of road to the summit is so steep that I had to put my truck in 4WD low range to make it but a bike shouldn't have a problem if you ride weight forward like a hill climber.

Mono Lake is fascinating and one of a kind. I think the road past Mono stays at the crest of the summit as you travel north.
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What road is that? Is it dirt? I cannot imagine a paved road so steep that you would need low gears to climb it.
 
Dustin said:
So, I've booked a proper block of vacation days in the middle of June and I want to ride! I've mapped out a route that takes me down the coastline of WA, OR and CA and stops in to visit a friend in Fremont, CA. The rest, I don't quite know what's good but here's my proposed route.

Thoughts? I'm looking to do that in maybe 7 or 8 days, so a VERY leisurely pace indeed
Click to expand...

My mouth started watering when I saw points B through J.
That is some of the most beautiful roads I have ever seen (pics on the web). I think you picked a great route.
 
Klurejr said:
What road is that? Is it dirt? I cannot imagine a paved road so steep that you would need low gears to climb it.
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It's paved and it's on the maps and is the only road I know that crests near Mono. I remember it's Stanislaus County and I came up from an established central valley city (Fresno?) but I'd have to go over the maps again to be certain.

One thing you can count on. It's on the maps and it crests just south of Mono Lake and you don't want to miss Mono Lake if at all possible.

I couldn't pull it in 1st gear and had to lock in the hubs and go to lower granny box rations to make it but an automatic transmission might do it without any problems.

It's only the last mile or two but it is steep.

Paved all the way.
 
Klurejr said:
What road is that? Is it dirt? I cannot imagine a paved road so steep that you would need low gears to climb it.
Click to expand...

It's paved and it's on the maps and is the only road I know that crests near Mono. I remember it's Stanislaus County and I came up from an established central valley city (Fresno?) but I'd have to go over the maps again to be certain.

One thing you can count on. It's on the maps and it crests just south of Mono Lake and you don't want to miss Mono Lake if at all possible.

I couldn't pull it in 1st gear and had to lock in the hubs and go to lower granny box ratios to make it but an automatic transmission might do it without any problems.

It's only the last mile or two but it is steep.

Paved all the way.
 
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