Bandit Alley
GENERAL MOTORCYCLE FORUMS => GENERAL MOTORCYCLE => Topic started by: stormi on July 23, 2008, 09:49:54 PM
-
Hey all, we're planning a vacation from August 8th to Aug 17th.
The plan so far is to head south. Most likely parts of Montana and Washington will be invaded. Anyone have recommended sites to see, or interested in meeting up? We'll be pulling both the dirt and street bikes with us, the trailer, and our soon-to-be new-to-us truck ( going to sign the bill of sale momentarily) and hopefully will have a little time to visit....
-
South! For just a second there ahead of my read I though were going to say Arizona. But maybe you'll save that for a winter snow bird trip.
The plan so far is to head south.
-
I can't really suggest any place, but I hope you have a wonderful and Safe time.
Mike
-
South! For just a second there ahead of my read I though were going to say Arizona. But maybe you'll save that for a winter snow bird trip.
The plan so far is to head south.
You know, I've always wanted to get to Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico. Just not in August. Death by spontaneous combustion worries me.
-
Death by spontaneous combustion worries me.
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
Have fun on your trip, Stormi. All I can say is avoid Indiana. A rectangle has more curves than Indiana roads do. I have some buddies that live in WA and they say there are some really good roads out there, but they live more towards the cost. If you see mountains I'm sure you'll run into some great roads.
-
Hmmm... Just about anything in the BC Kootenays! :bigok:
But you didn't say anything about that...
In Montana, the Going to the Sun Hwy thru Glacier NP is beautiful, but not really a road you can make any time on due to low speed limits and high tourist traffic, but if you haven't been, it's worth consideration.
US Hwy 12 over Lolo Pass between Lewiston, ID & the Montana border... home of this famous sign:
(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d35/paulweit/2004%20Bike%20trip/23_Winding_Bandits.jpg)
(http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/1396/loloxo2.jpg)
And if you take 12 over that route, the Old Spiral Hwy on the north side of Lewiston (the old US 95 route), is another great road to ride!
(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d35/paulweit/2004%20Bike%20trip/19_Spiral.jpg)
I don't know much about the off-raod opportunites in MT or E. WA, but in Central WA, there's a huge ORV network that's bordered by I-90 on the north and SR 410 on the south, just a little east of Ellensburg/Yakima. There's one trail, the Naches Trail, that will take you over the Cascade Crest and follows the original pioneer trail that brought settlers into the Puget Sound region. Trail maps can be purchased from the Forest Service at ranger stations in the area, or on-line here. (http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee/maps/)
You can also print some of them yourself from here:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee/cle-elum-orv/orv-maps.html
(This ^^^ is only the Cle Elum District, there's more trails in the Naches District, but they don't have an on-line version.)
FYI - US Forest Service and WA state lands require vehicles be street legal if they are operated on forest ROADS. If operated on trails only, the machine must have an ORV permit on display. They do honor permits from other states, but I don't know about other countries.
:btw: We are planning a PNW get-together starting Aug 15th...
http://forums.banditalley.net/index.php?topic=10769.0
-
Took Red01 forever to get to the point there, which is... plan on riding Lolo with us! You might have to stretch your dates by a day or two...
If you're into geological sites, there is some very cool (but really hot) spots just west of Spokane: Grand Coulee dam, Grand Coulee itself, Soap lake, Potholes state park, etc. All very cool remnants of the great Missoula flood stuff.
I also know this great bar in Spokane...
A
-
I can't really suggest any place, but I hope you have a wonderful and Safe time.
Mike
Thanks! I appreciate that! It's our first trip in,... like.... ever that's more than a few days. It should be interesting. I get home sick, so I'll be looking for things to occupy my mind enough that I don't get too bad.
-
Death by spontaneous combustion worries me.
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
Have fun on your trip, Stormi. All I can say is avoid Indiana. A rectangle has more curves than Indiana roads do. I have some buddies that live in WA and they say there are some really good roads out there, but they live more towards the cost. If you see mountains I'm sure you'll run into some great roads.
LOL! Thanks! r_outsider will be driving, and I'll be sleeping. He's promised to wake me for the "good parts" though. We've been talking about driving for a day, then setting up base camp, then driving for a day, etc. Based on that, we should be able to manage Down to Montana, through Idaho, into Washington, up through BC, and home to Alberta, but we've still got a week to plan,.. it might still change. ;) I've been thinking that a drive through that redwood forest on the West Coast as you get into Washington would be a nice ride, and r_outsider's never been to Washington (unless you count Point Roberts)
-
South! For just a second there ahead of my read I though were going to say Arizona. But maybe you'll save that for a winter snow bird trip.
The plan so far is to head south.
You know, I've always wanted to get to Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico. Just not in August. Death by spontaneous combustion worries me.
I would not worry about it, it has not been that hot the past few years. The temps have only gotten to 122 at most for a few days. For a true desert rat like my self, we don't take our sweat shirts off until it gets to 110.
-
Hmmm... Just about anything in the BC Kootenays! :bigok:
But you didn't say anything about that...
True that. I know that Ryan wants to avoid the BC side of the mountains as much as possible, but we shall see what comes of that
In Montana, the Going to the Sun Hwy thru Glacier NP is beautiful, but not really a road you can make any time on due to low speed limits and high tourist traffic, but if you haven't been, it's worth consideration.
Is there an easy way around this area with the trailer? For instance, if we made camp at say Rising sun campground, rode the going to the sun hwy, then came back for the trailer, could we reasonably circumvent that road when we moved on?
US Hwy 12 over Lolo Pass between Lewiston, ID & the Montana border... home of this famous sign:
[snip]
And if you take 12 over that route, the Old Spiral Hwy on the north side of Lewiston (the old US 95 route), is another great road to ride!
Oh yeah, that I could enjoy. :) It looks like if I didn't want tea from the Pike Market, we could stay in Idaho and Montana alone...
I don't know much about the off-raod opportunites in MT or E. WA, but in Central WA, there's a huge ORV network that's bordered by I-90 on the north and SR 410 on the south, just a little east of Ellensburg/Yakima. There's one trail, the Naches Trail, that will take you over the Cascade Crest and follows the original pioneer trail that brought settlers into the Puget Sound region. Trail maps can be purchased from the Forest Service at ranger stations in the area, or on-line here. (http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee/maps/)
You can also print some of them yourself from here:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee/cle-elum-orv/orv-maps.html
(This ^^^ is only the Cle Elum District, there's more trails in the Naches District, but they don't have an on-line version.)
FYI - US Forest Service and WA state lands require vehicles be street legal if they are operated on forest ROADS. If operated on trails only, the machine must have an ORV permit on display. They do honor permits from other states, but I don't know about other countries.
Ryan has mentioned that he doesn't think we should bring the dirtbikes. He thinks it will be hectic enough with just the street bikes. So this might not be an issue. I will however make whatever inquiries I have to to find out the rules if we do bring them. Both are registered and insured. Mine has head and tail light, and a spark arrestor. Ryan's being strictly an MX bike is a little less "legal".
:btw: We are planning a PNW get-together starting Aug 15th...
http://forums.banditalley.net/index.php?topic=10769.0
I was looking at that. I'm not sure if we can do that. Ryan has work booked for the 18th, and I have committed to be back for the 18th for my contract. That said, I might be able to meet up with some of ya before you leave for that trip. :)
I'm also going to look at the feasibility of reversing the trip I'd thought we would take, which would put us in about the same area when you guys start.
-
South! For just a second there ahead of my read I though were going to say Arizona. But maybe you'll save that for a winter snow bird trip.
The plan so far is to head south.
You know, I've always wanted to get to Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico. Just not in August. Death by spontaneous combustion worries me.
I would not worry about it, it has not been that hot the past few years. The temps have only gotten to 122 at most for a few days. For a true desert rat like my self, we don't take our sweat shirts off until it gets to 110.
LOL! the thing is that when it hits about 80-85 most of us start melting up here, and r_outsider gets a little funky,... and not in that "Play that funky music white boy" way... :stickpoke: (oh yeah, he's gonna love that I said that. :grin:)
-
Took Red01 forever to get to the point there, which is... plan on riding Lolo with us! You might have to stretch your dates by a day or two...
If you're into geological sites, there is some very cool (but really hot) spots just west of Spokane: Grand Coulee dam, Grand Coulee itself, Soap lake, Potholes state park, etc. All very cool remnants of the great Missoula flood stuff.
I also know this great bar in Spokane...
A
I don't think we can stretch, but we should be able to make it to Spokane though.
You just might have to show us this bar. :grin:
Both Ryan and I like the geological sites, and historical sites. We once spent a series of weekend checking out the "historic" old coal mining towns around here. We still have lots to cover though. And his favorite place in Alberta is the "Badlands".
-
Well, for geological stuff, and general outdoor sight seeing, you can just drive through parts of the "channeled scablands" south and west of spokane. The drive through the Grand Coulee area is fantastic to. Include soap lake on that run. If you're headed to Seattle, you can run over on US 2, which runs through some high plains and then dives through the columbia gorge, very nice. A lot of this stuff you can just enjoy from the car (too hot anyway) by driving off the freeway...
-
I've been thinking that a drive through that redwood forest on the West Coast as you get into Washington would be a nice ride, and r_outsider's never been to Washington (unless you count Point Roberts)
Ummm... The Redwood Forest is in Northern California... :stickpoke:
-
In Montana, the Going to the Sun Hwy thru Glacier NP is beautiful, but not really a road you can make any time on due to low speed limits and high tourist traffic, but if you haven't been, it's worth consideration.
Is there an easy way around this area with the trailer? For instance, if we made camp at say Rising sun campground, rode the going to the sun hwy, then came back for the trailer, could we reasonably circumvent that road when we moved on?
yes, you can drive around the park on US 89, SR 49 & US 2.
:btw: We are planning a PNW get-together starting Aug 15th...
http://forums.banditalley.net/index.php?topic=10769.0
I was looking at that. I'm not sure if we can do that. Ryan has work booked for the 18th, and I have committed to be back for the 18th for my contract. That said, I might be able to meet up with some of ya before you leave for that trip. :)
I'm also going to look at the feasibility of reversing the trip I'd thought we would take, which would put us in about the same area when you guys start.
Let us know. It would be great to meet up with you both.
-
Those crazy Cannucks can't understand how small our states are... :lol:
-
Those crazy Cannucks can't understand how small our states are... :lol:
They ought to... 90% of them live within 100 miles of the US border. :duh:
-
I've been thinking that a drive through that redwood forest on the West Coast as you get into Washington would be a nice ride, and r_outsider's never been to Washington (unless you count Point Roberts)
Ummm... The Redwood Forest is in Northern California... :stickpoke:
LOL! as you come into Washington from BC, at the entrance closest to the coast, there's a "redwood" forest that you drive through that borders the coast for a little while. Not -the- redwood forest. :stickpoke:
-
Well, for geological stuff, and general outdoor sight seeing, you can just drive through parts of the "channeled scablands" south and west of spokane. The drive through the Grand Coulee area is fantastic to. Include soap lake on that run. If you're headed to Seattle, you can run over on US 2, which runs through some high plains and then dives through the columbia gorge, very nice. A lot of this stuff you can just enjoy from the car (too hot anyway) by driving off the freeway...
Uh oh,.. you guys are all talking about it being too hot,... so I'm starting to wonder if I'll even be able to manage the heat! Of course I've been in Seattle in June or July, that's fairly close to the same as now, right? It was pretty cookin hot. That's when the "Underground tour" sure is a welcome change.
Check. I will add some of those destinations to the "Trip Planner" tonight, and see what I can come up with for a route. Of course, we do plan to take the bikes out of the trailer and tour around, so I hope to see lots of nifty things at closer than the highway. :)
-
Those crazy Cannucks can't understand how small our states are... :lol:
They ought to... 90% of them live within 100 miles of the US border. :duh:
Not these ones. :grin: We're 614kms from the border. Or 381.52mi.
-
I've been thinking that a drive through that redwood forest on the West Coast as you get into Washington would be a nice ride, and r_outsider's never been to Washington (unless you count Point Roberts)
Ummm... The Redwood Forest is in Northern California... :stickpoke:
LOL! as you come into Washington from BC, at the entrance closest to the coast, there's a "redwood" forest that you drive through that borders the coast for a little while. Not -the- redwood forest. :stickpoke:
I'm not familiar with it... AFAIK, the northernmost Redwoods are in S. Oregon.
Unless you're referring to Chuckanut Drive, between Bellingham and Burlington. That's not too far from the Peace Arch Crossing at Blaine/White Rock. It is a beautiful scenic route (and practically in my back yard), but the trees aren't gigantic on the scale of Sequoias.
-
yes, you can drive around the park on US 89, SR 49 & US 2.
I -totally- just figured out I've been plotting this all wrong. If we go from Alberta into BC into Idaho ( with the trailer) then ride to Montana, we shave off 600mi with the trailer, and we can ride more. :duh: :grin: :grin:
Let us know. It would be great to meet up with you both.
It would! It would be nice to put a real face to the names I see on the board, not to mention one of the people that I trust with the board when I'm not around, which is -way- too often lately.
I think I will leave one of the cell #s in one of the "private" boards when we leave, so that it's easier to meet up, and our approximate itinerary, so if anyone is on our route, we can try to meet up with them.
-
I'm not familiar with it... AFAIK, the northernmost Redwoods are in S. Oregon.
Unless you're referring to Chuckanut Drive, between Bellingham and Burlington. That's not too far from the Peace Arch Crossing at Blaine/White Rock. It is a beautiful scenic route (and practically in my back yard), but the trees aren't gigantic on the scale of Sequoias.
I think it might be Chuckanut Drive. It's not the gargantuan trees that I wanted him to see, it was more the really scenic ride. What sort of trees are those? I thought they were a "redwood" sort of tree, no? Of course it -has- been 5 years, and my step father was just hauling ass through there.
-
What sort of trees are those? I thought they were a "redwood" sort of tree, no?
The biggest ones you saw were probably Western Redcedars. Though Douglas Fir and Western Hemlocks and some of the other native evergreens can also get over 200' tall, the Redcedars are usually the ones with the bulkiest trunks and become the stars of photographs, much like the giants to the south. The Redcedar (commonly misspelled Red Cedar) isn't a Cedar at all, but a member of the Cyprus family, just like the the big Giant Sequoias and Coastal Redwoods to the south, so this probably explains why you were thinking they were Redwoods.
-
What sort of trees are those? I thought they were a "redwood" sort of tree, no?
The biggest ones you saw were probably Western Redcedars. Though Douglas Fir and Western Hemlocks and some of the other native evergreens can also get over 200' tall, the Redcedars are usually the ones with the bulkiest trunks and become the stars of photographs, much like the giants to the south. The Redcedar (commonly misspelled Red Cedar) isn't a Cedar at all, but a member of the Cyprus family, just like the the big Giant Sequoias and Coastal Redwoods to the south, so this probably explains why you were thinking they were Redwoods.
I think I thought that for 2 reasons. My mom called it a redwood forest, and I thought they were $%@@ huge and red. :)
-
http://forums.banditalley.net/index.php?topic=11223.new#new
Sketchy details for the moment, but if I has internet access along the way, we'll update as we go. :)