22 days and 6,648 miles

[PizzaJim]

I had some free time on my hands with nothing to do and some money put away. So four weeks ago I decided to take a tour of the western United States on my 2006 FJR1300AE.

I planned to see the following on this trip:

Mt. Rushmore

Crazy Horse Monument

Grand Tetons National Park

Yellowstone National Park

The Oregon Coast

Lake Tahoe

Las Vegas

Grand Canyon National Park

Marble Canyon and the Vermilion Cliffs

Zion National Park

and Monument Valley

The trip was 22 days long traveling through 14 states for a total of 6,648 miles. See map below.

The only thing I did to the bike to prep for the trip was to put on new PR2 tires. Although I did schedule and have the oil and filter changed in Longview, Washington.

Temperatures in the day ranged from 102 to 43 degrees. With a morning low of 39. I went though a massive thunderstorm in Oklahoma City and one and a half days of rain in the Pacific North West.

I drove through all kinds of road conditions. From roads under construction (dirt, gravel, etc.) on highway 191 going to the Grand Tetons National Park in Wyoming and on the road through Zion National Park to pristine newly resurfaced roads like highway 4 in California. I drove straight boring highways and incredibly twisty roads. I had to brake for and/or avoid buffalo, cattle, horses, sheep, deer, elk, mountain goats and the occasional ground squirrel.

Through all of this the bike didn't give me a single problem. It simply performed. I love this bike!

The Bike:

The Route:

Mt. Rushmore

Grand Tetons

Yellowstone

Oregon Coast

Yosemite

Grand Canyon

Zion

Monument Valley

 

[Mount Rainier]

Very Very nice and I can't help but think you really enjoyed your trip. The pics are great!

I am concerned that you missed one major landmark in the other Washington however. :yahoo:

Thanks for sharing.

Keep Going!

 

[Fred W]

No. Not nice at all...

EXCELLENT!!

You may have cherry picked your pictures, but they are very nice. I especially like this one:

Well done. I bet it was a great trip.

 

[Gerry.GEG]

No. Not nice at all...

EXCELLENT!!

You may have cherry picked your pictures, but they are very nice. I especially like this one:

Well done. I bet it was a great trip.

Yamaha needs to buy that one from you for their 2012 FJR campaign!

Very nice indeed.

 

[PizzaJim]

Very Very nice and I can't help but think you really enjoyed your trip. The pics are great!

I am concerned that you missed one major landmark in the other Washington however. :yahoo:

Thanks for sharing.

Keep Going!

I was going to stop and take pictures of Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier. I even took highway 12 on my way to the coast specifically to do that. But I hit the day and a half of rain traveling from Coeur D'Alene to Astoria. I ended up taking highway 131 to Windy Ridge anyway but when I got to the top I was riding through clouds. Maybe next time.

 

[Bungie]

Having just completed a very similar trip, I'll just raise my beer to you and say, Hell Ya!

 

[fljab]

Wow! Great trip and report, thanks for sharing!

Aren't FJR's the best for this? Just make sure you got good enough tires, and everything else is extra because it'll run just fine no matter what!

 

[Texan]

Major props. That's an enviable trip.

 

[escapefjrtist]

Nice looking route and thanks for the report and pics! This kind of trip is what the FJR is about...sorry about the rain. We get that occasionally up in these parts.

--G

 

[Mount Rainier]

Very Very nice and I can't help but think you really enjoyed your trip. The pics are great!

I am concerned that you missed one major landmark in the other Washington however. :yahoo:

Thanks for sharing.

Keep Going!

I was going to stop and take pictures of Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier. I even took highway 12 on my way to the coast specifically to do that. But I hit the day and a half of rain traveling from Coeur D'Alene to Astoria. I ended up taking highway 131 to Windy Ridge anyway but when I got to the top I was riding through clouds. Maybe next time.

What a shame, you picked the only rainy days we've had this summer.

Windy Ridge is a very special vista, too bad you didn't get the full view. Let us know when that next time is and we'll do a meet-up there to welcome you back.

Maybe you've seen this but just in case, here's a little of what you missed.

Again, great photos.

Keep Going!

 

[old Pilot]

Fantastic photos! Really nice trip you had. Thanks for sharing.

 

[dcarver]

Any more pix? Great trip - did you find it long or just right?

 

[Willie]

I had some free time on my hands with nothing to do and some money put away. So four weeks ago I decided to take a tour of the western United States on my 2006 FJR1300AE.

I planned to see the following on this trip:

Mt. Rushmore

Crazy Horse Monument

Grand Tetons National Park

Yellowstone National Park

The Oregon Coast

Lake Tahoe

Las Vegas

Grand Canyon National Park

Marble Canyon and the Vermilion Cliffs

Zion National Park

and Monument Valley

The trip was 22 days long traveling through 14 states for a total of 6,648 miles. See map below.

The only thing I did to the bike to prep for the trip was to put on new PR2 tires. Although I did schedule and have the oil and filter changed in Longview, Washington.

Temperatures in the day ranged from 102 to 43 degrees. With a morning low of 39. I went though a massive thunderstorm in Oklahoma City and one and a half days of rain in the Pacific North West.

I drove through all kinds of road conditions. From roads under construction (dirt, gravel, etc.) on highway 191 going to the Grand Tetons National Park in Wyoming and on the road through Zion National Park to pristine newly resurfaced roads like highway 4 in California. I drove straight boring highways and incredibly twisty roads. I had to brake for and/or avoid buffalo, cattle, horses, sheep, deer, elk, mountain goats and the occasional ground squirrel.

Through all of this the bike didn't give me a single problem. It simply performed. I love this bike!

The Bike:

Great trip and beautful pics!!....I was on a similar trip recently

willie

 

[PizzaJim]

Any more pix? Great trip - did you find it long or just right?

On this bike it's never too long. I would have loved to keep going. If it wasn't for the annoying fact that you need to make money in order to spend it I'd still be out there!

Here's some more picks:

Cannon Beach, Oregon:

Yosemite in the morning:

Las Vegas. The last time I walked the strip in Vegas was as a teenager in the early 80's. The Vegas in the James Bond movie "Diamonds Are Forever". Where you could still imagine Frank and the Rat Pack wandering the casino floors. My how things have changed.

 

[flyball]

Great report. those are some very good pix. I would love to do something like that. I have the bike, now I just need the time and money!

 

[dcarver]

Nice! Thanks for posting additional pics - the Vegas shots in particular rocked.

Too bad now the trip is just a memory and credit card bills, huh? :huh:

 

[Solo]

Wow, I'm envious. What a wonderful trip. You have a great eye too--the photos show it. I'm still looking for the day I can do that. Seems when I have the time I don't have the money and when I have the money I don't have the time. Good for you to take the opportunity.

 

[nik.hisham]

Looked like an awesome ride. Really beautiful pics. Wish I could do one of these 22 day rides.

Thanks for sharing.

Nik.

 

[UHOH]

Nice ride and report. 300 miles/day gives time to enjoy; maybe you'll do it the reverse direction in 2 yrs ... ?

Las Vegas. The last time I walked the strip in Vegas was as a teenager in the early 80's. The Vegas in the James Bond movie "Diamonds Are Forever".

Where you could still imagine Frank and the Rat Pack wandering the casino floors. My how things have changed.

yeah, but not going into that 'cuz the peeps that are now visiting Las Vegas will enjoy it as it is now ...