Dallas to Vancouver via La La Land

[MajBach]

Hi all. Long time no rant. I'm looking for some travel advice. Last year I drove my bike down to Dallas Texas and left my bike with a friend and flew home. I flew down during the winter a couple of times for a weekend excursion. Next month I am flying down and riding the bike home and I am looking for some "must-see's" on the ride.

In an effort to be more spontaneous, I somewhat last-minute packed the bike and hit the road last fall without a lot of trip preparation. As a result, I missed "Ole Faithful" (but did manage to take-in the Colorado Monument).

This time around, I'm aiming to do at least some minimal planning so I don't miss the good stuff.

So the route is Dallas, Texas to Vancouver, Canada via San Francisco and the coastal highway. The only two places I really want to drive through are Sedona, AZ and Mount St Helens and I have two weeks to do it ( I made it down there in 5 days).

Looking for the "you gotta see this" spots, best drives, you gotta eat here and the like along the way.

Thanks in advance!

 

[gixxerjasen]

I suggest going and reading Redfish Hunter's trip he took last year or so riding west. He saw some pretty cool stuff and has a lot of good info on the places he visited.

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php/topic/153526-redfish-hunter-goes-west

 

[BigDogRaven]

Check out this site for great CA roads:

https://www.pashnit.com/motoroads.htm

 

[jwhite518]

I recommend the Samoa Cookhouse for dinner in Eureka, CA.

I also recommend not bothering with the coast south of San Francisco. Too damn crowded, and you get the same scenery north, without the traffic.

 

[jwhite518]

Along those lines, if you are headed north from the LA area and skipping the coast, you should take 101 to San Miguel, get off at Mission San Miguel, then take Indian Valley Rd to Peachtree Rd to Highway 25 all the way to Hollister. Classic central California ride. Here's my FJR the day I bought it, riding home from SoCal on that road.

 

[MajBach]

These sound great. Looks like there are several rallies along the way as well but looks like I will miss all of them by only a couple of days. Thanks

 

[Colin24]

A few quick thoughts off the top of my head:

1) Big Bend Park, West Texas. Might be a little out of the way, but if the weather is okay and you have time might be good.

2) Pikes Peak Colorado

3) Million Dollar Highway. Durango CO north through Silverton and then to Ouray

4) US50 across Nevada. Big Wide Open Spaces.

5) Golden Gate Bridge

6) Get off US 101 on the coast and try to keep to Route 1 that actually follows the coast through California (Fort Bragg, Mendocino, etc)

- Colin

 

[MajBach]

A few quick thoughts off the top of my head:
1) Big Bend Park, West Texas. Might be a little out of the way, but if the weather is okay and you have time might be good.

2) Pikes Peak Colorado

3) Million Dollar Highway. Durango CO north through Silverton and then to Ouray

4) US50 across Nevada. Big Wide Open Spaces.

5) Golden Gate Bridge

6) Get off US 101 on the coast and try to keep to Route 1 that actually follows the coast through California (Fort Bragg, Mendocino, etc)

- Colin

Thanks, Colin. That's exactly what I was looking for.