LA to Vancouver (and beyond). Any route suggestions?

[Badshelter]

Hi, me and my husband are going to be going to the USA again, this time riding from LA (in late April) and aiming to be in Calgary at the start of June. We have done the part of the trip up to San Francisco once before, so probably won't spend a lot of time there. We do want to spend a bit of time in Seattle and Vancouver; probably 4 days in each.

Does anyone have any "must see" locations, or "must ride" roads they can recommend, bearing in mind we probably won't ever do this again?

Thanks,

Carole

 

[sickchilly]

I can't comment much on CA as I still have a lot of exploring there to do myself. But, here are some of my favs in OR/WA to get started:

1. Oregon: stick to the coast and stop in every sea-side town, at every scenic spot, every beach, and every advertised tourist trap. Lots of beautiful scenery.

2. Washington: 1. Olympic loop. 2. Whidbey Island loop. 3. Deception Pass. 4. Chuckanut Drive. 5. North Cascades Highway (20), or do the whole Cascades loop to hit Winthrop, Twisp, Chelan, Wenatchee, Leavenworth, etc.

 

[Ignacio]

On the "as you get nearer Seattle from the south" leg.....I think Columbia Gorge, Mt. St. Helens, and Mt. Rainier are pretty nice. This route is interesting, (and likely displays differently in June as snow clears that right now).

 

[sickchilly]

2nd the NF-25 and backside of St. Helens suggestion. It's awesome. A nice summary and some pics on PNW Riders:

https://pnwriders.com/ride-reports/37740-wa-nf25-mt-st-helens.html

 

[RedPorscheKilla]

Chinook pass if its open is a beautiful run as well! We're running from Olympia to Billings, from there up north to Calgary and Edmonton via 100 mile house back to Vancouver.

Meaning you could go south loop of Mt Rainier, hit Tri Cities, Walla Walla, trying to hit Lolo and than via Billings to Clagary.

V

RPK

 

[Tyler]

Hi, me and my husband are going to be going to the USA again, this time riding from LA (in late April) and aiming to be in Calgary at the start of June. We have done the part of the trip up to San Francisco once before, so probably won't spend a lot of time there. We do want to spend a bit of time in Seattle and Vancouver; probably 4 days in each.Does anyone have any "must see" locations, or "must ride" roads they can recommend, bearing in mind we probably won't ever do this again?

Thanks,

Carole

Hi Carole! Nice to see you made it over here... I'll be watching this thread as well for some ideas on my summer trip up in OR/WA areas as well... will you be riding up in Northern California as well? There are some really tasty bits up that way if you have the time... 299, 3, 36 just to name a few. B)

 

[kamal]

Hi Carole.

You have several choices for going from Vancouver to Calgary, depending on your time availability. For example:

From N. Vancouver take the 'Sea to Sky' Hwy 99 through Whistler, Pemberton and Lillooet to Hwy 97 (a must ride). From there, Hwy 1 through Kamloops, Revelstoke and Banff.

Take Hwy 1 to Hope. Then take Hwy 3 across the south of the Province, over the Crowsnest Pass into S. Alberta, turn left and head up to Calgary (quite scenic, but can be a very busy road).

Of course, you can also take a long time to zig-zag all over BC, before you hit boring, flat Alberta.

Sounds like you have about six weeks for the trip? Do you plan to stick to main roads?

Al

 

[manglegrat]

Hi, Carole.

I live in Calgary, and this thread is likely to give me ideas for some rides of my own (haven't done much PNW riding - yet), so I'll keep an eye on it...

You might be mountain-passed out by the time you get up here, but if you guys are in Calgary beyond June 15, you should plan to take-in the Highwood Pass if you possibly can - the road is closed from early Dec until then for weather and wildlife preservation reasons. I'd try a route something like this, avoiding Hwy 1 on the way back into Calgary.

Even if the entire loop isn't open when you're there, it might still be worth taking the north end from Highway 1 down to the Nakiska Resort/Kananaskis Village just to see the north end of the valley (though I personally prefer the south half!)...

Once you get into the mountains, the road through K-Country is is one I ride many, many times every year, grinning like an ***** inside my helmet every time. I prefer going south-to-north up the valley from Calgary via a little detour through Bragg Creek and Millarville down to Longview. The transition from the foothills on the way to & through Longview and on into the mountains is pretty cool.

Keep an eye out for wildlife in the pass, though! The local bighorn sheep like to wander onto the road in packs. We've also seen bears there (a momma grizzly and 2 cubs) as well... You might see the occasional cow or charity cycle-race as well - they both move in slow, randomly weaving herds, so be wary of both.

There are also a lot of great riding roads in the interior of BC, which is worthy of a week or two on its own, as well. Never done them on an FJR yet, though - just my old VFR. I've obviously got to go back and do them all again!

Take a look at the "Destination Highways" site/books as well (I've done a lot of the BC roads, the plan is to work on the WA ones next August, down into OR), you'll get a ton of great options - and I'm sure folks from here can filter them and supplement with their own west-coast experiences...

Have fun, and ride safe!

 

[Fontanaman]

I would get a copy of Destination Hwy California and ride all the roads listed North of San Francisco, West of I-5 to the Coast and to the Oregon boarder. It will take about 10 days to do this and you will have rode the best roads in the area if not the USA.

The Oregon Motorcyclist is a very good resource for finding good motorcycle roads in Oregon. I find the southern 1/3 of the Oregon Coast much less crowded and enjoyable than the northern 2/3. It is fun to get away from the coast by criss crossing the Oregon Coast mountains back and forth as you work your way north. My favorite coast mountain route is Hwy 34.

I would spend time along the Columbia River Gorge, visiting Multnomah Falls, Crown Point, the Historic Columbia River Hwy and the Rowena Crest (the finest loops road around).

If you have time visit NE Oregon for some of the finest motorcycling in the Pac NW.

Forest Service Road 25 on the east side of Mt. St. Helens will not be open until July 1st at the earliest. Most of the passes in Washington State will be open by June 1.

Spend a day or three on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington.

 

[SacramentoMike]

The Northwest folks won't steer you wrong, and for my money, the coast of Oregon is the best sightseeing riding on the Pacific. SO, my recommendation is to get inland after L.A. and see Yosemite National Park and some very beautiful nearby locations, like Kings Canyon, Sequoia Nat. Park, up through the Sierra Nevada mountain range, the Lake Tahoe area, Lassen Nat. Park, and north from there. You could catch Crater Lake Nat Park in Oregon, then hit the coast. Lots of specific roads to recommend if you decide to try that route north. Have fun.

 

[Hudson]

Do you want to really ride, or just cruise and look? If the former, follow the advice of those advocating Destination Highways. I have GPS routes of the roads mentioned here if you want, PM me.

If you just want to cruise, and v...e...r...r..y slowly, then follow the advice to hit the coast. Hwy 1 and 101 are dog slow, with 25 and 35 mph speed limits in spots. Personally, most of the N.. Cal and Oregon coast is unbearably slow, and you can only see so many tourist traps before you kick yourself in the head and mutter over and over again: why did I think this would be fun on a bike? Car, sure, but unless your idea of fun is a slow cruise or passing many RVs, avoid the Oregon coast. I think the really only truly good parts are from Santa Barbara to Monterey, and Eureka to Crescent City.

The biggest challenges on your route up north will be weather. In April-May, you will have snowpack in certain areas, possibly in the Mt. St. Helens area. In the PNW, rain is most likely within 25-75 miles east/west of I5 and on the coast, so you have to watch the weather, and ideally have two routes: up the central to eastern part of CA/OR/WA, and one on the western part.

 

[Fontanaman]

The Northwest folks won't steer you wrong......

Yeah we don't mind telling you where to go!

 

[escapefjrtist]

Hi Carole -- All great advice so far.

Make your plans very flexible. Some years in the PNW we don't see the sun nor it stop raining until July. In April / May, unless it's an abnormal year, you're guaranteed to be wet and cool, figure 10C or so for highs. Mountain passes could also be questionable, so plan the trip accordingly.

Great places to ride up in these parts. Enjoy the trip!

--G

 

[Fontanaman]

Hi Carole -- All great advice so far.
Make your plans very flexible. Some years in In the PNW we don't see the sun nor it stop raining until July. In April / May, unless it's an abnormal year, you're guaranteed to be wet and cool, figure 10C or so for highs. Mountain passes could also be questionable, so plan the trip accordingly.

Great places to ride up in these parts. Enjoy the trip!

--G

Fixed it for ya George.

Carole bring your rain wear and heated gear. It is perpetually green around here for a reason.

 

[escapefjrtist]

Hi Carole -- All great advice so far.
Make your plans very flexible. Some years in In the PNW we don't see the sun nor it stop raining until July. In April / May, unless it's an abnormal year, you're guaranteed to be wet and cool, figure 10C or so for highs. Mountain passes could also be questionable, so plan the trip accordingly.

Great places to ride up in these parts. Enjoy the trip!

--G

Fixed it for ya George.

Carole bring your rain wear and heated gear. It is perpetually green around here for a reason.

Good point Fontanaman, thanks for the correction(s)...

--G

 

[Panman]

This is a real pretty route to take, doable in two days, but really better to make it a three or four day run.

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Seattle,+WA&daddr=Whistler,+BC,+Canada+to:70+Mile+House,+BC,+Canada+to:51.3530964,-121.0946763+to:Jasper,+AB,+Canada+to:Lake+Louise,+AB,+Canada+to:Golden,+BC,+Canada+to:Radium+Hot+Springs,+BC,+Canada+to:Banff,+AB,+Canada+to:Calgary,+AB,+Canada&hl=en&sll=50.691238,-116.408386&sspn=0.682929,1.325226&geocode=FcJp1gIdWVy1-ClVM-iTLBCQVDGa1URpRmUlEA%3BFeC2_AId1NGr-CmHe5UDsjyHVDH2z_V16EG3Sg%3BFeDSDgMdx6XD-CnNBxM3_od_VDE7esUiBygBGA%3BFQiWDwMd7D3I-ClfPyOGwASAUzGvEkD4iKicfg%3BFa3fJgMd6ED2-CkpPlVoCCuDUzGCKBkLvQIgHw%3BFT-PEAMdCrsS-SkRzuGgKF13UzHmvGVjezw3PA%3BFXe3DgMdv0gH-SlpTrFjnL95UzFBRLYzySoEGg%3BFYZmBAMdcdwU-SkflXPSJG96UzFf6JmEu6khhA%3BFXvrDAMdr4cc-Sn9SgyRRcpwUzFjlKzavq6vyg%3BFc3jCgMdi5wz-SnVP4SfA3BxUzE6tlK2sTttJg&oq=Ra&mra=ls&via=3&t=m&z=7

 

[odot]

I think I5 will take you there......that's always an option.

 

[Tyler]

I think I5 will take you there......that's always an option.

Git back in your cage, beast...

 

[SacramentoMike]

This is a real pretty route to take, doable in two days, but really better to make it a three or four day run.
https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Seattle,+WA&daddr=Whistler,+BC,+Canada+to:70+Mile+House,+BC,+Canada+to:51.3530964,-121.0946763+to:Jasper,+AB,+Canada+to:Lake+Louise,+AB,+Canada+to:Golden,+BC,+Canada+to:Radium+Hot+Springs,+BC,+Canada+to:Banff,+AB,+Canada+to:Calgary,+AB,+Canada&hl=en&sll=50.691238,-116.408386&sspn=0.682929,1.325226&geocode=FcJp1gIdWVy1-ClVM-iTLBCQVDGa1URpRmUlEA%3BFeC2_AId1NGr-CmHe5UDsjyHVDH2z_V16EG3Sg%3BFeDSDgMdx6XD-CnNBxM3_od_VDE7esUiBygBGA%3BFQiWDwMd7D3I-ClfPyOGwASAUzGvEkD4iKicfg%3BFa3fJgMd6ED2-CkpPlVoCCuDUzGCKBkLvQIgHw%3BFT-PEAMdCrsS-SkRzuGgKF13UzHmvGVjezw3PA%3BFXe3DgMdv0gH-SlpTrFjnL95UzFBRLYzySoEGg%3BFYZmBAMdcdwU-SkflXPSJG96UzFf6JmEu6khhA%3BFXvrDAMdr4cc-Sn9SgyRRcpwUzFjlKzavq6vyg%3BFc3jCgMdi5wz-SnVP4SfA3BxUzE6tlK2sTttJg&oq=Ra&mra=ls&via=3&t=m&z=7

Mmmmm. Me likey the look of that too. Now I'm rethinking my idea for this summer's ride--across a lot of hot and flat to Sturgis and environs.

@badshelter: maybe I'll see you there.