Routing Advice Needed

[101stpathfinder]

I am starting to plan a "Sunrise to Sunset" ride and need some advice.

Instead of counting on ferries and timing taking #16 north from Tacoma, I was wondering about a route that continued west on I-5 and taking 101 north to Forks,

OR

Taking I-5 west and riding on #8 to Hoquiam and then hit 101 north.

(Mid June)

Wisdom from those familiar…?

Thanks, Tony

 

[blufjr]

Hoods Canal (US 101) is a nice ride, 4-5 hours on the relaxed schedule. It would be longer than the Hoquiam route. Go one way to and the other back. Where you going afterwards?

 

[Ignacio]

I'm not exactly sure what you're planning, but I'm imagining it's continental in scope and as quickly as possible. If so, you're calling Forks the NW most thing? Not to add to your trip, but I personally think Neah Bay is...it just feels like the absolute NW tip of the state.

And if you're headed east or coming from the east...you thinking I-90 or I-84?

If I-90 then it's a no brainer to either do the Bainbridge-Seattle ferry or maybe the Kingston-Edmonds run. WA ferries is the biggest ferry operation in the world and pretty danged reliable! The other great thing is motorcycles get two shots at boarding. If they haven't started boarding yet you get on in front of everybody else and off the first. If they start boarding--you still get on that ferry at the end. Just sayin' WA ferries rock. If you need some remedial info on a particular route...I've ridden every single route and all the ferries except the brand new one. I know the ferries.

If you're coming from I-84 via SLC and going to Forks specifically...I'd do I-84 into Portland, north on I-5, turn off at Grand Mound, WA to 12, drive by and wave at both Mario's place in Montesano and his LD Comfort business in Hoquiam, and then up 101.

 

[101stpathfinder]

I am most likely coming in on I-90. The ride is the IBA "Sunrise to Sunset" (Eastport,ME TO LaPush, WA in 72 hours) So LaPush would be my stop.
After LaPush, I will return to a road that I swore I would never ride again (Haul Rd.) specially for the Haul Rd. 1000.
Then drop down to Red Lodge.

Matt- I will definitely hit you up for ferry advice later.

 

[audiowize]

I agree with Matt - the ferries are reliable enough to trust for this. From I-90, the Bainbridge boat is only about 5 minutes away (I take this route daily on my commute). The big crowd tends to come from Bainbridge to Seattle in the morning, then Seattle back to Bainbridge at night, so if you're dead opposite of that daily migration, you'll be on a pretty empty boat.

 

[101stpathfinder]

So.. I am understanding that the Seattle/Bainbridge Island ferry is recommended over the Edmonds/Kingston ferry? If I absolutely must ride without ferry assist, would the northern route or western route

be better for night riding? Has anyone been to the Lonesome Creek Store? No info or web site found (?) I remember a article in the IBA Mag. on this ride… now to find it.

 

[Ignacio]

So.. I am understanding that the Seattle/Bainbridge Island ferry is recommended over the Edmonds/Kingston ferry? If I absolutely must ride without ferry assist, would the northern route or western route

I think Audiowize pointed out the issues about timing. If you're going into Seattle at 5 p.m. on a weekday to Bainbridge...you're gonna have traffic no matter what, but you'd probably have less overall traffic than trying to navigate the Interstates up to Edmonds. But once on Bainbridge you're going to be on two-lane roads with local commuters and it will be some time before traffic things out. The traffice after Kingston might be less.

What I'm suggesting is the BIG variable on Seattle is time of day and direction....not as much which ferry you choose. That part you've got a golden ticket being a motorcycle.

That said, ferries don't run 24 hours a day either...so you do kinda have to get there in that 5:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. window. There is that 4 hour period (depending on season and day of the week) they don't run.

 

[101stpathfinder]

So.. I am understanding that the Seattle/Bainbridge Island ferry is recommended over the Edmonds/Kingston ferry? If I absolutely must ride without ferry assist, would the northern route or western route

I think Audiowize pointed out the issues about timing. If you're going into Seattle at 5 p.m. on a weekday to Bainbridge...you're gonna have traffic no matter what, but you'd probably have less overall traffic than trying to navigate the Interstates up to Edmonds. But once on Bainbridge you're going to be on two-lane roads with local commuters and it will be some time before traffic things out. The traffice after Kingston might be less.

What I'm suggesting is the BIG variable on Seattle is time of day and direction....not as much which ferry you choose. That part you've got a golden ticket being a motorcycle.

That said, ferries don't run 24 hours a day either...so you do kinda have to get there in that 5:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. window. There is that 4 hour period (depending on season and day of the week) they don't run.

I am really rethinking my east coast starting time. This ride is a 1200 mile per day ride, so with a good rest in Eastport, ME there is not much room for flexibility.

I would just ride for 3 days with only roadside rests. I am thinking maybe an 8 pm start in the east would put me in Seattle after morning rush and put me in LaPush

before darkness, Then I could get a good nights sleep before heading up to Northpole, AK.

 

[Panman]

So.. I am understanding that the Seattle/Bainbridge Island ferry is recommended over the Edmonds/Kingston ferry? If I absolutely must ride without ferry assist, would the northern route or western route be better for night riding? Has anyone been to the Lonesome Creek Store? No info or web site found (?) I remember a article in the IBA Mag. on this ride… now to find it.

Lots of links; https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=lonesome+creek+store

Personally I stay away from that side of river, the other side of the river I fished a lot back in the day.

Why go there? If you want to get north get out to Cape Flattery.

 

[escapefjrtist]

I am really rethinking my east coast starting time. This ride is a 1200 mile per day ride, so with a good rest in Eastport, ME there is not much room for flexibility.I would just ride for 3 days with only roadside rests. I am thinking maybe an 8 pm start in the east would put me in Seattle after morning rush and put me in LaPush

before darkness, Then I could get a good nights sleep before heading up to Northpole, AK.

Tony, keep in mind that traffic in Seattle absolutely sucks most all the time. Odds are better between 10A - 2P but all it takes is one knucklehead accident and traffic is balled up big time. No lane sharing up here either.

I would avoid the ferries and ride around the south end through Tacoma, the thing is, that could be a mess getting there from I-90. If I had to choose between the two ferries, it would be Edmonds-Kingston as you'll end up much further north on faster roads.

Good luck and let the PNW crew know what we can do to help.

--G

 

[101stpathfinder]

Personally I stay away from that side of river, the other side of the river I fished a lot back in the day.

Why go there? If you want to get north get out to Cape Flattery.

The IBA certificate is Eastern most (Eastport, ME) to Western most (LaPush,WA)

LaPush Looks like a reservation with a store & Police Station, I hope to get witnesses and receipt there before night falls over Washington state.

I am still looking for the issue of the IBA mag. IIRC it was a female Canadian rider that made the ride (Name withheld)

 

[audiowize]

Oh, I should mention that traffic getting off of Bainbridge Island across the bridge on the north end of the Island is brutal. It's still not as bad as what's going on up in Edmonds/Kingston, but I would plan to be taking a boat no earlier than the 7:20 PM departure if you're planning on rolling in a bit later in the day. If you can make it into town for the 3:45 boat, you shouldn't hit too many nasties either.