Touring plan

[Waaane]

Well then, Now you neede a motorcycle... This is available on SF Bay Area Craigslist


Just a bit early to purchase now,only coming over in 9 odd months time. Will be looking for something I can run up a couple of miles on and then sell off without loosing a fortune!!!

I understand. I only put it up there because I have been lusting after it myself since I ran into it while surfing for an oversized windshield for my 05. Enjoy your trip.

 

[Gareth RSA]

I understand. I only put it up there because I have been lusting after it myself since I ran into it while surfing for an oversized windshield for my 05. Enjoy your trip.

It's a beaut. I've put V Stream shield on my 05, great for rain and cold, but gets a bit warm behind it in the summer

 

[James Burleigh]

Oopsie-doodly-do... I forgot to mention the World Famous Wine Country:

Here's a pic of the San Francisco Bay Area from the other side:

There are other sights to see in California that are of interest to some (~50% of the population): :blink:

 

[Gareth RSA]

Oopsie-doodly-do... I forgot to mention the World Famous Wine Country:

In that case I think I'll extend my visit.....

 

[madmike2]

There is some great information on this thread.

I would add: be prepared for climate change. In September, the California coast can be cool but inland, across the Central Valley, can be very warm (in the 90f-100f or 32.2c-37.7c). Yosemite is in the Sierra Nevada mountains but it can also be 80-90f or 26-32c. There are a number of wonderful mountain passes over the Sierra Mountains, north of Yosemite: Hwy108 has been mentioned but there are Hwys 120, 4, 50 & 80, each with it's own charm, scenic beauty and technicality/traffic.

If you should make the loop through British Columbia and over to Yellowstone, please note that eastern Washington, eastern Oregon and southern Idaho are high desert. Hydration is your friend, as is well vented clothing.

 

[Fairlaner]

Come on over we will be more than happy to show you some of our favorite routes, as long as it is not during the World Cup as i will be in the UK....

R

 

[James Burleigh]

...note that eastern Washington, eastern Oregon and southern Idaho are high desert. Hydration is your friend, as is well vented clothing.

Good advice! Man-o-man, the hottest, most dehydrated, thirstiest, and dying for some shade I've ever been on a motorcycle was on the way to NAFO last July, riding east on Hwy 84 through Oregon along the Columbia River. Ray and I felt like a couple of ants on a sidewalk, and nowhere to stop for miles and miles. Finally we pulled off at an oasis gas station. We darted around the side of it to the shade. Here's how Silent cooled down:

 

[DaNav]

Ditto what others have said about coming to California in September, right after Labor Day. Find a bike in LA or SF on Craigslist and ride Hwy 1 north along the coast. Can't comment about Oregon or Washington because I haven't been there in a long time, but I'm sure Hwy 1 and the Cascade mountains would be quite nice in those parts. Back in California, Hwy 36, 299, 96 and 3 in the northern part of the state (Trinity Alps) would be great. Ride over to Mt Shasta and then south, crisscrossing the Sierras all the way through Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park, making sure, as mentioned earlier, to ride the Sierra Passes. then further south to Death Valley and over to the Grand Canyon and up into Utah where there are some splendid national parks (Monument Valley, Bryce Canyon, etc.). Continue east, spend some time in the Rockies and end your trip in Denver. Other than Las Vegas - a true slice of Americana - and, arguably San Francisco, the best parts of the US are the natural wonders. This book by Clement Salvadori can help with your planning. Others on the same website will be helpful as well...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/188431360...5RC4TQ31MPP2H9M

 

[wheatonFJR]

I say fly into Atlanta, get your bike, then head up to Cherokee, NC and get on the Blue Ridge Parkway and ride it up to Front Royal, VA. It is a 477 mile road with NOT a single stop light or stop sign. Motorcycle nirvana for sure. That will take about 5 or 6 days and the scenery is incredible. Lots of nice B&B's and resorts along that route. You would not regret that ride.
Once in Front Royal you should turn left and go into West Virginia enjoy some of the wonderful roads there. The FJR eastern owners meeting (EOM) had their annual ride/meet in Front Royal in 2003, and Lewisburg, WV in 2007, and Johnson City, TN this year. They did this for one reason: easy reach to some of the best roads in the eastern half of the US. You could easily spend a week or two getting back to Atlanta on some really magnificent and iconic roads.

Heck - if you planned to ride western NC alone you could spend 2 weeks and have the time of your life. Deals Gap, Cherohala Skyway, Hellbender, southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway and North Georgia are all awesome areas to ride in. Many many nice places to stay in that area.

Area Maps:

https://www.tailofthedragon.com/maps.html

Best time of the year for this region is usually early May through mid October. The two weeks before public schools let out in May or the weeks following Labor Day (Sept 1) are the best times because most of the tourists are gone and the roads are a bit more available.

Good advice :clapping:

:yahoo:

 

[Frewil]

Good luck on you Adventure.

 

[Gareth RSA]

Good luck on you Adventure.

I really appreciate the responses. Nearer the time when I have finalised planning my trip I will post it for some fine tuning.

 

[dustyrains]

I am partial to the twisties found in the central Oregon high desert. However, if you want to enjoy riding fast without worrying much about speeding tickets, I suggest the western half of Montana. The secondary roads have speed limits of 70 mph, whereas in Oregon, they would be 55. There you can enjoy the capabilities of the FJR and world class mountain scenery, light traffic and small towns. Be wary of not only large deer and elk in the road, but also domestic cattle, as there is a lot of "open range", i.e. the cattle are unfenced and free to roam onto the highway, except for the interstates of course. In my opinion the best time of year to go would be in September. Still pretty good weather, way less vacation traffic on the roads, although at the highest elevations you might run into some early snow in late September/early October.