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Need comments/advice on my Pacific Coast Highway trip this summer.

3K views 15 replies 8 participants last post by  colobluefox 
#1 · (Edited)


How's it look to you locals? Any comments?

Oh, I have twelve days to make this trip. This has it routed at 3600 miles.
 
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#3 ·
Oh, where to begin. Why I-90 and Seattle? You'll miss the Columbia River Gorge. Why are you turning east at Eureka? Continuing a bit south and you'll ride through the Avenue of the Giants. A back road that parallels Hwy 101 and takes you alongside huge Redwoods for many miles. An experience you will not forget. From there, you could hook up with legendary Hwy. 1 at Leggett.

You are smart to avoid Hwy.101 in Washington as there is only a short (1/2 mile) stretch where one can see the ocean. The most spectacular stretches of 101 are in Oregon between Yachats (say Ya Hots) and Florence and south of Coos Bay.

Reference www.Oregonmotorcyclist.com and www.pashnit.com.
 
#4 ·
Oh, where to begin. Why I-90 and Seattle? You'll miss the Columbia River Gorge. Why are you turning east at Eureka? Continuing a bit south and you'll ride through the Avenue of the Giants.
I was going to be rolling in to Eureka FROM the east. Then continuing north.

That's why I ask for comments from people who are from these places. I don't have any idea where I'm going so I don't want to miss stuff.

Thanks! Keep them coming.
 
#6 ·
It would be best to ride the coast going south. That way, you'll always be on the ocean side of the highway, making it easier and safer to pull over for views, etc.

+1 on the North Cascades Highway (Hwy. 20) - its like riding though a park with jagged mountains all around. Avoid the big cities anywhere you go - they are all the same. I also agree that you should avoid I-5.
 
#5 ·
I would forget I-90 and go to the North Cascades Highway (hwy20) or through Stevens Pass via hwy 2. You can bypass the Seattle mess if you want by hopping on hwy 18 to Snoqualmie and then taking hwy 203 to Monroe. Hwy 9 is a good route to get to Sedro Woolly and the North Cascades hwy.
Also you might consider taking hwy 12 and going through Mt Rainier Nat'l Park to Enumclaw and then to rte 169 to hwy 18 and avoid the I-5 mess through Tacoma. I would guarntee a stress reduction of 5 points.
 
#7 ·

How's it look to you locals? Any comments?

Oh, I have twelve days to make this trip. This has it routed at 3600 miles.[/quote]

I'm not from the area, but I've done some riding there and would concur with the other guys on taking in the North Cascades Highway, and the Columbia River Gorge. Here's a couple of shots of the latter:

[IMG]http://api.photoshop.com/v1.0/accounts/8c577227b4d14abd8878d3202052ae82/assets/3dbb47f908774a038a3acfd778409f60



I would also suggest coming inland and taking in the mountains like Rainier and St Helens.

I like Seattle and think it's worth a visit. If you have time, you might want to hop a ferry over to the Olympic Peninsula.

It is a beautiful part of the world, I think you're going to have fun.

Hell, even a boring old freeway like I-90 is a pretty ride.



Here's a vid my wife took of a nice road called Windy Ridge that runs up the back of Mt St Helens:



Towards the end, you can still see the devastation that occurred even decades after the eruption.

For some reason the video looks very shaky on Youtube. Just imagine it's buffeting.
 
#8 ·
Saddlebag, you aren't supposed to post photos showing that it can be sunny in the Northwet. Post only rainy day pictures, so folks will think it rains all the time and will not consider moving here.
 
#10 ·
Go straight up the west side of Puget Sound for a beautiful ride, cross
On the ferry at Pt Townsend to Whidbey Island. I live about 5 minutes
From the landing at Keystone. The gunnery pic above is taken at Ft Casey, just to the left before landing at Keystone. From here you pick up Hwy 20, up and over Washington Pass and down thru the Columbia Gorge. If you PM me, I can give you many suggestions on where to stop and what to see along the route as well as a couple of must rides down the Gorge area. Jim
 
#11 · (Edited)
First off have a good time. 12 days you should be able to stop and see some of the sights. Glacier National Park is a beautiful park. On the strech through Nevada on highway 6 Make sure you have plenty of water (your just north of hell. IT'S HOT.) and enough fuel to make 170 miles. There is a strech that long with no services. I carry some msr fuel cells in my pack. Just a extra half gallon but worth the space.
 
#13 ·
40X,
With only 12 days, you are going to have to make some serious decisions as to what you want to see and roads you want to travel. It's going to be difficult do the Columbia River Gorge, the North Cascades Highway and Central Washington.

Send us those things/roads you REALLY want to see (and the direction you'd like to travel them) and we Northwesterners will try to help you to achieve those priorities. cheers
 
#14 ·
#15 ·
Nice route you have there now. Re the Keystone / Port Townsend ferry; motorcycles have first on, first off privileges on all Washington State ferries. Check ferry schedules so you won't arrive to watch it leave. There are long lines during the summer, allow for that.

If you are moteling it, pick up those discount coupon books available at visitors' centers, truck stops, rest areas and fast food places and Denny's adjacent to freeways. Many times, I have paid half what the guy next to me did at the registration desk.
 
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