Day Trips from Rally Site?

[calnalu]

Will there be info/maps available during the Rally for recommended day trips into the surrounding area and back? I'm interested in seeing a bit of east Washington and some of Idaho while I'm in Spokane.

And will there be any organized group day trips?

Thanks,

Marty

[Unregistered]

Read FAQ's on Rally Homepage--YES

[kbasa]

At all the national rallies I've been to, there have been a series of "Self Guided Tours" in the form of a map that's marked up. They're usually prepared by locals, so you get to ride all the cool little roads you wouldn't have found on your own.

[BradfordBenn]

Originally posted by Calnalu
And will there be any organized group day trips?
:idea
Marty-

You are as qualified as anyone else to lead one. I would say pick up one of those self-guided maps and then get a bunch of people together and voila you have a group trip.

Ain't I a stinker... you saw what happened to Swaanimal with the other list...

:bliss

[kbasa]

:rofl

[Sirby]

We will have lots of ideas for you on where to ride at the Hospitality tent. The tent will be located right in the middle of the site. You will have some very experienced backroad touring folks to direct you on the best roads. We will have state maps too.

:burnout


-Sirby

[lorazepam]

It is easy to organize a ride. I am an Idiot, and I can do it with no problem, just see the midwest track day, and the summer solstice ride.

[JetDoc]

Originally posted by Sirby
We will have lots of ideas for you on where to ride at the Hospitality tent. The tent will be located right in the middle of the site. You will have some very experienced backroad touring folks to direct you on the best roads. We will have state maps too.

:burnout


-Sirby

I'm looking forward to checking out what some of the other local riders consider to be their favorite rides. I have a few favorites of my own I would like to contribute also... The hospitality tent will definitely be one of my first stops at the rally!

[lorazepam]

What would be really cool is to have a laptop or other computer there dedicated to allowing people to download routes into their GPS units. A card reader, Garmin and Megellan attachment points, and the software for said adult toys. They should already have the area maps loaded, that takes forever on my unit, but it downloads routes in seconds. Just a thought.

I am very envious of all who get to attend the rally. I will have vacation time next year, and I will be sure to attend.

[BradfordBenn]

I will have my laptop with me. I have MapSource... hmmm. Anyone want to provide routes, I will be more than happy to provide a point of contact. Maybe it is worth talking to Brian about the CyberCafe doing something like this? Paging Brian... Paging Jackie Hughes...

[Sirby]

Yessir! Local Idaho riders. Please stop by the Hospitality booth and let us know your favorite routes in the area. Some of us from the Washington Club have limited experience on Idaho roads, and would appreciate you running a highlighter around on the map to show us what to reccomend. :dunno ( I would anyway )
-Sirby

[kbasa]

If someone puts a map up here as a .jpg or something, I'd bet some nice person will plug it in and build a route. We can modify the forum to allow posting Garmin routes if we have some real interest. I assume they're fairly small?

[BradfordBenn]

FYI-

The two loops that lorezapam laid out for this weekend's ride are about 60kB each. I zipped the two to post them and it came out to be about 32kB total.

However being able to post tracks and waypoints would be really cool. So I say go for it. Then again I am a forum geek :p <- read the beeeg list?

[kbasa]

OK, that's entirely feasible. Let's see who on the rally committee has a map with the routes on them and we can get them plotted.

This would be way cool to have. I believe the forum will now accept .zip files, but I can modify the permissions if it doesn't.

[BradfordBenn]

Yes the forum accepts zip files.

[RTRandy]

My poor man's GPS system: ( I'm serious )

I go to Mapquest and Zoom in on the area or route of interest. I print out one section and then move the map to the next area along the way and then print that section out. I trim the sections and use clear scotch tape to piece them together.
It takes a little time, but you end up with a real nice custom map piecing all the sections together. They will align perfectly. You can make an 11 x 17 color copy of the pieced together map even with highlighter marks on them at a place like Kinko's for about a buck and hand them to friends as well.

Fold them once or twice and you can have them set in the tank bag window ready for easy reference. I have maps with good detail that will cover sections of my trip to Spokane. You should be able to make a pretty good map covering Spokane and the northern parts of Idaho so anyone in the know of good roads in that area can help you mark your enlarged map.

[BradfordBenn]

If there are tracks and rides posted, I will also convert them to "ride sheets" for everyone's use. (What did I just volunteer for?)

Basically I will take the gps info and make an Adobe Acrobat PDF out of it so everyone can share.

[JetDoc]

Originally posted by BradfordBenn
If there are tracks and rides posted, I will also convert them to "ride sheets" for everyone's use. (What did I just volunteer for?)

Basically I will take the gps info and make an Adobe Acrobat PDF out of it so everyone can share.

I have several routes on my MapSource GPS file, but I'm not sure how I can download the info to this forum. In the meantime, here's one of my favorite loops... If you start in Spokane you can ride through three states and cross Idaho from border to border twice! If there's any interest, I might be persuaded to lead a group ride on this route. :dunno

Thompson Pass Loop: A few low-speed turns; some moderate grades; One steep climb at Montana border; 280 miles; Riding time = 5 hours.

From Spokane, East on I-90 past the old Cataldo Mission to mile 43 and the Kingston exit. Turn eastbound on the Coeur d’Alene River Road. Stop and visit the Enaville Snake Pit if you dare. Continue on the old river road to Prichard then the Prichard Creek Road past Murray and up over the pass into Montana. You may still see some snow on the north sides of the high peaks as you pass under them.

From the top of Thompson pass, continue down the Montana side on Hwy 471. At the stop sign your route leads westbound on Hwy 200 but you can detour a mile or two east to visit the town of Thompson Falls. Fuel is cheaper in Montana, and maybe you can find some fresh home-made huckleberry ice cream!

Westbound Hwy 200 will take you to Sandpoint, ID where you can hook up to Hwy 2 back to Spokane, or Hwy 95 to Coeur d’Alene. Either route, how many times can you say you’ve crossed a whole state from border to border twice in one afternoon’s ride?

:burnout

[BradfordBenn]

JetDoc-

If you zip/compress the file you should be able to post it. KBasa is going to make it so that people can upload tracks and maps but for the moment a zip file (pkzip, winzip, Windows XP compressed folder... etc.) is the easier way to go.

If you want, you can e-mail it to me and I can convert it to a PDF.

[Montana]

Just a few comments on JetDoc's route.

There is a fun paved road, not shown, that goes past Bull Lake to Troy MT and then you can come back to Sandpoint on Hwy 2, if you have a little more time than just riding 200.

When you get to the west side of Newport, stop at the coffee shack in the Subway parking lot for a great smoothie.

If you are short of time, then check the route to Lakeside and Bayview, go to Farragut State Park, where they test submarine technology.

[kbasa]

Yep. We can attach .zip files, so if you want to zip up the GPS route and attach it, go right ahead. If you're not sure how to do that, send it to me at teamkbasaATcomcastDOTnet and I'll put it up for you.

dave

[JetDoc]

Originally posted by KBasa
Yep. We can attach .zip files, so if you want to zip up the GPS route and attach it, go right ahead. If you're not sure how to do that, send it to me at teamkbasaATcomcastDOTnet and I'll put it up for you.

dave

The zip program on my computer isn't working properly, so I sent a copy of my route file to BradfordBenn this morning. I can shoot one to you also.

[kbasa]

Ah heck, then let's get Brad to do it.

:p

[kbasa]

From JetDoc:

My Rally Maps: (Riding times & distances estimated. Yours may vary.)

Here’s three of my favorite Washington & Idaho loops…

1. Lake Coeur d’Alene loop: Some low speed turns and moderate grades. 150 miles, Est. riding time = 2.5 hours

From Spokane take I-90 East to Idaho mile marker 22 exit to Hwy 97.
Hwy 97 bends and twists southbound around the eastern shore of Lake Coeur d’Alene, offering some fantastic views of the lake and surrounding forests to the little lakeside town of Harrison. At Harrison, continue South on Hwy 97, 7.5 miles to the intersection of Hwy 3. South on Hwy 3 to St Maries.

At the stop sign in St Maries, turn Right onto Hwy 5, Westbound to Plumber. You will pass through Hayburn State Park, and more beautiful lake views as you ride through the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation. At Plumber, turn northbound onto US Hwy 95. Just North of the Coeur d’Alene tribal Casino/Resort, you may continue on US 95 to Coeur d’Alene, or bear left onto Hwy 58 which will lead you back to Spokane. Hwy 95 is a little faster, but 58 is a more interesting ride.

Either way, this loop will give you some great photo ops of one of the most beautiful lakes in the country, and a nice ride in the country.

2. Kettle Falls Loop: Some sweeping curves; Mostly level to moderate grades; 275 miles; Riding time = 5 hours.

From Spokane, take I-90 to Hwy 2 westbound. At Davenport, turn north on Hwy 25, past old Fort Spokane. Your route will take you from the Spokane River along Lake Roosevelt to Kettle Falls, WA. At Kettle Falls, turn East onto Hwy 395/20 to Colville. At Colville, follow Hwy 20 to Tiger and follow the Pend Oreille River on to Newport.

At Newport, you can take US Hwy 2 west back to Spokane. If you have more time, continue to follow the river East on Hwy 2 to Sandpoint, Idaho and take US 95 South to Coeur d’Alene where you can return to Spokane via I-90.

3. Thompson Pass Loop: A few low-speed turns; some moderate grades; One steep climb at Montana border; 280 miles; Riding time = 5 hours.

From Spokane, East on I-90 past the old Cataldo Mission to mile 43 and the Kingston exit. Turn eastbound on the Coeur d’Alene River Road. Stop and visit the Enaville Snake Pit if you dare. Continue on the old river road to Prichard then the Prichard Creek Road past Murray and up over the pass into Montana. You may still see some snow on the north sides of the high peaks as you pass under them.

From the top of Thompson pass, continue down the Montana side on Hwy 471. At the stop sign your route leads westbound on Hwy 200 but you can detour a mile or two east to visit the town of Thompson Falls. Fuel is cheaper in Montana, and maybe you can find some fresh home-made huckleberry ice cream!

Westbound Hwy 200 will take you to Sandpoint, ID where you can hook up to Hwy 2 back to Spokane, or Hwy 95 to Coeur d’Alene. Either route, how many times can you say you’ve crossed a whole state from border to border twice in one afternoon’s ride?

[JetDoc]

Thanks, Dave

[gwb36]

"3. Thompson Pass Loop: A few low-speed turns; some moderate grades; One steep climb at Montana border; 280 miles; Riding time = 5 hours."
----------
Are all roads paved on this ride?

[BradfordBenn]

Originally posted by JetDoc
Thanks, Dave

Really I was gonna do it. Stand by for the ride sheets....

[BradfordBenn]

Here is the Kettle Falls Loop:


Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (http://www.bradfordbenn.com/BMWMOA/KettleFalls.pdf)
Graphic View (http://www.bradfordbenn.com/BMWMOA/KettleFalls.gif)
Microsoft Word XP (http://www.bradfordbenn.com/BMWMOA/KettleFalls.doc)


Here is the Lake Coeur d'Alene Loop:


Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (http://www.bradfordbenn.com/BMWMOA/LakeCoeurDAlene.pdf)
Graphic View (http://www.bradfordbenn.com/BMWMOA/LakeCoeurDAlene.gif)
Microsoft Word XP (http://www.bradfordbenn.com/BMWMOA/LakeCoeurDAlene.doc)


Here is the Thompson Pass Loop:


Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (http://www.bradfordbenn.com/BMWMOA/ThompsonPass.pdf)
Graphic View (http://www.bradfordbenn.com/BMWMOA/ThompsonPass.gif)
Microsoft Word XP (http://www.bradfordbenn.com/BMWMOA/ThompsonPass.doc)


Should work for any and all...:clap :bliss

[JetDoc]

Originally posted by gwb36
"3. Thompson Pass Loop: A few low-speed turns; some moderate grades; One steep climb at Montana border; 280 miles; Riding time = 5 hours."
----------
Are all roads paved on this ride?

Yes, all roads are paved and in good condition. We did this loop about two weeks ago.

[JetDoc]

Here's another great Northern Idaho ride from the Spokane Fairgrounds. I've always done it as a two-day ride with an overnight stop in Missoula, but there's no reason it can't be done in one (long) day.

The route is just over 500 miles, with 200 of that being Interstate between Spokane and Missoula. The balance is mostly high-speed highways and includes US Hwy 12 between Lewiston, ID and Lolo, MT. This is the famous (or infamous) "winding road next 77 miles" highway you've all seen in your friends' photo albums.

I've attached my Garmin MapSource route file in a zipped folder.

Ride Safe and Enjoy!

[BradfordBenn]

Do you have the 77 mile sign as a way point?

Yes, tonight I will transform it into other formats...

[BradfordBenn]

Here is the Lolo Loop:


Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (http://www.bradfordbenn.com/BMWMOA/LoloLoop.pdf)
Graphic View (http://www.bradfordbenn.com/BMWMOA/lololoop.gif)
Microsoft Word XP (http://www.bradfordbenn.com/BMWMOA/LoloLoop.doc)

[Montana]

Many maps don't show this, but the two main routes for Dworshak Dam (through Cavendish or through Elk River, I believe; JetDoc can confirm the route numbers I bet) are all paved. Any of these routes to/from the rally site would be a good day trip. Orofino is a good sized town with all services.

[JetDoc]

Originally posted by Montana
Many maps don't show this, but the two main routes for Dworshak Dam (through Cavendish or through Elk River, I believe; JetDoc can confirm the route numbers I bet) are all paved. Any of these routes to/from the rally site would be a good day trip. Orofino is a good sized town with all services.

It's been a couple of years since I visited the Dwarshak reservoir. At that time, some of the roads that used to be paved were not well maintained. I really don't know what the situation is now. I'd bet there are some fantastic rides in that area for the GS pilots, but my K12 prefers smoother surfaces to play on :D

[Montana]

Memorial weekend we rode the Cavendish route on R1200Cs and our route was freshly paved. In Orofino we met two ID riders, one on an R and one on an ST1300 if memory serves, they'd come from Elk River - all nicely paved.