Phoenix, Arizona to Quesnel, BC, Canada

[rummy63]

I am flying down to Phoenix, Arizona to ride a 2007 BMW K1200GT back to Quesnel, BC, Canada around July 6th. If anyone has any information on preferred routes or don't miss sights, please let me know. If you have any advice, I am all ears (only because I have very little hair). :wave

[franze]

I'd check off these sites:

Sedona AZ

http://elcid.smugmug.com/Other/SW-Ride/P1020751/568998973_5ABZ9-M.jpg

http://elcid.smugmug.com/Other/SW-Ride/P1020750/568998948_8PijM-M.jpg

Monument Valley, UT

http://elcid.smugmug.com/Other/SW-Ride/P1020710/555792081_MTVdM-M.jpg

http://elcid.smugmug.com/Other/SW-Ride/P1020713/555792126_fsDKC-M.jpg


Crossing Utah, HWY 12. I've heard Arches Nat'l Monument is pretty good stuff but haven't been there. Have been to Moab and loved that.

http://elcid.smugmug.com/Other/SW-Ride/P1020674/555710480_o95dN-M.jpg


http://elcid.smugmug.com/Other/SW-Ride/P1020683/555713590_u9Jpg-M.jpg


Head up through the sparsely populated center of Nevada to see what your new bike can do with 75 mile visibility and no traffic. It's about the safest place I've been to have a heavy wrist. Of course, Bonneville Salt Flats are also on your way home :thumb

http://elcid.smugmug.com/Other/SW-Ride/P1020654/555624163_576VZ-M.jpg

stop at the Shoe tree near Austin on HWY 50

http://elcid.smugmug.com/Other/SW-Ride/P1020640/555615240_WKBic-M.jpg

http://elcid.smugmug.com/Other/SW-Ride/P1020643/555615296_9G82H-M.jpg

Head West on 50 to Lake Tahoe, stopping off in Virginia City

http://elcid.smugmug.com/Other/SW-Ride/P1020635/555609236_mB7HH-M.jpg

http://elcid.smugmug.com/Other/SW-Ride/P1020634/555609219_Zp3K5-M.jpg

You should be able to find your way home from there. Bring a camera, enjoy the ride.

[RTRandy]

+1:thumb on those roads. Your most direct route is Utah straight north and then southern Idaho over through NE Oregon and across Washington. If you cut left of the "Direct route" then take Franze's suggested route for sure. Depending on time and what you prefer, there are areas east of the “Direct route” cutting over through western Colorado and western Wyoming that could be a possibility. Frankly it's all good out here, but there are certainly some notables that you could include. The good news is your K1200GT will rock your world riding those kinds of roads. Be sure and send us a pic of the bike and lets us hear about your trip.

Grand Canyon, preferably north side.

Million Dollar Highway 550 Durango to Ridgeway.

If you take an eastern Utah route such as 191 and get to Moab, there is a great road from Moab just west of Grand Junction, Hwy 128.

Route 139 north from Grand Junction

Vernal, UT north through Flaming Gorge and while both roads good continuing north, I’d suggest the west side

Pinedale through Jackson and past the great Tetons.

Southern entrance to Yellowstone and out east entrance to Cody.
Chief Joseph Highway over to Bear Tooth Pass. Considered to be truely one of the best roads in the states

Glacier National Park is always “A don’t miss” and from there head out the north side into the Canadian side.

And from here you’re on your own.

[rummy63]

Those pics sure help me make a choice. I was drooling over the Sedona twisties pic. I have always wanted to see the Monument National Park because it reminds me of the great John Wayne classic movies and Wiley Coyote / Road Runner setting. The Arches National Park is supposed to be impressive as well. The 550 Million Dollar Highway would be a dream but I think it's too far out of the way. Cold be another trip.

Not to be forgotten is Natural Bridges National Park. It's not quite two hours south of Moab via U.S. 191 and Utah 95.

Sure appreciate the pics. I will let you know what I have decided and will post pics of the trip.

[rummy63]

I finally got around to uploading some pics from my trip to Phoenix and back to Quesnel, BC, Canada. I flew from Vancouver to Phoenix. It was 107 F when I arrived. I hunted for a Mexican food restaurant and took a dip in the hotel pool and I felt they should rename the city "Toaster Oven".

Jim at Victory BMW had done a great job prepping the bike. I had two Michelin Road Pilot 2's installed, a Garmin GPS mount installed, and a complete inspection.

It took a day to get comfortable on the bike (I hadn't rode a bike in 17 years), get vehicle registration, temporary plates and insurance. I also had to buy some gloves and a helmet. I had earlier purchased and shipped down an Aerostich Roadcrafter suit which I highly recommend.

On the first day, I rode to the Grand Canyon. Then it was through Monument Valley via I-160 and I-163 and I-191 and on to Moab. The I-128 is a must-see because it is full of twisties and parallels the South Colorado River. Then to Salt Lake City via I-50 and I-89 (very boring part), where I almost got taken out by a careless driver on the freeway who was changing lanes without shoulder checking. I could have reached out and slapped that driver if their driver window was open. I carried on to Idaho Falls via I-15. Then on to Coeur D'Alene. I was warned at the hotel in Coeur D'Alene to watch out for deer north of the city via I-41, I-20, and I-31 and sure enough a deer jumped out in front of me. Thankfully, the ABS brakes on the 2007 BMW K1200 GT are impressive, and I was able to slow from 55 mph down to 25 mph before the deer freaked, pivoted, and jumped back into the hip-high saw grass. I crossed over the border at Nelway. The ride between Nelway and Castlegar was gorgeous. I visited my friend in Castlegar and then went on to Kelowna and then back to Quesnel. In total it was 2700 miles in 7 days. Too long of a distance in too short of time. I had to hurry back home to take the family camping.

The bike was excellent for comfort but 450-500 mile rides are uncomfortable on probably on any bike. The heated grips came in handy south of Kelowna where I went over a mountain pass. The electric cruise control is my favourite feature because I can rest my hand and wrist. The bike is light enough to flick through corners but heavy enough to withstand side-gusts. I am very happy with this bike. It will serve me well until I buy a Goldwing just before retirement.

In July 2011, about 6 of us are heading down the Oregon Coast for San Francisco and the Hearst Castle. I will post pics of that trip later, because that will be another story.

See http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h358/rummy63/ for 13 pics of my first big trip.