Would love some Oregon Washington road suggestions

[SeabeckS]

Okay. I'm trying to use all this great advice so now rethinking my entrance into California thanks to you Californians. Let's back up a ways so you can see the route logic and hopefully I can fine tune what I have so far.

The point of this is to ride up 395 which I've never ridden. Let's start at Torrey, UT which is along the way. From Torrey going to hit Ceder City on 36 to 375 to Tonopah.
I'm choosing this since riding further south to Las Vegas and taking 168 north of Death Valley looks like taking too much time away.

So here's the question: Route 6 from Tonopah hits 120 at Benton, NV. Shortly after there is a road called Benton Crossing going past a Lake Crowley south of Mommoth Lake or you can continue on 120 which comes into 395 just south of Lee Vining.

Any one way better than the other ?

Oh and one other question: When I get up near Lake Tahoe should I cut over on 207 to the south part to ride up the east side , or continue up to Carson and cut over on Hwy 50? I'm sure it's slow going along the lake, but looks good on the map.

And PM Dave, thanks for the suggestions in Eureka. Looks like I'll spending the night there as well.

Randy,

I'd suggest 120 as the better route, as my memory serves (danger Will Robinson!) the roads through Benton Crossing are MOSTLY not paved. And you would only miss a few miles of 395 by taking the more direct route to Lee Vining.

I'd also highly recommend 207 into the Tahoe Basin. It's a much nicer ride than HWY 50. If you can spare the time a really excellent detour route is to take CA 89 west from 395 just south of Topaz lake and the Nevada border, go through Markleeville to Woodfords, and hang a right on CA88. This takes you into Nevada, and just a couple miles south of Minden (my prior residence for 15 years) you find the junction of 207. FYI, that route CA88 is ranked number ONE in N. Calif. motorcycle roads in the Destination Highways book.

At Tahoe, 207 intersects US 50 just a bit north of the Casino area at the south end of the lake. Turning north you can either follow 50 back to Carson City, or take NV28 to Incline Village, then 431 over the top of Mt Rose summit and back to 395 just south of Reno. As someone else recommended, a trip through Virginia City can be fun, to do this I'd just go down through Carson and take US 50 west. The road from Carson to VC isn't that much fun, but if you take the alternate "Truck Route" near Silver City there will be a little less traffic. After leaving VC headed towards Reno, the road called Geiger Grade is a bit nicer piece of pavement, with a couple of nice overlooks as you drop down the hill towards the Truckee Meadows and Reno.

Can't recommend highly enough CA89/88 thru Markleeville, not a lot of traffic, and some nice bendy road too. If you're looking for a different sort of dining experience, try one of the Basque style family dinner places in Gardnerville (The J-T, or the Overland). And if you go to one of these places, and like a interesting sort of pre-dinner cocktail, ask for a Picon Punch...you may be pleasantly surprised. If you don't stop in Gardnerville, but perhaps spend a night in Reno, try Louie's Basque Corner on 4th Street a couple of blocks east of Virginia St. (the main drag). (MMMmmm, my mouth is watering just thinkin' about it! LOL)

One other thing I'd mention, traveling across that Cedar City/Tonopah/Lee Vining stretch....don't pass up too many gas stations...they are few and FAR between!

You're gonna have a great time!

Cheers! Bill

(Feel free to PM if you'd like more feedback)

[OfficerImpersonator]

When in Washington State, you cannot not ride U.S. Forest Service Road 25 between Randle and Cougar and U.S. Forest Service Road 99 which leaves FS 25 for Windy Ridge on Mt. St. Helens.

You'll be riding on and around three Cascade Volcanoes - Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams, and Mt. St. Helens. The roads are virtually un-patrolled by law enforcement. And they roads are CURVY!!!

There are myriad ways to incorporate FS 25 and FS 99 in to larger rides as they all eventually connect to I-5, I-90, I-84, U.S. 12 and other major roadways via other spectacular routes.

The top section of my web page on riding details the trip I did last summer with a couple of friends. http://www.dvandkq.net/Motorrad.htm

Zoom in on the highway in the center of the map (also listed as State Route 131) to see for yourself the location and the nature of the roads in this area: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...,1.783905&z=10

[SeabeckS]

+1 (heck, make that +10!) to what O.I. says here. Only caveat is to make sure and check with USFS current road info. You can get very committed to the route before suddenly finding a "ROAD CLOSED AHEAD" sign. The detour can be quite long...........

Don't ask me how I know that...okay? LOL

But seriously nice territory back in them thar hills.

Cheers! Bill J

[RTRANDY]

When in Washington State, you cannot not ride U.S. Forest Service Road 25 between Randle and Cougar and U.S. Forest Service Road 99 which leaves FS 25 for Windy Ridge on Mt. St. Helens.

+1 (heck, make that +10!) to what O.I. says here. Only caveat is to make sure and check with USFS current road info. You can get very committed to the route before suddenly finding a "ROAD CLOSED AHEAD" sign. The detour can be quite long...........

Cheers! Bill J

It's locked and loaded in my GPS and in my mind for sure after PMDave suggested how great these were. Good to know about the possible closings though not sure why they'd be closed during the first part of July. I'll check for sure before we head down them. Great stuff! Thanks to all the help here on the forum the route is taking shape leading me to places I would have never known to ride. It's looking like departing Dallas on the first of July so my good riding friend can join me. How cool is that!

[RTRANDY]

Randy,

I'd suggest 120 as the better route, as my memory serves (danger Will Robinson!) the roads through Benton Crossing are MOSTLY not paved. And you would only miss a few miles of 395 by taking the more direct route to Lee Vining.

I'd also highly recommend 207 into the Tahoe Basin. It's a much nicer ride than HWY 50. If you can spare the time a really excellent detour route is to take CA 89 west from 395 just south of Topaz lake and the Nevada border, go through Markleeville to Woodfords, and hang a right on CA88. This takes you into Nevada, and just a couple miles south of Minden (my prior residence for 15 years) you find the junction of 207. FYI, that route CA88 is ranked number ONE in N. Calif. motorcycle roads in the Destination Highways book.

Cheers! Bill

(Feel free to PM if you'd like more feedback)

I changed the route based on your good information to take 120 near Benton Crossing as well as cutting over on 89 to take 88 before getting on 207 on the east side of Tahoe. From there it's looking like heading up the west side of Lake Tahoe and taking 89 all the way up to 36 just south of Lassen. I've ridden through Lassen a few years ago and loved it, however I want to get to all the new places so skipping it this trip. I'll take 36 all the way to the coast. Thanks!

[SeabeckS]

If your not doing the trip over Lassen have you considered any of the other passes to get into the upper Sacramento Valley? Hwy 70 Feather River route is nice but can get really trafficed up....with a lot CHP's around as well.

I've made multiple trips over all the Sierra passes, and my personal fave is Yuba Pass. Road intersects CA89 at Sattley, about 20 north of Truckee and goes through Downieville leading to Nevada City. I'd have to get out a map and study it, but also used to cut off the last few mile of that route to avoid Nevada City, some nice quiet two lane roads can take you to Oroville, which is about an hour south of CA36 at Red Bluff. CA49 thru D-ville is VERY nice piece of pavement, and at least in the old days, wasn't as heavily RV'd as some of the other Sierra splendiferous roads....

I'm just sayin'...(Or just insane?)

As an aside...my most memorable ride was doing all the Sierra passes in the course of a few days. Riding my Duc 900SS/SP, and accompanied by my b-in-law on his VFR, we started near Red Bluff, went up to Lassen then crisscrossed our way south to Yosemite. Had perfect weather the whole time...and wonder of wonders had zero encounters with the black and whites. Sigh....

Cheers, Bill J

[SeabeckS]

Just noticed on the GPS map route you've posted that you'll be passing by my neck of the woods near Bremerton. If you're at all interested in local brew pubs I can't say enough good words about Silver City brewhouse in Silverdale, just off Hwy 3. They've won much recognition in national industry competition, and have a very good selection of excellent food dishes on their menu.

If you're passing through around lunch or dinner (or in between!) it's highly recommended! Personally I don't drink and ride, but a short beer with some delicious food seems acceptable most days.

Ciao! Bill J

[RINTY]

Hey Randy:

Don't forget about doing a little side trip through your favourite Kananaskis Country, on your way back!

[RTRANDY]

Hey Randy:

Don't forget about doing a little side trip through your favourite Kananaskis Country, on your way back!

I don't know Rinty, last time I took your route advice I ended up on some pretty plain ol roads.

[OfficerImpersonator]

+1 (heck, make that +10!) to what O.I. says here. Only caveat is to make sure and check with USFS current road info. You can get very committed to the route before suddenly finding a "ROAD CLOSED AHEAD" sign. The detour can be quite long...........

Don't ask me how I know that...okay? LOL

But seriously nice territory back in them thar hills.

Cheers! Bill J

I wonder if your "closed road" situation had anything to do with the "new bridge" we encountered on FS 25 when we did the trip at the end of last summer

[SeabeckS]

I wonder if your "closed road" situation had anything to do with the "new bridge" we encountered on FS 25 when we did the trip at the end of last summer

Probably! I'd been thinking about running this route for awhile, and had gotten in the habit of checking the USFS road report on a semi-regular basis. Then one morning when the sun was shining as it so rarely does, I just hopped on the S and gassed it. No signs posted at all until about 2 miles SOUTH of Randle. That's what I get for trying to be spontaneous.

So, another lesson learned, check ALL aspects of the flight plan before departure. Still had a good ride, just wandered back home through some other country I'd not traversed, Raymond, Willapa Bay, etc.

Been to the "backside" of St. Helens several times, but for some reason have never ridden all the way through to Carson. Oh well, summer's almost here!

Thinking of a Southern Utah journey in the early fall, and if nothing else, will do a four corners ride of Washington... Getting a severe case of trip envy reading Randy's trip routing!

Cheers! Bill J

[Bob_M]

In the NE corner of the state there is a FANTASTIC road from Enterprise to Clarkston WA. Hwy 3 runs down into Hells Canyon and back up.

In the SW corner of the state there is a doozy of a road that runs from Happy Camp California to O'Brian Oregon. It is called Indian Creek Rd in Calif, and Waldo Rd in Oregon.

In the NW corner of the state, up by Portland, there are some twisty bits between Scapoose and Astoria. The Scapoose Vernonia Rd goes to Hwy 47 and on to Hwy 202.

In the SE corner of the state, for the GSrs the Steens Loop is a special place where some raw geology is on display from the recently departed glaciers (in goloigic time. Go east from Frenchglen up to 9000 ft and take in the view.

[oregonsage]

In the NE corner of the state there is a FANTASTIC road from Enterprise to Clarkston WA. Hwy 3 runs down into Hells Canyon and back up.

In the SW corner of the state there is a doozy of a road that runs from Happy Camp California to O'Brian Oregon. It is called Indian Creek Rd in Calif, and Waldo Rd in Oregon.

In the NW corner of the state, up by Portland, there are some twisty bits between Scapoose and Astoria. The Scapoose Vernonia Rd goes to Hwy 47 and on to Hwy 202.

In the SE corner of the state, for the GSrs the Steens Loop is a special place where some raw geology is on display from the recently departed glaciers (in goloigic time. Go east from Frenchglen up to 9000 ft and take in the view.

Mid summer you can continue from Enterprise to Joseph and then down the Hells Canyon towards Oxbox. Excellent barely 2 lane road.


View Larger Map

[RINTY]

That's a fantastic road.

[dtgates]

QUOTE=oregonsage;577621]Mid summer you can continue from Enterprise to Joseph and then down the Hells Canyon towards Oxbox. Excellent barely 2 lane road.


View Larger Map[/QUOTE]
Continue North on Hwy 3 to SE Washington and you'll find this plus lots more. This is from the Oregon side looking North. At the bottom of the canyon, stop at Boggens for a slice of pie!
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