Motorcycle Trip On The Pacific Coast Highway In May

[Ram4Sam]

Fires?? Nothing burning (of any size anyway) today that I know of. But, summer is coming and the pyros will be along soon, fire season (yes, we actually have a fire seaon here) is almost here. I usually know fairly quickly when things start burning around here, my work place is at the airport where the firebombers nest. The runways are right outside my back door, those old prop warbirds they use really rattle the building when they take off.



Sam

 

[HBarlow]

Just a thought. But if you decided to go in July or Aug, have you considered hauling your bike (back of your truck or on a trailer) to socal ? Or maybe just having it shipped to socal and flying in ? That would at least keep you from having to ride across the desert in 100 + degree temps.

Trat,

You can't see me but I'm grinning wide as I read this.

Goldwings are purchased by people who enjoy riding them. Goldwings are designed and built for comfortable touring. We ride them wherever we go. A year ago in May I rode through cold, rain, and fog for several days to get to Rutland, VT to ride New England with Dick Trombley. Dick asked me if I was going to trailer it before I got there. You'll probably never see a Goldwing on a trailer.

October 2011 a fellow Goldwinger and I rode to Seattle, Bremerton, and home again. We rode in cold and rain for several days to arrive in Seattle. I bought the Goldwing new in January 2011 with 00001 miles. It has 60,000 miles showing today.

Hardleys are trailered to destinations then ridden. They're purchased by people who love owning Hardleys and like to put put put around on local roads on Sundays. Many Hardley posers who wear all the HD paraphenalia and talk about how it was in Sturgis last year trailer their Hardleys to Sturgis then ride.

Now watch the enraged comments by the Hardley riders show up.

 

[Tractorat]

Well, as I said, it was just a thought to bypass the 120 degree desert and get you going up the coast. But I would probably say the same thing if I was riding the goldwing.

 

[mwilson]

Trat,



You can't see me but I'm grinning wide as I read this.



Goldwings are purchased by people who enjoy riding them. Goldwings are designed and built for comfortable touring. We ride them wherever we go. A year ago in May I rode through cold, rain, and fog for several days to get to Rutland, VT to ride New England with Dick Trombley. Dick asked me if I was going to trailer it before I got there. You'll probably never see a Goldwing on a trailer.



October 2011 a fellow Goldwinger and I rode to Seattle, Bremerton, and home again. We rode in cold and rain for several days to arrive in Seattle. I bought the Goldwing new in January 2011 with 00001 miles. It has 60,000 miles showing today.



Hardleys are trailered to destinations then ridden. They're purchased by people who love owning Hardleys and like to put put put around on local roads on Sundays. Many Hardley posers who wear all the HD paraphenalia and talk about how it was in Sturgis last year trailer their Hardleys to Sturgis then ride.



Now watch the enraged comments by the Hardley riders show up.

Trombley ain't gonna' let this one go by... .....



Wait for it... ... ... ..... :-laf



Mike.

 

[Ram4Sam]

I appreciate the invitations and opportunities to meet some of my fellow TDR members. I'll keep you in mind.



Now I'm wondering about the month of May as a time for this adventure and whether I should reconsider or shorten the trip to cover only the southern part of the PCH in CA only.

Harvey, if you decide to shorten it up to just the PCH, consider this... . Since there is nothing in Vegas other than getting your Nevada badge, beat feet on the 10 to cali, do the PCH and head east through San Fran/Sacramento on the 50 or the 80. Get your Nev badge in Lake Tahoe, which is a quite a sight to see. Also, hwy 395 south through the cali sierras as a route south is another great route.



Sam

 

[HBarlow]

Harvey, if you decide to shorten it up to just the PCH, consider this... . Since there is nothing in Vegas other than getting your Nevada badge, beat feet on the 10 to cali, do the PCH and head east through San Fran/Sacramento on the 50 or the 80. Get your Nev badge in Lake Tahoe, which is a quite a sight to see. Also, hwy 395 south through the cali sierras as a route south is another great route. Sam

That's a good idea for a back up plan but if I skip LV westbound and discover the weather on the coast is great and want to continue north I'll be forced to route myself back through NV to color the map for the last untraveled state.

I'll think on it a little more. The truth is I really don't want to go to LV or Reno.

 

[GAmes]

Reno is not that large. Squint for a few minutes and it will be behind you. The bad part is that Utah will be in front of you, so you will have all that high desert from Reno to SLC. I personnally would rather be traveling the northern ID, MT (including Glacier NP) roads in the summer. Decisions, decisions.

 

[AEdelheit]

Another option if you make it to Hwy 5 in Northern California is hwy 97 around Shasta and through central Oregon. Could stop by Creator lake, Bend is a great town then go up to the Columbia river. There is much less rain on the east side of the Cascades. Oh wait I'm blocked so you'll never see this, haha

 

[JHumphries]

Crater Lake is awesome, but depending on when in May you go, it may not be open yet. I went in mid June in 2011, and it had only been open for a few weeks.

 

[RAton]

Harvey,

I live in Crescent City, CA and commute to Coos Bay, OR weekly. The best weather is Spring and Fall so May is good time. Seems to be drier with no fog. But we have a saying around here, if you don't like the weather wait 5 minutes. We have had 80s in December, so always hard to call the weather. I've driven from SF to Florence numerous times, so if you would like some suggestions of sites to see, let me know.

 

[HBarlow]

Another option if you make it to Hwy 5 in Northern California is hwy 97 around Shasta and through central Oregon. Could stop by Creator lake, Bend is a great town then go up to the Columbia river. There is much less rain on the east side of the Cascades. Oh wait I'm blocked so you'll never see this, haha

I like that area a lot. It's an area I would look closely at if I wanted to live in OR. During part of the time I was transporting for an IN company I pulled my own old fiver out to Pendleton/Stansfield, OR and set it up as a home away from home. I pulled a lot of trailers out of the RV plant in Pendleton bound for LA and often took US-97 through Bend, Redmond, etc. joining I-5 a little south of Weed iirc.

 

[HBarlow]

Harvey,

I live in Crescent City, CA and commute to Coos Bay, OR weekly. The best weather is Spring and Fall so May is good time. Seems to be drier with no fog. But we have a saying around here, if you don't like the weather wait 5 minutes. We have had 80s in December, so always hard to call the weather. I've driven from SF to Florence numerous times, so if you would like some suggestions of sites to see, let me know.

I looked up Crescent City and ran the route on google maps. You apparently travel Hwy 101 along the coast every week so your weather report for that area carries some weight.

I don't have a feel for travel times and distances each day so am not going to plan a lot of detours to see various points of interest along my route. As I get into the area I'll consider what's nearby each day and decide if I'll detour to see some things or stay on track to reach the planned destination that day.

I appreciate the info and offer.

 

[HBarlow]

Crater Lake is awesome, but depending on when in May you go, it may not be open yet. I went in mid June in 2011, and it had only been open for a few weeks.

Could there still be snow at that elevation?

My wife and I traveled through southern OR years ago pulling a trailer. I think we were on the way home from Vancouver, BC. We saw Crater Lake. It is a beautiful example of nature.

 

[HBarlow]

Reno is not that large. Squint for a few minutes and it will be behind you. The bad part is that Utah will be in front of you, so you will have all that high desert from Reno to SLC. I personnally would rather be traveling the northern ID, MT (including Glacier NP) roads in the summer. Decisions, decisions.

In October '11 a fellow Goldwing rider and I rode out to see a bit of the PNW. We traveled I-90 into Seattle, rode a ferry out to Bremerton, then rode south to Portland and followed I-84 down into UT and visited one of the NPs. Arches I think it was.

I made more winter trips across I-80 and through Reno than I wanted to for Horizon. I never saw anything I liked in Reno or any reason to return.

 

[dresslered]

Hey RAton,

Is Qualman Oyster Farm still in Coos Bay? Had the best oysters of my life from them. Ate them on the coast with beers while watching the whales migrate.

 

[mainer29]

Harvey
If you like clam chowder or a halibut steak sandwich I recommend Mo's Restaurants. http://www.moschowder.com/

 

[Tractorat]

Could there still be snow at that elevation?

Yes, and it can be late into the summer

 

[dresslered]

Yes, and it can be late into the summer

Oh c'mon, with all the global warming going on, it will be a rain forest.

 

[Tractorat]

You have to come up to Washington to get to the rain forrest

 

[HBarlow]

Harvey
If you like clam chowder or a halibut steak sandwich I recommend Mo's Restaurants. http://www.moschowder.com/

Thanks Pat.

I learned to love clam chowder when I lived in CT and have always liked all seafoods. I think I'll remember your recommendation if I make the trip and include the OR coast.