Best of the NW Canada/US ride in July

[vulcans2]

Originally Posted by elvis

Kris, I'm not sure when you rode that road and I don't know exactly how you're gonna ride this time but we were in Joseph last June and took this photo:



Since you're staying in BestWestern, Enterprise (great choice by the way), I'd highly recommend The Embers Brew House in Joseph. 17 micro brews on tap and simply the best burger ever...

Cheers,

Elvis

Yup, that's what I'm talking about.

[Netnorske]

I guess it was May of 2009....not last year....when we rode it from Joseph to Oxbow Dam and beyond. Hope they fix that because that is one hell of a road to ride!

[rickyboy]

It looks like it might take a while to repair/rebuild Kris.

[elvis]

Originally Posted by Netnorske

I guess it was May of 2009....not last year....when we rode it from Joseph to Oxbow Dam and beyond. Hope they fix that because that is one hell of a road to ride!

Kris, I got good news for you! According to this page http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/w-w/conditions/ updated on Thursday, 18 November 2010, they fixed the road. But the same page states that the road is not maintained after November 1.

So one has to recheck to get an update before finalizing the route planning.

We love Blue Mountains, Hell's Canyon, high desert and some very charming towns in that part of Oregon, so we will go there again, maybe even this summer?

If you run out of ideas (I doubt it but), this website has many routes to explore: http://www.byways.org/explore/

Cheers,

E.

[Netnorske]

I have once again re-vamped the route a bit. Once we leave Enterprise, OR., instead of riding to Grand Coulee....I changed the route to take us straight north back to Sandpoint, ID. This will leave about an equal or so ride home on Saturday for most of us and allow us to ride 3/129/95 northbound through Idaho, taking in some new territory including the famous Rattlesnake Grade coming north out of Enterprise.

I've also included links to the hotels I've chosen in those towns. Feel free to book something elsewhere in the same town if you choose. I just wanted to be able to make online reservations. I will most likely share my rooms with Lomax....as this started out as our trip and morphed into something a little bigger... !

I hope this works for everyone. I have spent some serious time trying to work out a good route that will take us through some breathtaking landscapes over the course of a week and include some roads I have never ridden. Remember too....you are welcome to join or break off at any place along the route, so make it work for you!

Mo dified Route

[delivery58]

Yeah, Kris hasn't forgot about the East siders (of course you can't go much farther West....Splash). I hopeing to motorcyle/tailgate to the RUSH concert at the Gorge on Sat. July 2nd. Then I could catch you in Montana someplace. Yes vote to riding the Rattlesnake out of Enterprise!! ( I rode it twice last season)....... You should just stay in Coeur d' Alene (instead of Sandpoint). We can have a mini MC Rally at my house Friday night, then you will be less than 1 mile from I90 westbound to Seattle.

[Netnorske]

Originally Posted by delivery58

Yeah, Kris hasn't forgot about the East siders (of course you can't go much farther West....Splash). I hopeing to motorcyle/tailgate to the RUSH concert at the Gorge on Sat. July 2nd. Then I could catch you in Montana someplace. Yes vote to riding the Rattlesnake out of Enterprise!! ( I rode it twice last season)....... You should just stay in Coeur d' Alene (instead of Sandpoint). We can have a mini MC Rally at my house Friday night, then you will be less than 1 mile from I90 westbound to Seattle.

Vin,
I hear ya.....but I picked Sandpoint as our last stopover because Canuckrider is from Calgary, Lomax lives just north of Kelowna in Armstrong...and me and Charlie live on the west side of the Cascades. From Sandpoint, each of us will have an equal ride home....about 6.5 to 7 hours ride time on Sat July 9. Plus, on my way home from there I get to pick up some of Hwy 2 north of Spokane that I have never ridden along Lake Pend Orielle.

It would be great if you could meet us in Bonner's Ferry, ID Tues July 5 on our run from Cranbrook, BC to Hamilton, MT and do the rest of the loop with us! We will be coming down 95 from the border then turning east at Bonner's Ferry on 2 into Montana (then 56 and 200 down towards Missoula). Or....maybe you could meet us in Hamilton that evening....whatever works for you, but it would be cool if you could join us!

[vulcans2]

Kris,

You'll be riding through some of our favorite roads and scenery as you come out of Stanley. About 10 miles before you get to Lowman where you turn off to access Hwy 55 via the Banks/Lowman Rd., you'll see the Sourdough Lodge. It's a great place to stop for lunch if it happens to be that time. We got there often. They also have gas there. The next gas is the Chevron Station in Garden Valley. When you get out to Hwy 55, there will be a bridge to your left, and just on the other side, on the right, is the Banks Cafe. If you like spicy chili, that's the place to eat. They make it there from scratch. If you can let me know about what time you think you'll be coming through Lowman, I can meet you guys there and ride with you a ways, if that would be alright. Oh, and the next gas stop after Garden Valley will be at Cascade. Great restaurant across from the Chevron station in Cascade, called the Hwy 55 Cafe. Like pie? They've got it--actually home made there.

[vulcans2]

Just thought of a couple of other things to add to your ride, Kris. As you come into Baker City, the Oregon Trail Interprative Center is a great place to stop and get a little bit of history, and it's right on top of the original Oregon Trail. Also, instead of taking I-84 to LaGrande, consider going up Hwy 203 through Union, to LaGrande. It's a much more entertaining ride.

I know that that website says the Pine Ck. Road between Hell's Canyon and Joseph is now open, but there's been an unusually heavy snowfall this winter, and there could be a danger of flooding again due to heavy runoff from melting snow in the mountain. If you check and find out that the road really is open when you go through there, that would be the way to go. Very fun road to ride, however it receives very little upkeep and maintenance, and in places I've seen grass growing up out of cracks in the pavement!! Keep a sharp eye out.

[Netnorske]

Originally Posted by GregO

Just thought of a couple of other things to add to your ride, Kris. As you come into Baker City, the Oregon Trail Interprative Center is a great place to stop and get a little bit of history, and it's right on top of the original Oregon Trail. Also, instead of taking I-84 to LaGrande, consider going up Hwy 203 through Union, to LaGrande. It's a much more entertaining ride.

I know that that website says the Pine Ck. Road between Hell's Canyon and Joseph is now open, but there's been an unusually heavy snowfall this winter, and there could be a danger of flooding again due to heavy runoff from melting snow in the mountain. If you check and find out that the road really is open when you go through there, that would be the way to go. Very fun road to ride, however it receives very little upkeep and maintenance, and in places I've seen grass growing up out of cracks in the pavement!! Keep a sharp eye out.

If Pine Road is open....that is the way we will go for sure....its a great ride through 50 miles of total wilderness.....critters and all, and would be the opposite direction from which I rode it before.

I was thinking about 203 up to La Grande....and it doesn't add that much time, so if we have to go around to get to Enterprise...I think we will take that too. Remind me when we get closer and we'll try to figure out a place to hook up along the way for sure.... !

[vulcans2]

Originally Posted by Netnorske

If Pine Road is open....that is the way we will go for sure....its a great ride through 50 miles of total wilderness.....critters and all, and would be the opposite direction from which I rode it before.

I was thinking about 203 up to La Grande....and it doesn't add that much time, so if we have to go around to get to Enterprise...I think we will take that too. Remind me when we get closer and we'll try to figure out a place to hook up along the way for sure.... !

Sounds great.

[nomad561]

It is still alittle while until this happens so I can't commit,but I will try to work it out to join you guys on at least part of the ride.
Kris, you hit a nerve with my girlfreind when you implied that we could make better time without the girls. She has been right beside me making almost 750 miles in one day.My 14 yo daughter made the trip on my Nomad with me too.
You aren't in the doghouse by yourself,they don't like my comments either. LOL

[Netnorske]

Originally Posted by Wandering Nomad "Darksider"

It is still alittle while until this happens so I can't commit,but I will try to work it out to join you guys on at least part of the ride.
Kris, you hit a nerve with my girlfreind when you implied that we could make better time without the girls. She has been right beside me making almost 750 miles in one day.My 14 yo daughter made the trip on my Nomad with me too.
You aren't in the doghouse by yourself,they don't like my comments either. LOL

LOL.....my apologies to your GF Rick. I just speak from my own experience....I can make better time riding solo than riding with my wife. I love riding with her... and she is a trooper for sure....but she likes to stop just a bit more often and for a wee bit longer than I would riding by myself.....that's all I meant. Your GF is certainly welcome to join you if you guys can hook up with us somewhere...no worries whatsoever!

[lomax]

....Excellent recovery Kris!

[schoeney]

Chauvinist pig! ;)