Ride from LA to Vancouver BC suggestions

[boco707]

Hi All,

Great website and forum. I need your advice on a trip that I am about to take in 3 weeks. I just purchased a 2006 tour deluxe ( I really wanted a Nomad but this was too good of a deal to pass on) in LA and am driving the bike back to Vancouver, Cananda. I have 8 days set aside for the ride. I was hoping you could provide some suggestions as to great routes that will make this trip memorable. I was thinking the PCH was a must but I also wouldn't mind turning east and heading into the desert (Sedona, Vegas or Grand Canyon). Any advice would be appreciated.

[cactusjack]

Just a heads up here - in 3 weeks the lower desert valleys in the Mojave (Las Vegas/Lake Havasu) and Sonoran (Tucson/Phoenix) deserts should be well above 100°. Just something to consider if you aren't used to that kind of heat. Even Sedona gets hot this time of year. Up higher, like Flagstaff or the Grand Canyon it doesn't get as hot. Anyplace near the lower Colorado River will be blistering.

[Netnorske]

When I rode home from San Bernardino a couple years ago I rode up through Fresno to ride all through Yosemite NP over to 395 at Lee Vining. Yosemite is a must see place.....simply spectacular down in the valley along the Merced River. You have all the famous granite cliffs (El Capitan, Half Moon) and waterfalls that will take your breath away.

From Lee Vining, I headed north up 395 to Susanville, CA...then 139 north to Klamath Falls. From Susanville to Klamath Falls you may not even see a car. Just kidding of course, but there is very, very little traffic along that route and it is just a fantastic ride.

From Klamath Falls, ride 97 north, cut left at 62 and do a loop around Crater Lake NP. Take 97 just a bit more to 58 (Willamette Hwy) and head west to Springfield/Eugene. From there I would head to the coast and ride 101 as far north as you can up through Forks, WA where it heads back eastbound through Port Angeles.

Just east of PA cut north on 20 up to Port Townsend, where you can catch a ferry over to Whidbey Island. Continue north up 20 and stop at Deception Pass Bridge....very cool place. 20 will turn eastward where you can catch 11 northbound up Chuckanut Drive to Bellingham. You can find your way home from there.

This will give you some serious cool stuff to see and ride....and eight days will be about perfect to do it. Good luck... ;) !

[biscuitsngravy]

"From Lee Vining, I headed north up 395 to Susanville, CA...then 139 north to Klamath Falls. From Susanville to Klamath Falls you may not even see a car. Just kidding of course, but there is very, very little traffic along that route and it is just a fantastic ride.

From Klamath Falls, ride 97 north, cut left at 62 and do a loop around Crater Lake NP. Take 97 just a bit more to 58 (Willamette Hwy) and head west to Springfield/Eugene. From there I would head to the coast and ride 101 as far north as you can up through Forks, WA where it heads back eastbound through Port Angeles."

Netnorske has it right.. up 395 is a cool ride. See Mt Shasta and Mt Lassen, lakes, rivers, and not much traffic. Check out Burney Falls near Burney, CA. (I used to work in a sawmill near there.) Keep a close eye out for Bambi!