West Coast Bike Trip

[crperkins]

Hey planning a bike trip, thought what better place to post then here for input,. With the amount of guys we have active on this forum I am sure to get some suggestions as far as stops to make and areas to visit.

My wife and I are planning to take the first 2 weeks of September off and doing a bike trip leaving from Edmonton Alberta heading to Vancouver, from Vancouver we will be taking the California coast line down till San Diego, from there we will be cutting across to Phoenix up thru Vegas, Utah, Montana, and back to Edmonton.
We are also planning to camp the majority of the trip.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated, thanks guys.

 

[Wicket]

Sedona AZ flagstaff AZ, redrocks NV valley of fire NV, all the parks around Moab. Most depends on how your going from PHX to Vegas?

 

[Grrrrr609]

If you go near Reno NV, you have to go thru Virginia City.

If you get as far east in AZ as Tombstone you gotta ride thru Chiricahua National Monumemt. That's about the extent of my riding out West. Sounds like an awesome trip.

 

[cgraunke]

Just happened to be reading through this earlier today.
http://www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-motorcycle-trip/
There may be one or two that you could tailor part of your trip around!

 

[Life in smoke]

Through phx take the 60 to apache junction and ride the Apache Trail, try to ride that road at least once or twice a month beautiful views

 

[Life in smoke]

 

[plumber1965]

Utah take Hwy 12. You will go by Bryce canyon national park over boulder mtn into capitol reef national monument. One of the top ten secinc drives in the USA

 

[CAJoe]

I highly suggest you go a little inland in northern CA and drive the Avenue of Giants. It is a beautiful area with Giant Sequoias that only exist in a few places in the world, there is even a tree so big you can drive through. Near that area is a campsite called Richardson's Grove that is a very nice place to camp. There are so many beautiful places on the CA coast you cannot really go wrong with any of them.

 

[Cigary43]

Sounds like quite the adventure esp. in two weeks...that might qualify you for the Iron Butt competition. Everyone so far has given you some really good ideas and you can't go wrong with what you will do along the coastline of California. The tricky part is finding campsites on the coastal route but it's all about your comfort as to what your are bringing. I've learned that at least one night in a hotel every 3 days is a good idea....sleeping in a bed is still better than the best campsite. San Diego has some really high pricing for hotels so research your areas and most tourist coastal hotels are pretty high when it comes to hotels as well. It is still pretty hot in the desert areas once you leave San Diego and get into Arizona and then heading north again. If you can...I'd say Yellowstone is one of the best places to ride a motorcycle...the scenery is second to none and you'll find plenty of places to camp. Hope you take a lot of pics and post them here...sounds like a Bucketlist Item you guys are doing. I've done a lot of riding over my 60 years and most of the US I have covered...so many great rides that it's hard to say which is the best.

 

[crperkins]

Thanks for the input guys, I will look into them and see if I can hit some of the places listed. It will be a pretty good trip for riding I'm sure there will be a lot of great sites.

 

[jwintosh]

I got a room in San Diego. Any time!!

 

[NCost]

Sounds like a great trip for sure. I can't provide any input as I'm a MidWest guy. I am taking a trip on July 12 for 4-6 days w/a buddy. Doing 1500miles on the trip that includes the Blue Ridge Parkway, Dragons Tail, Cherahola Skyway, Devils Triangle and Moonshiners 28. Many a cigars will be smoked between us as well as some bourbon tasted.

I'll be on a 2012 FJR. What will be your vehicle of choice?

 

[sean]

I got a room in San Diego. Any time!!

Me too... Just sayin'

 

[Cigary43]

Sounds like a great trip for sure. I can't provide any input as I'm a MidWest guy. I am taking a trip on July 12 for 4-6 days w/a buddy. Doing 1500miles on the trip that includes the Blue Ridge Parkway, Dragons Tail, Cherahola Skyway, Devils Triangle and Moonshiners 28. Many a cigars will be smoked between us as well as some bourbon tasted.

I'll be on a 2012 FJR. What will be your vehicle of choice?

Blue Ridge Parkway.....you're gonna love it! One of the best motorcycle trips ever besides Miami to Key West.

 

[Life in smoke]

Advice for any desert travel, cause I learned the hard way when I moved from MA, long sleeves and long pants or prepare to burn... Badly learned my lesson quick that way

 

[NCost]

I'd also recommend a cooling evaporative vest to wear under a riding jacket if you're doing heat/hot riding. I have one from my cooling store: http://www.mycoolingstore.com/techniche-hyperkewl-deluxe-evaporative-cooling-vest.html#.U7sdJLEtrX8

They will save you or just make you more comfortable.

 

[crperkins]

Thanks for all the tips guys.

My original plotted course was right around 7,000 miles. I cut it back a bit as I don't want to be on such a tight time frame if we want to make any stops to see a bit more. Sitting around 5,200 miles now.

Here is what I am thinking so far.

https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Edmonton,+AB/N+Cascades+Hwy,+WA,+USA/Avenue+of+the+Giants,+CA,+USA/Virginia+City,+NV,+USA/Los+Angeles,+CA,+USA/Las+Vegas,+NV,+USA/Valley-Fire+State+Park/Grand+Canyon+Village,+AZ,+USA/Bryce+Canyon,+UT,+USA/Capitol+Reef+National+Park,+Torrey,+UT,+United+States/@36.4871459,-126.2789725,5z/data=!4m82!4m81!1m5!1m1!1s0x53a0224580deff23:0x411fa00c4af6155d!2m2!1d-113.4909267!2d53.544389!1m25!1m1!1s0x5484bdebf9887c29:0x95037d9f4224ca73!2m2!1d-120.856946!2d48.6468641!3m4!1m2!1d-122.6975057!2d48.1399778!3s0x548ff2734b0c98d5:0x33adb46f74f3a193!3m4!1m2!1d-124.3256729!2d48.055222!3s0x548e8a38deca25f9:0xd695b34173f14953!3m4!1m2!1d-123.9565589!2d45.7819661!3s0x5494b0d27d9d68f1:0x12983c38d8b802cb!3m4!1m2!1d-124.21302!2d43.5426107!3s0x54c3941a7f115c2f:0xaf6eaa17a9b13e84!1m5!1m1!1s0x54d46248c246f22d:0x2887d50e8f3b6041!2m2!1d-123.9088866!2d40.3081954!1m5!1m1!1s0x80990faad3daafd1:0x29dad257dc576fa9!2m2!1d-119.6499793!2d39.3095135!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c2c75ddc27da13:0xe22fdf6f254608f4!2m2!1d-118.2436849!2d34.0522342!1m5!1m1!1s0x80beb782a4f57dd1:0x3accd5e6d5b379a3!2m2!1d-115.1398296!2d36.1699412!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c96b2bca0cabf5:0x4c5d735aaf7cb075!2m2!1d-114.515319!2d36.429747!1m5!1m1!1s0x8733174f95ffe325:0xb8ccc2749a229ea1!2m2!1d-112.1401108!2d36.0544445!1m5!1m1!1s0x8735691fee384c6d:0x759c376c7a49fd62!2m2!1d-112.156944!2d37.673889!1m5!1m1!1s0x874a00ff07e7a253:0xde3bec53484fff07!2m2!1d-111.261504!2d38.36697!3e0

https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Capitol+Reef+National+Park,+Torrey,+UT,+United+States/Yellowstone+National+Park,+United+States/Bear+Tooth+Pass+Hwy,+Cody,+WY+82414,+USA/Edmonton,+AB/@49.12124,-113.4934733,7z/data=!4m41!4m40!1m10!1m1!1s0x874a00ff07e7a253:0xde3bec53484fff07!2m2!1d-111.261504!2d38.36697!3m4!1m2!1d-110.1118026!2d43.0131704!3s0x8757c5a7364dab3d:0x100daba7d11741e8!1m5!1m1!1s0x5351e55555555555:0xaca8f930348fe1bb!2m2!1d-110.588455!2d44.427963!1m15!1m1!1s0x534efabe8ddbb7d9:0xc8b3368bf27a274a!2m2!1d-109.6681487!2d44.933827!3m4!1m2!1d-115.0504687!2d48.0274051!3s0x5366db1f21a401ef:0x96a7a14f2b6f2b22!3m4!1m2!1d-114.2309646!2d50.581032!3s0x5371b0c7d3f647dd:0x62bbe71831e43dfb!1m5!1m1!1s0x53a0224580deff23:0x411fa00c4af6155d!2m2!1d-113.4909267!2d53.544389!3e0


As far as the bike, I just traded my Victory Vegas Jackpot off on a '14 Victory Cross Country Tour.
Full fairing, lowers, windshield etc...should make for smoking cigars/pipes and riding possible can't wait haha.
The wife also loves the comfort it offers, and the storage space can't be beat.
Not going to lie though I am still adjusting to the looks of a bike with a tour box.

 

[crperkins]

 

[crperkins]

This is my old bike that I traded in.

 

[Cigary43]

Thanks for all the tips guys.

My original plotted course was right around 7,000 miles. I cut it back a bit as I don't want to be on such a tight time frame if we want to make any stops to see a bit more. Sitting around 5,200 miles now.

Here is what I am thinking so far.

https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Edmonton,+AB/N+Cascades+Hwy,+WA,+USA/Avenue+of+the+Giants,+CA,+USA/Virginia+City,+NV,+USA/Los+Angeles,+CA,+USA/Las+Vegas,+NV,+USA/Valley-Fire+State+Park/Grand+Canyon+Village,+AZ,+USA/Bryce+Canyon,+UT,+USA/Capitol+Reef+National+Park,+Torrey,+UT,+United+States/@36.4871459,-126.2789725,5z/data=!4m82!4m81!1m5!1m1!1s0x53a0224580deff23:0x411fa00c4af6155d!2m2!1d-113.4909267!2d53.544389!1m25!1m1!1s0x5484bdebf9887c29:0x95037d9f4224ca73!2m2!1d-120.856946!2d48.6468641!3m4!1m2!1d-122.6975057!2d48.1399778!3s0x548ff2734b0c98d5:0x33adb46f74f3a193!3m4!1m2!1d-124.3256729!2d48.055222!3s0x548e8a38deca25f9:0xd695b34173f14953!3m4!1m2!1d-123.9565589!2d45.7819661!3s0x5494b0d27d9d68f1:0x12983c38d8b802cb!3m4!1m2!1d-124.21302!2d43.5426107!3s0x54c3941a7f115c2f:0xaf6eaa17a9b13e84!1m5!1m1!1s0x54d46248c246f22d:0x2887d50e8f3b6041!2m2!1d-123.9088866!2d40.3081954!1m5!1m1!1s0x80990faad3daafd1:0x29dad257dc576fa9!2m2!1d-119.6499793!2d39.3095135!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c2c75ddc27da13:0xe22fdf6f254608f4!2m2!1d-118.2436849!2d34.0522342!1m5!1m1!1s0x80beb782a4f57dd1:0x3accd5e6d5b379a3!2m2!1d-115.1398296!2d36.1699412!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c96b2bca0cabf5:0x4c5d735aaf7cb075!2m2!1d-114.515319!2d36.429747!1m5!1m1!1s0x8733174f95ffe325:0xb8ccc2749a229ea1!2m2!1d-112.1401108!2d36.0544445!1m5!1m1!1s0x8735691fee384c6d:0x759c376c7a49fd62!2m2!1d-112.156944!2d37.673889!1m5!1m1!1s0x874a00ff07e7a253:0xde3bec53484fff07!2m2!1d-111.261504!2d38.36697!3e0

https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Capitol+Reef+National+Park,+Torrey,+UT,+United+States/Yellowstone+National+Park,+United+States/Bear+Tooth+Pass+Hwy,+Cody,+WY+82414,+USA/Edmonton,+AB/@49.12124,-113.4934733,7z/data=!4m41!4m40!1m10!1m1!1s0x874a00ff07e7a253:0xde3bec53484fff07!2m2!1d-111.261504!2d38.36697!3m4!1m2!1d-110.1118026!2d43.0131704!3s0x8757c5a7364dab3d:0x100daba7d11741e8!1m5!1m1!1s0x5351e55555555555:0xaca8f930348fe1bb!2m2!1d-110.588455!2d44.427963!1m15!1m1!1s0x534efabe8ddbb7d9:0xc8b3368bf27a274a!2m2!1d-109.6681487!2d44.933827!3m4!1m2!1d-115.0504687!2d48.0274051!3s0x5366db1f21a401ef:0x96a7a14f2b6f2b22!3m4!1m2!1d-114.2309646!2d50.581032!3s0x5371b0c7d3f647dd:0x62bbe71831e43dfb!1m5!1m1!1s0x53a0224580deff23:0x411fa00c4af6155d!2m2!1d-113.4909267!2d53.544389!3e0


As far as the bike, I just traded my Victory Vegas Jackpot off on a '14 Victory Cross Country Tour.
Full fairing, lowers, windshield etc...should make for smoking cigars/pipes and riding possible can't wait haha.
The wife also loves the comfort it offers, and the storage space can't be beat.
Not going to lie though I am still adjusting to the looks of a bike with a tour box.

Very nice trip....you've done a great job of combining so much where you will see so many different places. I was seriously looking at the very same bike you got...at some point I think I will get it because I've read so much about it and how many creature comforts it has for each rider. The engine is big enough to where you won't ever have to worry about power esp. for both of you and I love how the windshield powers up and down.