Oregon Coast to Maine in June of '09

[850 Combat]

On June 6 2009, my 3 brothers and I will be riding from Tillamook, OR to Hampden, ME.

Basically, we are going to take 26 accross Oregon and get on to 20 accross the continent to central Illinois, then up into Canada to cross the Great Lakes. We'll see Mt Rushmore, Yellowstone, etc. Anaybody got any ideas of things we should hit?

I'll probably be on my Concours. My brothers will ride my two '80 850G's, and my '82 1100G.

Any ideas about spares we should take? Rectifier? Regulator?

I really don't expect many problems, but we are a bit pressed for time. 12 days on the outside I hope. We have 14 days, but we hope to have a couple days to waste in Maine. I've got a little place there on Hemon Pond.

 

[p_s]

You'll be incredibly rushed. Honestly, you should probably either fly to Maine or choose somewhere closer to ride to. Google says that's 6800 miles in 12 days if you took the slab the entire time. Doable, but no time for any scenery or problems. You'll make awful time on 2-lane twisties or national parks. 2-lane highways are much more pleasant than interstates, but you do spend a lot of time in small towns with 20 mph speed limits and 2 traffic lights.

With 4 bikes you can swap batteries if you have an R/R or stator problem. I packed a lot of spares on my trip from Illinois to Seattle and back last summer, and of course nothing I had a spare for broke, although a couple other things did ... but there are NAPA stores everywhere. And, uh, usually a GSer or 2 somewhere around if you're really screwed, like I was.

If you pass through here & want a square meal or you need to change a tire or something, I'm happy to help, too.

 

[crag antler]

Let us know when you get closer to a date.
We could get a GS New England ride up and meet yall.

 

[pjm204]

I'll be at FT Leonardwood Missouri then so if you run into any issues I will have a trailer with me and a decent amount of tools.

 

[emjay]

On June 6 2009, my 3 brothers and I will be riding from Tillamook, OR to Hampden, ME. ...

... Google says that's 6800 miles in 12 days ...

850 Combat, are you doing a round trip ride oe one way?

 

[850 Combat]

Its one way.

That will leave my little fleet pretty much in Maine. I already have a GS1000G there. Next year, the anual 4 brothers tour will be Nova Scotia, more than likely. I'm looking at 4100 miles or so. Still fairly agressive for us. Its a lot easier to make miles with fewer riders.

 

[p_s]

Its one way.

Ah, my mistake.

For good twisty roads:
Lolo Pass, US-12 from Lewiston, ID to Lolo, MT
US-93 south from Lolo to west of Glacier & Yellowstone NP
From Yellowstone east, there is the Beartooth Pass if you go out the northeast entrance (US-212). There's also the pass through the Bighorns on US-14 or 14a east of Cody. I'd have to give the nod to the Beartooth pass if you have to choose one or the other.

Mt Rushmore is a silly place, but the roads around it are excellent. Definitely go past the Badlands National Park a couple hours east.

The rest of the trip should be pretty boring in comparison.

BTW, Google maps is not quite working right for the roads east of Yellowstone.

 

[850 Combat]

Thanks. Sounds fantastic.

I'll check these out in my Delorme software where I'm planning the trip and see how they fit. I've been to Rushmore a couple times, but one of my brother's hasn't. I still like it. We might see Devil's Tower too.

Ah, my mistake.

For good twisty roads:
Lolo Pass, US-12 from Lewiston, ID to Lolo, MT
US-93 south from Lolo to west of Glacier & Yellowstone NP
From Yellowstone east, there is the Beartooth Pass if you go out the northeast entrance (US-212). There's also the pass through the Bighorns on US-14 or 14a east of Cody. I'd have to give the nod to the Beartooth pass if you have to choose one or the other.

Mt Rushmore is a silly place, but the roads around it are excellent. Definitely go past the Badlands National Park a couple hours east.

The rest of the trip should be pretty boring in comparison.

BTW, Google maps is not quite working right for the roads east of Yellowstone.

 

[p_s]

My road misadventures to the PNW and back:
http://thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=124973
http://thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=131060

 

[p_s]

Normally these posts generate more discussion--perhaps you should ask in the off-topic section.

Post your plan when it's together--I bet you'll get lots of offers for hospitality or help along the way, although there is spotty GSer coverage in the mountains and western plains.

 

[Big T]

Your route will be pretty boring

1st, Go south to Nestucca River Rd at Beaver- Cut east to Newberg, Wilsonville, Estacada, then up Hwy 224 to Ripplebrook, then to Timothy Lake, Skyline Dr, Hwy 26 to Hwy 218, to Maupin, Bakeoven rd to Shaniko. Antelope, Fossil, Hwy 19 north, then 206 almost to Heppner, Willow Creek Rd to Ukiah, Hwy 244 to I-84 to Lagrande, Hwy 82 to Enterprise, Hwy 3 to Lewiston, Hwy 12 over Lolo Pass as Paul suggested, down to Yellowstone, June may be early for the NE gate to Red Lodge, (Alternate is east gate to Cody), Hwy 14 to Sheridan, stay on 14 to Devils Tower.

Black Hills - be sure to ride 385, the Hwy 18 east thru the Badlands.

I'd stay on Hwy 18 to Prairie du Chien, WI. (not many interesting rds in Southern MN/N Iowa)

Then head NE towards Portage for some of the best roads in the country. in WI the county roads (lettered like A or BB) are really nice.

You might want to detour south to see the House on the Rock near Spring Green

http://www.thehouseontherock.com/HOTR_AttractionMain.htm

Alex Jordan was one of the world's greatest collectors - entire 1890s streets and shops, armor, carousels, guns, etc, etc - the web site does not do this place justice

Nearby is Taliesin - if you're into architecture and Frank Lloyd Wright

http://www.taliesinpreservation.org/


Cut across to Waupun, then east past Fond du Lac to Manitowoc (really nice roads here). Have a real bratwurst or see if there's racing at Road America

http://www.roadamerica.com/

THE nicest race track in the country.

Take the ferry across Lake Michigan, head east to Flint and Port Huron into Canada (be sure and have your passports or birth certificates).

You have now avoided miles of boring cornfields (yes there's some in Iowa), Chicago and Detroit.

East to Niagara Falls, upstate NY and on to your destination.

It's a once in a lifetime ride - ride good roads!!

 

[850 Combat]

That looks bitchin'

When does that at Manitowoc ferry run? How long does it take?

Are some of those roads dirt? Like around Timothy Lake?

 

[Big T]

That looks bitchin'

When does that at Manitowoc ferry run? How long does it take?

Are some of those roads dirt? Like around Timothy Lake?

Nestucca River Rd has about a mile of gravel in the middle.

I haven't done the Ripplebrook/Timothy Lake in a few years. The main Rd FS 57, is probably part gravel. I used to go FS 57, L on 58, rt on 5810 and that was paved the whole way. I really need to go explore that route (or you could contact the FS) . All the rest of the roads are paved, barring road construction. I've ridden all of those Oregon roads (except Hwy 3) over the years, I keep meaning to go that way to Hwy 12.

I don't know the ferry schedule. Just Google it. It takes a few hours to cross the lake and is very cool, as I remember from my childhood (40 yrs ago).

http://www.ssbadger.com/content.aspx?Page=Schedule

It ain't cheap, but you'll save that much in gas, food and motels by not going Chicago/Gary/Detroit (the short way). The long way (Escanaba/ Mackinac bridge) is scenic, but you'll probably be interested in time when you get to WI. (trust me, you could spend 2-3 days just riding around SW WI)

Plus, it's a once in a lifetime trip, isn't it? Memories really don't have a pricetag.

 

[850 Combat]

I've ridden Nestucca river road tons of times. Dirt patches there are not that bad, but Delorme sgows FS57 the same as it shows the forrest service roads in the coastal range. I nhave ridden those a lot on dual sports.

I would not enjoy fully loaded 600lb tourers on that stuff.

 

[Big T]

I would not enjoy fully loaded 600lb tourers on that stuff.

I agree with you there.

FS 57 was paved for a ways last time I was there. I never believe Delorme or any other system because they just use old data and don't verify.

Call the Willamette National forest, or Ripplebrook ranger station and ask someone who knows. Just ask them if there's a paved route from Ripplebrook to Timothy.

 

[howling60]

wow... up to hampden 'eh? what're you doing up here? (it's 15 minutes from my house here in Bangor)... give me a shout as the date approaches, perhaps we can meet up @ the end of the trip!

-Nate

 

[850 Combat]

wow... up to hampden 'eh? what're you doing up here? (it's 15 minutes from my house here in Bangor)... give me a shout as the date approaches, perhaps we can meet up @ the end of the trip!

-Nate

I bought an old camp on Hermon Pond, plus, I have a bunch of relatives in the area.

Where are the best rides around there?

 

[Big T]

I agree with you there.

FS 57 was paved for a ways last time I was there. I never believe Delorme or any other system because they just use old data and don't verify.

Call the Willamette National forest, or Ripplebrook ranger station and ask someone who knows. Just ask them if there's a paved route from Ripplebrook to Timothy.

On 2nd thought, a pre ride run might just be in order come April or May to determine whether that's a good route for you. PM me about that

 

[emjay]

I bought an old camp on Hermon Pond, plus, I have a bunch of relatives in the area.

Where are the best rides around there?

I'm in Maine too. I'd love to hook up for a ride. Most of the roads between the coast and the mountains are fairly boring - meandering through the rolling hills of farm land. The best riding in the area is in the western mountains and over to New Hampshire.

Here's a nice route.

While you're heading east I'd recommend going through the Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Trail Ridge Road is awesome.

 

[850 Combat]

Thanks

We'll have to meet up when I'm on ME next month. I'll be there late on Friday the 13th, so sometime that week maybe. My house in Hampden had the furnace go out in the cold snap last week, and all the pipes and maybe the water heater are frozen, so at least I have that to look forward to.

Know a furnace guy and a plumber?

We will be travelling through the Rockies farther North than Colorado. I'll save that for another trip.

There was a clean looking '81 850 G on Craig's list in Bangor. A black one with under 8000 miles listed for $950 last I saw it. I intend to look at it if he still has it. Did you see that bike? I bought one for 600 bucks in Waterville last June. My brother in Phoenix owns it now.

My name is Paul, by the way.