look like i may be taking a ride to Vancouver in the first weeks of june....i am TOTALLY unfamiliar with the roads, area and such....can anyone offer assistance insofar as routes, sights, books that might help?? thanks in advance, terry
The Destination Highways ( http://www.destinationhighways.com/ ) books are pretty good, but pricey. They've got one for BC & Washington. The 20 between Winthrop & Rockport is on of the best roads in Wa IMHO. HTH, Johnny
Try and incorporate the North Cascades Highway into your route, which is designated as Hwy 20. You will not be disappointed. Which city in ID is your starting point?
thanks for the replies/suggestions gents! much appreciated! i have a social engagment in vancouver in early june....im trying to round up a few moto-mates who might be interested in scooting to vancouver....would like to keep it to 5 or less motoheads....if you are interested, please let me know! regards, terry
Hwy 20 from the Idaho / Washinton border is a real nice route. Hwy 20 is also the North Cascades hwy from Winthrop to Sedro Wooley. Where in ID do you live? Another great ride is along Southern WA's Colubmbia gorge and then up thru Mount Saint Helen's and Mount Raineer. The best part of the Cascades can also be on this route too. Tell me what city you live in and I can map it out for you with options
What everyone said... Hwy 20. I think the locals call it the "North Cross" Keep a head's up for Bambi's, they like that road too. As a side note, if you are in the neighborhood of Grand Coulee Dam, check it out. Very impressive. There is a top-notch laser show each summer evening shown on the face of the dam... way cool.
thanks for the feedback guys!! sounds like fun.....how about anything from Glacier across BC/Canada to Vancouver? im kinda thinking i would like to run across canada to the coast. beautiful Sun Valley/Ketchum!! this sounds awesome! might consider this over the Canada route?...... regards, terry
Ketchum, wow, you are way down there!!! I can imagine there are lots of routes to choose from but I dunno what you have ridden in ID, but Lolo hwy is freaking awesome if you wanna do that route. If you wanna do Glacier National in Montana I would stay in the US and head west along WA20, stay on 20 all the way to I5. IMO it's a better ride than the route thru Southern BC. If your heart set on exploring BC roads, hwy 3 ain't bad all the way to Vancouver, but a northern route thru Kootenay Bay, Kaslo, New Denver, Nakusp, Fauquier, Vernon, etc is better... and longer. Too many options, but this would be my route if I were you: Leave Ketchum and head thru Sawtooth to Stanley to Lowman over Banner Summit, Banks, Payette, Weiser, north to Cambridge, Oxbow, Halfway OR. Baker City, Ukiah, Heppner, Condon, Biggs. Cross over to WA and head west to Carson. From Carson the fun really begins... head north from Carson, follow all the sportbikers. If you have a detailed map you can run up the east side of Mount Saint Helens and reach Windy Ridge view point. After the view point, come back down and head to Randle. From Randle you can head north thru Mount Rainier. After Rainier, you can head west to the 101 which is the Hood Canal route. This route is very scenic and can get congested, add ferry travel and wait at Port Townsend and it could make for a long day. After Vancouver, head back south to Sedro Wooley and keep on hwy 20 all the way to ID. From there you can pick your route to Glacier before winding down south back home. I ain't too familiar with anything east of Glacier, but you can also head south to Missoula to ride Lolo hwy to Kooskia then south to White Bird etc.. I am spent...
howdy fury! hey thanks for the tour.....sounds like a winner! last summer i did 55>12>lolo>missoula>glacier....ive also run thru salmon>lost trail pass>darby>missoula>jackson hot springs.....also toured over to dillon>ennis>bozeman>yellowstone.....was all over the place last summer....albiet in the sports car.....this is will be a CapoSummer. the run thru Carson>Helens>Rainer...ect....sounds great, i will consider it. regards, terry
North cascades???? Dont waste your time... Take the 97 up to Oosooyoos... (there are some great backroads near grand coulee area). Then cross at nighthawk into canada. Oosooyoos to Rock creek... (highway three). Rock creek to Kelowna. Kelowna to Vernon via the westside road (the maps say it's a dead end but it DOES go all the way to Vernon) Its on the other side of Okanagan lake... the road is awesome for riding When you get to Vernon, take the 97 again... that will link up to the number one and take you past Kamloops. The run along the thompson river to Cache creek... again still with the number one. Then outside of cache creek (take the 97)... you will reach the infamous "duffy lake run" turn west onto the 99. Stay on the 99 and it will take you through lilloet, pemberton and whistler... and past squamish into vancouver. There are many other ways... I live here... In BC ridden a lot of roads in my home province and otherwise. Cascades are okay, but this is WAAAAY better.
thanks for the reply hippysuk however i dont have GPS....im old school. looks like i will not be making this trip in june as our current holiday plans have changed....it may get pushed back to mid/late July.....either way please keep the routes coming! the info/ideas are great! regards, terry
wash hwy 20 is a great road, but go way early am, before motorhomes get going, dusk = largest mule deer population in western us, they all want to meet you, better yet, go straight up the gizzard of idaho, when in north idaho (ask locals where the "ho" is in idaho, watch for stray bullets too, cross into canada, go to fernie cool town, connect to nelson, another cool place, salmon arm ( ya probably thought they had fins, no sir, they got arms, they named a town after 'em, jus dont drink the water there (joke) you cant go wrong in the BC interior. the destination road book is out for wash as well as bc. you didnt post what kind of road you like? highway, chip seal, some dirt? oh yeah since your from idaho, for bc entry you can bring your long guns up but ya gotta leave the pistols at home
Fury has this one nailed! North East Oregon is motorcycle dreamland. While heading west between Fossil and Maupin, on the way to The Dallas and Mt. St. Helens, stop in at Shaniko, Oregon, and take a walk around. It is a living ghost town, and very cool,great old hotel, right out of Gunsmoke. BTW, the east side of Mt. St.Helens is way better than the west side, way less campers. Ciao, Steve G.
just got back from a road trip.....boise>55>95>nezperce>12>93>challis>trailcreek>home (ketchum)....fun trip (in the LX470). i like most roads except hiways.....love twisties, smooth/bumpy, fire/mining/usfs/logging type roads.....the capo is not a dirt bike and im not a dirt rider.....but i do like to take routes that are off the beaten parh. guns? no need for rifles whilst traveling.....but a pistola would be nice to carry....... regards, terry
howdy all! im taking a work/holiday in vancouver, BC next weekend.....leaving Ketchum, ID. on the 9th or 10th. if the Capo is ready (she is at Big Twin getting worked on) i would like to motor her up to Vancouver.....however the sched is tight as BT will not have all the parts till tuesday/wed. if all the stars line up, i will be heading out on thrusday/friday (HAVE to be in Vancouver on sat). im due in Bonney Lake, WA on the 16th to supervise the loading 3000sqft of tile for my home (thanks ebay!!)....thereafter i will continue home on the 17th/18th to meet the tile delivery at home in ketchum. im definately making the journey on those dates.....just not sure which vehicle i will be taking, if the Capo is ready i would like to take her...if not i will take LX470 or sports car....not sure just yet....if i take the bike, anyone want to hookup for the ride? hopefully this goofy/wet weather pattern will/is supposed to break late this week.....PM if interested or go to my website (see siggy) and get my phone # and give a ring! regards, terry
