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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Marin County CA
    Posts
    5,936

    Moto Trip Report: SF to Seattle and back

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    Moto Trip Report: SF to Seattle and back
    (the beer and cheese tour of the Pacific Northwest)

    Ok, it is not a bicycle trip, but it certainly was an adventure.... And I got to meet Salsabike in Seattle and stay with SK and Bubba in BEND - watching road bike racing!!, so that makes it TE related, right?

    This year we decided to do a slightly different family vacation: ride motorcycles up to Seattle and then back. Our daughter was in camp for 2 weeks and would fly up and meet us iin Seattle and ride back with us on my husband’s Buell. I rode my Monster 696.

    Route: We went up 101 to Garberville, then cut over to tour the Unknown coast on some very back roads (one of which ended up being quite a bit of dirt - actually MUD, which was a bit sketchy). After Eureka it was up the coast (Hwy 101) through Oregon, around the Olympic Peninsula and a ferry to Seattle. From Seattle, we went a bit east around Mts. Rainier, St. Helens and Hood. Then to Bend and down along the Umpqua River (or as close as we could as a forest fire required us to take some WAY back roads out of our friend’s Inn at Steamboat). Down Hwy 5 (the WORST 2 hours of the whole trip), cut over at Grant’s Pass back to the coast and home.

    Day 1: 285 miles. the long way to Eureka. very scenic, though I could have done without the very steep section of mud road (!). We stayed in Eureka and had a lovely time at the Lost Coast Brewery....

    Day 1 in Healdsburg:



    The Lost Coast:



    In Petrolia in the middle of BFE:



    Day 2: 325 miles, up the coast ending in Newport, Oregon - home of Rogue brewery!! Lovely coast route today - a bit of dirt road, lots of wind.

    Newport OR:



    Day 3: 217 miles from Oregon to Washington: we saw grey whales, had cheese in Tilamook, went to an air museum and were treated to beautiful scenery. We stayed at a cousin’s house for the evening, overlooking the sea.

    Tilamook air museum - The blimp hanger is the world’s largest wooden structure:





    Day 4: 293 miles. We had the best cheese EVER at the Estrella Family Creamery in aberdeen, WA. Toured the Olympic peninsula, had an amazing ferry ride, and stayed the next 3 days with friends on Mercer Island. Our daughter flew into Seattle and would travel the rest of the way with us. Of course Seattle was having a heat wave, which is wonderful in motorcycle clothes...

    Lodge at Lake Quinault:


    Bikes on ferry:



    Seattle:



    Return trip, day 1: 303 miles - turning toward home. We ended in Hood River Oregon. Due to slight GPS interpretation malfunction by the ride leader, I was required to make my motorcycle go 175 miles on 3 gallons of gas. Good thing I have the aero thing down.

    Mt. St. Helens.



    Mt. Hood:



    Return trip day 2 162 miles to Bend to stay with SK and Bubba who graciously provided lodging for the 3 of us and kicked our collective butts at bocce ball. I don't care what they say, Bubba's improved dramatically in bocce since we were there last year so I am sure he plays every night. We got to see the Road national bike race!

    Return trip day 3 was 202 miles: We took the scenic route to see the lakes out of Bend, Crater Lake and then went into the fire zone (literally) for a wonderful stay at the Steamboat Inn on the Umpqua River.

    Crater lake:



    Steamboat:



    Umpqua River:



    Return trip day 4 was a long one: 306 miles through the small roads to avoid the forest fire, through the heat and to the ocean - a 45 degree temp difference, (103 to 58). back to Eureka! and almost home.

    Last day, 261 miles from Eureka to home!!

    Total: 2354 miles

    Doing a ride this long on the Monster was actually ok. One of my real goals for the trip was to work on becoming a smoother, better rider, and the long miles bonding with the bike really facilitated that. I learned that my seat bag would probably be enough to get by for even a longer trip, though the unseasonable heat required doing a bit of laundry en route.

    I learned a lot in a short time:

    • You should bring several baselayers and forget the extra T shirts and after ride clothes,
    • Try out every combination of clothes before the trip (pairing old pants with new boots required different baselayers than I actually brought with me. Duh).
    • We brought tools, but never used them, but of course I would bring them again.
    • Traveling with a kid on a motorcycle is a lot like going on a ski trip with a kid: they complain bitterly about having to put on all the gear but once they’re out there they have a blast.
    • It never fails that once you clean your visor you will be hit by a HUGE bug in the next 5 minutes.
    • When riding with someone else, it is critical to have the bluetooth headsets unless you are really good at interpreting one armed semaphore. Communication is key and you can’t get the “I’m stopping because ____”; “I need to pee now;” etc. without a headset.
    • 2 pairs of gloves (warm and not warm) was a really good idea. It was hot as hell inland but cold and foggy on the coast.

    I think I would really like to do a longer moto tour now - I think this would be a GREAT way to explore Europe.

    When I returned home and had to drive my car after riding just the motorcycle for over a week and a half, the car felt HUGE even though it is a Honda Fit subcompact!!!
    Last edited by maillotpois; 08-05-2009 at 09:06 AM.
    Sarah

    When it's easy, ride hard; when it's hard, ride easy.


    2011 Volagi Liscio
    2010 Pegoretti Love #3 "Manovelo"
    2011 Mercian Vincitore Special
    2003 Eddy Merckx Team SC - stolen
    2001 Colnago Ovalmaster Stars and Stripes

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Bendemonium
    Posts
    9,673
    Wow, salsabike is mentioned, but I'm just anonymous "friend" who provided room at the Lodge in a sold-out town.

    No more Beer, Burgers and Bocce for you.
    Frends know gud humors when dey is hear it. ~ Da Crockydiles of ZZE.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Marin County CA
    Posts
    5,936
    Quote Originally Posted by SadieKate View Post
    Wow, salsabike is mentioned, but I'm just anonymous "friend" who provided room at the Lodge in a sold-out town.

    No more Beer, Burgers and Bocce for you.
    Oops - that was the cut and pasted report for the Ducati forum who doesn't KNOW you - will amend!!

    ETA - Ok - whew! More appropriate adulations added!

    Sorry about that. I wasn't even originally going to post this here but V had asked about how the trip went.
    Last edited by maillotpois; 08-05-2009 at 09:07 AM.
    Sarah

    When it's easy, ride hard; when it's hard, ride easy.


    2011 Volagi Liscio
    2010 Pegoretti Love #3 "Manovelo"
    2011 Mercian Vincitore Special
    2003 Eddy Merckx Team SC - stolen
    2001 Colnago Ovalmaster Stars and Stripes

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Bendemonium
    Posts
    9,673
    That's better. You're off my Black List . . . and on the Gray List.
    Frends know gud humors when dey is hear it. ~ Da Crockydiles of ZZE.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Posts
    9,324
    Sounds like an awesome time. Thanks for posting your report and pictures here.


    Veronica
    Discipline is remembering what you want.


    TandemHearts.com

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Sillycon Valley, California
    Posts
    4,872
    Sounds wonderful!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    4,516
    Fabulous report!! Thanks for posting here too - I like to follow adventures of all kinds (and it *is* 2 wheels...)
    Most days in life don't stand out, But life's about those days that will...

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Uncanny Valley
    Posts
    14,498
    Fun!
    Speed comes from what you put behind you. - Judi Ketteler

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Concord, CA USA
    Posts
    1,299
    Great report and pix! What a cool vacation!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    San Jose, CA
    Posts
    691
    MP,

    You guys are going to look back on this trip fondly for many years to come.

    Thanks for posting the great ride report and pics!

    - Melissa
    I'll get back on the bike soon, I promise!

 

 

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