Washington State to Arizona - Any route suggestions?

[mxw1090]

I'm taking my FZ1 on it's first long trip and thought I'd see if anyone has some ideas an route's to take on my return trip.

I'm leaving Arizona in early July and heading to the NW corner of Washington state. It's about 1600 miles one way. My trip there has to be pretty direct, I need to be there in just a few days to take care of some family business. I didn't want to go through Central California because it can be pretty hot, 100+ degrees. It will hot when I leave home, but I'm getting on the road at sun up (should only be in the 90's at sun up) heading due north and it will be cooler once I get near Flagstaff. Will head up into Utah then take I-15 to I-80 or I-84, don't remember which right now, then I-90 to Seattle, then across the water to the Olympic Peninsula. Planning 3-4 days to get there. As long as I don't have any problems should be easy to make. I did 1400 miles last year in 3 days on my 650 heading to South Dakota. Went to see mount rushmore for the first time.

If all goes according to plan I'll have about 8 days for the return trip and I'm looking for sight seeing, fun routes.... suggestions. I've done the coast route in a car before. It would be fun to do that by bike, but I probably want to do something different. I thought about starting in the San Juan Islands then across the top of WA state on highway 20 or 2, which ever one goes through Stevens pass, then ??? I like senic drives, national parks and monuments and open areas. Prefer to stay away from the big cities.

Let me know if anyone has ideas, things to see, anything west of the Rockies.

 

[Dustin]

That will be a lovely trip! If you're going to be in the Northwest corner of Washington state, you're a hop, skip and jump away from me so I can show you some nice roads around those parts.

This is a nice route that doesn't deviate too far off the direct route but features some of the best roads in Washington state.

I should imagine there's lots to see in Utah and Nevada, too!

I have been across all the northern states from East to West on a road trip in 2011 and it was definitely worth visiting Mount Rushmore! South Dakota is very pretty and it's got some very interesting terrain down in the badlands!

 

[Wh0M3]

Last time I did that I took I5 down to I10, I was going from Tacoma to Phoenix so I just kept to the Interstates. I was also driving a car by myself so I'm not sure if I'd do the same if I was on a bike.

 

[OneSizeFitsAll]

No reason to go into your route getting there as you need to go as direct as possible to get there in a few days.
However the way home is another story.

If you are going across Washington on 20 I would highly recommend a Stay in Mason City at the Grand Coulee Dam. The after dark laser show on the dam is not to be missed! If you have the time a Dam power house tour the next morning is way cool too.
If you head north on hwy 21 up to Bridge Creek Rd (Co hwy 2) a way fun motorcycle road to the Gifford Ferry across Lake Roosevelt.

This is a beautiful 15 minute ride across the lake. From here you can continue across the top of Wa and Idaho to Yellowstone and Beartooth Pass then down the top of Utah and over to Colorado to ride the rockies toward home.

A compeletly different route would have you riding the Cascades down through WA (Mt St. Helens is worth a look) around Mt Hood in Or (McKenzie Pass is a hoot)with plenty of great roads in the Mts. to Ca where you can ride the Sierra Nevada Mt passes down south where you can slab it home.

I have ridden most of the west from Colorado to the Pacific and can give you plenty of great road suggestions but can't type as fast as I ride so send me a pm if interested and we talk on the phone. Doug

 

[Ally House]

You might want to hit some of the parks on the continental divide; Yellowstone, Grand Tetons. There are some spectacular motorcycle roads in Colorado...

 

[Evitzee]

Couple of places in UT worth visiting:

1) Promontory, UT .... where the transcontinental railroad met in 1869. It's location is still in remote area so you still get the feeling of what it must have been like. They have two reproduction steam engines (originals were scrapped before their importance was realized) in all their glorious colors. Get there late in the day when they fire them up, run them down the track, bell clanging and steam whistle blowing, and then take them back to the engine house. They have excellent rangers there that tell all about how it was done.....Americans coming from the east, imported Chinese workers coming from the west. Dangerous work .... that's where the expression 'Hell on Wheels' came from ..... the trailing facilities on wheels were often more dangerous than the work itself.

2) The drive through Zion National Park, best seen in the morning on a bike, is one of the most spectacular roads in the US.....it's not high speed but you don't want to rush through scenery like this.