Planning on a trip from AZ to the PNW. Then back through MT.

In Mid July, I am leaving Phoenix for a Month and more, an odyssey up the coast...I am going by myself because I don't know anyone who would like to do that trip...Last year I did the opposite trip and traveled by freeway a good portion of the time...This time, no freeways except to get from Phoenix into the Cali...I took an awesome road out of Holister the 25 to 198 then to the 33 finally ending up on the 41 to 99, then 99 to the 5...Then is where the fun ended...So, I am looking for some suggestions on which fun roads to take...I am open to any road as long it isn't too far out of the way...I am attempting to avoid the rain. So depending on the weather on the coast...I want a back up plan and I'll ride through the mountains.

Instead of taking 5, depending on how much time you have, you could go thru Bay Area over to hiway 101 or even hiway 1 right north of San Francisco.. Yhowever getting thru bay area is tough due to traffic depending on the time of day.. or you could take 5 up to Redding and take 299 over to 101 and then take 101 North to Ave of the Giants if you wanted to see some Redwoods.. OR you could go on to Hiway 1 and take it all the way up the Oregon Coast.. I've done these drives in car and the views are amazing.. the Oregon coast is awesome! If you go thru Bay area to hiway 1, take Panoramic Hiway over Mt Tamalpias.

OR you could take Hiway 40 to 395 and go north all the way to Canada.. I want to do this 395 trip some day from Yosemite all way up to Canada Border..

Good Luck.

Hey Meriban, also consider the CA 36 (east-west) just south of Redding. Literally, 99 miles of twisties that will put a smile on most of our faces.

Additional joy in that general area:

• Greyback Road
• A16 (county road) southwest out of Redding) connects at Platina (good pie & coffee) on CA 36

Then up in southern Montana, creep in through Idaho on highway 12 - climb up the Lolo Pass to Missoula (another 100 miles of curves)

In WA state there is Paradise Road, Stevens Canyon Road...

If you felt adventurous, while still in Montana you could shoot over to to the Bear Tooth Pass, curving back down to head homeward through Wyoming Hwy 296 through Cody.

So many ideas, often not enough time...

Yeah...I took 199 out of Grants Pass to just north of Crescent City. Then took the 101 south through San Francisco...The traffic was horrible...Don't want to do that in the daytime again. I like the idea of taking the CA 36 from Red Bluff, that road sounds like fun...The weather on the coast looks to be chilly...Being from Phoenix, I am a wimp when it comes to the cold...Maybe I will go up 97 through the mountains in Oregon...

I have taken the 12 out of Walla Walla through Lewiston/Clarkston and up Lolo Pass...There is a natural hot springs which is an easy hike on the south side of the clearwater river...there is a foot bridge to mark the location of the trail head.

The north cascades highway is also a great trip...

I refuse to take 5 again, it is not fun.

I live in the middle of Oregon and though the Coast is beautiful it always seems to be foggy in July. Here is one of my favorite routes in northern cal. and into Oregon.

Hwy 36 to Lassen national park, Either Hwy 97 or Hwy139 to Klamath falls Oregon, Klamath falls to Hwy 140 to Fort klamath then Hwy 62 to Crater lake NP. Then back to Hwy 97 north to Cresent Oregon. From Cresent to Cascade lakes hwy into Bend,Oregon . Depending on where your going anything East of I-5 is great Motorcycle roads. Hwy 97 can get a little boring in spots but all the roads off of it are great. Most of this is 2 lane roads with little traffic. Enjoy Oregon.

Understand your perspective Meriban, hope you enjoy your trip, whatever you choose.

Thanks for the tip on the short hike to a hot spring in the Lolo Pass area - next time I roll through there I'll be trying to convince my buddies we should stop for a dip.

Interesting thread.

I am pondering a July trip from San Jose to Portland and Seattle to visit family. I will watch with interest on your plans and route.

Hey Training Pilot...We could meet up and tour together...I like the idea of going through the mountains after looking at the temperature and weather on the coast...I have made reservations in Redding to stay and tour for 4 days in that area...Take 36 to the coast and coming back 299 towards Redding. then heading up towards Lassen, then towards 97 to Crater Lake...After that...Whatever.

Oh, there are WAY too many good great roads in northern CA to stick just to the two that everybody talks about--36 and 299. And no reason to spend ten feet of travel on I-5 at all (note there's no "the" in I-5 or any other numbered road in NorCal. That's a Los Angeles thing.

So get around the Bay Area (um, S.F. Bay area) any way you can, and there are plenty of ways. Or go ahead and tour through S.F.; it's a beautiful and scenic city if you've never seen it. Get over to the coast by crossing the Golden Gate, or one of plenty of other connectors till you connect to CA 1--someplace around Bodega Bay. There's a road called Skaggs Springs Rd. that comes out on the coast at Stewart's Point. There's CA 20 that comes out at Ft. Bragg. There are lots of little routes besides that you can have the fun of finding for yourself. But really, my very favorite ride in California is Hwy 1 from Jenner to Ft. Bragg along what's damn near a cliff that hangs over the ocean for miles and twisting miles. From there it cuts inland through a really amazing stretch of lefts and rights and ups and downs through redwood forests every bit as dramatic as the famous few miles of the "Avenue of the Giants" further north, except zip traffic and way more fun roads--and it's about 50 miles long. Stay on it till you get to Leggett where it joins Hwy 101.

If you can get the smile off you face, continue north, that "Avenue of the Giants" is definitely worth the slight detour, but you won't be as impressed with it as you would have been if you hadn't just come up 1. This takes you up through Eureka and more cool riding through heavy forests and redwoods up to Oregon. I love the Oregon coast; some think it's too slow due to traffic and tourists, but it's pretty enough to slow down and enjoy, IMHO. There are other great routes and diversions anywhere along this route, but you'll be pretty happy with this one if you do it, and happy with most any other option you pick along the way.

Yes, it can be cool--bracing--and sometimes it's foggy, but the fog is part of the view, so enjoy it, and if you're cold, put on another layer.

Cyclepath said:

Hey Meriban, also consider the CA 36 (east-west) just south of Redding. Literally, 99 miles of twisties that will put a smile on most of our faces.
Additional joy in that general area:

• Greyback Road
• A16 (county road) southwest out of Redding) connects at Platina (good pie & coffee) on CA 36

Then up in southern Montana, creep in through Idaho on highway 12 - climb up the Lolo Pass to Missoula (another 100 miles of curves)

In WA state there is Paradise Road, Stevens Canyon Road...

If you felt adventurous, while still in Montana you could shoot over to to the Bear Tooth Pass, curving back down to head homeward through Wyoming Hwy 296 through Cody.

So many ideas, often not enough time...

Click to expand...

I think they are still doing road work on 36.. it was closed Mon-Fri due to road work and lots of one way traffic on weekend.. not sure when it's supposed to be completed.

I will keep my eye on the road closures, I hope 36 is open in mid July...So, I have firmed up my trip...From Redding east 299 to Burney Falls, then the 159 to Klamath falls...Then the Crater Lake loop coming out north of the park to 97 to Crescent Or...Then west to the Cascade Loop Scenic Hwy Cut off to Mt Bachelor, on to Bend and then on to Breitenbush Hot Springs.

If you get close to the Columbia Gorge the Oregon and Washington side have some great roads and scenery. Just try not to ride hwy 84 (freeway)

So many roads, so little time. All "First World Problems" ! JSNS