[surfclod]

This is my plan for the month of August.



About 7500 km, leaving south east Saskatchewan on July 30th and returning here Sept 6th, right after Labor Day.



I have family at 3 of the stops and some old friends at several of the others. Hope to stop in and see Larry's shop when at the southern tip of my trip, and if any problems arise I hope I can limp the bike to the steps of his shop.

Any one have any sites along my route that should not be missed??







Also does anyone have a recommendation of an online map to use? The common ones are great for point A to point B guidelines and directions but as a trip planner I am getting frustrated.



Have tried Google Maps as well as MapQuest but because my trip involves over 50 waypoints I find that it is hard to manage. Plus I often take less direct routes to see more of the countryside so I have to keep throwing in different stops to guide the route which make it difficult to manage. I am convinced there is a way to make trip planning much more easy than I have experienced so far.





P.S. The leg from Sacramento to Eugene Oregon shows me following the interstate but I plan to travel roads between I-5 and the coast, (ie California Highways 96, 36, 299 and such). Again I am just having a hard time forcing Google Maps to take me where I want to go.

 

[SteveinPA]

Paper maps and a compass? I agree trying to plot a map with waypoints is frustrating. Even the Garmin MapSource software has a mind of it's own. Try to pick up some detailed paper maps to stick in a tank bag and mount a compass on your bike. This from an avid but often misled GPS user.

 

[ramprat06]

If you have access to the Canadian version of Triple A, you can customize the trip by using their free Trip Tik. They send you a complete flip over booklet that has each segment mapped, and it's got enough mapping of side terrain that you can usually finagle most changes. They also include full on maps of the areas. We just got ours for a trip we are taking to the East Coast in Sept.(air and caging) and it really a slick deal. The Trip Tik would be small enough to keep in a tank bag or other handy spot. Almost worth the cost membership alone, as they do all the work.



That stretch from Larry's to Eugene (my original home) on I-5 is a very hard and somewhat boring stretch, aside from the Siskyou *sp* mountain pass. It is kind of treacherous at times too. It ate me alive on my trip back from picking up G-Loria from Larry's when I bought her. But it is interstate, and it covers a lot of distance pretty quick. I don't know if the California coastline might make a better choice, if nothing but for the scenery.



One word of caution on the coastal routes you do have planned.....they are highly traveled and crowded during that time of year, especially with motor homes and such.



Joel in the Couve

 

[surfclod]

Here we have CAA which is affiliated with AAA. I have the plus membership, which covers the cost of a flatdeck hauler rather than just regular tow truck which is much more useful when you have a bike.



I remember using the TripTik before, I think its to late now to get one made up though as I leave in a week. My route is still kinda fluid, I suspect I will be making minute change up until the moment I leave.



Once on the road I do plan to stick to using old fashioned paper maps. I have had GPS units fail me several times in the past, plus I am packing in a minimalist fashion this time.



Some of the more remote sections, that may not be detailed very well on the large paper map, I plan to print ahead of time as well.





Right now I am just seeing what the mileage is between stops and what campgrounds and facilities are to be found where I plan to stop riding for the day. I just have found using Google Maps to be very frustrating, especially when I think I have it saved, but it some how changes, and then I can no longer edit it but rather need to start a new map

Agree that the coastal highway can be rather busy at this time of year, have done it twice before on a bike and a couple more times in a vehicle. However this time I am not a dumb kid on a sportbike trying to drag my foot pegs on corners. I plan to ride sensibly and take in the scenery, perhaps stop for an espresso and enjoy life rather than race it to the end.







Gonna head out tommorow morning for a test run, 4 hours one way then return on sunday. It will be the first decent ride since I did a fair bit of work to her. Forecast is to be raining the first 250km of my trip so it will be a good test run

 

[WayneDW]

Looks like a great trip!



Especially since you are on your own, personally, I'd not get too bogged down in pre-planning every mile of your trip. Looks to me that you have your basic itinerary well set. I'd just get up each day, look at the map and figure it out for that morning based on the weather, your mood and what interesting roads you can find.



I like to keep trips open to daily interpretation. One of my favorite sayings is: "I can do anything I want, I'm on vacation!"





Have fun.

 

[DaveF]

That looks like a great trip.



For general route planning, a Rand McNally road atlas works best for me.

 

[xlr8r]

Very cool, I am envious. When you go down through Idaho on 95 be extra careful, especially north of Coeur D Alene. Lots of wildlife and big trucks on that highway. Have you been to the Redwoods? I think that is one of my favorite places ever. 101 will take you straight up the Oregon coast should you decide to go, and I think the south coast, Brookings, Gold beach is some of the most scenic on the Oregon coast. Also if you are into planes the air museum in Tillamook, OR is pretty cool, in an old blimp hangar but the Evergreen air museum in Mcminville (maybe an hour off 101) is fantastic! That's where the Spruce Goose is now. You have to see it in that building to believe it. There is a back road to Tillamook if you go that way. San Juan islands in Washington are beautiful too, with an extensive ferry system. I think San Juan island and Whidbey island are especially nice. Cool campground on San Juan where we have seen one of the regions Orca pods swim by.

And you're going to stop in Dog River right?