West Coast Bike Trip

[NCost]

Very nice. That bike will serve you well. I'm also considering a switch to a full tour bike. When I do it will either be the Cross Country or the Indian Chief. Leaning more towards the Chief. I'm just not ready to give up speed and leaning yet, that's why I have the FJR, can tour and still sport it up.

I ride w/ a guy on a HD full faired model. He smokes cigars the whole time. I let him lead and I dive in behind him to catch the smoke.

Enjoy the trip and remember, rubber side down.

 

[CWS]

Nice trip. Swinging west to Reno you will cross over Donner Pass and some very pretty country. You can bypass Reno and cut over to Lake Tahoe which is a lot prettier. Cruise around the Lake and then either back doen the 50 to Carson City and Virgina City or take the Kingsbury grade down the backside into Gardnerville and reconnect with 395. On the 395 you will pass the back door to Yosemite. You can cruise through and back out but it will take a day. Further down 395 check out Mono Lake and the tufas. These are natural deposits left when LA took all the water out of Mono Lake. They are refilling but it is still very cool. If you like to fish take the 158 loop it leaves 395 a swings by a few lakes inlcuding Grant and June. Lots of trout fishing in the lakes and in the streams all the way along the road. Loops back to 395. Nice camping as well. A little further down is Mammoth Lakes. A ski area. Good for supplies, groceries and good restaurants in summer. Drive into Redds Meadow and Devils Postpile National monument is very cool and I think they still let bikes go. No cars. Once past Crowley Lake you drop off the sierras and into the desert. Bishop is a nice town with good fishing in the nearby mountain streams. Lone Pine has a great film museum about all the westerns that were filmed in the area. Also the portal to Mt. Whitney 14, 496 ft. Pass too many people. After that it is desert dude. Hot dray and not a lot to see but Red Mountain an old mining town.

Once you get down the 14 into Valencia it is 38 minutes over to the coast, Ventura, guest room and showers. Your call.
I assume you really want to see downtown LA for some unholy reason. Unless you really love pain stay off Interstate 10. Once you get you fill of traffic on the 101 and downtown. Switch to the 110 Pasadena freeway out of LA and move up to the 210 across the valley. The 110 is an old freeway with beautiful bridges and usually less traffic into Pasadena. The 210 will get you across the valleys but you can still see every thing. 210 meets up with the 15 and takes you on outta town towards Vegas.

The ride across Hoover Dam is great. The route you picked along the Grand Canyon is also great. Super fishing at Lee's Ferry.

 

[CAJoe]

Looks like a great run. You will love the Avenue of Giants, it is amazing. Also if you go south of Clear Lake there is a beautiful camp site called Clear Lake State Park that my family goes every year. Not too far from the campsite is a Brewery called Kelsey Creek Brewery that just became a customer of mine so now does he not only have good beer he has decent cigars. Bonus watch for Elk north of Willits and east of Clear Lake, there are 2 large herds in both those areas. The drive through Grass Valley is nice as is the drive through Donner pass. As Chuck said the drive around Lake Tahoe is very pretty but if you do go to Reno I suggest a stop at Fumare (owned by Deion who owns Illusione brand). Also if you want to see something really cool since you are going down the 395 before you get to Mono Lake I would suggest you hit Bodie State Park. It is an old ghost town and just a neat place to visit. You can get more info here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodie,_California

 

[CWS]

Looks like a great run. You will love the Avenue of Giants, it is amazing. Also if you go south of Clear Lake there is a beautiful camp site called Clear Lake State Park that my family goes every year. Not too far from the campsite is a Brewery called Kelsey Creek Brewery that just became a customer of mine so now does he not only have good beer he has decent cigars. Bonus watch for Elk north of Willits and east of Clear Lake, there are 2 large herds in both those areas. The drive through Grass Valley is nice as is the drive through Donner pass. As Chuck said the drive around Lake Tahoe is very pretty but if you do go to Reno I suggest a stop at Fumare (owned by Deion who owns Illusione brand). Also if you want to see something really cool since you are going down the 395 before you get to Mono Lake I would suggest you hit Bodie State Park. It is an old ghost town and just a neat place to visit. You can get more info here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodie,_California

Forgot about Bodie. Very very cool. National monument so it is not hype and people but really the way it was. Warning: Few miles off the 395 on gravel road.

 

[BradMc]

Man that looks like a great trip, but my ass hurts already, make sure u bring along ur power...http://www.horsetackco.com/index.php?main_page=popup_products_image&products_id=11836&zenid=3e3920025f4q5l4ra1s7udbdb1&popup=1

 

[crperkins]

On count down, will be leaving on Thursday morning..work permitting.

Any main Cigar shops I should be venturing to around this route?

I plan to go to Fuente for an overpriced Lancero and Untold Story. Probably also swing by Fumare.
Any other store specific sticks or locations I am overlooking?


https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Edmonton,+AB/N+Cascades+Hwy,+WA,+USA/Avenue+of+the+Giants,+CA,+USA/Virginia+City,+NV,+USA/Los+Angeles,+CA,+USA/Las+Vegas,+NV,+USA/@43.0687351,-115.9159155,5z/data=!4m93!4m92!1m5!1m1!1s0x53a0224580deff23:0x411fa00c4af6155d!2m2!1d-113.4909267!2d53.544389!1m25!1m1!1s0x5484bdebf9887c29:0x95037d9f4224ca73!2m2!1d-120.856946!2d48.6468641!3m4!1m2!1d-122.6975057!2d48.1399778!3s0x548ff2734b0c98d5:0x33adb46f74f3a193!3m4!1m2!1d-124.3256729!2d48.055222!3s0x548e8a38deca25f9:0xd695b34173f14953!3m4!1m2!1d-123.9565589!2d45.7819661!3s0x5494b0d27d9d68f1:0x12983c38d8b802cb!3m4!1m2!1d-124.21302!2d43.5426107!3s0x54c3941a7f115c2f:0xaf6eaa17a9b13e84!1m15!1m1!1s0x54d46248c246f22d:0x2887d50e8f3b6041!2m2!1d-123.9088866!2d40.3081954!3m4!1m2!1d-122.8227124!2d38.9656358!3s0x8083f176e8cec58d:0xec42bdec83e74b4c!3m4!1m2!1d-119.9846989!2d39.2493858!3s0x80997ab2c10f97df:0x4d1c676e6713c617!1m25!1m1!1s0x80990faad3daafd1:0x29dad257dc576fa9!2m2!1d-119.6499793!2d39.3095135!3m4!1m2!1d-119.9490437!2d38.988966!3s0x80999ae0d1d4287f:0x163a76dd20be10b7!3m4!1m2!1d-119.9238654!2d38.7934119!3s0x8099ecdf960eb9e7:0x44d50b60ec6f8d5e!3m4!1m2!1d-119.1268651!2d37.7831301!3s0x80966a10a56c7e8b:0x49ee336ea2050d7e!3m4!1m2!1d-119.2337004!2d34.2668679!3s0x80e9b2aa631d0529:0xb4107303e11605d!1m10!1m1!1s0x80c2c75ddc27da13:0xe22fdf6f254608f4!2m2!1d-118.2436849!2d34.0522342!3m4!1m2!1d-118.2910454!2d33.7499502!3s0x80dd361903c006e3:0x2fb3d19edc7f427c!1m5!1m1!1s0x80beb782a4f57dd1:0x3accd5e6d5b379a3!2m2!1d-115.1398296!2d36.1699412!3e0

https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Las+Vegas,+NV,+USA/Valley-Fire+State+Park,+29450+Valley+of+Fire+Hwy,+Overton,+NV+89040,+United+States/Grand+Canyon+Village,+AZ,+USA/Capitol+Reef+National+Park,+Torrey,+UT,+United+States/Yellowstone+National+Park,+United+States/Bear+Tooth+Pass+Hwy,+Cody,+WY+82414,+USA/Edmonton,+AB/@40.952655,-106.0562491,5z/data=!4m64!4m63!1m5!1m1!1s0x80beb782a4f57dd1:0x3accd5e6d5b379a3!2m2!1d-115.1398296!2d36.1699412!1m10!1m1!1s0x80c96b2bca0cabf5:0x4c5d735aaf7cb075!2m2!1d-114.515319!2d36.429747!3m4!1m2!1d-114.5839842!2d36.2270958!3s0x80c93855b1dae5b5:0x4c2876908be54632!1m5!1m1!1s0x8733174f95ffe325:0xb8ccc2749a229ea1!2m2!1d-112.1401108!2d36.0544445!1m10!1m1!1s0x874a00ff07e7a253:0xde3bec53484fff07!2m2!1d-111.261504!2d38.36697!3m4!1m2!1d-110.1118026!2d43.0131704!3s0x8757c5a7364dab3d:0x100daba7d11741e8!1m5!1m1!1s0x5351e55555555555:0xaca8f930348fe1bb!2m2!1d-110.588455!2d44.427963!1m15!1m1!1s0x534efabe8ddbb7d9:0xc8b3368bf27a274a!2m2!1d-109.6681487!2d44.933827!3m4!1m2!1d-115.0504687!2d48.0274051!3s0x5366db1f21a401ef:0x96a7a14f2b6f2b22!3m4!1m2!1d-114.2309646!2d50.581032!3s0x5371b0c7d3f647dd:0x62bbe71831e43dfb!1m5!1m1!1s0x53a0224580deff23:0x411fa00c4af6155d!2m2!1d-113.4909267!2d53.544389!3e0

 

[Splatt]

:crying: no love for the central coast of California, but still looks like an amazing trip. Have fun!!!

 

[crperkins]

There are a few places we wanted to get to further inland, that and I think I will avoid a lot of traffic by cutting around it.
Hope I'm not overlooking anything there, although I'm sure I am.
Hard to hit everything.

 

[Jesse]

Your missing out on the coast, from San Luis Obispo to Ventura is an awesome drive.

 

[crperkins]

Better ?
https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Edmonton,+AB/N+Cascades+Hwy,+WA,+USA/Avenue+of+the+Giants,+CA,+USA/Fumare+Fine+Cigar+Boutique/Virginia+City,+NV,+USA/Los+Angeles,+CA,+USA/Las+Vegas,+NV,+USA/@37.3320015,-118.0340267,8z/data=!4m79!4m78!1m5!1m1!1s0x53a0224580deff23:0x411fa00c4af6155d!2m2!1d-113.4909267!2d53.544389!1m25!1m1!1s0x5484bdebf9887c29:0x95037d9f4224ca73!2m2!1d-120.856946!2d48.6468641!3m4!1m2!1d-122.6975057!2d48.1399778!3s0x548ff2734b0c98d5:0x33adb46f74f3a193!3m4!1m2!1d-124.3256729!2d48.055222!3s0x548e8a38deca25f9:0xd695b34173f14953!3m4!1m2!1d-123.9565589!2d45.7819661!3s0x5494b0d27d9d68f1:0x12983c38d8b802cb!3m4!1m2!1d-124.21302!2d43.5426107!3s0x54c3941a7f115c2f:0xaf6eaa17a9b13e84!1m10!1m1!1s0x54d46248c246f22d:0x2887d50e8f3b6041!2m2!1d-123.9088866!2d40.3081954!3m4!1m2!1d-120.0082551!2d39.2270509!3s0x80997add28d61013:0x270fffe62016c402!1m5!1m1!1s0x8099155909705d59:0x50cf6661fd114e16!2m2!1d-119.777739!2d39.456204!1m15!1m1!1s0x80990faad3daafd1:0x29dad257dc576fa9!2m2!1d-119.6499793!2d39.3095135!3m4!1m2!1d-119.1252847!2d37.9644665!3s0x809648baf364b6ab:0xa14d3eb6800c92ab!3m4!1m2!1d-120.6373487!2d35.3756815!3s0x80ecee897990b757:0x9b8830320a440178!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c2c75ddc27da13:0xe22fdf6f254608f4!2m2!1d-118.2436849!2d34.0522342!1m5!1m1!1s0x80beb782a4f57dd1:0x3accd5e6d5b379a3!2m2!1d-115.1398296!2d36.1699412!3e0

 

[CWS]

Definitely cooler trip. Lots of wine country around Paso Robles. Either way will be a great trip. The trip through Yosemite is well worth it.

 

[Jesse]

Paso Robles is a great little town to go through, I would shoot straight across to Cambria if you can make it. Beautiful little town as well, wife and I try to vacation there every couple of years.

 

[cgraunke]

Safe travels good sir!

 

[Jmphotog]

Safe travels my brothers