Motorcycle Trip Related Question

[deltamark]

Hi all,

I'm going to be riding from Ohio to Monterey, CA in a few weeks and will be meeting my wife, who is flying in. She isn't interested in riding, even when there, so we're renting a car. I'd like to stay in Monterey for two nights, then go down the coast to see Big Sur. Would like to find a place for at least one night at the southern end of Big Sur, then head back up toward Monterey the next day. Any thoughts on where I might be able to leave my RT while we cage it down the Big Sur Coast?

[the Ferret]

Whoa, nice trip. I made that basic trip in 2014 from Ohio to Monterey, Ca only I rode up the coast from Monterey up PCH to San Fran instead of down the coast. It was 5,500 miles in 11 days. Rode out 66 on the way there and back 80 I think it was, hitting Pikes Peak and Bonneville Salt Flats along the way. Many long days in the saddle.

Can't help you with accommodations south of Monterey, although I think we have some members out that way, but do wish you a safe and exciting/fun journey. If you can't find anything I also belong to the FJR forum and ST 1300 forum and maybe cab find you a safe place to leave your bike through those platforms. Just athought is ther a BMW dealer in or close to Monterey?

[deltamark]

Would love to hear more about your trip. I'm still pondering my route going out there. Considered 80 to Denver, then ride the Million Dollar Highway in CO and Route 6 in Utah. Both are kind of out of the way, but I do want to catch some great riding on the way out.

Going to allow myself 8 or 9 days to get to Monterey. Also want to try and avoid extreme heat if possible. Seeking a dealership is a great idea! I might even need some tires or something by that time. Thanks!

Whoa, nice trip. I made that basic trip in 2014 from Ohio to Monterey, Ca only I rode up the coast from Monterey up PCH to San Fran instead of down the coast. It was 5,500 miles in 11 days. Rode out 66 on the way there and back 80 I think it was, hitting Pikes Peak and Bonneville Salt Flats along the way. Many long days in the saddle.

Can't help you with accommodations south of Monterey, although I think we have some members out that way, but do wish you a safe and exciting/fun journey. If you can't find anything I also belong to the FJR forum and ST 1300 forum and maybe cab find you a safe place to leave your bike through those platforms. Just athought is ther a BMW dealer in or close to Monterey?

[the Ferret]

I put feelers out on the FJR and ST forums and we will see if we get any hits

I just looked at the maps from my old trip and I did go thru Big Sur..we went north from Morrow Bay. Montery is where I dipped my toe in the Pacific (the reason for the trip) which is why it sounded familiar

We headed over thru Indianapolis to St Louis, Mo then took 44/40 down thru Oklahoma City, Ok, thru Albuquerque NM, Flagstaff AZ, Needles Ca, and Barstow CA, then 58 West thru Bakersfield Ca to San Luis Obispo CA. Then up PCH/ HWY 1 thru Morrow Bay, Big Sur etc to San Fran. Then cut east to Sacramento CA, to 80 east to Reno NV, Salt Lake City UT, and Cheyenne Wyo, then took 25 South down to Denver and Colorado Springs CO, then back up to 70 East for Topeka KS, St Louis, Mo and back to Indianapolis then home. If I remember right we went in mid June. The only place we got hot was around San Jose CA where it was 105. 24 hours later we were at the 19 mile mark on Pikes Peak (couldn't go to the top because of snow) and it was 32 degrees lol. It was a GREAT trip.

PCH


Maybe Wyoming?


Pikes Peak


Bonneville Salt Flats



Monterey CA

[LongRanger_imp]

Check out Cambria, located just south of Hearst Castle. Cute little seaside town with lots of B&B’s and good restaurants.

[deltamark]

Thank you sir! I appreciate your taking the time to post your ride routes, photos and feelers on the FJR and ST Forums! It certainly does look like you had an excellent journey. I'll look at those routes.

My wife is only staying for 6 days, then I'm flying solo up the coast to visit and ride with some friends in Portland. After that, will consider the route back.

I put feelers out on the FJR and ST forums and we will see if we get any hits

I just looked at the maps from my old trip and I did go thru Big Sur..we went north from Morrow Bay. Montery is where I dipped my toe in the Pacific (the reason for the trip) which is why it sounded familiar

We headed over thru Indianapolis to St Louis, Mo then took 44/40 down thru Oklahoma City, Ok, thru Albuquerque NM, Flagstaff AZ, Needles Ca, and Barstow CA, then 58 West thru Bakersfield Ca to San Luis Obispo CA. Then up PCH/ HWY 1 thru Morrow Bay, Big Sur etc to San Fran. Then cut east to Sacramento CA, to 80 east to Reno NV, Salt Lake City UT, and Cheyenne Wyo, then took 25 South down to Denver and Colorado Springs CO, then back up to 70 East for Topeka KS, St Louis, Mo and back to Indianapolis then home. If I remember right we went in mid June. The only place we got hot was around San Jose CA where it was 105. 24 hours later we were at the 19 mile mark on Pikes Peak (couldn't go to the top because of snow) and it was 32 degrees lol. It was a GREAT trip.

PCH


Maybe Wyoming?


Pikes Peak


Bonneville Salt Flats



Monterey CA

Thank you LongRanger! Will definitely look into Cambria.

Check out Cambria, located just south of Hearst Castle. Cute little seaside town with lots of B&B’s and good restaurants.

[Frulk_imp]

Skip Highway 6 in eastern Utah if you plan to do the Million Dollar Highway. While 6 has expansive views which would impress someone from back East riding it for the first time it’s nothing close to a bucket lister.

Head southwest out of Colorado to Blanding or better Mexican Hat and take the Mowgi Dugway switchbacks north west on 261 to the 95 to the 12 west of Hanksville Utah. Then head west and maybe reconnect to 6. You can thank me later. Send me dates and I might ride down and join you for that stretch. Many possible sites to remote camp off the bike down there.

Search the site for Django’s ride across the USA thread. Many pics of the roads I mentioned…they take you past Natural Bridges Monument. Bears Ears from a moderate distance. Lake Powell (what’s left of the north end). Capitol Reef. Boulder Plateau. Escalante and depending what route you plan to stay on from there possibly Bryce Canyon and Zion Nat Park… that time of year they will be crawling with out of state tourists and may be best avoided by heading northwest and picking up the 6 as stated earlier.

[LongRanger_imp]

^ x100. Excellent roads, unfathomable scenery, no traffic except for the parks. Hwy 12 south of Torrey, UT, is one of my favorites. Here’s the Devil’s Backbone on UT 12:



In fact, consider skipping US 550 (the “Million Dollar Highway”) altogether and instead take CO 62 westbound from Ridgway to Placerville, CO, over the Dallas Divide, then south on CO 146 past Telluride, over Lizard Head Pass, to Dolores and points west. US 550 is full of traffic and Durango can get quite congested in the summer. There’s typically very little traffic on Lizard Head and it’s an exceptional ride. Here’s a viewpoint on the Dallas Divide: