Hey all,

So my girlfriend and I are planning a ride for the first two weeks of June. Basically, we'll be starting in SF Bay area and heading to Boulder, CO, then coming home via Yellowstone.

We're already thinking of camping in/around Lake Tahoe the first night (but that's not set in stone). Any ideas for between there and Boulder? I was thinking of heading across NV on Hwy 50. It looks pretty boring, but so does every other way to cross NV. In UT and CO I'd like to do roads that are a mix of fast/direct and scenic - I'm thinking 70 might fit the bill in those two states, but I wouldn't mind hearing about other options. I have no idea where I'd spend the two or three required nights. Maybe Moab for one? Maybe Durango if we do a large detour?

(I've driven a car on that stretch of 70 to/from Denver a few times, but my GF has never been.)

Then, after visiting friends in Boulder, we'll head up to Yellowstone. (How doable is that in a single day?) Then, from there, the only thing I'd like to do is come down by Mt. Shasta on 97, then head over to Hwy 1. But between Yellowstone and Mt. Shasta, I have no idea. Does anyone have any recommendations for routes or places to stay or checkout?

I guess I'd like to stay around 6-8 hours riding a day (or, intersperse a longer 10 hour day with a shorter 4-6 hour day).

We'll probably aim to do a mix of camping and "motelling" (maybe a 75% camping /25% motel mix).

Thanks!
Greg

 

Small loop? Well I always say words like small are relative. So if I had to go from Lake Tahoe I would take 50 aka the loneliest road in America to get to Utah where I know little but I am sure you could get some suggestions. Then from there you have I70 as you go across Colorado to Boulder which isn't a bad drive even tho its interstate. Then you also have the choice at that point of taking 50 and other scenic yet somewhat direct routes through CO to Boulder. Boulder to Yellowstone is doable in a day.

Choices choices...

 

Quiet a trip in that short amount of time.

However, you main concern may be the weather.
In early June, you may find yourself in some mighty "cool" weather and perhaps snow in the higher elevations.

Do some checking before you go and inform your family of your itenerary and check in daily to confirm that you've reached your destination(s).

 

Thanks for the input so far! I was thinking 4 days of riding out, 5 days riding + 1 rest day to get back.

I'll definitely keep an eye on the weather forecasts leading up to the trip.

I'll probably just do I-70 from I-15 to almost Denver - with maybe a small detour to spend a night in Moab.

The main part I'm clueless about is between Yellowstone and Shasta.

Greg

 

From Yellowstone, I recommend going straight south to Jackson and the Tetons. From Jackson, stay south on US 89/26, through Alpine and the Swan Valley on US26 to Idaho Falls. Southern Idaho is not too interesting but US20 is a nice two lane road that avoids I84. When you get to the other side of Idaho, head up to Baker OR. US20 across southeast OR is not too interesting but US26 is. This will take you into Bend OR where you will head south on US97.

US97 hit Mt Shasta at Weed. There are a couple of roads to the coast and US101 (not CA 1, which ends near Ft Bragg/Mendecino, which is well below Eureka CA). For a real fun road, backtrack from Weed to the CA/OR border and take CA96 along the Klamath River back to the coast. Otherwise CA299 is OK; crowded. From the coast US101 will take you south until you get to the cutoff to CA 1.

 

This is a great ride, lake Tahoe is just a start from SF. I suggest Virginia City then 50 across Nevada to Ely. Go north on 6 to I15 to Orem, then 189 to Heber, great ride through WASATCH Mts. then go east on 40 to Granby Colorado. Go north through Rocky Mt. National park. Take 7 to 72 then take one of the canyon roads into Longmont or Boulder. This route beats the heck out of 70 through Utah and Colorado. Its an easy 3 day route if you get up and ride. By the way, don't pass a gas station on50 across Nevada

 

DBlass - Thanks for this route! I'll make Jackson one of my overnight stops and take 20 and 26 west. What's your opinion of skipping Bend and instead taking 395 to 140 to 97 to Shasta? And I will backtrack a bit in order to take 96 - that looks like a great road.

Getter - I hadn't thought of (or know much about) Virginia City, but that looks like the place for the first night, definitely! Your route through Utah looks pretty good. Where would you recommend staying a night - Heber? Duchesne? A little further on?

So, itinerary so far [estimated travel times in brackets]:

First Leg:
Day 1 - SF Bay area to Virginia City, NV [5:15]
Day 2 - Virginia City, NV to Great Basin National Park, NV (Hwy 50 all day) [7:40]
Day 3 - G.B. Natl. Park to Duchesne, UT (or thereabouts) [6:00]
Day 4 - To Steamboat Springs, CO [4:15]
Day 5 - To Boulder, via Rocky Mountain Natl. Park [4:30]

Second Leg:
Day 1 - Boulder to Cody, WY [8:00]
Day 2 - Cody to Jackson, WY - via Yellowstone [3:30 - plenty of time for site seeing]
Day 3 - To Ontario, OR, just past Boise - via Hwy 20 [7:00]
Day 4 - Hwys 20, 395, 140 to Klamath Falls/Altamont, OR (or thereabouts) [7:45]
Day 5 - South on 97 to Mt. Shasta, and then to Eureka, CA - via I-5 to Hwy 96 [6:00]
Day 6 - Back home to the SF Bay area on 101, 1, then 101 again. [6:30]

I'm mapping it all out in the ride planner on the Harley website. It's a pretty awesome tool.

On leg 1, I may try to stretch out day 3 a bit more, then combine days 4 and 5. I'll probably decide when I'm on the road. It'll depend how we're feeling.

 

Irma hotel in Cody and Buffalo Bill museum and of course the nightly shoot out in the streets is always fun.

 

US395 in Oregon, especially if you hit via US20, is ugly. It also will take you way east of Shasta. US20 will go into Bend. US97 on the eastside of the Cascades is a great ride all the way to I5 and Weed. US20 is very much a desert although I actually enjoy the road. Two lanes and very little traffic; just you and the jack rabbits.

If you are taking off from the Bay Area, consider taking on of the less traveled routes across the Sierras like CA 88 or CA 4, with CA88 being my choice. It will take you to US395 to get back up to US50. Virginia City is just north of US50, so after a visit, backtrack back to US50.