West coast to Sturgis, best route!
Tourer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 450
Likes: 2
tip: think about stopping for the day around 4:30. when Sturgis is on, motels fill up quick for a thousand miles.
from 6 to 9 pm you'll hear bikes circling the motels or campsites looking for a vacancy.
( I'm a campsite guy, KOA)
4:30, drop your bags, throw a damp rag on the windscreen to melt the bugs. Shower, hose down the bike.
stretch the legs and get some eats.
get an early night as some dude with straight pipes is going to be re-tuning his carb for altitude at 6 am.
Mike
from 6 to 9 pm you'll hear bikes circling the motels or campsites looking for a vacancy.
( I'm a campsite guy, KOA)
4:30, drop your bags, throw a damp rag on the windscreen to melt the bugs. Shower, hose down the bike.
stretch the legs and get some eats.
get an early night as some dude with straight pipes is going to be re-tuning his carb for altitude at 6 am.
Mike
If time were not an issue, I would spend as much time off of the interstate as possible. I was coming back from Phoenix 2 years ago on Rte40 and it was after dark, lightning on the horizon getting closer so I stopped in Tucumcari NM. Next morning weather is showing storms all day all along my intended route which was 40 to OK city then 44 to St.Louis. Looked at my trusty atlas (no gps for me) and 54 went all the way from Tucumcari into Kansas City, except not much interstate and through a lot of small towns. Turned out to be the best part of the trip.
One thing I will stress, know the limits of your fuel tank/mpg and don't push it. I was on a stretch in Texas once and was lucky to make it to the next gas station, like 4.8 on a 5 gallon tank lucky and I don't fill it to the rim.
I didn't want to eliminate any options of that makes sense...Going to Sturgis is kind of a big deal, so if it takes riding to Los Angeles (or wherever) to start the trip, then so be it. : ) hope that helps
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,231
Likes: 0
From: Nor-Kal
Did the ride last year, it was great. I will be going next year on the way to the Harley 110th anniversary in Milwaukee. It's a great trip, make sure to go to the stonehouse saloon, devil's tower, a ride through the badlands, Mount Rushmore, Spearfish Canyon, etc. etc. There's a lot of great rides, take your time and enjoy as many as you can.
Also, start early, get your breakfast / coffee and hit the road while it's still cool. Put in a solid day's ride and end by 4-5 o'clock. Relax all night, enjoy hot tubs at the hotels etc.
Also, start early, get your breakfast / coffee and hit the road while it's still cool. Put in a solid day's ride and end by 4-5 o'clock. Relax all night, enjoy hot tubs at the hotels etc.
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 35,506
Likes: 27
From: Calgary eh
DONT take the interstate higways from Reno to Sturgis. You will be missing the most beautiful scenery and high mountain passes in the continent. It would be a felony offence. I'm serious.
Once you cross into Utah, turn east go through Zion, Bryce canyon, capital Reef, Canyon land, Moab, then Arches National park. Gain the I70 and cross the border into Colorado.
Turn south at Glenwood springs, go through Aspen, over the independence pass to hwy 24.
North to I70 and on the I70 over the Loveland pass. A few mile further on I70, north on 40 over the pass (don't know it's name) to Winter park.
From 40 turn onto 34, the Trail ridge road and over the pass to Estes Park.
If you follow that route you'll most likely just had the best riding of your life. From Estes park get onto the I25 and go up to Sturgis.
Utah and Colorado are AMAZING places to ride, and you don't see the good stuff from the interstate. I've done those rides a few times, and driven them in my car several times as well.
I hope you take my advice.
Once you cross into Utah, turn east go through Zion, Bryce canyon, capital Reef, Canyon land, Moab, then Arches National park. Gain the I70 and cross the border into Colorado.
Turn south at Glenwood springs, go through Aspen, over the independence pass to hwy 24.
North to I70 and on the I70 over the Loveland pass. A few mile further on I70, north on 40 over the pass (don't know it's name) to Winter park.
From 40 turn onto 34, the Trail ridge road and over the pass to Estes Park.
If you follow that route you'll most likely just had the best riding of your life. From Estes park get onto the I25 and go up to Sturgis.
Utah and Colorado are AMAZING places to ride, and you don't see the good stuff from the interstate. I've done those rides a few times, and driven them in my car several times as well.
I hope you take my advice.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,341
Likes: 9
From: Woodinville, WA
There and back:
Seattle
Sultan
Leavenworth
West Yellowstone
Yellowstone NP
Yellowstone NP NE Entrance Rd,
Dead Indian Hill Rd
Cody
Greybull
Devils Tower NM
Spearfish
Sturgis
Mt Rushmore
Casper, WY
Grand Teton National Park, Jackson, WY
Jackson, WY
Lewiston, ID
Walla Walla,WA
Kennewick, WA
Yakima, WA
Seattle, WA
Seattle
Sultan
Leavenworth
West Yellowstone
Yellowstone NP
Yellowstone NP NE Entrance Rd,
Dead Indian Hill Rd
Cody
Greybull
Devils Tower NM
Spearfish
Sturgis
Mt Rushmore
Casper, WY
Grand Teton National Park, Jackson, WY
Jackson, WY
Lewiston, ID
Walla Walla,WA
Kennewick, WA
Yakima, WA
Seattle, WA
Premium Sponsor
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 967
Likes: 40
From: Reno, NV
Good Advice, if we take that route we'll definitely hit the southern utah canyons. Awesome down there. Spent a good deal of time backpacking zions etc. Good advice everyone, keep it coming, it's definitely helping to formulate an idea for us. Glad you guys have so much experience. This will be our first LRS Sturgis trip
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 56,052
Likes: 88,134
From: Western South Dakota
This is not intended to sound like a sarcastic answer, but I didn't specify where I was coming from, because it was open ended. Anywhere on the west coast IE California, Oregon, Washington. If there is a great route starting in Los Angeles, going up through Washington, then to Sturgis, then I wanted to hear it.
I didn't want to eliminate any options of that makes sense...Going to Sturgis is kind of a big deal, so if it takes riding to Los Angeles (or wherever) to start the trip, then so be it. : ) hope that helps
I didn't want to eliminate any options of that makes sense...Going to Sturgis is kind of a big deal, so if it takes riding to Los Angeles (or wherever) to start the trip, then so be it. : ) hope that helps
Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 557
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
My favorite trips are the longest.
Start in San Diego, heard up to Julian, then down to Borrego Springs. Spend the night there and get a very early start, 4-5 AM, head east to the Dalton Sea and then North to I 10. Go east into AZ then head to Prescott. If you leave early you'll be in the mountains again before it gets hot. From Prescott go through Jerome Sedona up to Flagstaff. From there you can head for Meteor Crater and Petrafied forest ( ffantastic colors in the early morning) then up for a swing through monument valley.
If you spend the night at Mexican Hat, eat at the swinging steak.
From there is go to Cortez and over Lizard Head Pass. Utah is to hot for mid summer so I'd skip arches only because of the season. At Montrose go east toward Gunnison. The Gunnison river valley is beautiful. At Salida go North up through leadvill. Don't go into Denver instead go up toward Grandby (spelled wrong) over Berthud pass and birthed to Walden. From Walden go North and then West find your way over the Snowy Mountain Range and then down to I80. About an hour on that and the transition on to us 85 north. Total interstate time will be 3-4 hrs.
Start in San Diego, heard up to Julian, then down to Borrego Springs. Spend the night there and get a very early start, 4-5 AM, head east to the Dalton Sea and then North to I 10. Go east into AZ then head to Prescott. If you leave early you'll be in the mountains again before it gets hot. From Prescott go through Jerome Sedona up to Flagstaff. From there you can head for Meteor Crater and Petrafied forest ( ffantastic colors in the early morning) then up for a swing through monument valley.
If you spend the night at Mexican Hat, eat at the swinging steak.
From there is go to Cortez and over Lizard Head Pass. Utah is to hot for mid summer so I'd skip arches only because of the season. At Montrose go east toward Gunnison. The Gunnison river valley is beautiful. At Salida go North up through leadvill. Don't go into Denver instead go up toward Grandby (spelled wrong) over Berthud pass and birthed to Walden. From Walden go North and then West find your way over the Snowy Mountain Range and then down to I80. About an hour on that and the transition on to us 85 north. Total interstate time will be 3-4 hrs.