Trip from St Louis to CA and OR on my new to me 2011RT

[MoPops]

I haven’t posted here in a little while.  My first bmw was a 2004LT. It was followed by a GS, then 2 GSAs, and now my new to me 2011 RT.  I just got the RT in January from a very nice guy in Nashville.  It had 19,200 miles on it when I got it, and just rolled over 30,000 this week.  The CA/OR trip was sort of a bucket list trip for me.  I’m turning 69 next month and had this seemed like the right time (new to me bike) to make this trip.  My wife hates me to travel alone, so I was fortunate a fellow retired buddy was up for a longer trip.  We both like to camp, and don’t mind long days on the bikes.  He has a 2012 1600GT, he thought would be the right bike for a trip such as this.  We went across MO, KS, CO, UT, and NV to get into CA, and we managed to stay on two lane roads 99% of the way.  We didn’t bother to take many pics of MO and KS, just knowing better roads were ahead.  
Here’s a pic from Herman MO where we met up to start the trip.  Day one took us across KS into CO. We took alphabet roads across MO, and highway 50 most of the way across KS. 

 

We did have to do about 5 miles on 25 to stay on highway 50.  We did take 92 up and around Black Canyon of the Gunnison.  We camped in the National park that night.  
Took a pic along 92. 

I’ll see how this is posting and continue if it’s working.. 

Thanks 

Jeff 
 

[MoPops]

We got on the road from Black Canyon NP and headed west.  We took 550 down to Ridgeway, then down 62 to 145 to 141 to 491 and in to UT.  We crossed southern UT, which is amazing and worthy of a trip by itself.  We pretty much blasted through it, as my buddy had been through it many times, and I have a future trip planned with my wife.  
A few pics from the rest if CO and UT. 

 campsite near Cedar City 

[TEWKS]

Good stuff! 

[MoPops]

The next day we ran into a little snow in Utah.   The mountains in CO, UT, NV, and CA were all snow covered.  Most passes in CA were snow covered also.  

we eventually worked our way over to Nevada and got on the Extraterrestrial Highway..  What a hoot.  One of the reasons we picked it was that it’s at a higher (cooler) altitude than other roads across NV.  

[MoPops]

Came into CA on 6, and went down to Bishop.  Got geared up for rain, but then totally missed it.  It was like that most of the trip.  The rain storms would split, and we’d sneak right through.  We hotelled it in Bishop. Got in too late to find a campsite.  

 

The next day we started up 395.  Tioga Pass through Yosemite was closed, so we got on 108.  What a great road.  Eventually found more snow, after we worked our way back to Lake Tahoe, and west again.  Looking for campsites we found more roads closed due to snow. Every river and lake seemed at flood stage, as the snowpack started melting.  

Finally found campsite.  

[MoPops]

This was back in May, so I’m going from memory here.  Getting to that point in life where my memory occasionally lets me down.. The next day we covered more spectacular California roads.  Definitely some of the best I’ve ever ridden.  Most were in great shape, fun and twisty, with a speed limit that let you really enjoy. We worked our way north in the Sierras, and over to the Coastal Range. 

 

im not 100% sure where that pic was taken.  Just from the order of things, I think it was in the Sierras.  

Camped again that night along 36 near Forest Glen.  

[MoPops]

The next day was crazy.  We should have stayed on 36, but a higher ranked road on the Butler map was Alden Springs Rd, Ruth Zenia Rd, and Van Duzen Rd’s looked better. So we cut through those on the way down to Garberville.  What a crazy ride.  Washed out in places, gravel in places, and a lot of single lane.  I had a blast on the RT, but it was slower, and rougher than anything we’d ridden.  
I didn’t take many pics along there. We had a fairly ambitious plan for the day. After we got on 101 at Garberville, we went down to Leggett and cut over to the coast on highway 1.  Bucket list Rd accomplished.  

Took the typical tourist pic driving through a tree.. 

 

Camped in a state park south of Ft Bragg.  What a day. 

[MoPops]

The next day was a very nice ride on down highway 1 towards San Francisco.  We didn’t want to go that far, so we cut over to 101 on Stewart’s Point/Skaggs Springs Rd.  This turned out to be another great CA road.  

GPS shows the curves.. 

 

Rest stop along 101.  Then when we were back up north of Garberville we jumped on Avenue of the Giants. 

My buddy decided his GT, which had brand new tires at the start of the trip, was going need tires replaced before getting back to St Louis.  He did some internet research, and decided on the BMW dealer in Medford OR was the best place for him.  So we headed for Medford, but had a great ride on two lanes almost all the way there.  We ended up getting a hotel room that night, and got laundry done, and much needed showers.  Ha!  

[MoPops]

The next morning we were at Hanson’s BMW.  Got tires replaced on the GT, and they replaced both running light bulbs on my RT. The second one burnt out as I was pulling into their lot.  I’ve only read how difficult it can be to replace those bulbs.  They had to charge me for 15 min labor, but it didn’t take that long.  Apparently a lot of experience helps for bulb replacing.  Haha! 
From there we headed on up to Crater Lake NP.  Beautiful area!  Unfortunately under 10’ of snow, but the road there was open.  

We found a great campground. And decided to stay 2 nights.  We traveled over to the Oregon Coast one day, then started heading back home the next day.  

 

[MoPops]

Some pics around southern Oregon.  Pics are from the coast and a great road that cuts between 62 and 138 just west of Crater Lake NP.  

 

Pretty much that wraps it up.  We went across Oregon on 20, then picked up Interstate 84 near Boise.  84 down to 80, 80 all the way across WY and NE. Then 29 down to 36 and back across Missouri.  (I really try hard to stay off of I-70 if I can help it.). 
Thanks for following along.  It helped me to get my memories straight by summing up the trip here.  I made the 6,100 miles on the one set of Roadsmart 3s without a problem.  So far I’m very happy with this 2011 RT.  

[MoPops]

Me.. I don’t do a lot of selfies. 

[wbw6cos]

Dang,  Jeff.  You got me longing for retirement,  which is about 2 or 3 years away.  I want see all those places!  

 

Keep up the great posts!

[MoPops]

5 hours ago, wbw6cos said:

Dang,  Jeff.  You got me longing for retirement,  which is about 2 or 3 years away.  I want see all those places!  

 

Keep up the great posts!

Thanks William.  I waited until I hit 65.  I probably could have retired a few years earlier, but wanted to wait until I could get healthcare covered.  I know one thing, I haven’t missed work for a second.  Ha!  My other bike is a Yamaha T7.  I did a couple of BDRs last summer (ID and WY). That was a bit tougher riding than this trip.  Other smaller trips to South Carolina to see my brother. Another Idaho trip (solo) a month or so after retirement.  I like a two week trip, but am usually ready to be home after 14 days.  Thanks for the comment.