Suggestion for LA to Seattle ride?

[rdfarr]

Want to ride from LA to Seattle via some good scenic roads. Got about a week available. Prefer not to exceed about 1600-1800 miles total. Does anyone have a suggested route. I'm from the Southeast and unfamiliar with CA, OR, and WA.

[keithb]

RDFarr

You are making this way toooo easy. The first thing you need to do is to go to AAA and pickup a Ca./Or./Wa. map. Then get on Rt. 1 or Rt. 101 and take it all the way to Seattle. Take Rt. 1 wherever you can because it is mainly on the coast vs. 101 which can be as much as 30 miles inland from the coast. When you get the maps you will see what I mean. I have been from Portland to L.A. on 1/101 and it is a great route and trip. Have fun.

[roydog007]

Lots of good roads, I just noticed you only have a week.

My favorite Stretch is Hwy 1 from Bodega Bay up to Mendocino.

From there thru southern Oregon, lots of options. Lots of great folks up there to make some suggestions.

[gottabmw]

Want to ride from LA to Seattle via some good scenic roads. Got about a week available. Prefer not to exceed about 1600-1800 miles total. Does anyone have a suggested route. I'm from the Southeast and unfamiliar with CA, OR, and WA.

Is that a week to do it one way or a week to do it up and back? A week divided by 1800 miles is only 250 +/- miles a day. Of course double that for a round trip. Check out this site for alternate routes for 101 and I-5 in Oregon. PM me for more Oregon info.

[BruceWA]

Just completed a 10 day ride with the wife from our home in Wenatchee, WA. Briefly: Day 1 stayed in John Day, OR. Day 2 Stayed in Alturas, CA. Day 3 stayed in June Lake, CA. Day 4 stayed in Mariposa, CA (do not miss the little dragon). Day 5 stayed in Bodega Bay, CA. Day 6 stayed in Eureka, CA. (Hwy 1 from Rockport to Leggett is not to be missed!). Day 7 stayed in Florence, OR, Day 8 stayed in Astoria, OR. Day 9 stayed at Whistin Jacks (Cliffdell, WA). The wife rode her bike hence the shorter days, but we had a great time. The Sierra's, coast & Cascades are must rides!!!

 

Also check gottabmw's website, lots of good info. And of course check pashnit.com for excellent info!!

[TonyTsai]

there is one spot, going towards to Stewart's point, in northern cal, my friend said the road was design by the racer, if you are into that type of riding. yet, its also got seasonal sceanary as well aloneside.

[leikam]

Here is a map between LA and San Francisco that doesn't simply go up the coast but has minimal freeway travel. Don't get me wrong, the coast is a great ride, but if say Highway 1 is closed in Big Sur due to fires or you simply want more variety, you might consider some of these roads. As you can see, it is 535 miles but one long day or better yet two full days of riding.

[blkvelvt]

This used to be a free site but now it is subscription. Lots of info. I loved Hwy 96 thru Happy camp near the Oregon border. Check it out.

http://www.pashnit.com/motoroads.htm

 

[elkroeger]

The easy answer is just ride up the coast. You could spend several weeks doing that trip, so you'll have to prioritize. If it were me, I'd ride up the coast for 1/2 the trip, then move inland to I-5) and stop at Mt. Shasta, Crater Lake, St Helens, or Rainier (just pick one). Then for the return trip travel south on the coast for the other 1/2 that you missed (if you have time).

 

One example - coming north in Washington on I-5, go East on Hwy 12, through Randle, North on 123 (Ohanapecosh), over Cayuse pass, past Mt. Rainier, then 410 to Seattle. On the return trip, go out to Aberdeen on 8, then south to Astoria and down the coast.

 

But a guy could easily spend 3 days just doing that section... And you're talking about a big trip already, just on I-5 up and back.