2 bikes, 3 states and 6,000 km
After a year of hard work, my best friend and I embarked on a road trip to relax. Guided by two golden rules: take it easy and there are no rules, we were inspired by Jack Kerouac’s novels On the Road and Big Sur. We started our adventure in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington.
Last year, we visited Mount St. Helens, but Mount Rainier was hidden in the clouds, so we postponed our visit. This year, we were lucky and enjoyed the sunny skies. We visited two main attractions: Sunrise, at 6,400 feet, the highest point reachable by vehicle, and Paradise, famous for its glorious views and wildflower meadows. The roads to the visitor centres were good, and both locations were not crowded. We camped at The Dalles Campground on the banks of the White River, which was one of the best stays ever.
Riding into Oregon: Somehow we got disoriented after we left Mary’s Corner, WA, but a fellow H-D rider took us to the OR border on beautiful roads. Our first stop was in McMinnville, where we had a great lunch at Los Molcajetes (Sirloin steak burrito, probably one of the best).
McMinnville, OR
Salem, OR: We took some very enjoyable country roads into the state Capitol. Because it was late, we could see the building only from the outside. We camped at Silver Falls State Park, took an evening walk to the South Falls (177’) and saw the Winter, North and Upper North Falls the next day.
Mt. Angel, OR: We stopped at this Bavarian-styled town for breakfast and visited the Mount Angel Abbey, a very well-designed and maintained monastery; it was so peaceful there.
Cottage Grove, OR: We stopped here to see the covered bridges but were surprised by a vintage car show, Rock, Roll ’n Rumble. We saw the Centennial Bridge (1987), Stewart Bridge (1930) and Dorena Bridge (1949).
Gold Hill, OR: The stretch of I5 leading to this little town was very nice. We camped at KOA campground for two days to explore the area and ride the scenic byways. Rogue Creamery offers artisan blue cheeses and Lillie Belle Farms handmade chocolates, both establishments in Center Point, OR. We were not impressed by Medford but liked the old western town Jacksonville where we had lunch at Back Porch Bar & Grill (very good). We rode the Applegate Trail scenic byway to Murphy. Due to fires, there was a strong smell of smoke and the skies were hazy. We turned south to Ashland and enjoyed a walk and very good ice cream in this charming and expensive-looking town. On the way to KOA, we rode to Eagle Point and saw the Butte Creek Mill. It was a very enjoyable ride.
Riding into California: We took I5 to CA. Despite a road construction on the freeway, it was a very nice ride. Mt. Shasta was majestic! We stopped at the town of Mount Shasta for a healthy and delicious lunch. As soon as we saw the sign to Lake Shasta Caverns, we decided to check it out. The road there was twisty, there were some sudden 15 mph steep climbs and the road was quite narrow at some sections.
Next, we rode to Redding to see the Sundial Bridge. This modern glass-deck bridge crosses the Sacramento River:
After we left Redding, we were headed to Oroville to camp at KOA. We rode through some beautiful hazelnut and almond orchards; it was an enjoyable ride. But we found out that KOA Oroville was RVs only! Quite ticked off, we found a lonely campsite in that area and spent the night there.
Calistoga, CA:
Napa Valley and Sonoma:
V. Sattui Winery
Riding to San Francisco: Golden Gate Bridge
Watsonville, CA: Strawberries
Monterey, CA: Fisherman’s Wharf
Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA: B&B.
Big Sur: And we’re there.
San Luis Obispo, CA: Very nice town