Planning a Pacific Coast Highway trip - looking for suggestions

MNF3 said:

Three of us are just starting the planning process for a trip next August. Looking at trailering the bikes from Southern MN to Denver or Salt Lake City; then ride to Oregon; get on the Highway there and ride down to Los Angeles. Then ride East and back up to Denver or Salt Lake City.
Can this trip be done in two weeks? Where should we stop? Just looking to your experience on this route.
Thanks in advance!
Bob

Click to expand...

I realize this is too late for your trip, but it may be of value to others thinking of doing the same.

I would trailer directly to Oregon. The ride from Denver to Oregon will take up too much of your riding time. The trip from Salt Lake City to Oregon is miserable desert highway no matter which way you go. For maximum enjoyable riding, I suggest starting in Pendleton and going straight West along the Columbia River Gorge, which is a real treat scenically (and historically).

Once in San Diego, head inland and pick up US-395 heading North (an exit off I-5) back to Oregon; you won't regret it.

Well yes, the intercity freeway routes anywhere out of Salt Lake are dry, hot, and mostly desert or scrub like. That's going North through Idaho (I-15) to OR or WA, South to Vegas and LA (I-15), East to Reno (I-80), or West to Denver (I-80).

You can go West from Central Utah by going South from SLC on I-15 and then East on I-70, F3's where there are large stretches of mountains and canyons to vary the scenery.

Utah has many interesting rides, but if you are just passing through or using it as a base to go anywhere to the next major city, it can be a bit bleak and hot, as well as being a long drive in any direction. The wind does blow too on the exposed sections. There's usually not much rain, but when it does, it does.

When we say we in SLC are in the middle of nowhere, we mean it. However, we do have lots of national and state parks of course, but some can be a distance from SLC and a decent days ride.

The deserts and mountains of course have their natural beauty, but be prepared for heat. This year we got until about the end of the first week of September before we reliably dropped below 100°F. In fact, September through the middle of October is a wonderful time to come, especially with the leaves changing in the mountains. Halloween onward and two or three wheels can become chancy, especially at altitude or along the exposed freeway corridors.

We can often ride into December some years, in and around SLC, but I wouldn't bank a trip here on it. Mountain weather can change in an instant.