Coast to Coast trip

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

A great route, IMO, is to go from Amarillo to Trinidad, CO, across to Durango, they north on the Million Dollar Hwy to Grand Junction. Then continue north to Dinosaur, then to Vernal, UT and drop down to Helper. Then go up Hwy 6 to Spanish Fork and I-15/I-80 to Provo/SLC. This is one case where the Interstate is a prettier ride than the two lane. US 40 from Duchesne to SLC area is pure blah. Commercial and town/farm development almost the entire way with almost no scenic views at all. If you go north from SLC a couple of interesting stops are the Golden Spike site and the Orbital-ATK missile site on the way there. That's where the rockets for the space program were made. There are several missiles outside to see.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Wise to stay further north and riding in higher country. It is a "cool" 108F here today but heating up to 112-115 in the next few days. Ride safe..... Jim

Southern Idaho and Northern NV & UT are forecast for 80's and 90's the next several days.

 

[easysuper]

More Route 66

We spent the night in Tucumcari so we could plan a new route home as we are in no hurry to get there. It looks like Colorado makes for a good ride.

 

[easysuper]

We made Taos yesterday and are planning on staying a couple days to check out the sites and ride out to Pueblo Taos and an historic Hacienda, instead of camping we booked a room in an old historic place built in 1939 called the Sagebrush Inn. We did catch the last piece of 66 on this trip as we left the Route and headed north. As we were riding through some of the towns, it dawned on me that this was the country that Louis L’lamour wrote about in his western stories that I read as a teenager.

 

[RICZ]

When in Taos, you do not pass up Michael's restaurant and you do not pass up their sopapias.

 

[canamjhb]

You are getting close to the "Million Dollar Highway" just north of Durango. If it fits your plans, it is very worthwhile. Be safe.....Jim

 

[easysuper]

Spent the day riding around the Taos area today and visited some great sites,including the Taos Pueblo,considered the oldest continuously lived in community in the US, for nearly 2,000 years.

 

[Raprider]

LOVE the Taos Pueblo...had a great visit a few years ago...may be back in the Alb/Santa Fe/Taos area this fall...looking for relocation possibilities...

 

[easysuper]

Million Dollar Hwy

I tried to find out why it is called the million dollar highway but there are a number of different explanations. But it is well worth riding! Every time we go out of our way to ride a “Must Ride” I am usually disappointed but 550 does not disappoint in anyway. You can have Durango as it is not my kind of stopping place but Silverton is a kick. We stayed at the North Durango KOA and they run a great campground. They even have a pizza and ice cream shop and the pizza was pretty good and made a great lunch the next day. The views on this ride are nothing short of spectacular and the history is worth learning. And the best way to see it is from the back of a bike, as there are no guard rails and it’s narrow so the car traffic is slow. All I can say is if you can fit it in your travel plans,do it as no photos can do it justice.

 

[RICZ]

Thanks again easysuper. Glad you two got to do 550, a ryder's dream. Rider magazine recently had an article written by rider, who wit another rider, bagged 60 Colorado passes in 9 days It too a lot of planning and hard riding to accomplish. Not my style, I gotta stop and smell the scenery.

 

[canamjhb]

Glad you enjoyed the MDH. The story we heard was that a lady, after driving it, said she wouldn't do it again for a million dollars.
It is a close second favorite for Linda and I right after Going to the Sun in Glacier. Silverton is awesome..... Jim

 

[al0vely]

Those pics of the million dollar highway are beautiful ... thanks for sharing pics all along your journey.

 

[easysuper]

Coast to Coast Grand Mesa

After we rode the MDH we continued north to the Grand Mesa and experienced another great ride. We continued north through the Flaming Gorge Area and ended up in Pinedale Wyoming.

 

[easysuper]

Yellowstone ,Virginia City,and Lolo

After Flaming Gorge we headed north to Yellowstone as it was snowing when we rode through on our way East the first of June. My brother is camp-hosting about 20 miles north of West Yellowstone so we camped 5 days and enjoyed the sites. I have been to Yellowstone about 20 times but never get tired of it. After we left there we headed to Virginia City and on the way got caught in a marble sized hail storm, we arrived wet, bruised and ready for a hotel shower. We stayed in a old historic hotel right on Main Street and had dinner across the street that is Montana’s oldest Saloon.

 

[RICZ]

Ah, the joys of riding in the wind! And the rain, and the snow, and the hail, and the triple digit temps. Gotta love having a full bathroom just feet from the bed.

 

[easysuper]

You can have your Dragons Tail or the Rattler but I’ll take Highway 12 from Lolo Pass down to Kooskia Idaho,you even have a great place to stop at along the way at Locksa Lodge. You travel along the Lewis and Clark route along the Clearwater River and the scenery is stunning, I’ve done it 5 times now and never tire of it and one of the best things is it’s never crowded.

 

[RICZ]

I second that easysuper - one of the best MC roads in the US. I've done the Dragon and was not impressed. There are other roads far less trafficky and fewer cops.

 

[easysuper]

hWe crossed over to home state to ride the Devils Tail up Hell’s Canyon another great ride with little or no traffic and spectacular views.

 

[Raprider]

Damn, that was quick! Only 8 weeks out and back!
Thanks for sharing the adventure :clap:

 

[beatle5]

Enjoyed reading your trip. I am semi-retired and waiting for my wife to retire. We want to go coast to coast as well but from CT to CA.