Go west young man, but when? (route?)

[Anomaly]

Looking to pick the braintrust here on a non-sailing matter. As mentioned in the weekend thread, my son recently purchased a 1998 BMW F650 from Phil Bolger's widow and I picked the bike up from Susanne in Gloucester and am now charged with figuring out how to get it to my son in WA state. Of course, we could always ship it west. But where is the fun in that? I would love to ride it across (or at least part way across) but fear I'm running out of a weather window in which to do so. For example, since the bike is stored at a friend's near Boston, it would make sense (except for that weather thing...) to ride into Canada near Montreal and then into Michigan. But I'm open to routing suggestions from those who might know better. It seems that I'm close to being between the proverbial rock and a hard spot in that the window of opportunity to go now is rapidly closing but if I wait till spring, I could be waiting a long time (as I said in the other post, exactly when DOES spring come in Minnesota??). The bike (pictured below without all the travel bags) has heated handgrips and I have good riding gear and I'm up for a Spartan experience. Ideas/comments? Thanks.

98BMWF650.jpg

[Tucky]

Go south- The old Rt 66 is a great route. Go from St. Louis, down through . . . . . . . . . . . Barstow, Bakersfield, San Bernadino. You can have problems with the rockies on either I80 or I90 until well into May and they probably are at risk for snow now. Once you get west you ride up the central valley.

Of course when I did this trip in 1969 on one of the first CB750s I had it in the back of a van for the long hauls

[Anomaly]

Go south- The old Rt 66 is a great route. Go from St. Louis, down through . . . . . . . . . . . Barstow, Bakersfield, San Bernadino. You can have problems with the rockies on either I80 or I90 until well into May and they probably are at risk for snow now. Once you get west you ride up the central valley.

Of course when I did this trip in 1969 on one of the first CB750s I had it in the back of a van for the long hauls

Bakersfield? I don't have time to go to Bakersfield…. Seriously, if this were a leisurely trip, all kinds of southern routes would be appealing. But if this happens at all, I pretty much have to minimize my days on the road and head straight across… Maybe just can't do it. (But Rt 66 is fun-- did it in a car, not on a bike, some years ago)

[kimbottles]

(But Rt 66 is fun-- did it in a car, not on a bike, some years ago)

Hopefully it was a '63 Vette.........

[BeauV]

As a native Californian and recently someone who drove up and down to and from LA and Santa Cruz, I'd suggest NOT driving through the central valley if at all possible. Route 101 in the coastal valley is much nicer, cleaner and safer. Route 1 along the cliffs is beautiful and worth a ride on a bike at some point, but can take a long time.

US 5 in the Central Valley is 60% trucks and 100% ugly.

[cap10ed]

Have a look at our Canadian Western weather.

https://weather.gc.ca/city/pages/ab-52_metric_e.html

It is has already gotten foul out west. Not bad riding in 15C weather. I ride a beamer with heated grips and a good fairing but nothing competes with snow. Check your routes and weather. Cheers Ed

[Anomaly]

(But Rt 66 is fun-- did it in a car, not on a bike, some years ago)

Hopefully it was a '63 Vette.........

Sadly no, just a family car several decades ago.

On the bike trip-- this is honestly more in the "delivery" mode and there won't be any runs up the central valley. I agree with Beau, IF I was in CA, I'd take the coast routes.

[Soñadora]

you will be miserable. Get a u-haul and a driver. Ride the bike for portions of it (like through the Appalachians). Then, put it in the u-haul and drive through the boring-ass midwest until you get to the mountains. However, by now I think they're already getting snow in the passes so that could put a damper on that leg. You could ride from about Sioux Falls (i90) or Bismarck (i94) until the foothills in Montana. That's a beautiful trip.

Or if you go a little further south and take i80 or i70, it's beautiful all the way from about Cheyenne (i80) or Denver (i70) to Portland (passing through Salt Lake City) especially through Idaho up to the Dalles in Oregon (DO NOT ride through Nebraska...ugh).

[JoeP]

Was going to say, take 80 to Salt lake City then 84 to 5 or cut up 82 to 90 and cross to Seattle. If you leave now you will probably miss the snow but can't guarantee about the rain. If you want a scenic route through the Cascades leave 82 at Yakima and take Washington state route 12 to state route 410 over Chinook Passs then down to Sumner and stater route 167 which will take you north t0 405 then 5. Chinook pass closes for the winter in November usually so you have time if you leave soon.

[cap10ed]

you will be miserable. Get a u-haul and a driver. Ride the bike for portions of it (like through the Appalachians). Then, put it in the u-haul and drive through the boring-ass midwest until you get to the mountains. However, by now I think they're already getting snow in the passes so that could put a damper on that leg. You could ride from about Sioux Falls (i90) or Bismarck (i94) until the foothills in Montana. That's a beautiful trip.

Or if you go a little further south and take i80 or i70, it's beautiful all the way from about Cheyenne (i80) or Denver (i70) to Portland (passing through Salt Lake City) especially through Idaho up to the Dalles in Oregon (DO NOT ride through Nebraska...ugh).

Boy oh boy Sons. I like the way you think. U Haul for the worst and open air for the best stretches. Nice.

[kimbottles]

you will be miserable. Get a u-haul and a driver. Ride the bike for portions of it (like through the Appalachians). Then, put it in the u-haul and drive through the boring-ass midwest until you get to the mountains. However, by now I think they're already getting snow in the passes so that could put a damper on that leg. You could ride from about Sioux Falls (i90) or Bismarck (i94) until the foothills in Montana. That's a beautiful trip.

Or if you go a little further south and take i80 or i70, it's beautiful all the way from about Cheyenne (i80) or Denver (i70) to Portland (passing through Salt Lake City) especially through Idaho up to the Dalles in Oregon (DO NOT ride through Nebraska...ugh).

Boy oh boy Sons. I like the way you think. U Haul for the worst and open air for the best stretches. Nice.

Yeah, well played Sons!

[Anomaly]

you will be miserable. Get a u-haul and a driver. Ride the bike for portions of it (like through the Appalachians). Then, put it in the u-haul and drive through the boring-ass midwest until you get to the mountains. However, by now I think they're already getting snow in the passes so that could put a damper on that leg. You could ride from about Sioux Falls (i90) or Bismarck (i94) until the foothills in Montana. That's a beautiful trip.

Or if you go a little further south and take i80 or i70, it's beautiful all the way from about Cheyenne (i80) or Denver (i70) to Portland (passing through Salt Lake City) especially through Idaho up to the Dalles in Oregon (DO NOT ride through Nebraska...ugh).

You say "miserable" like that is a bad thing… I thought you lived in Minnesota-- you know the land of Lutherans, we were meant to be miserable, life is a struggle, etc. etc. Who said I was looking for comfort? If I wanted that, I'd make the ride in the SUMMER like a normal person….

In any case, U-haul? U-haul?? We don't need no stinkin U-haul. (not to mention a "driver"-- the driver is ME). I grew up on cross-country road trips (can still remember some in a 51 Plymouth wagon) beginning before the Interstate system was completed. I LOVE long-distance driving. Even across Kansas…. I still think my preferred route would be to go up into Canada and then into the UP of Michigan. The exact halfway point to leave the bike and let my son finish the trip would be…. Duluth. But then I would miss the best part of Rte 2 which is across N. Dakota and into Montana. I did Rte 2 the whole way across from West to East about a decade ago when I drove my 1953 Chevy wagon out here (my kids were along and we had a blast).

I think Joe is right, if I went right NOW. Unfortunately, I'm behind on some work projects AND behind on the complete remodel of my boat's galley so I'm starting to think that I won't even have the long-weekend I was looking at. This is all an indulgence on my part anyway-- its my son's bike now and I just wanted to squeeze in some time on it. Perhaps I'll just take a few "fall colors" rides (getting VERY nice here in RI) and then have it shipped out to him. Meanwhile, I'm following the sobering comments on motorcycling in the other thread….