03 Sep Where to Ride – Find Your Destination Pt. 2
Last year I wrote an article titled “Find Your Destination” (link here). In it I talked about finding good roads to ride or destinations to go to. This year I put that to the test.
Having planned this basic trip a year ago it was time to go on it. The East Oregon Beer Tour we called it. The general route was all mapped out through east Washington & Oregon state with room for flexibility. A month or so prior I was informing some of our “Riding” customers where I was going. That is when the suggestions and advice flowed in. I have to say none of it was bad and a thank you for the tips.
Like (image above) the Old Spiral Hwy coming into Lewiston/Clarkston, ID with it’s many curves and good surface, better than the interstate that went around and down.
The people I talked with have ridden these roads recently and some more than once. A lot of good tips can be garnered along with some good places to stop for a break. Places you might stumble across or have no idea that they were there.
On Google maps it is a tiny gray line. It didn’t even exist on my WA. map. But there it was heading north off Hwy 14, up a set of switch-back turns and then undulating through wind-turbines and wheat fields. If my regular customer hadn’t showed me we never would have found it or, if we did, would not have even thought of riding it.
So, when planning your next trip, talk to other riders and see where they ride, how they ride, the roads they ride and what the roads are like. You may find some great areas to explore. Print maps work, Destination Highways books are good references and Google maps can really help you in detail. But none of these are any good if you don’t get out there and ride them.
Enjoy,
Andii
