Olympic Peninsula/Oregon coast

[Van]

So after much logistical manovering, l've got my brother from Dallas Tx to come up to Vancouver lsland with his MV Augusta Brutale 910. One of our ride opions is to head to the Oregon coast for a 3-5 day blast... suggestions? must do's?

THANKS !!

Cheers

Van

[Daniel Kalal]

So after much logistical manovering, l've got my brother from Dallas Tx to come up to Vancouver lsland with his MV Augusta Brutale 910. One of our ride opions is  to head to the Oregon coast for a 3-5 day blast... suggestions? must do's?

THANKS !!

Cheers

Van

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There are eight primary crossings of the coastal range (connecting the coast with the Willamette Valley) and many more secondary roads that do the same thing. With 5 days you should be able to hit quite a few of these--I'd aim to get them all...

 

The Willametter Valley, itself, isn't all that great, so I'd use highway 99 as the short connecter before heading back across. Of these, the ones that stand out for me are: 26, 34, 42, and 199 (which takes you across a corner of California).

[Rusty Bucket]

Like airplanes? The Tillamook air museum is worth seeing, even if just for the hangar, which was built for dirigibles and is both large and interesting. The Victoria to Port Angeles ferry has ties that hang down from above (a good idea) but you need to have something high and solid to tie to to make the system work well. Coast roads down the Olympic are great, the bridge at Astoria in heavy fog made an impression on me. Took the Rupert Ferry to Hardy, down the island, across to Port Angeles and down the coast with my brother last year. A good ride, even had pretty good weather, and no issues except flats on his Triumph, and having to go and get him gas on three occasions. (more of a problem on the Island)

[Garsdad]

There are eight primary crossings of the coastal range (connecting the coast with the Willamette Valley) and many more secondary roads that do the same thing.  With 5 days you should be able to hit quite a few of these--I'd aim to get them all...

 

The Willametter Valley, itself, isn't all that great, so I'd use highway 99 as the short connecter before heading back across.  Of these, the ones that stand out for me are: 26, 34, 42, and 199 (which takes you across a corner of California).

91583[/snapback]

 

 

Here is a great, twisted route with some decent scenery along the way. From Hwy 26 at Elsie, turn South on Foss Road. It winds along the Nehalem River all the way to Hwy 101 just North of Wheeler. I have not been on it in several years, but I had a grin a mile wide after hustling my Chevelle over it.

 

If you don't mind a little bit of rough pavement, Hwy 202 out of Astoria to Jewell and Hwy 26 is kinda fun. Once you hit 26, turn right (West) for the short run to Foss Rd. If you cross into Oregon from Washington at Longview, it is a short ride West along Hwy 30 to Hwy 47. Take 47 South to the Vernonia-Nehalem Hwy just south of Vernonia, which will put you back on 26 a little further west than staying on 47.

 

Avoid Hwy 18. It is heavily patroled, boring, and has a lot of head-on accidents.

 

34 is OK. 126 has some great sweepers between Florence and Eugene, or break north on 36 after Mapleton and instead of going to Eugene you hit Hwy 99 just south of Junction City.

 

If you can get far enough South, the Redwood Hwy is really cool (199) and runs from Grants Pass through California to Eureka.

 

Benchmark Maps puts out the Oregon Road and Recreation Atlas (among other states- we have Washington and California, too) that show a great deal more detail than a standard atlas. Depending on whether you are heading North or South, there are so many options that you will never see in a Rand-McNally atlas.

 

The state police are forgiving up to 11 mph over the limit- the county guys? Depends on the budget of the county... Even Al Gore got a ticket here! Be safe, and enjoy the playground.

 

Ryan

[zoltan c]

Van you may want to check this out and plan your ride, it will help you with Washington State anyway.

 

DH website

[Van]

THANKS GUYS

always good to get a little "insider" info on the roads and the cops !!

Cheers

Van