Ok here is the rough plan for for a summer trip with my son Zack

[wibornz]

Leave from Lansing Mi.  go to Mt. Rainier, pick up wife at the Portland OR. Airport ride down the west coast, drop wife off at LAX drive continue down the coast to Mexico boarder, head to Las Vagas, Grand Canyon, back to Lansing Michigan.

I will be on a C-14 and Zack will be on a Ninja 650r.  Will camp as much as possible.  Have not set the dates yet.  The dates are pretty open.  Some time between June 1st to the 2nd week of Sept.   I am thinking that we will have 14 days to complete the trip.  Zack and I are both comfortable with 400 to 600+ mile days.  

So with the basic route planned, what along the way should a father and 19 year old son not miss.  Mind you we are taking this trip prior to him joining the Army, so this very well may be our last motorcycle trip for years to come.

Comments please.

[Orson]

If you haven't ridden Utah-12, you should  

The same goes for Co-141 thru the Unaweep Canyon

[greench440]

That is a lot of riding for two weeks.  

Late June should be the best, long days, late sunsets, and very little chance of any of the higher passes through the Rockies or Sierras being closed.

As you head west through Montana, drop down through Wyoming, catch US14 - Bighorn Summit, head through Jellystone Park, Lolo Pass and US 12 across Washington to White Pass and Mt. Rainier.  Or drop down through Red Lodge MT, over Beartooth Pass then into Jellystone.

Get on 1/101 in Tilamook OR and head all the way down the coast to LA.

[Rabidsnipe]

Whatever your path, kudos for doing something awesome with your son.

[rgbeard]

To do what at the Border of Mexico?  It's not something to easily see unless you cross.  And if you're considering that, I have some roads for you to run that'd integrate awesome scenery and great twisties.

You can camp @ the beach in numerous places.  Awesome diversion - will add a more exotic twist to a great time.

PM me if I can help.

[mxvet57]

Million dollar highway (US550) Colorado Montrose to Durango. Many good restrants to eat in Silverton.                  

[three west]

See Zion if you can, to me it was better than the Grand Canyon.  
For the Grand Canyon you know what is coming, I had never seen it before, but I knew what to expect.  Zion was spectacular.

[wibornz]

thanks for the imput.....keep it coming.   This will help me alot to narrow down our route.

[Smoker]

Yosemite is amazing, I was extremely impressed with Death Valley.

Million Dollar Highway is definitely a must if you're in the area.

Have fun, can't wait to read your RR...

[sleazy rider]

Redwood National Park, PCH, Glacier NP, Million Dollar Highway, Four Corners (yeah, it's hokey, but still), Big Bend.  Lolo Pass, Lassen Volcanic Park, San Diego Zoo, Golden Gate Bridge, he'll, theres all kinds of things to see and do.  Grand Canyon?

I may see you somewhere out there.  My tentative plans are SW to Baja or maybe cut towards Copper Canyon, but Mexico is definitely in play for the end of June.  

Have fun with Zack and take lots of pics to share here.  

[greasemonkey79]

Man I can't wait till my boys are old enough to do that with me. My oldest is 6 so I still have a while.  
Enjoy the time with your kid, I'm sure you'll both cherish the memory for as long as you live.  

[Orson]

That is a lot of riding for two weeks.  

I wuz thinkin' 3 weeks might make for a more comfortable pace of 300 mile days.

2 weeks sounds like it might take more than a few 500-plus mile days.

[black hills]

I think it is a great idea, but you may want to recalculate? if you want to spend anytime stopping to look at the great scenery along the way you are really pushing it. A couple years ago I rode from South Dakota pretty much straight West to the coast, down to Bonneville salt fllats and back. that was a little over 3000 miles in 6 days. it was a lot of riding with very little time to stop. the fun runs out of days like this pretty quickly:


then again, you may love it? whatever the distance/time it will be a great trip!!

[Magnarider]

Throw in another vote for Glacier, Zion (and you might as well do Bryce while you're there) and Redwood National forest.  Three (or four) of my favorite places in this country so far.  I hit Bryce and Zion with Knightwing in 2009, Redwood National Forest with my mom and dad in 2007, and Glacier with Knightwing and my dad in 2010. Nothing like a trip like that with good riding company and family! Enjoy the heck out of it!  

[wibornz]

We plan on doing a ss1000 on the way out and the way back across the corn and wheat states.  

The more I look at this the more I am thinking that it might take 3 weeks to do it right.  Going to be hard on my vacation hours......  Nothing like a though to get the plan/ball rolling.

[Zee]

all ride's start with idea and all ways remember

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.
-Helen Keller

 

[Kendoo]

Oh man are you going to have fun.  My 17yr old and I left NY last summer for our first ever motocamping trip.  I did tons of reading on the topic and bought us all the gear we needed.  ie tent, bags, mats, dry bags etc.  We headed south and did the entire length of skyline drive and the Blueridge.  We loved the tail of the dragon and Cherahola hwy.  Then we started to head west.  We took US50 from Missouri, thru Kansas and into Colorado.  The Million Dollar hwy is a must.  We did 4 corners, monument valley, Mesa Verde, Zion, Bryce,  Yellowstone, Chief Joseph hwy, Sturgis during the rally for 3 days and so much more.  Can I make another suggestion?  We are also into dirt bikes etc, so we stayed 2 nights in Moab and rented an ATV and a dirbike and road around on some of the coolest jeep trails.  We had great weather, camped for 16 straight days and never setup or packed up in the rain.  The only night in a hotel was the last night when my son wanted to complete an unofficial SS1000.  We rode from Desmoines, IA to home - 1120 miles straight.  What a way to end a 17 day-7600 mile trip.  This was a dream trip for me and a great bonding experience of my son and I.   Can't wait for the next one.

[wibornz]

Zack and I did the BRP, dragon and Cherahola in August of 2011.  We did stealth camping and stayed with some folks from ADVrider along the way.  Now we are looking to take a much bigger trip.  Hellyea.

[Mastros2]

We plan on doing a ss1000 on the way out and the way back across the corn and wheat states.  

The more I look at this the more I am thinking that it might take 3 weeks to do it right.  Going to be hard on my vacation hours......  Nothing like a though to get the plan/ball rolling.

I agree.  3 weeks for a great tour.  If you think of it, 3 weeks isn't that much time.  If you decide to be a tourist and take a few days to sight see, the time goes by fast. As you said, he is going into the armed forces.  This will be your last trip with him for a while.  Why not make it count if you can swing the time off and $?

I never rode the left coast highway but isn't all the good scenery north of Los Angeles?  Maybe cut the PCH short at Santa Barbara and jet east to Las Vegas/Grand Canyon passing through Death Valley.  After, plenty of time to see Utah and Colorado before heading home.  That is pretty much it of my suggestions since I haven't been that far west.  Enjoy and share!

Please tell him we said thank you for volunteering himself to protect our freedoms.  

[NoGear]

I'm with the others. I'd plan on 300-400 miles per day unless you are superslabbing it and that isn't a fun trip.

[Jetpilot5]

Three weeks sounds a lot better.  I was going to suggest that you just skip Yellowstone entirely because with all the miles you'll need to do to make this trip in two weeks it wouldn't be worth stopping, and it's one of my favorite places in the world.  Keep in mind that the maximum speed limit in Yellowstone Park is 45mph and traffic jams where you sit for an hour or two are common if wildlife is spotted. Like many other nation parks, it's a great place to visit, but it isn't the sort of place that you can make good time.

Have a great trip!

[ncarver]

I've done trips similar starting from the Detroit area. Not sure how you plan to route from MI to WA but rather than freeway, I find taking US 2 much more enjoyable---particularly as you get into the ND on through WA. You can pick it up at St Ignace and then simply motor west. It also takes you right across the southern boundary of Glacier Park which gives you a great opportunity to take the Going to the Sun Hwy across it---worth the effort. Word of caution, early June could be dicey on it being open. You've got a pretty jam packed itinerary (i.e., Hwy 1 down the west coast---SLOW); I don't think 2 weeks is going to do it for you. Regardless, have fun---there's lots of neat things you can target along the way.

[viffergyrl]

So after reading this here (after reading your Region 1 post first), just a couple of comments:

The west is vast. It's 800 miles from San Diego, CA to Ashland, OR on I-5 (that in itself is doable, but yuk - not fun). One Memorial Day weekend a group of us put in 1800 miles and from San Diego, we saw the Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion, and a few more places. In staying off the freeways it becomes a much slower ride. What I found is that coming home at 11 PM at night is not my thing. But it was another woman's thing and she went on to do some Iron Butts.   It's all good.

Of course on a trip it can be a mix of long and short days, but if you want to 'stop and smell the roses' I'm with those who say better plan for 300 mile days (I'm more in the 200-250 range myself).

Lots of good suggestions here and I'm looking forward to see what you come up with. And reading the RR!!!  

[birdrunner]

When I think of cool motorcycling roads, I think of Utah 12, (around Bryce Canyon etc),  and the Beartooth, N. of Yellowstone.

N. California has some if the longest twisties, but I found the scenery lacking compared to these two.

[wibornz]

We are in for three weeks and a couple more days if needed.

OK we are most likely heading across US 2 from the UP of Michigan heading West  .  

Glacier National Park is a must do right now.  
Utah 12, (around Bryce Canyon etc), and the Beartooth,
N. of Yellowstone.  
Mt. Rainier
Redwoods

I am picking the wife up in Oregon and she will ride down the coast with us. When we get to LA and I drop off Carla.. the wife, we will make a decision to press on south or head east to Zion, Bryce Canyon, Death Vally, Million dollar Hwy

What started the thinking about this trip is Zack wanted to go to the Pacific Ocean and the US/Mexico boarder for a bike ride.

While I am typing, I might as well introduce you to the riders of this trip.

I am of course the old fuc and Zack is the young fuc. Pic is from our Fathers Day ride.  Zack saved up and payed for the whole ride.  Gas, lunch, dinner everything.  It was a 350 + mile day.  Great fathers day gift from a 17 year old at the time.

  

[sleazy rider]

   Hey, Zack - have fun.    You too, Ted.

[Kendoo]

We are in for three weeks and a couple more days if needed.

OK we are most likely heading across US 2 from the UP of Michigan heading West  .  

Glacier National Park is a must do right now.  
Utah 12, (around Bryce Canyon etc), and the Beartooth,
N. of Yellowstone.  
Mt. Rainier
Redwoods

I am picking the wife up in Oregon and she will ride down the coast with us. When we get to LA and I drop off Carla.. the wife, we will make a decision to press on south or head east to Zion, Bryce Canyon, Death Vally, Million dollar Hwy

What started the thinking about this trip is Zack wanted to go to the Pacific Ocean and the US/Mexico boarder for a bike ride.

While I am typing, I might as well introduce you to the riders of this trip.

I am of course the old fuc and Zack is the young fuc. Pic is from our Fathers Day ride.  Zack saved up and payed for the whole ride.  Gas, lunch, dinner everything.  It was a 350 + mile day.  Great fathers day gift from a 17 year old at the time.

  

You got a good kid there....enjoy your trip.

[NoGear]

Sounds like you have a good kid there. Tell him to keep that attitude and he'll do alright in the Army.  BTW what MOS is he going into?

[wibornz]

Sounds like you have a good kid there. Tell him to keep that attitude and he'll do alright in the Army.  BTW what MOS is he going into?

It is every changing.  Right now, he wants to work on drones.

[wibornz]

Ok, the dates are looking to be June 30 - July 23.  

[Prozac]

Can't wait for the trip report!  Stuff like this helps me to plan for when my son is old enough to do stuff like this.

Congrats to your son for joining the Army.  Twenty years in the Air Force and don't regret one bit!

[black hills]

Hopefully at least one of my daughters will want to do somthing like this when she is that age? Enjoy your trip and the company.