tomatocity said:
John, share the routes and maps with all of us. I should be in OR / ID / WA next month.
How about NF-39, Vale area, Old West Scenic Bikeway, OR-402, OR-207, Astoria Bridge, OR-19, ?
Tim, if you find yourself in Astoria, first, have lunch at either the Wet Dog Cafeor the Rogue Brewery, if the Rogue, have the chowder, at least a cup, and try the Dead Guy Ale. Keep it to one if you're going to continue to ride. Other good stuff on both menus.
Rogue and
Wet Dog Cafe
Out of Astoria, (or into, do the reverse), you want one of two roads. Cross to the WA side of the Astoria bridge and take a right onto 401, then again after Naselle onto Hwy 4. 4 runs along the Columbia and is heaven, and often lacks traffic or enforcement. A joy of a road all the way into the industrial parts of Longview where you should cross back over to OR and pick up US-30, either going into Portland, or back down to Astoria, depending on your desired direction of travel.
The other option from Astoria is a little rougher pavement, but offset by even less traffic and more woodsy scenery. Head South out of Astoria on 101, (you
will want to go up to the Astoria Column first), but before you cross the Youngs Bay Bridge, take a left onto Hwy 202. (Note that you can come down from the Astoria Column the back way, (come down the access road from the column and turn
left), and it comes out onto 202 also.) Hwy 202 runs thru the woods and over the coast range giving you potential outs at Jewell to Hwy-26, (major traffic, but weekday ok, always enforcement), which is quicker into Portland, or continue on 202 thru Birkerfeld, (not much, but potential lunch at the store/deli/post office), to Mist, where you can again opt out and continue on 202, (FUN), out to Hwy 30 and faster road, or pick up Hwy 47, as it follows the river and then take a left onto the Scappoose-Vernonia Hwy which also runs out to Hwy 30, but is way more fun. Scappoose is a pleasant little town with everything you might need, and it's a short run up to Portland too. Watch the speed trap on the East end of town when you're coming out of Scappoose.
19 and 207 are good, fun roads. But if you're out that way, you owe it to yourself to ride 218 from 19 over to Shaniko, (occupied ghost town, with GAS and some cool stuff to see), then if nothing else, turn around and go back to 19 and over to 207, then 206 over to Heppner and out to the Columbia River gorge and I-84 where you can cross over to WA at Biggs Jct. and take a right onto SR-14 to go check out the replica of Stonehenge and Sam Hill's 'castle' at Maryhill.
Vale? Well, the stretch of US-395 from Pendleton, OR at I-84 to John Day is the absolute best stretch of 395, period. Unbelieveable fun, twisty, deserted road that runs along streams and thru the woods over mountains. Huge fun. Do watch for the deer. For that matter, that entire area is deer infested from Bend to Ontario. From John Day, a quick ride East on 26, then take a left at Austin Jct., (good little cafe there, gas, but $$$ for the gas, not bad for the food), and pick up Hwy 7 which is another hidden gem of a road. You can really have some fun on 7 all the way to Baker City. Baker City has tons of hotels and all the services. It's worth a little slab on I-84. By comparison, John Day to Vale on 26 is boring as hell. And well patrolled.
I haven't ridden 245 from Hwy-7 to Hwy-26 in a looong time. IIRC, there are some stretches of really bad pavement and even gravel on that, but it's a very twisty bit of road in places too.
Give me some places you're heading from and to and I'll see if I can't put together a suggested route and link to it.
Just as some asides, if you like wine, there are hundreds of winerys in the Columbia River Gorge that offer excellent wines. A favorite is Cascade Cliffs up on Hwy 14. Goat Head Red, when they have it, is worth hauling home. I used to swing in there on the bike and leave with two cases when I could get it. Down to two bottles now.
It can be a fun day of wine tasting in a rental car out of Hood River if you have the time and company to enjoy it.
Another aside, if you're in Baker City, OR, or headed there from Idaho, you owe it to yourself to take the scenic way via Hells Canyon. From Baker City, run out 86 thru the canyon, becoming 71 up to Cambridge, ID. If you're man enough and have the time, turn
Left on 95 and run up to 55 and over to McCall, ID, then back South on 55 all the way to Boise. If you're short on time, or just a wuss, take a Right and take the quick way South on 95 to Payette and Ontario, (I-84 again).
Like I said, give me an idea of where you are coming from and where you want to go, and any must have via points, and I'll do my best to give you some suggested routes and link to them so you have a better visual.
I've ridden most every road in the OR/WA/ID region over the last 20+ years, having grown up in Portland and lived there most of my life.
