California & South West USA
- Thread starter sven
- Start date
sven
Registered user
I'm not envious of the come down you'll have when you get home.
We've already been home 10 days
Thankfully we live in a beautiful part of the UK*, so coming back to earth isn't too much of a trauma
*provided we head north into the Pennines, Yorkshire Dales, Bowland, North Yorkshire Moors, Lake District etc. and not into Halifax, Huddersfield, Bradford, Manchester etc.
yalcrabm
Registered user
Sven we did something simalar last year as you have done but we did it in a ford explorer. A lot of your photos are the same as mine the taxi in Silverton the old mine. We stayed in Stove Pipe wells in Death Valley and it was 97* at 8.30 am when we left and it was 109* when we parked up for the day.We started in San Fransisco and ended in Salt Lake City. Some great places to see but you need to do it in stages over a few years. I didnt do a report as i was in a car and not on a bike and might have got a bit of ribbing of the die hards on here . We also called into lake havasou where the old london bridge has been rebuilt. Then up the route 66 to oatman,williams,flagstaff, Then over to monument valley, then onto moab to do some offroading in the explorer which i got stuck and had to be pulled out by the new ford rapter which is some tool. I have been to Vegas for a couple of nights but it wasnt for me. We went rafting from the bottom of the hoover dam which was great, also went on the helicopter over the grand canyeon. It was the first time for me and the misus. This year we are flying into Salt Lake and heading north to Logan, Jackson Hole, Yellowstone, Over the beartooth highway,onto Codey,Deadwood, mount rushmore then onto the badlands before heading back a different route to Salt Lake to fly home. We book small b&bs as you get a better chance to talk to the locals that live there and they tell you things about the area and where to go for good grub etc. We try and eat at the local diners not the big chains again as you get a better service I really enjoyed your ride report and it brought some happy memories back. Cant wait till september to get back there.
sven
Registered user
Funny you should mention your next trip itinerary as we've been talking about a similar route for our next US trip as Yellowstone looked stunning in the BBC documentary series 
After stopping at the brilliant B&B in Ouray and a couple of nice privately owned motels elsewhere, I'd also recommend staying away from the major chains if budget permits. Tripadvisor is your friend/slave master
After stopping at the brilliant B&B in Ouray and a couple of nice privately owned motels elsewhere, I'd also recommend staying away from the major chains if budget permits. Tripadvisor is your friend/slave master
yalcrabm
Registered user
I have been to yellowstone before and Jackson but just a quick stop over. This time it will be a more laid back tour. It was great to see the buffalo roaming free in yellowstone. It is just like a western movie set. I was talking to another guest at the b&b in Moab and he told me about the Bear Tooth Highway. It is 68mls of what he called possibly the most scenic road in the mid west. But I think Monument valley takes some beating. We stayed here http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_..._Gods_Bed_and_Breakfast-Mexican_Hat_Utah.html and we had to book it a year in advance. The same man we were talking to in Moab was going there a few days after Moab and he has been there six times. It is in the middle of nowhere on a dirt road 17mls long through monument valley. All the water has to be tankered in to the place and it only has solar powered electric. The road it is on is called The Valley Of The Gods Road. It is (just) outside Mexican hat and i mean thatlike the yanks say it is just down the road a bit which means about 40 to 60 mls. This year we have a grand chereke jeep booked
Vally of the Gods B&B is just off highway 261 near Mokee Dugway, It does look a pretty special place, can’t find a website for it though.
N37.26795 W109.92753
Another special one near by at Monument Valley is Firtree B&B, looks a great place to take the wife (or girlfriend…) http://www.firetreeinn.com
Car only access the website says...
N37.00160 W110.27952
sven
Registered user
I did a lot of research and considered the Fir Tree Inn and Gouldings Lodge etc at Monument Valley, but they weren't available on the night I wanted, hence stopping at the Hampton Inn in Kayenta. This had nice rooms, but the staff were very unfriendly, the food average and everything was overpriced. Not impressed for $200+ 
Same problem in Moab, hence the Holiday Inn Express. The breakfast was the same crap they serve in HI Express here too, which is bad enough for £70, never mind £140. We ended up riding to the Moab Diner both mornings (excellent three egg omelette with green chili)
Same problem in Moab, hence the Holiday Inn Express. The breakfast was the same crap they serve in HI Express here too, which is bad enough for £70, never mind £140. We ended up riding to the Moab Diner both mornings (excellent three egg omelette with green chili)
We did a two week tour by car last May, the only place that was a dump was the Motel6 at the bottom of the Vegas strip, but even that wasn't expensive, mostly everywhere else we stayed was clean and good value for money. Hopefully I'll get back over next year on a rental bike straying much further East in to Colorado, but we'll have to wait and see.I did a lot of research and considered the Fir Tree Inn and Gouldings Lodge etc at Monument Valley, but they weren't available on the night I wanted, hence stopping at the Hampton Inn in Kayenta. This had nice rooms, but the staff were very unfriendly, the food average and everything was overpriced. Not impressed for $200+
Same problem in Moab, hence the Holiday Inn Express. The breakfast was the same crap they serve in HI Express here too, which is bad enough for £70, never mind £140. We ended up riding to the Moab Diner both mornings (excellent three egg omelette with green chili)
PS, we also thought Yosemite mas much over hyped, it doesn't hold a light to what I've seen in the Alps and Norway
Brilliant Report Sven - we did a similar trip almost 11 years ago now and we were thinking of rekindling it next year.
Any chance of a route you did as it looks like the ideal way round (we went the opposite direction from Hollywood and back).
did you use a GPS this trip, and what were the RT costs from Eaglerider?
Appreciate your feedback.
Any chance of a route you did as it looks like the ideal way round (we went the opposite direction from Hollywood and back).
did you use a GPS this trip, and what were the RT costs from Eaglerider?
Appreciate your feedback.
sven
Registered user
The rough route map is here: http://goo.gl/maps/smjC
I did a few tweaks en route on my Tomtom Rider, but it didn't change too much.
The RT cost £2130 for 16 days including EVIP insurance etc. It ran like a bag of spanners compared to mine - it felt more like an old 1100 than a Twin Cam 1200
(RIP) Geriatric Germ
Registered user
Interesting write up and great pics, thanks for posting 
yalcrabm
Registered user
Valley of the gods b&b dont have any internet. We rang Claire to book our stay http://www.zippitydodah.com/vog/
Sven we also used the Moab Diner and got some good information from the older waitress about where to go for sunset shots and easy dirt roads for the explorer
sven
Registered user
Try a Polaris RZR if you get chance - brilliant fun
The four seater 900's are more stable, but jerkier to drive offroad due to their engine braking. The two seater 800's are more fun. Kent the Moab Cowbay says he won't let people out in his only two seater, but then the Hells Revenge does have some very silly climbs and descents 
Earache
Registered user
I've just seen this report as I don't get on here much anymore.
Great pics, Sven - hope you enjoyed the trip (looks like you did with all of the smiles in the pics).
Great pics, Sven - hope you enjoyed the trip (looks like you did with all of the smiles in the pics).
I just found this now too courtesy of Earache's bump. Looks like a great trip- excellent pictures. I love SF, would like to get there on the bike..
Hmmm...
You have the time, DO IT
You have the time, DO IT
Hah! Maybe.. Oct/Nov not really the time of year for it though? Hmmm.
Earache
Registered user
Fly into Indy and we'll head west. I went to Utah last month but have teh time to go again. Just need an excuse to do so.
JJ's GS
Registered user
Great report Sven, can't believe I haven't spotted this before.
My wife's taking me there at the end of september (40th present) but unfortunately we won't be on a bike.
Great to see your pics to give me an insight. We are also doing the helicopter over Grand Canyon, can't wait for that
We are doing San Francisco for 5 nights, Vegas for 2 and LA for 7 nights.
I've wanted to do this for so many years and looking at your report I think we are in for a great time.
Glad you both enjoyed it.
All the best
My wife's taking me there at the end of september (40th present) but unfortunately we won't be on a bike.
Great to see your pics to give me an insight. We are also doing the helicopter over Grand Canyon, can't wait for that
We are doing San Francisco for 5 nights, Vegas for 2 and LA for 7 nights.
I've wanted to do this for so many years and looking at your report I think we are in for a great time.
Glad you both enjoyed it.
All the best
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