Two Finns looking for CCR advise

[pozo_izquierdo]

Hi ya all...

here we have two Finnish LT riders looking for landing / route suggestions for the CCR.

Myself and my pal Jouko are going to put our bikes on a plane in about Aug 17-19th in Frankfurt, Germany. The following landing options are available: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Chicago, Detroit and of course Atlanta, but I don't count that since that will be our port of departure around Sept 2nd.

We would like to be at CCR around Monday Aug 28th.

Now, we would highly appreciate some advise regarding where to land in order to reach Atlanta within approx. 6-8 days. We are not looking for extreme long day rides (we are not aiming for IB on this trip...) but of course we can manage any amount of miles on a day or two if needed .

And of course we are open for any suggestions or invitations as far as joining a group of leisurely riders :-)

I understand that this might be too early for any definite plans for the "locals" but we would just like to be in time with our flight arrangements.

Thanks in advance

[andy]

Well,,, if you choose Dallas we'd be more than happy to ride with you guys x-country, Or if you arrive a couple days early you could come and visit us in Houston first and then we'll all take from here.

[sanjaun2]

It being august and very warm in the lower states, I would fly into San Francisco then detour through Oregon,Washington, into Canada and ride through Banff, down through Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, and then to CCR Via the super slab. Very nice ride!!!!

[dshealey]

Hi ya all...

here we have two Finnish LT riders looking for landing / route suggestions for the CCR.

Myself and my pal Jouko are going to put our bikes on a plane in about Aug 17-19th in Frankfurt, Germany. The following landing options are available: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Chicago, Detroit and of course Atlanta, but I don't count that since that will be our port of departure around Sept 2nd.

We would like to be at CCR around Monday Aug 28th.

Now, we would highly appreciate some advise regarding where to land in order to reach Atlanta within approx. 6-8 days. We are not looking for extreme long day rides (we are not aiming for IB on this trip...) but of course we can manage any amount of miles on a day or two if needed .

And of course we are open for any suggestions or invitations as far as joining a group of leisurely riders :-)

I understand that this might be too early for any definite plans for the "locals" but we would just like to be in time with our flight arrangements.

Thanks in advance

My take on this is that you have quite a bit of time so make it scenic. Best bet would be San Francisco, a little north into the Redwoods, south along the coast to the Montery area for some amazing coastal scenery, then somewhere head east and catch the Rocky mountains around Colorado/Wyoming, then hot foot it on the freeways to Georgia. The central plains are pretty boring, Some of the most scenic areas in the US are the northwest coast, and the rocky mountains around Colorado.

You are correct in assuming Atlanta would not be the best arrival point since you are going to be in that area the whole time of CCR anyway. Lots of nice scenery and riding in that area, take your pre-CCR time and put it to good use seeing other great areas. Another option would be to work in the Grand Canyon, probably the most amazing site in the US, but you will spend more time in the rather hot boring southwest deserts.

[grifscoots]

Man, it will be great to meet you!

[patrick2000]

I second sanjuan2's recommended rout and I would the Utah Canyonlands and Arizona (Grand Canyon) to the list, as you have ample time using the 8 day schedule.

[NCoe]

Hei Ari.

Mitä kuuluu. Minä olen unohtanut suurimman osan minun Suomestani, joten minä jatkun Englanniksi.

I agree with San Francisco being the place to fly into. If you were to take the fastest way to CCR, it would be about 2500 miles. If you have a list of places you want to see, I am sure we (this group) can come up with a couple of route suggestions.

Kun te tulette CCR:een, meidän täytyy nähdä, onko minun puhuttu Suomeni parempi kuin minun kirjallinen Suomeni.

Kunnioitukset,

[eljeffe]

Ari,

If it were me, I might think about landing in San Francisco and heading out that way. You have a million options taking you from the Bay Area through Yosemite or up to Lake Tahoe, and then through Nevada (make sure to stop at Rachel and get a picture by the nondescript marker that shows the entrance to Area 51), and then into Utah. I think Utah is my new favorite state for riding. A lot of great roads, pretty scenery, and nobody driving on the roads. Then you could dip into Arizona, catch northern New Mexico and Colorado, then crossing the flatlands to get into Arkansas, southern Missouri, and Tennessee before you get to CCR.

Have Fun!!!

[hig4s]

Chicago!!! head north through Wisconsin into the upper pennusula of Michigan... Just North of lake Michigan you will be in range of the only Finnish speaking TV station in the US.. The country up there is absolutly beautiful and August is about the only time of year it is actually warm.

Then cross the UP to Mackinawa City and go over the Mackinawa bridge.. Exact same style of bridge as the Golden Gate in SF and the suspension section is only a 100 yards shorter so it looks the same, (except it is painted blue instead of gold) with the run up ramps the actual span is considerably longer than the Golden Gate.. from UP to lower Michigan the total span is 5 miles.
You are now on I75 which heads straight to Atlanta,, or you can take what ever side trips you feel like.. Usually down US 131 on the West side of the state in the Petoskey area you find road side fruit stands with some of the best dark sweet cherries I've ever had.

This whole trip from Chicago to the UP and back to Braselton is about 1500 miles so you would only need to make 250 miles a day for 6 days.

From SF to Braselton is also covers some great land, but at 2650 miles would require 450 miles a day to make in 6 days, which I do not consider leisurely

Actually you could start in Detroit go North to the UP of Michigan then over to Wisconsin back South past Chicago and down to Braselton and it would be about the same distance.

[SilverBuffalo]

I would have to go with the San Francisco suggestion assuming you also have 6-8 days to get back, my second choice would be somewhere around Denver area but that wasn't on the list.
The California coast as well as Yosemite are beautiful as is the Rocky mountain region of Colorado but I will second Utah as my favorite place to ride, its like being on another planet, some of my favorite places are Moab and Arches National park as well as Zion and Bryce Canyon which is in my opinion more spectacular than the Grand canyon, coming in from the west will give you a taste of everything this great land has to offer, the vastness of the high desert the mountain states and the flat and boring plain states.
In August it will be hot, very hot for a thick blooded Finlander especially in the desert and the plain states but I bet you'll love every hot sweaty minute of it. At your first opportunity go ahead and buy a National parks passport they're $50 and allow you access to all of out national parks most of which cost $10-20 to get into, that will pay for itself real soon.
I am among the many that are looking forward to meeting you.

Colorado National Monument- Utah near Moab-Bryce Canyon-Zion National Park-Grand Canyon you could do all in 1-2 days ride

[Hilton]

Man, it will be great to meet you!
That's great news Ari, Looking forward to catching up with you too.

[pozo_izquierdo]

of our landing choices.

Thousand thanks for all of you for your valuable comments and suggestions!

Starting our trip from San Fransisco looks very tempting. As Hans (among others) warned the temperatures en route might get pretty exotic for us. We might need to consider new riding gear as we would likely to be roasted in our BMW Atlantis nubuk leather suits...
Well, we shall ask for more advise on this issue later.

We are also considerning the northern routes (from Chicago / Detroit) but I have to admit that "seeing the West" is one lifetime dream to come true. As I have spent a full year in Ohio and seen some other midwest and east coast states 20 -30 years ago we might be tempted to at least start from California.

We have to start taking closer look at roadmaps keeping all the suggestions in mind and trying to make at least some kind of a plan in advance.

We will return to this subject later as we have have more definite plans and dates and perhaps we can encounter a small group which we could join in.

I'm really looking forward to meeting so many of you in person whom I have already "virtually" met on this great forum.

Best regards and all further suggestions and advise are most welcome...

[NCoe]

Hei Ari,

If you choose San Francisco, you should try to squeeze in 8 days for your trip. The possibilities are endless.

Regards,

[grifscoots]

And I'll have to give a hearty third to the California coast, Utah and Colorado. You won't regret it for a second.

[pkpr1998]

I agree with [hig4s], if you fly into Detroit, you can cruise the UP of Michigan, take a ferry over to Mackinack Island (trip) and if you like shipwreck(s) and related stories you can make the 50 mile ride to the very end of Michigan and go to Whitefish Point, Michigan and go to the Shipwreck Museum. Lake Superior is out of their bgackdoor. Good place to visit.

From there, it would leave you with a two day hard run, three if you take it easy. You could also take an "out of your way" trip while heading back from the UP of Michigan and take Skyline Drive in Virginia and see the Shenandoah Valley. If you take the interstate you are a hard day ride from the end of Skyline Drive, two if you take the scenic route to Braselton. Of course, you may see some of these scenic trips during the CCR anyway!

I would not fly into Dallas, not much between there and Braselton.

Flying into San Francisco or LA would be too long of a ride to CCR, even though I agree with sanjaun2 and dshealey, there is some great scenery and all in the Pacific Norhtwest/

Good luck.

[tmgs]

Hi ya all...

here we have two Finnish LT riders looking for landing / route suggestions for the CCR.


oh My, you have so many choices! so you are looking at about 8 days riding before you get to CCR, I'd say San fransico or if you are looking to throughly do some tourist riding dallas or chicago, you can spend says just riding from chicago heading down into kentucky then over to W. Va and taking scenic roads to GA, dallas you can head up to Arkansas up to TN and over to Ga by way of SC NC

Gee San Fran, I'd head directly to Yosemite NP it's got to be the very best park I've been though! ride through death Valley from there then head north to CO. or east to Mesa Verda by way of the north rim of grand canyon, Gee there are so many otpions!! I've rode to many of those places, Yosemite is a MUST SEE! heck you could even shoot up to the redwoods then back down......

heck you can Pm me if you like and I will be glad to share more info with you some routes or whatever.

Tom