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Riding to Montana and back.

2K views 19 replies 10 participants last post by  insane_snowman 
#1 ·
I'm riding to Montana on May 30 to visit relatives on their ranch. I have a route picked out for the way there. If you have been in the area and want to make suggestions, go for it. The only thing that is for sure for this trip is: I want to take the HWY 20 to Winthrop, as well as stay off major highways. Glacier National Park looks inviting, but I hear traffic can be terrible (I'm not sure when tourist season starts though, I might be going through before the campers come out). Tips encouraged.

Preliminary route:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sou...99927&sspn=0.861934,2.113495&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=10
 
#2 ·
Updated your route:
- South Skagit HWY instead of #20 from Sedro Wooley to Concrete (less cops, more twisties); do the speed limit from Concrete to Marblemount when you get there.
- Changed the route between Omak and Wauconda; your route of #97 will bore you to death, and then some. Haven't taken this new road, but anything is better than #97.

The rest of your route I'm not familiar with.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sou....520243,-110.473022&spn=2.950749,6.421509&z=8
 
#7 ·
Updated your route:
- South Skagit HWY instead of #20 from Sedro Wooley to Concrete (less cops, more twisties); do the speed limit from Concrete to Marblemount when you get there.
- Changed the route between Omak and Wauconda; your route of #97 will bore you to death, and then some. Haven't taken this new road, but anything is better than #97.

The rest of your route I'm not familiar with.
Thanks Kerunt,
I had meant to do the South Skagit actually, just forgot to switch the route. I've done the loop down to Darrington before, it's a pretty nice area. Thanks for the heads up on the #97 too.
 
#4 ·
Glacier National Park is cool, but it's slow, lots of traffic and last time I was through construction. if you have time and patience, then go ahead..
 
#5 ·
Just North of Libby MT. There is a road arounf Lk Koocanusa. The old road along the west side is tight as fuck, with 25mph or less corners, linked with short straights, the east side is faster, still twisty.....it's a good 120m loop. Done it a few times. Tour the dam too.....you go way into the bottom....nice and cool on a hot day. Usually some 19 year old hottie running the tour.:evilgrin

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&sour...panoid=yVoDgDJm3GfOSf58GkCqcw&cbp=12,315,,0,5
 
#8 ·
Thanks Maggotbreath and Jaybo as well. Peewee, Lake Koocanusa is huge! It goes up to Cranbrook, BC.. that's a long loop haha. Or is there some bridge that goes across I'm not seeing? Might check out the dam, that could be cool.

GSP, I estimating 3 days to get there, so 2 nights. Similar on the way back. Approx 5-600 kms each day. I'll be bringing my tent, so I can pitch it where ever. The only problem is my ipod lasts for around 8 hours..that could be unfortunate riding in silence. I'm thinking I might have to plug it in at a coffee shop or something in one of the towns.
 
#9 ·
You can check out my Ride Report to Montana here;

Glacier National Park will probably not be open yet. It is only open for around 3 months a year. This might be too soon.

http://www.bcsportbikes.com/forum/showthread.php?t=114067

Do not miss roads are;
Chewelah, WA -> Usk, WA
Old Spiral Hwy (West of Lewiston, ID)


Roads to miss
CO Hwy 508 (Kootenai Natl Forest) in North Western Montana. The pavement was not sportbike friendly. More Vstrom friendly.

Have Fun!
 
#10 · (Edited)
Elevation, I had read your report already to learn some info, thanks though. It is very well written! I just checked, you're right, snow plowing is happening in Glacier right now. It maybe good in three weeks..maybe. I assumed it would be good this time of the year.. I'll update my route to avoid/include those roads. Thanks!
 
#12 ·
Joel:

I was going to mention the same thing as LBS (above), wire your bike with a 12V plug. Why didn't you mention your Montana trip when I saw you at the MW open house on Saturday ? A few years ago we went to Montana late June. Logan pass had tons of snow on top, prob 3 feet. We came back through Pincher Creek, AB through the Rockies.

We went to Bozeman and then south to Yellowstone NP

bob
 
#14 ·
Hey Bob, I was too stoked to ride that Wee-Strom to remember. I'm done school in two weeks, so this past year I've been looking forward to this ride. I was thinking Alaska earlier, but I want a V-Strom for that..so maybe next year.

Hmm thanks for the heads up. That's amazing how much snow they get. I figured if HWY 20 to Winthrop was open, it'd be smooth sailing out east.
 
#16 ·
Maggotbreath says: stay on 20 from Coleville to Ione
Elevation says: Chewelah to Usk

Hmm who's to choose.. Well, I'm sure I can't go wrong when both roads East are "don't miss" roads.

Updated:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sou...417,-117.14447&spn=0.865682,2.113495&t=h&z=10

Thanks for the info guys. I got WA, ID, MT maps from BCAA today, so I'll have more detailed maps with me and it has campsites on it as well.
 
#17 ·
Maggotbreath says: stay on 20 from Coleville to Ione
Elevation says: Chewelah to Usk

Hmm who's to choose.. Well, I'm sure I can't go wrong when both roads East are "don't miss" roads.

Updated:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sou...417,-117.14447&spn=0.865682,2.113495&t=h&z=10
Highway 20 east of Kettle falls/Coleville looks twisty on a map, and there are some fun sections, but that area south along the river was probably the most boring road I've ever been down. Maps can be misleading. ;) I didn't go Elevation's route through there, but hwy 20 through Cusick is a nightmare.

Thanks for the info, Elevation's write-up seemed to rave about it. I'm guessing it was the traffic you experienced. In your pictures, your bikes are parked while on the road. It must've been bad if the traffic wasn't moving at all!
I guess after all those beautiful Oregon Desert roads the mountains just seemed bland. But yeah, the traffic was beyond bad. Good scenery, but not a riding road by any means.

I made one small adjustment here. LINK

Ride through Chesaw, great roads up there.
 
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