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3 Day Eastern WA Trip - Hotel Rec?

2K views 15 replies 9 participants last post by  Squisher 
#1 · (Edited)
Hey all,

Have done 6 track days so far this year, so am now thinking of doing this road trip starting on Sunday morning (June 2nd). Will be 2 nights and 3 pretty full days of riding, back by Tuesday late afternoon. Links below for maps.

Am considering staying in Chewelah on Sunday night and it looks like the Chewelah Creek Inn is the best bet. Has anyone stayed there before? Would you recommend? If not, any other suggestions.

The trip is pretty open at this point but I'm looking to stay there to do Flowery Trail on Monday morning before making my way through to Colville via the Marble Valley-Basin Rd. up around to Northport - Curlew - Oroville - Princeton - Merritt

Will stay the 2nd night in Merritt and do #8 to Lillooet and back down the Duffey to Vancouver for an easier 3rd day.

Am flexible on how to break up the trip.
If anyone else is interested, let me know. Will be an intermediate to spirited pace in the appropriate places while respecting the possibility of gravel in corners and wildlife in the later afternoon/early evenings.

Any other suggestions; please feel free :rider

https://goo.gl/maps/QAxT6TyAgxmotWjL9

https://goo.gl/maps/uNHvW8XAQ2ah2rRH7

https://goo.gl/maps/XMrHF5N6TsMFUkf98
 
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#2 ·
Few years ago when I did multi day trip through eastern WA, we used Republic as our base. From there we drove all over for 3 days. On the way back, we left early in the AM, took Nighthawk crossing like you plan, and did reverse Duffey loop. Only difference is that we did that trip back in 1 day. We didnt spend a night in Merritt like you plan. It was a long day, but good way to finish off a trip.

Cache Creek Road that you have planned for 1st day is amazing, but make sure you do it when fresh and not after riding for long time already. Tricky road with lots of off camber turns. We had one guy go down on it, and there is no reception there at all, so there is that.
 
#5 ·
BC roads are on the list, but I've never done east of Winthrop and have to make amends on that first.
But the area from Grand Forks up through Kaslo, New Denver and Nakusp would be great for sure.

Thanks for the suggestion. Hopefully can get to that this year as well.
 
#6 ·
If you do venture further east of Winthrop..

Dad & I rode out to Grand Coulee Dam, then over the mountains to Keller (nothing out there really lol) and back
over the other way to Nespelem. We returned home via Osoyoos. It was an end of year trip last summer.

This is the 2nd time we've done Ephrata-Coulee and its a blast.. that mountain climb though, x 2!! absolutely amazing.

Peter Dan-Manilla Creek Road (east), return via Hwy 13 (west). so damn worth it to get out there :thumbup
 
#8 ·
Oh man, so many options! Did the Coulee Dam years ago, very cool spot. Peter Dan and 13 seems like more great connecting roads.





A couple of nice roads (albeit short)

1. Northport - Flat Creek Rd. A picturesque,
moderately twisty road that runs more or less alongside the west bank of the Columbia River from Kettle Falls to just south of the Cdn border.

Access is 10K north of Colville on 395. Watch for the sign that says Kamloops Island - turn right it's about 50K of beautiful vistas on an almost deserted road. Watch out for wild turkeys. They will not be able to get out of your way fast enough. (Not a joke)

Bonus: right at the turnoff is a wonderful place to cliff jump into Lake Roosevelt. (Under the train bridge)

Nice rope swing too....

2. Sullivan Lake rd.from Ione to Metaline Falls. Another beauty with very little traffic on it.


Enjoy!
Thanks! Going to be doing Flat Creek on the way back from Northport. Will head north via Aladdin road and south via Flat Creek.

Sullivan Lake looks like another good option. Man, need to spend 3 days just in East WA and make it a 5 day trip...but may have to be another time. So many options of just smaller tucked away connecting roads. Appreciate the information.
 
#7 ·
A couple of nice roads (albeit short)

1. Northport - Flat Creek Rd. A picturesque,
moderately twisty road that runs more or less alongside the west bank of the Columbia River from Kettle Falls to just south of the Cdn border.

Access is 10K north of Colville on 395. Watch for the sign that says Kamloops Island - turn right it's about 50K of beautiful vistas on an almost deserted road. Watch out for wild turkeys. They will not be able to get out of your way fast enough. (Not a joke)

Bonus: right at the turnoff is a wonderful place to cliff jump into Lake Roosevelt. (Under the train bridge)

Nice rope swing too....

2. Sullivan Lake rd.from Ione to Metaline Falls. Another beauty with very little traffic on it.


Enjoy!
 
#10 ·
excellent road choices, Bobby. you'll have a blast. Cache Creek Rd and Twin Lakes Rd from Nespelem to the Inchelium ferry are both remarkable, but watch for gravel this early in the season.
never stayed in Chewelah, always Colville. bigger, more food choices...
Hedley to Princeton you might want to consider taking the 'back road' staying on the north side of the river to avoid some of the Hwy 3 traffic (altho it'll be light on a Monday). it's very pleasant and lightly populated.
( I presume you've left already. but maybe you'll pick up the comments 'on the road'.)
 
#12 ·
actually OP. i just had a look at your map.

i've done Chewalah to Usk.!! that is a wonderful stretch of road!! its a ski resort over the mountain.

we stayed in Chewalah (Casino has cheap drinks!) and hit it early in morning when there was nobody around.

the roads 'round Curlew are purdy as well. :thumbup
 
#14 ·
Just gonna hi-jack this thread a bit. I'm a newb at heading south of the line. So we just went with another couple and I kind of followed directions on a overnighter to grand coulee and back. Was a great trip and a fun time. We are a bit limited in our seat time as to my wife the approx 400km days were a grind and to me they were a breeze. I need to research some to try to smooth out the bars on her little ninja, she already has oxford heated grips. Anyways. I'm going to list our route and if anyone has recommendations of variations or riding we were close to I'd love to hear it.

We went over hwy33. Crossed at midway. Lunch in republic and then on to coulee via hwy 21/Peter dan Rd/Hwy 355 The riding was so nice we did the reverse for our return. I seem to always enjoy a road more once I've been over it atleast once.*

Peter dan Rd was definetly the highlight for me on the US side. *A short but amazing road. And Hwy 33 was awesome on the cdn side. But man oh man a guy could get himself in trouble with our speeding laws on that road. *

I'm already trying to plan another trip but going to be a hard sell to my wife unless I can get some sort of comfort sorted out for her. The other couple we were with were continuing along for two more nights, heading east over the flowery trail and then uomand back through the kootenays. Really wish we could've pulled the extra days. But still happy to have gotten a overnighter in.* *

Sky Mountain Wilderness Reservoir Water resources
 
#15 ·
hey Squisher, late reply, but if you want your wife to travel with you and if you want to really get out there together and enjoy yourselves, i reckon you need to upgrade her ride. the little Ninja is a fine bike, but it's a long way from ideal for sequential full-on days. i'm gonna suggest one of the Honda CB 500 series... bigger; more pop; more comfy; better at hills and passing; less stress over the course of a day... ain't no sportsbike, but that doesn't seem to be the desire anyway...

here's a review of the recently updated CB500X: https://www.revzilla.com/common-tre...8/03/2019_CT&utm_term=Common Tread | Combined

almost tempts me!
 
#16 · (Edited)
I appreciate the input. But the funny thing is the sportsbike is the only desire. My wife loves sportbikes. The only upgrade would be to a full fairinged sportbike it would seem. And it is something we constantly talk about and research. Today for the first time my wife road my cbr for a short while. Her skills are really improving and she seems happy again with her ninja 300, for now. We did Edgewood and back today from Lavington about 150km one way from our place and mostly twisties. She reported a lot lesss fatigue and greater enjoyment. *So I'm hopeful the ninja will suffice for awhile. Her sprockets and chain were toast and after replacing those the bike is much much smoother.*

The cbr 500 is a bike we have considered but I don't know if it's a big enough step for her when she's ready. If/when she upgrades I want it to be a well thought out move. I believe she has lots more she can learn and improve on on the 300 still. I myself have been drooling over a couple of litre bikes but had a reality check moment today where I knew I could've gotten myself in over my head on one in one of my angel falls passes. We both really want to be developing riding skills and not just buying up in displacement. We are both now really hoping/planning on doing some track days next season. She's fully onboard with it.*
*
I lapped angel falls five time today. Three times on the way there and one full and two half times on the way back. Tomorrow and Monday we are doing Edgewood and back each day. Working on different skill sets/technique. It's really fun for me to be able to enjoy this with my wife. We are having a great time with it. *
*
 
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