West Coast - Here I Come (Again!)

I am fortunate to be able to take another extended motorcycle trip this year.  I will be heading back to the west coast.  I attempted this trip back in 2011 but it was detoured and cut short due to bad weather.  I came home early from that trip after having to wear rain gear for 7 of the first 9 days and the clincher was when I was going over a mountain pass in northern California and I watched the temperature drop to 32 degrees, moisture falling and I met a snowplow.  I decided then and there it was not meant to be and headed home.  I am hoping for better weather on this trip!

I have new motorcycle for the trip this year.  Late last fall I picked up a brand new Candy Apple Red 2014 FJR 1300 ES.  This is basically the same bike I had before just 8 years newer.  Of course they have made many improvement such as cruise control, heated grips, traction control, and electronic suspension adjustment to name a few.

On Saturday, June 6, I attended an "Advanced Riding School" put on by ZARS in Rosemount.  Motorcyclist may want to check it out at ZARS.com.  It was a great day of coaching, refreshing, and practicing riding skills.  As this was my first time attending class I participated at level 1.  You can advance all the way to level 6 which is for people that are interested in racing.  I have no interest in racing but improving my basic riding skills.  I try to find different training every few years as a way to "stay fresh" and "keep safe".  Here is an action photo from the training.  NOTE: You have to tape up, with painters tape, all the glass and plastic lights on the bike in case there is an "incident" - it is intended to reduce the amount of track clean-up that would be required.

The plan for this years trip is to depart on the evening of June 17 (Wednesday) and return around July 4.  The planned route is just under 8,000 miles - we will see how it goes!  Just a few of the highlights are expected to be: Beartooth Pass (Montana), Chief Joseph Highway (Wyoming) Mt. Rainer (Washington), the coasts of Oregon and California, the Sierra Nevada Mountains (California), Death Valley (California) and Hover Dam (Nevada).  Below is a map with the planned route.

I hope everyone enjoys following me on the trip and as many of you have said "living vicariously through my travels"!