Rally in Northwest????

[Yahman]

How many days? It does sound good. When is it warm enough over there. I don't want to fight cold, ice, snow, etc. Ya i know i am a wenie. LOL

It seems to me that one would need two days there minimum, not counting travel time to and from. It is in the desert so it can get cold there at night, even in the summer. A good time weather wise would probably be from mid May to mid September.

Larry

[tarzan]

That's only 6-7 hours from Spokane.I could do that pretty easily.
Are you guys planning this for september?

[Yahman]

I'm not sure, I think we're just tossing some ideas around right now. They have a big festival in Mitchell around Labor Day so it would need to before or after that.

Larry

[wa407mpp]

I don't see anything about Mitchell or the surrounding area that would make me want to spend the any time there, much less the time it would take to get there.

[Geezer]

I don't see anything about Mitchell or the surrounding area that would make me want to spend the any time there, much less the time it would take to get there.

Agreed. I like Tillamook because there is stuff to do there and all along the way. The aviation museum alone is worth the trip and cost of admission.

Geezer

[wa407mpp]

I was thinking of the Mt. Saint Helen's area, more centrally located and lots of good roads to ride. However, I did see an interesting road, the Wilson River Hwy., on Google, between the Portland area and Tillamook that might be interesting to ride, and would bypass 101. That would mean traveling I 5 for about 5 hours, but it might be a good way to meet other riders at gas stops on the way down.

[tarzan]

How far is it from Portland to Tillamook?

[Yahman]

How far is it from Portland to Tillamook?

It's only 70 miles.

Larry

[Jeremy_Sells]

Here is a quick write up on the Wilson River Highway.

What I am noticing here is that folks can be divided into two camps when it comes to group rallies. Some prefer to meet in populated areas with lots of attractions (and traffic) and spend time visiting tourist spots and exploring the immediate area around a central meeting place. Others may prefer a rally where folks meet up somewhere and then spend several days on the bikes, in a group, checking out some beautiful scenery and twisty roads and logging 2-300 miles a day with meals on the road. Past XS11 rallies have traveled across southern BC and seen some beautiful landscapes while staying in different campsites/hotels every night. What really seems to get the most XS11's in one spot is the longer, traveling style rallies. No one is going to ride down from Revelstoke, BC for an overnight in Tillamook (unless Ken and Shelia Talbot have absolutely nothing better to do! I do understand that some folks have no interest in sitting on their bikes all day and would rather ride somewhere to hang out and relax, after all, it is a vacation, right? What I propose is that we meet up several times next summer. I will work to organize a rally in central Oregon next summer and will start posting details this winter. Having spent the last 10 years exploring the roads of Central Oregon, I must assume that the only reason that you see nothing interesting about Mitchell or Central OR is that you have never been there and know nothing about its unique scenery and amazing roads like this one!

There are some organized rides that the Rose City Motorcycle Club sponsors every year and all are welcome to join in on any of those as well. Here is a link to those details. Another idea could be that one of us host a Saturday ride/meet up somewhere in the PNW on a monthly basis throughout the summer and grab some coffee/beer - Microbrew tours anyone?! Bottom line is that there is no such thing as too many reasons to get together and ride and there is no rule about limiting group rides to one-per-year so lets get planning!

[Yahman]

I totally agree! Count me in.

There's also this road.

http://oregonmotorcyclist.com/ridepage.php?page=hwy218

Larry

[wa407mpp]

Even though I don't remember, if I have actually ever been to Mitchell, I do know how to work Google Earth and to me there is nothing Unique about sage brush and scrub pine, I can see more than enough of that passing through eastern Washington on my way to Idaho to have lunch with my parents, without wasting a weekend.

[Jeremy_Sells]

There's also this road.

http://oregonmotorcyclist.com/ridepage.php?page=hwy218

Larry

I love that road and could ride it back and forth for a week and never get tired of it. The nice thing is that you may see 2 or 3 cars on that road for its entire length. If one were to continue east and head south on 207 towards Mitchell, you could average more time cornering than riding in a straight line, almost!

[XS1100 Newbie]

I think it just boils down to what kind of country you like to see, and if you want to go crazy on the twisties. I am morre into a scenic ride, and stopping to take in the history, and beauty. I too love the sagebrush, and scrub pines, and the desert, and Central and Eastern Oregon. I will go there this next Spring to Summer.

[tw1980]

I'm going to have to throw in with Jeremy,if were going to have a motorcycle rally lets spend time riding!A different place each night and ride 250-350 miles each day.See the sights and ride,ride,ride.

Terry

[Geezer]

I was thinking more of a meeting of the minds like the Texas group does but up here in the PNW...

Unfortunately I don't have enough space to have it at my home or that would already be the plan. Damn, I really need to relocate...

Geezer