Washington

A collection of 36 posts

Travel Guide

10 Things to Do In and Around Chehalis, WA

Nov/Dec '24 Premium Content

Chehalis, Washington Shamrock Tour®

My mother loves Dick’s—the fast food chain, that is. She has had a lifelong love affair with the old-fashioned hamburger stand that opened in Seattle the same year she was born: 1954. Dick’s Drive-In is a staple of the Seattle metropolitan area, with nine current locations peppered

Roundtrip Tour Premium Content

The Boys of Summer, Part 3: Illinois to Washington

Although baseball is a beloved pastime on the East Coast, the age-old American sport is merely an echo that travels gently toward the Pacific Ocean. There are no obstructions along its path, so it might resonate with the people trapped in the noise. After Wrigley and Guaranteed Rate fields (the

Classic Roads Premium Content

Explore the Northern Rainforests—Olympic Peninsula Loop

The Olympic Peninsula in Washington State marks the most northwestern reaches of the contiguous U.S. It sports some of the most majestic sights in the country, from the rocky seaside to tranquil mountaintops and the depths of the rainforests. It comes as a surprise to some, but many of

News

How to Find the Aliens Among Us on Two Wheels

Sometimes you want a grander objective for a motorcycle tour than simply enjoying the open road and curves. If you’re after a truly otherworldly experience, why not hit the asphalt to look for proof of alien life? After all, the Congress recently got the most compelling testimony to date

Travel Guide

The Ultimate High: Riding Your Motorcycle to America's Tallest Peaks

The U.S. is home to many majestic mountain ranges, and exploring them on a motorcycle is an exhilarating adventure. Here are seven of the highest mountain peaks in the country that are accessible via motorcycle. Mount Evans, CO Standing at an impressive elevation of 14,271 feet, Mount Evans

Travel Guide

Explore 8 of the Most Otherworldly Landscapes in the US

If you're a motorcycle enthusiast looking for a journey that feels like it's straight out of a sci-fi movie, you're in for a treat. Across the U.S., there are destinations that boast distinctive flora and fauna, unique geological features, and other outlandish characteristics

Mar/Apr '23

Classic Roads: Washington SR-14

Historic Columbia River Gorge Highway Seen from high above, two-lane tarmac traces a serpentine path along the banks of a river that is both colossal and historic. The river flows into the Pacific Ocean through a deep, wide chasm of scoured volcanic rock, deposited over many millennia. Riders feel strong

Roundtrip Tour Premium Content

A U.S. Bucket List on a Budget

Slurping a coffee at Burnout Cafe in Vancouver, Canada, the butterflies in my tummy were doing barrel rolls. This was it! The start of our big ride from Canada to the southern tip of Argentina. With no house to sell and no apartment to rent out while we are gone,

Roundtrip Tour Premium Content

A Decade-Long Riding Tradition

Every summer we do at least one group ride. We used to spend the whole week together,  but now, three days is about the best we can manage. This year, we chose Oregon and Washington State. Most of the group flew into Portland and rented BMWs. With a fresh Ducati

Jul/Aug '22 Premium Content

A Solitary Quest From Anchorage, AK to Portland, OR

It wasn’t supposed to be a solo trip. A group of three or four of us had decided we’d ride from Anchorage, AK, to Portland, OR, taking advantage of the tour company MotoQuest’s seasonal transporter special offer. By agreeing to ride MotoQuest bikes from Alaska to Oregon,

Mar/Apr '22 Premium Content

Scramblin’ Through the Floods, Part 1: A Tour in the Pacific Northwest

The first trip with luggage on a new motorcycle is always interesting. I’ve owned my 2019 Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE for nearly two years, but this was the first fully packed excursion. With the “mono pannier” setup, I don’t have as much storage space as with the previous

Sep/Oct '21

City Escape: Seattle, Washington

May/Jun '20 Premium Content

Lewiston, Idaho Shamrock Tour®: A Three-State Odyssey

The Lewiston Shamrock Tour® promises diverse roads in a land of canyons, prairies, mountains, and forests. This rough country was settled by tough people eking out a living off the land, and they built roads through the canyons and high on the prairies. Their hard work sets the stage for

Jul/Aug '18 Premium Content

Western Washington: Wilderness & Waves

Beauty is truth, truth beauty—John Keats A photo story of a 600-mile motorcycle tour of The Evergreen State. Motorcycle & Gear 2016 Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin 2008 BMW F 800 GS Helmets: Arai Quantum II, Shoei GT Air Jackets: BMW Commuter 3, BMW GS Dry Pants: Firstgear Jeans Boots:

Nov/Dec '17

City Escape: Spokane, Washington

Spanning two states and some of the most beautiful real estate in the nation, this Spokane, WA, City Escape is truly memorable. Best ridden in spring through fall, the route flanks the banks of miles of pristine lakes and rivers. Evergreens, water, curves, and views rule the day on this

Jul/Aug '17 Premium Content

The Dalles, Oregon Shamrock Tour®: Exploring the Columbia River Gorge Area

The Columbia River Gorge’s breathtaking vistas owe its heritage to a series of geological cataclysms during the last ice age. A huge 2,000-foot-deep glacial lake had formed over present day Missoula, MT. The ice dam, impounding the glacial melt, gave way, sending a massive torrent of destruction down

May/Jun '17 Premium Content

Washington: Volcanic Venture

I won the lottery—and I didn’t even know I was playing. Growing up in Europe where there is usually another town every couple of miles, I wasn’t aware that I could ride for 75 miles without seeing a single gas station. In Washington, I don’t need

Jan/Feb '16 Premium Content

British Columbia and Washington: The Border Tour

The Canada-U.S. border disproves the old saying that good fences make good neighbors. It’s famously the world’s longest, undefended international border and, in much of the West, it’s simply a line drawn along the 49th parallel. There are no walls or fences, just a column of

May/Jun '15

City Escape: Seattle, Washington

> This circuit includes Seattle's own volcano, Mount Rainier, climbs over the 5,430-foot Chinook Pass, goes through Mount Rainier National Park, and returns via the Puyallup River valley. Park entry fee is  for motorcycles. Stop in charming Elbe and take a two-hour steam train ride on the

Jan/Feb '15 Premium Content

Washington—Olympic Peninsula: Water Rules

The Olympic Peninsula is not only surrounded by water on three sides—it is ruled by the wet elements, which forms a unique place in the Pacific Northwest. Whack! This could go so wrong, I think to myself. Just before the salmon hits the faces of the surprised customers, the

Sep/Oct '14 Premium Content

Portland, Oregon to Seattle, Washington: The Scenic Way

I’m standing in a fine Japanese garden, and I’m looking at a volcano—an exotic combination. I didn’t have to go too far. This is neither Tokyo nor Mount Fuji. I’m in Portland, OR. Toward the east, the snow capped peak of Mount Hood is clearly

Mar/Apr '14 Premium Content

Idaho, Washington, and Oregon: The Lewis & Clark Trail

By fall 1805, the Corps of Discovery was following Lolo Pass through the snow-covered Bitterroot Mountains. The men were near starvation when Sergeant John Ordway recorded in his journal: “We followed down the main creek about 4 miles had nothing to eat but Some portable Soup we being hungry for

May/Jun '13 Premium Content

Longview, Washington Shamrock Tour®: Volcano Craters to Foggy Seashores

Scanning my map, I quickly realize what an incredible motorcycling wonderland I’ve arrived at. There are not many locales where you can visit the ocean, the rain forest, the mountains, and the desert in a few hours. Oh, and did I mention that three national parks and one monument

Sep/Oct '10 Premium Content

The International Selkirk Loop

Here we are in Castlegar, Nelson can't be very far. Climbing out of Castlegar on Highway 3, the view of British Columbia below is so captivating that I pull over to fully appreciate it. The Columbia River glistens in the afternoon sun like the chrome on the 2009