Itinerary Vancouver - Baja
 

Good day to all!

Starting a big trip soon from Vancouver towards Baja and further South.

I'd like to collect here suggestions from fellow riders - not a complete intinerary but rather places to visit, nice trails or even camp sites.

For example I have on my list the White Trim Trail (Utah) and the Lippincott Mine Road (Cal.).

If you have ridden your bike in the area and want to recommend anything - be a good man and drop a line here! :)

Thanks,

Nick

Hi Nick,
not sure what route you'll choose but I'd recommend Alvord desert in SE Oregon. It's a dry lake with great scenery at sunrise and you can camp pretty much anywhere. Its at base of Steens Mountains and can also ride almost to the top of the mountain, almost 10000'.
Luke (KRK-FRA flight)


https://www.flickr.com/photos/pdxfot...7663499527712/

I would recommend getting the ferry to Vancouver Island then enter the US via the ferry to Port Angeles, you are on highway 101 there and can head down the coast or go inland as you please. Don't miss the redwood forrests on the way down and crossing The Golden Gate Bridge into SF.

Nick, it would be an easy thing to suggest a hundred or more don't-miss places and activities for you.....if we knew what you like to see and do. "Vancouver toward Baja and further south" covers many thousands of road miles on two continents.

Ride the White Rim and Lippincott Mine, ok, but is backcountry desert your only interest? Do you like cities? Mountains? Seacoast? Do you want to get off the bike--to walk, climb, paddle, pedal, sightsee--or stay in the saddle? Are you suited to twisty pavement, or to multilane superhighway? How about local culture, whether mainstream, edgy, native, immigrant.....? Art, craft, literary, musical, political.....?

These questions alone would fill volumes. Asking about "places to visit, nice trails or even camp sites" doesn't really narrow the field much. You might also say something about your schedule, including time of year and length of trip, since weather and season will have a lot to do with what's fun and what's merely dreary (or outright dangerous).

Last suggestion: you've obviously already done at least a bit of research. Ask specific questions, indicating what you already know and what information is missing, e.g., "I'm going to spend two weeks during September based in Moab exploring the Four Corners region. I'm planning to ride the White Rim Trail, Elephant Hill, and [insert backcountry route of your choice here]. I'm looking for more single-day trips at a high level of commitment and skill." Or, "I'm looking for interesting road routes between there and my next destination, Death Valley." Etc.

Hope that's helpful. Enjoy!

Mark

Hi Luke!

Thanks for your post, will definitely check the Alvort desert.

Was a nice coincidence to meet you on that plane.

This is the book I told you about: https://www.theguardian.com/books/20...o-bader-review


That's an excellent suggestion, thanks a lot! I'll study the feasibility of that itinerary today.

Hi Mark,

I respect a lot your input, but I'd rather keep the topic open.
I'm not expecting a full itinerary, just a few ideas and then I'll connect the points together myself.

The idea of that topic is as follows: anyone who's put 2 wheels between Vancouver and Baja, please let me know here what you really liked. Doesn't matter if it's a highway or a trail. So Utah is possibly on the way from Vancouver to Baja, as is Oregon and Idaho. Obviously South Carolina is not.

I'm now in Vancouver prep'ing the bike.

Attachment 21238

The bike is getting ready but I need more parts that I'll buy after I've entered the US. It has now a bash plate, chain oiler, side racks, navigation and power ports.

Took it for a short trip to the mountains nearby.
Attachment 21245

Encounter in Squamish with a bike registered in Belgium... I had a chat with the owner Alexandre, who kindly suggested a few places to visit on the way South. Alexandre travelled the other way, from Chile up to Canada on his Dominator.
Attachment 21246

Elfin lakes in Garibaldi park:
Attachment 21247

The view at the end of the Saddle trail:
Attachment 21248

I'm taking today the ferry to Vancouver Island and get ready to follow Mark's above recommendation.

Hey there fellow BC biker!

Did this in a 4x4, but the road would be great on a bike, although there is some mild sand, but nothing too narly for the Baja.

If you find yourself near La Paz (which I think is where the ferry to the mainland is anyhow)

Try to do a short trip to Rancho Las Cruces, there are lots of empty beaches for camping if you decide to go that way.

Las Cruces itself is a private members resort that sits on 10,000 acres. It dates way back and was very popular in the 1940's and 50's with Celebrities of the Era flying into the resort's private air strip on propeller planes. The facilities themselves are super dated, as if time stood still since the 50's, its absolutely fantastic. The resort grounds slowly being re-absorbed by the desert making it a really neat place to explore.

https://i.imgur.com/RUhdtji.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/2Jf1R6S.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/a7adKcn.jpg


also check out nearby Tecalote beach if you want a cool, safe spot to camp, but still have access to restaurant food.

https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Attractio...alifornia.html