A Road Less Traveled

A view of Lake Diablo.

Route 20 in Washington is the state's best motorcycle road.

It's a well-maintained, two-lane treat of twistie that pays off with the Lake Diablo overlook.

You don't often get this sort of view by sticking to the main highways, so when I recently re-reviewed the P2P route map the other day, I got to thinking that other than a detour at Devil's Tower/Crazy Horse/Mount Rushmore, my ride is a pretty straight shot. No wonder I'm worried about getting bored on the road.

And as if the Motorcycle Gods heard my plea, they delivered unto me two articles identifying the best riding roads in North America; Top 10 Places To Ride In North America and Top 10 Best Motorcycling Touring Roads. I quickly consumed the stories and figured out what could be added to the P2P ride.

Top 10 Places To Ride In North America
This is a slideshow article with summaries of each route along with a photo of each. It offers the standard disclaimer that North America offers a lot of great rides, but this is the author's take on the most well-known rides.

Nicely enough, a few of them might find their way into the ride...

Beartooth Highway
This ride could add at least three hours to my route, which is a pretty small investment in a ride this size. By exiting I-90 at Livingston, MT, taking the Beartooth to Billings, I'll have the chance to climb up 11,000 feet and take in spectacular scenery. This is now a "thing" to add to the ride.

Unless it's snowing up there.

Blue Ridge Parkway
I've put more miles and time on the Blue Ridge than I could ever count, but never on a motorcycle. Starting at the north entrance where it is known as Skyline Drive, I'll definitely include the BRP in the trip. Even at 45-miles an hour, this is a must ride.

The Dragon/Tail Of The Dragon
Listed as the most challenging of the rides, The Dragon is famous for its twisties--318 curves in 11 miles. It also has a reputation for drawing squids and reckless drivers. This is the least likely of the detours, but I'll keep it on the list as a possibility.

Top 10 Best Motorcycling Touring Roads
This article offers snapshot summaries of great byways in the US. It reads like a brochure you pick up in the lobby of a Cracker Barrel or a family-friendly two-star motel. None of the rides will fit into my route, but it's a nice read.

The articles could have included many more rides, and two in the Pacific Northwest that come to mind are Hwy 99 in British Columbia--the Sea to Sky Highway--and Route 20 from I-5 to Winslow. This is the nicest motorcycle road in Washington and should be on anyone's "must ride" list.