• Welcome Guest! If you are already a member of the BMW MOA, please log in to the forum in the upper right hand corner of this page. Check "Remember Me?" if you wish to stay logged in.

    We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMWMOA forum provides. Why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the club magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMWMOA offers?

    Want to read the MOA monthly magazine for free? Take a 3-month test ride of the magazine; check here for details.

  • NOTE. Some content will be hidden from you. If you want to view all content, you must register for the forum if you are not a member, or if a member, you must be logged in.

SALEM, Sweet :)

what???

Todays mail: the Oregon Scenic Byways & Tour Routes Guide, 68 pages of the
most comprehensive, no advertising state highway information I've ever held!
They also sent a very nice "motorcycle" map... 3 days from my e-mail request.
If your into planning, you need this free package. Thanks again BobM for the web info.
 
I lived in Portland twice (last in 08') and Seaside once. Great riding all over Oregon. Be prepared for some rain even in July and it can get hot at times. Lincoln City is the quickest coastal town, with LOTS of tourists and slow traffic for several miles.Recommend going off right on the hwy101 to Pacific City instead.
Remember: You can't lane split in Oregon .....real fun on a hot day on jammed up freeways in Portland. Burnside st. is a great way to go from east Portland to downtown over the river. Try not to speed in Oregon or Washington. They love their radar and there is no going to traffic school to erase a ticket in those states.
Probably one of the best major freeway views in the country is when you are approaching Portland from the south and can see the city and Mt. Hood plus some of the Washington mountain peaks. Gorgeous!
 
Coast 1;

Yes, the last time I rode the coast, the traffic was not nice and the going got slow about every little sightseeing attraction or town along there. It can be busy, so intend to be a tourist as you ride the coast:). Its so exceptional, the coast is worth the crowds and maybe, just maybe you get lucky to hit it just right, less people. Mid week is best, weekends are the obvious! SO, hit the coast coming to or leaving rally:), or just go anytime and live with it. You'll not be disappointed. :usa
 
Oregon has much to offer for those seeking winding roads, delicious food, and both beer and wine. For most of these, it's worth seeking the roads less travelled (and there are lots of them). Salem is a little too close to Portland to support a vast variety of restaurants, but there are a few great ones: try Word of Mouth Bistro for a breakfast that you won't forget; if you want a fine Mexican dinner, head to La Margarita (Pedro's); or, Italian at Davinci's; pizza at Christo's; burgers at Willamette Burger Company near the rally site; NW dinning is better found in PDX at any number of mouth watering places from food carts to fine dining (Higgin's, Jake's). Portland, Eugene, and Bend offer some of the world's best micro-brewed beer (really) in a variety of brew-pubs (although just a few are in Salem - like Boon's or Block 15 in nearby Corvallis). The Willamette Valley is also home to fabulous winemaking - Pinot Noir from $16-60 a bottle. Purveyors of artisan food, cheese, beer and wine abound. It's a foodie's paradise. Oh, and there's some nice roads, too. From Salem, with rides of 100-500 miles (or more), one can see quite a variety of natural beauty without leaving the state or treading on interstate highways. Just over an hour to the Coast or Cascades. Thanks to a historic timber economy, the state is covered with paved (and some backcountry gravel) Forest Service and BLM roads that can get you where you want to go without hardly seeing other vehicles. Oregon is quite a nice place to live and the natives don't mind the rainy season from November to May - it keeps the place green. Cheers!
 
Yes, the last time I rode the coast, the traffic was not nice and the going got slow about every little sightseeing attraction or town .... :usa

Southern Coast, south of Coos Bay has much less traffic than north section. Perhaps more scenic.
 
Folks will wonder....

about high noon on Sunday rally departure; why are there so many bmw cycles
all along this coastline? Going both directions! Think I'll roll toward Crater Lake,
then over & north on MONDAY to avoid the weekend'ers in cages.
 
Todays mail: the Oregon Scenic Byways & Tour Routes Guide, 68 pages of the
most comprehensive, no advertising state highway information I've ever held!
They also sent a very nice "motorcycle" map... 3 days from my e-mail request.
If your into planning, you need this free package. Thanks again BobM for the web info.

+1 on the Oregon Scenic Byways & Tour Routes Guide, but, alas, no motorcycle map was included. :cry
 
http://www.oregon.gov/odf/tillamookstateforest/docs/tsfohv09.pdf

Please see above a link to the Off Highway Vehicle trails map for the Tillamook Stage Forest. This is an extensive network of trails through the forested coast range. I am a pavement rider, so I have not ridden in here, but I understand that there is lots of good off road riding there. Stay on trails and be good stewards of the environment.

See you in July!
 
Portland

Just thought I would mention that the Oregon Beer Fest is 24-28 July in Portland. http://www.oregonbrewfest.com/ :drink

Also if you happen to be in Portland I would recommend you give Pine State Biscuits a try - http://www.pinestatebiscuits.com/ - if your heart can handle it :eat

A trip to Portland would not be complete without a Voodoo Doughnut - http://voodoodoughnut.com/ - "The Magic is in the Hole" My favorite is the Maple Bacon Bar.

There are a lot of great brew pubs in Portland but I stumbled on this one - http://migrationbrewing.com/ :drinkand thought it was pretty good plus the Cuban restaurant across the street is also pretty good.
 
Another big thumbs up for Novak's! I never travel past Albany without a stop at Novak's. Excellent service with unique flavors is hard to beat. I am hardly a local, but it is one of those great stops always looked forward to.
 
somewhat odd...

just received the 2012 Salem Visitor Guide (a slick 67 page publication); with NOT a single reference to the
State fairgrounds!! Couple of nice city/area maps.... NO fairgrounds shown! Located "Fairgrounds Road" on the
map, it connects/joins 3 other streets...No fairgrounds shown! The STATE FAIRGROUNDS are ON...17th street?
Are they at the intersection? Never know by this RESOURCE guide. What am I complaining about....
I now have ALL the info on 23 (14 within 30 min of downtown) vineyards/cellars/winery's!! And the casino's. :)

travelin john
 
Salem

My sister has lived in Salem for about 30 years (we're originally from Long Island). I rode out there from the east coast two summers ago, it was a great trip, and a great place to rest and recharge, as always. In addition to all the attractions already mentioned, for those so inclined, there's a lot of pretty good wine made in the area too.

Oh, and the folks at the local BMW shop are nice guys and very accommodating. I had been on the road around 5k miles by the time I got there and didn't have my service stand with me, so while I did fluid changes myself in my sister's yard, I called them for brake pads, and they took me right in and got me in & out in no time. IMG_0287.jpg
 
South oregon cannot be forgotten.

The coast of southern Oregon rocks. The ride from Reedsport into Elkton has awesome elk herds just standing around watching you drive-by. The Umpqua River is huge and remote in a very cool way. The roads through the Umpqua wine region going to the coast to Bandon, Florence and Coosbay are just very cool and beautiful riding experiences.
So In an effort to get to Salem and hang around the northwest Oregon Localities, don't forget the rest of the state and especially central and south Cascades and coastal Oregon.

... And don't forget the numerous paved timber roads designed for hauling logs from the mountains in and out of the coastal range and Cascades. These roads will take you everywhere and anywhere. Secluded lakes, Meadows, wild areas. Just have your GPS and enjoy.

Check out the road that goes from Glide to Sutherlin and Glide to Dorena lake.
Also the road that goes from Drain to King estate winery via territorial highway beautiful.
Check out McKenzie pass by OakRidge.
And Tiller hwy past Milo to Crater Lake.
Don't forget Highway 138 up along the North Umpqua,to diamond Lake. You can turn off and go down to Medford down the Rogue drainage which just is beautiful. Or you can do it backwards from Medford up to crater Lake and down 138 back into Roseburg before heading north.
And while we are at it, how about Burnt Mountain Road over in the coastal range near Reston and Tenmile. Beautiful.and the list goes on.
Did I mention the Shakespeare Festival in Ashland?

I live here, I ride a BMW, and I know.

Mule
 
Mule -- Thanks for that local info! Barley and I will enter the state on 26. From Bend we are doing secondary roads to Crater Lake. From there to the redwoods at Smith River in norcal, then up the coast and on to the rally. Your post gave me several alternatives. Much appreciated!

Pete, and Barley the Adventure Dog
 
Great Steak House

Try Saylor's Old Country Kitchen in Portland. They have steaks that range from about eight ounces to about 72 ounces. I've eaten there a few times. Good food.

Address:
10519 SE Stark St
Portland, OR 97216
 
Bend

If you want a good burger, stop in at Pilot Butte Drive-In. Get some gravy for those fries, and a chocolate shake :) There is a cool viewpoint at the top of the hill, and the road up is paved.

Pine Tavern is a nice place, what with the tree growing out of the roof and all... For that matter it's hard to go wrong with any of the breweries there, of which there are several.

The old-mill district is situated along the Deschutes River. They've built up a cool shopping area from an old saw mill, with a 16-screen theatre. Good food there at Anthony's (national seafood chain, and I'm friends with the head chef :)), or Greg's grill (beautiful building, tasty steaks, good prices).

Another trendy spot is the down-town area (Bond & Wall St's). Several blocks of shopping, cafe's, (NY Subs is tasty), and Drake park (which starts at the back patio of the Pine Tavern) is a beautiful park that also wanders along the river.

You can get an awesome breakfast at West Side Bakery, or the Breakfast Club, or if you prefer all-natural, go for Alpenglow.

I lived in that area for several years. It's a beautiful place; lots of diversity with the high desert to the east, and the mountains to the west.
 
There are two delightful detours by which you can bypass sections of Interstate 5 in Southern Oregon. Granted that I-5 from Redding to Cottage Grove is one of the nicest sections of interstate in the country, still it is pretty boring compared to the canyon roads and mountain passes that exist near the super slab. Directions for the following detour routes run from south to north and both depart from and return to Interstate 5.

At the north end of Medford the Freeway arcs to the west. In the town of Gold Hill take SamÔÇÖs Valley Hwy (234) to Shady Cove. You could take Hwy 62 from Medford, but that runs through a commercial light industrial neighborhood that is much less scenic than 234. In Shady Cove you pick up Hwy 62 and continue north. Unless you wish to continue on to Crater Lake (quite worthwhile) take a left at Tiller-Trail Hwy (227) and motor north all the way to Canyonville on Interstate 5. This route bypasses about 50 miles of freeway with about 70 miles of byway and it is a nice transect that runs from the arid Medford basin into the lush foothills of the Cascades.

For a shorter ÔÇ£long wayÔÇØ turn of the interstate just north of Grants Pass at Merlin Rd. Take that and go west. Continue on and the road name will become Galice Rd. It will carry you along the Rogue River through black rock canyons to and through the rafting drop off hamlet of Galice. Continue on and cross the river where the road becomes Lower Graves Creek Rd. Now you are talking twisties. You noodle along for a while and the road name changes again to Lower Wolf Creek Rd which runs you into the burg of Wolf Creek and your connection with I-5. You will have bypassed about 20 miles of interstate with about 40 miles of winding back roads.
 
Back
Top