Slightly off topic, for Linda and Fiona and those who ride

I keep meaning to ask those of you who ride if you've gotten your hands on the Destination Highways publications.  My husband and I are in the local MINI club, which has turned us into fans of curvy scenic back-road routes, which led us to DH. If you're looking for great routes, I highly recommend their books (and the accompanying maps), marketed to motorcycle enthusiasts.  They provide details on great routes, organized by area, with ratings for twistiness, pavement quality, engineering (shoulder width, camber, etc.), scenery, and remoteness.   I believe they've also developed an app for NorCal , but I haven't tried that.  They're offering a Mother's Day discount of $10 off books and companion map sets but it expires tonight.  Discount code is MOTHER14 if you're interested.

Ooooohhhh!!!!  I just googled DH Norcal - that's so exciting!  In the nine months I've been on a scooter, I thought I'd done all my research but I missed this gem.  Thank you so much, EscapePod (forgive me for not knowing your name), for bringing it up here!  Usually, my spring and summer months are dedicated to rock climbing, but I think this season will be for exploring twisties on Destination Highways!  This is just one more reason for me to try out motorcycling, for sure!

Thank you again.  I hope you have a great day!

Fiona

Fiona I really think you're gonna love motorcycling!  Of course you can't know for sure until you try, but your riding experience is going to make the transition incredibly easy.

I rode at the front of the pack today (well, second) and there were times that the view in my mirrors blew me away. In my mind, there is nothing prettier than a line of motorcycles riding in formation. Today we had a Spyders in front, then two motorcycles, another Spyder, followed by two more motorcycles, with another Spyder bringing up the rear. Oh - with a full view of the snow covered Rocky Mountain range. 

The MINI club - I love that!  My husband and I were introduced to Destination Highway books and maps at our local motorcycle show last winter. We bought the Washington and British Columbia products and if I recall there's a SoCal book too.  That's too far away for us but I remember hearing about the NorCal project.

The books and maps are really good. We've used one of the books and map to plan a major trip across southern mainland British Columbia and Vancouver Island for this July.

Have you used the books and maps?  So nice of you to think of us!!  

Oh yes, we use the Washington one all the time - any route but the Interstate!  Most of them we know by heart by now.   We went down for a big MINI gathering on Treasure Island in the Bay area a few years ago, and had a blast checking out roads in NorCal, though some of them were too narrow with too many blind curves for my taste.  I trust my husband's driving, but you never know who may be coming the other way and not staying on their side of the center line ... if the road was even wide enough to have a center line.

We have the BC book too, but haven't gotten much chance to use it yet.  Need to get back up that way to do more hiking one of these days....

Sounds like you're reasonably close to my neck of the woods - well other than a country border :) - what state do you live in.?

I'm a Washingtonian - Woodinville, to be exact.  :-)

Wish you both could have been with me today. I live in the foothills of the Rockiies. Seven of us - 4 on motorcycles, 3 on Spyders - rode through the prairies with a full view of the snow capped peaks the entire day. 

Sounds perfect!  Today was an awesome day here as well, the mountains are still dressed in snow, but we had an unseasonable warm front with highs in the 80s today!  Would have loved to be out on back roads, or better yet, the hiking trails.

Happy trails to you both....