Well I just rolled into my driveway a few hours ago after being away for a month. I cannot possibly type out every detail of the trip but let me just point a out a few highlights.
Highway 101. Great sweeping curves linked one after another for hours for fast, incredible riding. Do it.
The Redwood Forrest in California was pretty incredible to me. The road is twisty and narrow all through the towering trees. Take your time, ya don't want to pick a fight with one of those monsters.
Highway 1 (Jrocket thanks for the tip) If you love to ride and have a chance, go ride this stretch! You will not be the same rider as you were prior to it. The only thing I found is that after the twisties through the forrest the road cuts back out to the coast and it was very grey and cold and I had a tough time enjoying it so i would suggest cuttin back over to the 101 after Fort Bragg.
I lane split for the first time in Los Angeles. There's a near death experience for you. But let me tell you this. After riding in Mexico City, the traffic in LA feels like a wide open freeway.
Mexico was nuts. My friend told me they don't shoulder check because if you turn your head you are likely to crash into someone in front of you. He wasn't kidding! I had some close calls with buses, taxis, cars, dogs you name it. I don't know how people do it everyday.
For the trip home I took I-15 through the desert to Las Vegas and then followed it up to Salt Lake City and then through Idaho and Montana, back to Alberta.
MY advice to anybody crossing the desert on a bike is to keep you air vents on your gear closed. It might seem like you should have them open but the air is so hot you are better off time be all covered up.
I got pulled over in Utah doing 96 in a 75 zone. I knew was speeding but I didn't know I was going that fast. It's tough to judge speed when you are all alone on a long straight road with nothing but rocks earth on either side. The guy was pretty nice to me though. He wrote me up at 95 so it didn't push me into the next fine bracket.
To sum things up, the trip was the single most fulfilling thing I have ever done in my life. I strongly urge you all, if there is a trip you have been dreaming of taking, DO IT!
