Product Description

This latest addition to the popular Whitehorse Motorcycle Journeys Series, features more than 30 trips following the best motorcycling roads in Washington, Oregon, Northern California, Idaho, and British Columbia, from the sweeping roads below Mt. St. Helens, to the jagged coastlines of northern California and Oregon to the desert hills of Idaho. Written by a motorcyclist, it includes full-color topographic maps and detailed directions formatted for easy reading from tank-bag map windows. Trips are designed for various riding styles, from two-up travelers sightseeing to sport riders looking to ride the curves. For the ambitious motorcyclists headed for Alaska, it includes the best motorcycle trips through British Colombia.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #55033 in Books
• Published on: 2005-08-19
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Customer Reviews

Curious distractions abound..
For a book so full of excellent detail on cities, roads, scenery, plus excellent photography, the reader's focus is systematically derailed due to chapter after chapter of oddly applied analogies.

If only the author had stayed on task, (in writing a tour guide) and tossed out the truly weak references to area rides that he says: are like smorgasbords-don't go straight for the beef; national parks are like big fair rides-ferris wheels; touring roads that are like the rooms of a house; likening historic homes in coastal towns to homely sisters, and a host of other remarks that make the reader go, "Huh?". Can't tell you how many times it forced a re-read to see what 'must' have been missed. Every time, it turned out it was just plain goofy.

One example? Pg. 94., 3rd para. the author talks of a river gorge and water cutting through it. "You can look at the dramatic torrent of water- a flow twice that of Niagara Falls-and wonder how a blind cow ever made it through alive."

Huh?

If there is a historical, regional, mythological, or folklore "cow" tale that the average reader might be too young, sheltered, or untraveled to know of, it behooves (not behoofs) the author to go the extra mile and explain. Otherwise it's goofy.

It would have been a considerably better offering without the introduction of the numerous and curious distractions. And probably easier to write (although shorter). The effort would have garnered a strong four, perhaps more, but for the wasted ink. But due to goofy asides, and the dozen or more candy coated uses of: I love it, you'll love it, bikers will love, love this road/this ride; the multiple uses of romantic/romance, picnic, ice cream, and my honey, your honey..

I can tell you Honey, a 3.5 is a fair (if not generous) call.

It's a book about the Pacific NW motorcycle rides. The reader should not be distracted by the presence of the author. Not unless he's a whole lot funnier.

A Storybook Travel Through Washington State
Bruce Hansen has written a great travel guide for the motorcycle enthusiast. It doesn't have as much about the roads as it does the places to see and visit. My wife and I have read it cover to cover and Bruce's writing style is easy to read and entertaining. I recommend it for anyone looking to find some out of the way places to visit in our fine state.

If you're looking for the best and most challenging roads for motorcycles in Washington, look no further than "Destination Highways Washington: A Motorcycle Enthusiast's Guide to the Best 346 Roads in Washington State". This is a very comprehensive collection of the curviest, most scenic, and best engineered roads, and has the best road specific details available.

Between these two books, you can't go wrong. Both are well worth reading.

not what I was looking for
This book mainly covered west of the cascade mountains. We ride harley's and I was excited to see a book that might give us some new day trips or new places to explore. If you live on the coast it might be useful but if your in the eastern part of Washington I wouldn't get it.