WHAT’S BETTER THAN MOTORBIKE RIDING AND CAMPING ALONG THE BIG SUR COASTLINE? Not too much. On the other hand, I’m one for riding and camping anywhere with mountains and lots of twisty roads. No matter, this roller-coaster motorcycle ride is fabulous entertainment on a grand scale. The Pacific Ocean and the jagged, scenic cliffs falling away from the Santa Lucia Mountains are fine frosting on a tremendously tasty riding treat.

Whether you want to enjoy the camping part or not, you should make a point to ride up, down, around and along this 90 miles (or so), of California Highway 1 and the adjoining Los Padres National Forest.

Oh! Depending upon where you are going to or from, when leaving or approaching the Big Sur region, there is a much less known way to further stretch your riding enjoyment. The western terminus of California State Route 58 intersects California Highway 101. This chunk of 58 and its twisty asphalt (between the 101 and about 70 miles or so east before it connects up with California State Route 33), boasts more and more scenic beauty and impressive geological features, such as the San Andreas Fault. If you prefer your riding pleasures to be rarely interrupted by other vehicles, 58 goes through such a sparsely populated area that even on the Fourth of July weekend there was remarkably little traffic. And it’s so curvy that few trucks traverse it at anytime. It’s a magnificent ride all by itself, and because it’s somewhat in the shadow of its internationally famed Big Sur brother, it’s not nearly as well known.

Here’s the scoop:

The US Department of Transportation recognizes certain chunks of motorcycle-riding splendor for their archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and/or scenic qualities and calls them “National Scenic Byways.”

If that’s not an enticing enough list of soul-fulfilling riding destinations, they then take that list and isolate a number that are the MOST scenic and those are called “All-American Roads.” Stated differently, these are America’s “A list” motorcycle destinations for sport-touring riders. All-American Roads include destinations such as:

♦ Big Sur Coast Highway

♦ Beartooth Highway

♦ Blue Ridge Parkway

♦ San Juan Skyway

In fact, check out the whole list of America’s Byways

You can also request an America’s Byways Map which will be mailed to you at no charge. (Alas, it’s only for folks in North America).

What’s your favorite byway?

Some of the simplest pleasures in life include the sublime enjoyment of riding along scenic, rural roads with the engine pulsing a relaxing note of harmony with the surrounding world and a rider’s soul.

My favorite roads include ribbons of asphalt and/or dirt through National Parks in the United States and Canada, as well as byways that head through U.S. National Forests all over this great land, and plenty of lesser known roads that were merely squiggly little lines on various maps throughout North America that summoned my acquaintance.

Of course all the roads that comprise the National Scenic Byway system are at the top of my favorite riding experiences.

It’s very difficult, at least for me, to isolate any one favorite road, but since I tend to visit local roads more regularly than those on the other side of the continent, I’m quite fond to re-visit again and again Pacific coastal roads, including Pacific Coast Highway 1 through the Big Sur region of California, as well as the various California central-coastal region roads that wander through mountains, forests, lakes, rivers, all in addition to the ocean. Having said that, the road that I get to enjoy the most, because it is so close to where I live, is California Route 33: Ongoing Motorbike Marriage, and the network of roads that cross it.

However, I’m more interested in YOUR favorite roads! Add your favorite roads below. (And if I haven’t ridden your favorite one yet, I’m going to contemplate it for my future, and I bet others who read this will, too).

VERY BIG NATIONAL PARK

This weekend kicked off my 2009 touring season with an annual trek to Death Valley National Park, and back to the Pacific Ocean.

This trip was only an 800 mile adventure, and, as usual, included a lot of great roads (in and out of the park). It’s also the first motorbike camping I usually do for the year.

This was the earliest I’ve enjoyed the big park, which is the largest National Park in the lower 48 States, at 5,262 square miles. (That’s about the size of the State of Connecticut).

This trip there were not as many motorbikes visible. I’m not sure if that’s a reflection of the economy, inspiring less travel, or simply that it wasn’t quite warm enough yet. Although the main valley floor was very comfortable (in the lower 70 degrees), for any riders going up and down through the mountain ranges (in and outside of the park), there were some chilly points among the snow-covered peaks!

THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

The warmest point in the main valley is the Badwater basin, which is the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level. However, the Pantamint Mountain Range, which represents the western edge of Death Valley itself, with its Telescope Peak (11,043 feet), is the highest point in the park.

To put that in perspective, the summit of Telescope Peak rises 11,331 feet above the floor of Death Valley in about 15 miles, so it’s a steep crust of the planet.

But let’s not forget that just west of the park is Mt. Whitney (14,505 feet), which is the highest point in the lower 48 states.

The point is that there is a lot of up and down and twisty riding navigating over all the mountain passes that typify this chunk of the continent called the American West.

If this season progresses per norm, very soon, I expect the few paved roads will be teeming with every kind of street bike, and the 600+ miles of dirt roads will be kicking up dust from all manner of dual-purpose bikes. (Only street legal motor vehicles allowed in the park, which rules out pure dirt bikes).

Among the bikes that were present this weekend, the majority were brought in by truck or trailer as evidenced by the lack of gear on the bikes, and by the encampments of RVs with nearby motorcycles.

SCENIC MARTIAN LANDSCAPE

Most of Death Valley National Park is not accessible by road, especially paved roads. Which means that riding along the main asphalt – CA State Route 190 and Route 178 – offers an appearance of infinite desolation in every direction. Surrounding the up and down twisties, strung together with several long straight-aways, are rugged, multi-colored mountains, canyons, desert floors, rocks and sparse vegetation: with rare signs of civilization.

On the one hand it’s like spending a few days in some primal Martian landscape, except that the road itself is in good shape and, unlike most other National Parks, I’ve never found the roads congested.

On the other hand, the few accommodations within the park can be booked solid anytime from fall to spring, even if the roads do not reflect the typical tourist congestion of say, Yellowstone or Yosemite National Parks in the west, or Shenandoah National Park in the east.

TENT CAMPING IN HIGH WINDS

Tent camping on this trip featured some unusually loud, strong and persistent winds in the evening: The desert winds flogged my tent mercilessly.

By the time midnight rolled around, the winds were gone and I walked out to the desert to enjoy the infinite silence.

Even with only half a moon shining, the valley and mountainous region were well illuminated, and the tremendous landscape was as readily enjoyed as during the day, and yet with a unique quiescence than only a nighttime desert may proffer.

ENCHANTING MOTORCYCLE RIDING JEWEL

Death Valley National Park not only is an enchanting place all of its own, it is a remarkably compelling and enjoyable jewel of pleasure for any motorbike riders. Just don’t visit in the summer, lest you be distracted by the driest and hottest heat you’ll encounter anywhere in North America.

By the way, California State Route 190 is deserving of special note since the section within the park, known as Death Valley Scenic Byway, is part of the National Scenic Byway system, which means it’s among the roads that the United States Department of Transportation has recognized as the most ideal for motorcycle riders traveling in the United States (although they word it a little differently).