Taking the first two weeks in August to Head cross country from NY to Seattle, stopping for the first time at Sturgis for a few days on the way. Plan to make time and stick to the interstate to Chicago to spend some time with family, but then looking for route suggestions from Chicago to Sturgis, and Sturgis to Seattle. Flexible on route except i'd like to make a stop at Glacier National Park. Any ideas would be appreciated: routes, towns to stop in, places to see/stay/eat?

 

i am heading to sturgis or where ever the last 2 weeks in july. i have been triing to figure out what route to take. its my first trip so want to make the best of it. have a safe and fun trip.

 

If time is a factor, it looks like Interstate 90 until you hit 287 North in Montana up to Glacier National Park.. Possibly back down to Interstate 90 to Seattle. Others my chime in with a better route from Sturgis. Use your Mapquest for possible routes.

 

You have no idea how jealous I am of your trip! I used to live in Chicago and Seattle and love both cities. If you like gyros, stop by The Works in Glenview, IL (about 30 minutes north of Chicago). I also recommend Red Mill Burgers in Seattle or Pagliacci Pizza.

As for routes, how about going from Glacier to Rainier?

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sour...,10.821533&z=7

 

US routes.

Get on google maps, google earth, whatever map site you like and look for US routes such as US 2, 12, 20, and state routes that go the length of a state.

You should not be asking to find the most whatever way to go but use this as an opportunity to explore and discover ways on your own if you have the time.

 

I love exploring. Have GPS on bike and love to just set it to avoid highways and stop for eats at little hole in the walls. Was just looking for exceptional rides along the way and maybe some stopover ideas -- using mapquest to hop on 90 is easy enough.

 

I'm heading to Colorado Springs July 1st and will leave Southern Illinois and ride up thru St. Louis to Hannibal Missouri then take U.S. 36 thru to Colorado line, then into C.S. From there heading back north into Rapid City, Sturgis, then over to Yellowstone and back into Walcott, Iowa for the truck show on the 14th and 15th, then back home.

 

Quickest way ( easiest ) Pick up 80 west, stay on 80 thru Iowa.( Take 680 which will keep you north of Omaha ). At the Iowa,Nebraska line take 29 north. Stay on 29 all the way to Sioux Falls, SD. In SF pick up 90 west across SD into Sturgis.

 

How much time do you have?

I-90 from the Black Hills to Seattle is actually a pretty nice ride. Although, if you take US 212 from Belle Fourche to Crow Agency, you'll shave an hour off your time and have a great experience riding the high plains.

The best way to get up to Glacier is to take US 287 from Three Forks to Helena, then to head towards Choteau and Browning, then to GNP. Then take US 93 down from Whitefish through the Flathead and back to I-90 at Missoula. If you have the time, go a little south of Missoula to Lolo and pick up US 12 over Lolo Pass: the famed "77 Miles of Twisties." it makes the Dragon look like a lizard. One of the best roads to ride anywhere in the country. That will take you all the way to Lewiston and from there you can work back to I-90 a couple different ways.

 

Did the exact trip in 2005, kinda! Houston to Sturgis to Seattle and down the coast to Cali and back home. The route we took from Sturgis to Seattle went like this.

Spearfish to Bella Fourche. Left on 24 to Hulett. Right on 112 to US 212. Left on 212 to Crow Agency at I-90. I-90 to Billings for an over night stay. From Billings, we took Hwy 3 (27th street) north to US Hwy 12. There we took a left on US 12 to US 89 just before White Sulpher Springs. Right on US 89 through the mountains (Get gas here). US 89 takes you up to Great Falls. We took I-15 up to Shelby to stay the night. In Shelby, we took US 2 west to Browing and got back on US89. Took US 89 north to St. Mary. In St Mary, that is the east entrance for the Going-to-the-Sun Rd. Have clothes for warmth, we caught a rainy cold front at the time crossing over Logan's Pass. Took the Rd to the West Entrance at West Glacier. Take a left on US 2 towards Kalispel. We stayed on US 2 all the way to I-5 north of Seattle. One of the places we stayed at on US 2 was in Waterville, Washington at the Waterville Hotel. Very historic place.. Wish I could post pictures that I have.