Need Road Info

As a rule, if the road is a state route in Oregon, it's paved.

There's a lot of nice roads in Oregon, but the shortest way through Oregon, north and south, is to stay on 101 or 5.

Watch your speed in Oregon. I've seen cops pull people over for 7 over. On 101 you can usually get away with an honest 61 MPH (speed limit 55) between towns. In town, do the speed limit. My wife got pulled over for doing 70 (Speed limit 55) on Rte 42. The guy needed to take some tranquilizers to calm down.

There's a lot of little towns with one cop, one car, and it's equipped with a radar gun.

They do the, 'sit behind a sign' thing and other devious tricks. Check all on-ramps on divided highways. Check all weigh stations. They love to sit in a closed weight station and nail you. On freeways, keep an eye on the what's in the median. They also love to sit on the far side of a blind corner. The best thing is to just enjoy the scenery. Till you get to California, then open it up.

Bob Wassam

 

Or you can get pulled over for going 2 miles UNDER the limit like I did earlier this week. Fortunately I got out without a ticket or anything as the officer didn't even have his gun on, he eyeballed it....while moving....in the opposite direction. So apparently if you drive anything that's decent and not rusted out, prepare to get pulled over for doing nothing if you're under 30 y/o. (end venting)

When it comes to the highways/freeways, I wouldn't go more than 5 mph over unless there is a concrete median i.e. no place for an officer to hide. I find that they almost always hide in a grass median between northbound and southbound traffic. Rare that they're on the shoulder. A high end radar detector is an absolute requirement when driving through Oregon.

Chris

 

Not sure. I will check and have access to do so. Do you guys then go 26 to 53. It is a little longer but 53 is freshly paved no traffic, perfectly banked, 20mph turns almost the whole way. Used to ride my superbikes out that way. I would love to meet you guys on the way

 

To answer the orginal question--I don't know if it is paved.

53 is a GREAT road--worth spending a half day driving back and forth on.

Don't assume OR roads are paved. Several summers ago I took my 1 week new M3 convertible to go fly fishing on the Crooked river. Had planned a route that included a State Highway--was meeting a guide and running late--figured no problemo 80+ all the way. Turns out the road was gravel. ARGGGHHHH!

In talking to the guys oiling part of the road (double ARGGGHHHH) they said that this was the only unpaved state route in Oregon.

Bottom line--it is worth asking.

 

A girlfriend of mine who works for BPA making maps has confirmed. The road in question that runs along the Neahlem river from Jewell to US26 is fully paved. She also says it appears to be full of fun twisty turns.
Hope this helps
Mike

 

Dave: you know there's really only one way to know the answer your question: drive it yourself! Or get some crazy person who just happens to be passing through the state to check it out for you. I'll check with my navigator and see if we can't make a route through the state that includes this bit. We'll be passing through maybe sunday/monday.

 

Hey, its other name is the Fishhawk Falls Highway, so it's gotta be at least paved at each end, right? And at only 8.6 miles, who cares if its gravel?

Looks like a 1st gear road to me. Definitely not the quickest way through Oregon.

Might also check with Ray Pirtle (look in newsletter for email contact info) about what the Oregon gang are going to do for their route. He and a couple others have had some experience with the roads to CB and can offer some tips. Might also try to meet up along the way to make for an even bigger parade.

 

The road in question is paved and is spectacular... at least on a bike. A little bumpy and hairball in places but that makes it more fun, yes? Prepare for some bottoming out if you take an F-car or the like.

I've done this road and the ones around it many times on 2-wheels and am pretty sure I included it on my home-to-Seattle route when I bought my 328 in San Fran in 2002.

kie