A collection of welcoming accommodations
Seeking to provide our readers with a pleasurable and unique riding experience, Thunder Press has assembled several biker-friendly places of lodging. And while often “biker friendly” actually translates into “motorcycle tolerant,” we believe these establishments have proven themselves to be businesses where you can truly enjoy the chance to plant both your kickstand and your body. Often owned and operated by riders, these lodgings were selected either through personal experience of the Thunder Press staff or the recommendations of other riders.
We have divided the U.S. into four sections that roughly correspond to North America’s time zones. First up was the Eastern Zone followed by Central, and then Mountain. For this final installment we cover the Pacific Zone from the North Cascades down to the southern Nevada/California border.
Enjoy your stay!
Riverwood Inn, Phillipsville, California
Located directly on Avenue of the Giants, a popular touring road in the Redwoods, the Riverwood Inn is a favorite stop for bikers. The inn has operated as a roadhouse since 1937, and offers a full bar with music on most weekends, a Mexican restaurant, and five reasonably-priced rooms, each with a private bath. Indoor locked bike parking is available as well. The inn, located six miles north of Garberville, is open all year round. theriverwoodinn.com
Longstreet Inn, Casino & RV Resort, Amargosa Valley, Nevada
The Longstreet Inn, Casino & RV Resort was named after Andrew Jackson Longstreet, a gunfighter and renegade who was, in his later years, well respected by the settlers in that area, and you can still visit the remains of his nearby home. The inn, with its 60 newly-renovated rooms and 51 RV spots, has numerous amenities including two full-service restaurants, a 24-hour bar with live entertainment, a casino, mini mart, gift shot, and outdoor pool and hot tub. But we consider the Longstreet’s best feature its proximity to Death Valley National Park, Ash Meadows, and Area 51 Alien Center. longstreetcasino.com
DiamondStone Guest Lodges, La Pine, Oregon
This rural resort offers a lodge in the midst of beautiful, serene countryside and is suitable for groups, couples, or solo travelers. DiamondStone is surrounded by fabulous riding roads, and the lodge also hosts MotoFantasy, a motorcyclist’s dream riding experience. You can ride your own bike or rent one of theirs and take one or more of the suggested rides along the Cascade Lakes Scenic Highway, Crooked River, Umpqua River, or explore some of many mountain passes, gorges, lakes, reservoirs, and national parks in the area. You can also reserve space for a MotoFantasy tour, either pre-packaged or custom created just for you. diamondstone.com and motofantasy.net
Sun Mountain Lodge, Winthrop, Washington
This four-season resort is pricier than the rest of the lodging we’ve covered in this piece, but we feel that a getaway where you’re living—and touring—in the lap of luxury is well worth the extra scratch. The Dining Room at Sun Mountain Lodge has earned a four-star rating from AAA, the wine cellar has received numerous awards, and every restaurant at the resort is farm-to-table, with most fresh produce grown right in the Methow Valley. There is a nice selection of rooms available, featuring furniture also created in the Methow Valley, and the Lodge’s sister resort, the Patterson Lake Resort right down the road, offers a beach with swimming and various other watersports. The Lodge is situated 10 miles from the North Cascades Highway, known as one of the best motorcycling roads in the U.S. Sun Mountain Lodge hosts exotic car clubs and motorcycle groups, and also offers all-inclusive weekend packages. sunmountainlodge.com
Konkolville Motel, Orofino, Idaho
In the midst of five national forests, all well within a day’s ride, the Konkolville Motel offers fabulous motorcycle touring in every direction, with the region listed as one of the top 10 riding areas in the country. The motel is a few miles off Highway 12, and is extremely biker friendly. Past guests have created a flyer detailing several incredible riding routes, and the family-owned motel offers amenities like a heated outdoor pool, hot tub, and the use of a guest kitchen for groups. The Konkolville is known for its grill-your-own steak dinners available every night except Sunday. And on June 28-29, 2019, the motel will be hosting its 6th annual Konkolville Steak & Potato Motorcycle Rally, so make your reservations now! konkolvillemotel.com
(Much gratitude and appreciation to Robert Filla for kicking off and writing the majority of the pieces in this series – Shadow)
