Sound RIDER! presents the

Café to Café Grand Tour 2012

Ride to Eat – Eat to Ride

Do you enjoy long rides on scenic roads and great food along the way? If so you’re gonna love the Café to Café Grand Tour!

Cafe to Cafe is an annual grand tour of 15 restaurants in the Northwest. The restaurants, a.k.a. "targets" change each year. Riders are provided a list of the 15 restaurants and may ride to each of the targets anytime they like between April 1st and September 30th (spring & summer). Once there, all that's needed is a photo of the rider with their bike and signage in the background identifying the location. You'll email your photos in as per the guidelines in your registration package.

Those completing the entire list of 15 locations are awarded a special plaque to certify their bragging rights. Dining at the locations earn riders bonus points toward special prizes that are passed out during the annual awards banquet held each October at Cafe Veloce in Kirkland, Washington. You'll send your bonus point receipts to us in September through the US Mail.

Included in the list of 15 restaurants are details about nearby roads and scenery worth a ride and/or look while the rider is in the area. While not necessary, these tips make the ride that much more worthwhile.

ANYONE with a street legal motorcycle, motorcycle endorsement and insurance specific to their bike (required by Oregon and Idaho state law) can participate in the Cafe to Cafe Grand Tour. Over the years hundreds of individuals have participated. The event also makes for good competition internally among members within riding clubs that enjoy high mileage adventure and fun road games. The tour is also a favorite with riders participating in other grand tours at the same time, such as the Dam Tour.

Above: Frank Leonard, #11023, hopped the ski lift up Crystal Mountain to nail this target during the 2011 tour.

To play, simply register online using the link below. Once your registration is received you will be sent a number card via US Mail and the list of this year's restaurants. If you're participating in other Sound RIDER! events this year, these locations are noted by event so you can hit them while on the route.

About the 2012 Tour

This year, the 15 cafes and restaurants are scattered throughout the Northwest in Washington, Oregon, Idaho—and we even put a favorite in Canada because the place is to die for. Each location has been selected in conjunction with the editors from our sister publication, Seattle DINING!, based on food quality, location and proximity to great riding roads.

You're allowed six months to complete all 15 stops. You can squeeze them in while you’re out on other rides, or simply start riding to them once you’ve received your registration package.

You may submit your photos as often as you like throughout the spring and summer, and a tally will be updated online here each month.

The tour is once again sanctioned through the American Motorcyclist Association as part of the national Grand Tour series. You do not need to be an AMA member to play, although we think the mebership is a pretty good deal when you consider they provide free towing.

New this year - a number of stops are offering discounts when you dine which will surely offset part or all of the $30 registration fee!

So update your passport, prep your bike, pack your touring gear and hit the road on the Cafe to Cafe Grand Tour. It may just be the best one yet!

Above - The Roast Crown Breast of Chicken served up at target #10
on the 2011 tour was a favorite among the players.

CLICK HERE to order your registration package now!

"Great places that I wouldn't have gone to on my own." - Doug Ellett #10068

"Where do you find out about these fantastic places? The food is awesome and the roads are great!" - Brian Lipscy #10055

2012 NEWS & UPDATES

• 5/15 - Current Standings have been posted!
• 5/13 - When we selected #4, we did so based on the Mexican food there. They have since added pizza which one rider has noted is not so great. Stick with the Mexican fare.
• 3/21 - Note that this year we are getting discounts and specials for riders when they make their stops. Please check in here before you ride so you can take full advantage. Discounts are listed to the right in this section. Your playing card will be required to get these discounts.
• 3/15 Registration is open
• 3/15 Please remember, all receipts must be mailed via the US Mail this year. Scanned receipt copies sent via email will not be accepted. Please wait until September to mail ALL your receipts in at once. The team thanks you.
• 3/15 It's early in the game. Check the weather and road conditions before you ride. No one ever won an award for being the first to finish all 15 and never will. Take your time, get it right the first time and enjoy!

"Thanks for putting this on. I have been on lots of these types of photo tours in the past but this is the first one that my wife has been excited about accompanying me on. We won't likely make it to all of them but we'll sure have fun getting to the ones we can."