Routes

[hjfisk]

Ok So some may know That I am planning a trip this summer, and I am looking for some route ideas from certain points .ok so we are leaving here Ma. And headed south over the SLD, and BRP, down to deals gap. That part we have a plan , it is from there to Denver I need some ideas? Out of Denver we are headed to Yellowstone , then through the Black Hills , and headed back east by way around the lakes, US side as we have no passports. The I tire trip is planed for 21 days. Any suggested route through the Midwest? We don't want to slab it anymore than nessasry ( interstates) state highways ok?

[hjfisk]

Really people, 2 days and no suggestions. Guess our Tenn, Kansas and Oklahoma members don't ride much. Just kidding , some ideas would be greatly appreciated though,since I have never been in that part of the country and have no idea what there is to see. Or where the good roads are not interstate highways. Thanks in advance

[Dogma]

What's your idea of a good road? Twisties, scenery or both? If you like both, the BRP will have you itching for speed and twisties soon enough. The speed limit on that road is a killer.

Once the BRP gets you down into NC, there is a crap-ton of choices for roads and scenery until about halfway through TN. I can recommend 19, 74, and 28 getting to the Tail of the Dragon "resort" from the Lake Junaluska area of the I40 corridor. Do the Dragon on a weekday or at the crack of dawn on a weekend (when the crazies aren't active), then double back east, past the "resort" toward Ribbinsville and find the also-famous Cherahola Skyway. I think I'd continue west from there. Depending on time, there's fun to be had a few hours North of Tellico Plains near the KY border and farther on up.

Farther west, the Ozarks are worth a look, but I'm not conversant in the roads there. From there I think I'd slab it through OK and the panhandle to get to the Rockies.

[gsgeezer]

I lived in the Zarks and always love going thru the national scenic riverways. I love CO, too.

[phydeauxmutt]

You just wanting to "get through" or you want to stop and see a few things?

Leaving the west end of Cherohala Skyway at Tellico Plains, continue west and a bit south to Chattanooga, visit Lookout Mountain. Leave Chatt going south on I-59, you can clip the corner of Georgia to say that you visited the state and color it in on your "states visited" map.

Turn west, go across the tops of Alabama and Mississippi. Huntsville, AL has a nice space center tour/museum.

If you stay at the north border, you will end up in Memphis and visit Graceland, home of Elvis Presley.

Head northwest out of Memphis on US63, head toward Walnut Ridge, pick up US412. Not a "technical" road, but most of northern Arkansas is just pleasant riding through scenic areas. Once you get west of Springdale, you may as well slab it, there is nothing to see until you get to Colorado, unless you want to swing north into Kansas and visit Dodge City.

Leaving Denver, feel free to slab it west, that section of the freeway is downright scenic. As you get past Grand Junction and Rifle, the highway is in a canyon, so it is a double-deck arrangement. Turn north at Fruita, take 139 to Dinosaur, then clip the corner of Utah so you can color in that state, too. Continue past Flaming Gorge to I-80, then west a bit to US30, then go north on US89, US189 and US191 to Yellowstone. As you go north, you are litterally just a few feet away from Idaho (hint, hint). Go north out of Yellowstone, catch a bit of Montana then go east.

Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse are on the way to the Black Hills.

After the Black Hills, there isn't much, but it would depend on your route preference. Stay north, end up in eastern Wisconsin, take the ferry across to Michigan. That will avoid Chicago, always a big plus.

Once you get east of Toledo area, northern Ohio is pretty flat until you get to Pennsylvania and New York. US6 across Pennsylvania has a bit of history. Lots of forests, rather scenic. New York will have the Finger Lakes area, but most of those roads are north/south, so you will have to skirt them on the north or south ends.

Lots of things there to make your three-week trip just a teaser, these are just a few ideas.

[hjfisk]

You just wanting to "get through" or you want to stop and see a few things?

Leaving the west end of Cherohala Skyway at Tellico Plains, continue west and a bit south to Chattanooga, visit Lookout Mountain. Leave Chatt going south on I-59, you can clip the corner of Georgia to say that you visited the state and color it in on your "states visited" map.

Turn west, go across the tops of Alabama and Mississippi. Huntsville, AL has a nice space center tour/museum.

If you stay at the north border, you will end up in Memphis and visit Graceland, home of Elvis Presley.

Head northwest out of Memphis on US63, head toward Walnut Ridge, pick up US412. Not a "technical" road, but most of northern Arkansas is just pleasant riding through scenic areas. Once you get west of Springdale, you may as well slab it, there is nothing to see until you get to Colorado, unless you want to swing north into Kansas and visit Dodge City.

Leaving Denver, feel free to slab it west, that section of the freeway is downright scenic. As you get past Grand Junction and Rifle, the highway is in a canyon, so it is a double-deck arrangement. Turn north at Fruita, take 139 to Dinosaur, then clip the corner of Utah so you can color in that state, too. Continue past Flaming Gorge to I-80, then west a bit to US30, then go north on US89, US189 and US191 to Yellowstone. As you go north, you are litterally just a few feet away from Idaho (hint, hint). Go north out of Yellowstone, catch a bit of Montana then go east.

Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse are on the way to the Black Hills.

After the Black Hills, there isn't much, but it would depend on your route preference. Stay north, end up in eastern Wisconsin, take the ferry across to Michigan. That will avoid Chicago, always a big plus.

Once you get east of Toledo area, northern Ohio is pretty flat until you get to Pennsylvania and New York. US6 across Pennsylvania has a bit of history. Lots of forests, rather scenic. New York will have the Finger Lakes area, but most of those roads are north/south, so you will have to skirt them on the north or south ends.

Lots of things there to make your three-week trip just a teaser, these are just a few ideas.

Thanks for the input, I will look these routes over. We have 8 days from the start to get to Denver, when I will be picking up my wife who will be traveling the remainder of the trip with us. So the eastern part of our trip is pretty well mapped already, it is from Tennessse west,where We need to figure out and have about 4 days to get across to Denver, from Deals Gap.
Thank You
Hjfisk

[tas850g]

Is Dale taking the trip with you? It sure sounds like a great ride. Can't say I could ride for that long on a bike though.

[hjfisk]

Is Dale taking the trip with you? It sure sounds like a great ride. Can't say I could ride for that long on a bike though.

Yes Dale is going also, we are just going to go at a mellow pace once we pick up Kathleen, it will be alittle cramped trying to take in the BRP, and the Dragon, and make Denver in 7-8 days