Planning a big trip next Summer and could use a few recommendations on routes ,roads. So I live outside of Boston next June I'm riding to Pittsburgh to meet a buddy then we are riding to Colorado spending a week cruising the Rockies Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. I lived in Colorado for a while so that part I'm set on. The ride back we want to go south instead straight east. So I'm looking for suggestions for awesome roads in Texas , Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi etc. We are defiantly hitting the Dragon's tail on our way back up North. The Trip back we plan on spending 5-7 days. We are not afraid of putting Miles on the bikes so all suggestions are Welcome and Thanks for any help.

 

http://www.motorcycleroads.com/


http://www.motorcycleroads.us/index.html


search these and string a few roads together.


btw it's a big country - you'll be on the interstate a lot if you plan on coming back from Colorado in a week. I took route 6 thru PA and it took two 10-11 hour days to get to OH. But I was taking my time, stopping to see the sights, eating at slow food joints.

 

Not knocking the far south, but I wouldn't head down into Louisiana, Mississippi, etc. Not that great of roads imo, unless there is something you want to see. When you leave Colorado and head east, you will find more good roads in northern Arkansas, Missiouri, Tennessee, and North Carolina than you can do in 5 weeks much less 5-7 days on your way home. Not much in Kansas/Oklahoma to look at either (well there is a little in eastern Oklahoma).


Here is what I may look at doing: leave Colorado and blast east to about Tulsa, Ok. area. That's where the good riding will start. From there, something along the lines of a route that will take you through: In Oklahoma: Talimena Scenic byway. In Arkansas: Hot Springs, Fayetteville, Eureka Springs/Harrison (you could spend a day riding some awesome roads in this area), North Carolina/Tennessee: sounds like you already have some stuff planned for that area.

 

Thanks folks for the info so far and I don't mind Interstate travel to get to where I'm going. We are doing the trip out to Colorado in 2 and a half days just to get there 2,000 plus for me I've done 900 miles in 15 hours before.

 

I lived in Georgia for over 20 years and got to ride much of the south all the way to AZ.

With that said, and not to rain on your ride or be disrespectful of those that live in the deep south now, I really didn't enjoy much of the riding there.

Louisiana has, IMHO, the worse roads anywhere. And that's saying something living here now in the NE with our road-destroying winters.

Mississippi and Alabama aren't much better for conditions. But staying away from the urban areas are generally more pleasant.

And the gulf states have weather issues during the summers. VERY humid (read some days the dew never dries), hot, and sticky with some violent storms. Do not plan on wearing dark jeans either. The sun can beat down so bad that you might very well end up with 1st degree burns on your legs.

Again, I know I sound like a real stick-in-the-mud but just sharing my decades of experience riding that area of the country during the summer.

So, pick a couple places you might want to see, route near HD dealers in case one of those bad roads does a number on your bike, and enjoy as best you can.

 

As others have said, stay out of Louisiana. Roads just suck, there's no other way to describe it. Talimena Drive from Eastern OK to Arkansas is pretty. That'll feed up to AR23 (The Pig Trail). That's very nice. For some miles you're riding through a tunnel of trees. Almost any road in NW AR is worth riding. South Texas has The Three Sisters in the Hill Country. That puts you pretty far South. But I'm not buying for a minute that the heat will give you first degree burns on a hot day. It gets hot, but not that hot. Hope this helps.

David

 

If you're heading east through the Dragon, when you get to the end of the Dragon turn left on the Moonshiner 28. Take 28 to 19, and ride 19 to Maggie Valley. Make a stop at the Wheels Through Time motorcycle museum. Then you can head for the Rattler, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Snake, Little Switzerland, Roan Mountain State Park, or whatever interests you.

On a final note, assuming that you're approaching NC from the West, I would recommend that you go through Tellico Plains, TN and ride the Cherohala Skyway to Robbinsville, NC. Turn left on 129 to go to the Dragon. If you turn around and ride the Dragon back East, you could still do the Moonshiner 28 and Maggie Valley that I mentioned previously. I enjoy the Cherohala way more than the Dragon. To me the Dragon is just a checklist ride to say you've done it.

 

Sunny, hot day in July in LA and a female rider on her own Sporty with a group of us was wearing black jeans. She kept complaining that she wasn't feeling well so we pulled over.

She threw up then passed out. Medics were called and they transported her to a hospital in Montgomery.

They found she was overheated, dehydrated, and had light red burns to her upper thighs. Per the medical people..."probably from the black jeans absorbing too much heat..."

 

I agree 100%

 

All Info is appreciated the good, bad and ugly. Would rather have honest opinions about bad roads and places to avoid so our time is better spent on the good ones. And on another note it's 60 and sunny here in eastern Mass so I'm taken the King out while I can. Have a great Weekend.