trip advice
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 152
Likes: 33
From: Mich.
trip advice
Looking for some trip ideas from members. Have a group of 5 to 9 bikes and we are looking for some ideas for a ride next summer sometime in June. Group will be coming from different areas but plan to meet up around Chicago. Looking at 9 days total so looking at 2 to 3 days to get to an area than ride for 3 or 4 and then head back. Thinking about heading in the direction of Kentucky, Tennessee area. Anyone have any thoughts on riding around this area? Would prefer to make some sort of loop. Looking for a nice scenic type ride away from freeway riding as much as possible. 300 to 400 a day max riding if possible. Minus getting there, willing to push a little harder to get to an area. Open to other areas as well if someone has an idea, but have rode a lot out west and around Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota. So looking for something new. South sounds nice. Thanks for any ideas and thoughts you can give me for the next adventure.
Ozzy
Ozzy
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 157,462
Likes: 57,018
From: Michigan 15 Minutes East Of Hell
Western North Carolina is great riding ... great people too Many will chime in with suggestions ... Been there several times and will go again ... last time we rented a 4 bedroom place ( be sure they have a paved driveway ) for the week and it was one of the better trips I've taken in my ( over ) 50 years on two wheels
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 755
Likes: 57
From: St. Augustine, FL
I go to the area 2-3 times a year. Been through Kentucky, but never any extended riding there. Western NC/Eastern TN is great riding. Do the Dragon once just to get the t-shirt and say you've been there, but it's more for the crotch rocket crowd (in my opinion, anyway). Cherohala Skyway is a nice ride and will be a good gateway ride for you guys since you're coming from up north. Just set your GPS for Tellico Plains, TN. Once you're out of the Cherohala, you can shoot over to the Dragon, then work your way back south past the Fontana Dam and hit the Topton, NC area. There are some great roads there with beautiful lake views in Nantahala National Forest. After that you can shoot over and jump on the Blueridge Parkway around Cherokee. Maggie Valley is a big biker destination and one of my favorite places since childhood. Make sure to visit the Wheels Through Time museum while you're there. It's an awesome experience. You can actually do a lot of great riding in this area with 3-4 days. I'll probably be there in June also. Great time to ride up there.
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 604
Likes: 64
From:
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,908
Likes: 7,592
From: NH
I go to the area 2-3 times a year. Been through Kentucky, but never any extended riding there. Western NC/Eastern TN is great riding. Do the Dragon once just to get the t-shirt and say you've been there, but it's more for the crotch rocket crowd (in my opinion, anyway). Cherohala Skyway is a nice ride and will be a good gateway ride for you guys since you're coming from up north. Just set your GPS for Tellico Plains, TN. Once you're out of the Cherohala, you can shoot over to the Dragon, then work your way back south past the Fontana Dam and hit the Topton, NC area. There are some great roads there with beautiful lake views in Nantahala National Forest. After that you can shoot over and jump on the Blueridge Parkway around Cherokee. Maggie Valley is a big biker destination and one of my favorite places since childhood. Make sure to visit the Wheels Through Time museum while you're there. It's an awesome experience. You can actually do a lot of great riding in this area with 3-4 days. I'll probably be there in June also. Great time to ride up there.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,908
Likes: 7,592
From: NH
Well looking at googlemaps a few minutes ago makes me realize that coming out of Chicago your choices are pretty good for time allotted ---- Eureka Springs is a nice choice---West Virginia is another nice choice and of course Tn/NC/Ga area is great------you can,t go wrong with any of these choices----good luck choosing
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Club Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,812
Likes: 3,810
From: Cape Cod
Again......western NC cant be beat........got a friend that has a B&B in Maggie valley.......awesome area with some great riding the Smokies........Wheels Through Time is a fav spot.......Tail of the Dragon....Blue Ridge Parkway........
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Head west, of course. If you have never been to Sturgis June is a great time of year.
Chicago to Rapid City. 2 days.
Black Hills/ Custer Park / Mt. Rushmore, Badlands, etc. You can spend 3 days riding there.
Spearfish SD to Little Bighorn MT. To Casper WY Spend night.
Casper WY to Medicine Bow to Granby CO. Hwy 34 through Rocky Mountain National Park to Estes Park CO. Spend night.
Estes Park to Loveland, CO to Cheyenne, WY. And Chicago. I-80. 2 days
Other suggestion to head east Tenn, KY, NC are also excellent. Mammoth Caves Kentucky is a must do.
You might look at Roanoke Virginia and up Shenandoah, Thomas Jeffersons plantation Monticello east of Charlottesville is one of my favorites.
Chicago to Rapid City. 2 days.
Black Hills/ Custer Park / Mt. Rushmore, Badlands, etc. You can spend 3 days riding there.
Spearfish SD to Little Bighorn MT. To Casper WY Spend night.
Casper WY to Medicine Bow to Granby CO. Hwy 34 through Rocky Mountain National Park to Estes Park CO. Spend night.
Estes Park to Loveland, CO to Cheyenne, WY. And Chicago. I-80. 2 days
Other suggestion to head east Tenn, KY, NC are also excellent. Mammoth Caves Kentucky is a must do.
You might look at Roanoke Virginia and up Shenandoah, Thomas Jeffersons plantation Monticello east of Charlottesville is one of my favorites.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 9,689
Likes: 7,251
From: Syracuse,NY
I go to the area 2-3 times a year. Been through Kentucky, but never any extended riding there. Western NC/Eastern TN is great riding. Do the Dragon once just to get the t-shirt and say you've been there, but it's more for the crotch rocket crowd (in my opinion, anyway). Cherohala Skyway is a nice ride and will be a good gateway ride for you guys since you're coming from up north. Just set your GPS for Tellico Plains, TN. Once you're out of the Cherohala, you can shoot over to the Dragon, then work your way back south past the Fontana Dam and hit the Topton, NC area. There are some great roads there with beautiful lake views in Nantahala National Forest. After that you can shoot over and jump on the Blueridge Parkway around Cherokee. Maggie Valley is a big biker destination and one of my favorite places since childhood. Make sure to visit the Wheels Through Time museum while you're there. It's an awesome experience. You can actually do a lot of great riding in this area with 3-4 days. I'll probably be there in June also. Great time to ride up there.