Advice for NE trip
 

I am getting info on a trip to see the New England States and want input, I have done this route on the PC so much I need guidence.....below are the cities I will go thru, I intend to stay away from large cities TOTALLY...(NYC, Philly, etc) so any places to see along this route would be considered, any places to stay away from would be grateful.....best time to go weather wise, planning to camp at KOA's all the way
leaving St Louis and returning to St Louis....thanks in advance...I have never been to many of these states.....
Chico
ay 1
St Louis, MO
Louisville, KY
Morehead, KY

Day2
Morehead, KY
Charleston, WV
Petersburg, WV
Bull Run, VA


Day 3
Bull Run, VA
Annapolis, MD
Price, MD
Middletown, DE
New Castle, DE
Biddles Landing, NJ
New Canton, NJ
Edison, NJ
Bernardsville, NJ
Suffern, NY
Plattekill, NY



Day 4
Plattekill, NY
Danbury, CT
Thompson, CT
East Douglas, MA
Millbury, MA
Amesbury, MA
Kittery, ME
Saco, ME

Day 5
Saco, ME
Dover, NH
Concord, NH
Keene, NH
Brattleboro, VT
Bennington, VT
Mechanicville, NY
Schenectady, NY
Binghamton, NY

Day 6
Binghamton, NY
Laporte, PA
New Columbia, PA
Altoona, PA
Wheeling, WV

Day7
Wheeling, WV
Buckeye Lake, OH
Terre Haute, IN

Day 8
Terre Haute, IN
Wildwood, MO

Hey raza ---- You can do better, if you want to avoid cities. Day 3 is all day in bumper-to-bumper 80 mph traffic around Wash DC, Baltimore, Wilmington, Philadelphia, through NJ, NYC --- all the way up almost all the way through CT. I know that Bernardsville NJ, etc is on 287 in NJ, but it's New York traffic --- you have no idea what you're getting into. I'd stay a whole lot west of there if I could. Do you have to go to Bull Run? If you're not on a schedule, or meeting people, I think I'd go up 81 after Petersburg. 81's pretty busy because it's one of the few north-south routes right there, but nothin' compared to DC all the way to New England, near 95. Your route back through Brattleboro, Albany/Schenectady, Binghamton, etc looks OK. On the way up, try 81 all the way to Watertown NY. Work your way east from Watertown on those great roads (route 3) toward Lake Placid, and take the ferry across Lake Champlain (at Fort Ticonderoga) into VT. (Better yet, go all the way up to Plattsburgh NY & take the ferry up there.) Then do VT, NH, and into ME that way. Once you get east of Bull Run VA, it's Wash DC. From Bull Run to Annapolis & all the way to Providence RI will be murder. I'm an outside sales rep. I've travelled these areas in the car & I wouldn't touch 'em with a 10 foot pole on my bike. Just my opinion. Hope it helps.

Thanks I am going to check it out, I have been to DC before, "Rolling Thunder", that was a mess, I am just trying to cover all the states in that area so any input is appreciated.
Thankl You

Hey Raza....I agree about altering your route coming in to stay far away from that whole NJ/NY thing. Really sucks more than you can imagine! If you stay to the north you'll not only avoid all that crap, but you also get to see one of the most scenic areas of the northeast! On the way back down, from Keene to Brattleboro, you'll be taking route 9, which is a really awesome ride! A great road, lots of climbing up through twisties...then coming down off Hogback into Wilmington there's a place right at the top to pull off. A gift shop with some really good fudge, and the views are pretty good right there. From Wilmington across to Bennington is also a good ride, but IF you have the time, it's well worth a side trip to cut down rt 8 into North Adams Ma and head east a few miles on rt 2 (The Mohawk Trail) to the top of the mountain. Gift shops, lots of views, and a really awesome hairpin turn up there! There's a restaurant right at the turn (Golden Eagle) that's really good and biker friendly. Excellent cheeseburgers! At the top (Western Summit) you can turn back from there if you want and go back down through the Hairpin Turn and then west on rt 2 into NY on the Taconic Trail! The scenic ride continues! NH and Vt both are full of spectacular rides! If you do make it up in this area, give a yell! Mrs Troll and myself will gladly ride with you awhile and show you some of the back road scenery!

Thanks I'll check it out....

Why don't you just head east on Route 50 til you see water, turn left until you see signs for Canada turn left, ride into Vermont, turn left and ride to Route 30, then turn right and ride til you get near home?! Stop for gas, food, bathroom, sleep and if ya see anything that interests you. That way, you won't have to stare at a map the whole time. Drop down to Lexington, KY and ride the Bourbon Tour.
Enjoy yourself and relax!

Having lived in several NE states I would consider thinking about Concord, MA. Nice roads and lots of American history to see (and on route 2 which, as someone mentioned is a nice road). I would not bother with Schenectady NY (imo). Saco is nice but you might like Kenebunkport (very close by but a little more scenic). Kittery is great. I would think about Watson Glen NY and driving some of the finger lakes if your route takes you that way. Mystic CT is nice. Can't go wrong, it will be a great trip, just some thoughts. Have a great time.
Pugs

2Deuce that sounds like a great ride.........pretty easy and don't need a map.....Wow!

Day 5, you gotta add NH112 (Kancamagus Hwy), Franconia Notch, Rt 16/Pinkham Notch, and ride the Mt Washington Auto Road. You really can't come all this way and miss out on these.

Click here to see what's up there: http://www.mountwashingtonautoroad.com/page-225.html

You might want to do a Google Image search on Franconia Notch too before you pass up this area.

Loads of campgrounds all around here - it's all White Mountains National Forest. This area is well worth a few days of anyone's time.

JR

Serously, you get some nice surprises riding the "old roads" Here's one I would have had no idea existed