2 questions for a road trip from Chicago to Dallas.

Friends from Chicago are planning to visit me in Dallas. They want to see the best stuff and find the best roads. HD ride planner has issues with the site currently. Any ideas?

They want to hit the Ozarks. Either using I44 out of St Louis. or using US55 out of St Louis. What do you think? Pros/Cons

Also any cool place to hit along the way in Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma

 

No one??

 

In AR look for the Talamina Pkwy

 

Not much scenery here in Louisiana, but we got plenty of casinos that would love to take their money. Also they can't very well come to the south without trying some boiled crawfish out. ;-) I have traveled Arkansas to some extent and found that Hwy 7 and Hwy 9 are fun roads on a scoot and I think theres beautiful scenery. Unfortunately they are both a little out of the way for your friends.

 

Nobody can plan their trip for them.

Your friends should (themselves) study large scale maps covering all the National Forests and the secondary roads which take them through hilly country and close to lakes and tributaries, selecting secondary routes which avoid most of the major cities and turnpikes. They can navigate as they discover the nature of the routes they have chosen, revising as they go, stopping often at mom & pop type joints and places of interest. Stay away from the super-slab and all the tourist attractions--Ride free. Have an adventure.

If they are too timid to shoot from the hip, or they're in a hurry, tough luck for them.

 

There's not a lot to see on that route.

I-44 roughly parallels what was Route 66, but unless they're really interested in Route 66, it's no big deal.

The first real chance for a scenic ride would be to break off I-44 near Joplin and go south through the Eureka Springs, AR area on US71. There's a very scenic run in the mountains there called the "Pig Trail" which you can read all about by searching the forums. If they can spend an extra day or two in the Fayetteville area it would be well worth it.

I-55 south of St Louis should be avoided for the most part.

 

A slow, pleasant, back road ride... get to DesMoines then go S and pick up 63. 63 will go S through central Iowa and central Mo all the way to Rolla. From Rolla jump over to 71S. 71 S through western Ar is great in Spring and Fall.