Wisconsin to Albuquerque - Need Ideas
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Road Master
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 910
Likes: 115
From: Elk Mound, WI
Wisconsin to Albuquerque - Need Ideas
Good morning everyone. I am 5 weeks away from a 2 week ride from Wisconsin to Albuquerque. I have yet to make a final decision on a route but my plan is to take 4 days to get there and 4 days to come home - I'll be spending 7 days in the middle with my wife and kids who are flying down and will meet me the day I arrive - or at least that's the plan. I'll certainly be riding around the area while I'm down there but my in-laws are there and they ride, so I should have a good tour guide while I'm there. I'm planning to ride about 300 miles per day which isn't too bad. That should give me a little time to stop and smell the roses along the way.
What I'm looking for is some insight as to what routes are the best and what sights I just have to see. My plan is to stay off the interstates as much as possible but stay on roads that are good riders. I would also like to bypass any MAJOR cites. I have no interest in driving through heavy traffic areas. I want to enjoy as much of the ride as I can and running around in stop and go traffic isn't my idea of a good time.
Please provide your thoughts. This next 5 weeks is going to drag on and on and on and on.........
What I'm looking for is some insight as to what routes are the best and what sights I just have to see. My plan is to stay off the interstates as much as possible but stay on roads that are good riders. I would also like to bypass any MAJOR cites. I have no interest in driving through heavy traffic areas. I want to enjoy as much of the ride as I can and running around in stop and go traffic isn't my idea of a good time.
Please provide your thoughts. This next 5 weeks is going to drag on and on and on and on.........
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 20,530
Likes: 2,305
From: texas panhandle
Riding across the great plains states is miles and miles of the same miles. Pick your poison and cross them from east to west in one day. I would think you could take in some of Colorado in five weeks.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 44,805
Likes: 29,745
From: PNW
The problem is, between you and Denver there aren't a lot of roses to stop and smell. When heading west, I usually bee-line it towards the continental divide to get to the more interesting stuff. Not that there isn't interesting stuff in Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas, but it's a different kind of interesting than many motorcyclists are looking for.
You could consider doing a Rt 66 thing if that's of interest to you. Of course it would only be a partial route. That could eat up 4 days.
Weather is also a factor. I would say head straight to the mountains and then ride the passes down to NM, which is a great ride. But, they are still skiing on those mountains so I doubt it will be rider friendly in 5 weeks.
You could also run down to the Ozarks and then west. Do a Mississippi River ride until Galena then find solid (read as boring, but direct) 2 lane to St Louis, then 2 lane down to the Talimena, then west to NM through OK and TX. I don't have routes around there but I do know routes to OK. JMRoadglide and RobertWY probably could shed some light from there.
You could consider doing a Rt 66 thing if that's of interest to you. Of course it would only be a partial route. That could eat up 4 days.
Weather is also a factor. I would say head straight to the mountains and then ride the passes down to NM, which is a great ride. But, they are still skiing on those mountains so I doubt it will be rider friendly in 5 weeks.
You could also run down to the Ozarks and then west. Do a Mississippi River ride until Galena then find solid (read as boring, but direct) 2 lane to St Louis, then 2 lane down to the Talimena, then west to NM through OK and TX. I don't have routes around there but I do know routes to OK. JMRoadglide and RobertWY probably could shed some light from there.
Last edited by nevada72; Apr 11, 2013 at 09:47 AM.
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,232
Likes: 4
From: Albuquerque, New Mexico
I'm with Nevada72.
The mountain weather might be tricky, but you can always divert if you have to.
Riding through the CO mountains I've hit freezing rain, snow, sleet and hail in
AUGUST so <shrug>....
If you do decide to go through the mountains and then head South, come down
through areas like Durango, Pagosa Springs, Chama, Taos, etc. and have good
rain and cold weather gear you can change into if needed. Also be aware that
it can be a long way between gas stations out here so tank up early and often.
Enjoy the ride!
The mountain weather might be tricky, but you can always divert if you have to.
Riding through the CO mountains I've hit freezing rain, snow, sleet and hail in
AUGUST so <shrug>....
If you do decide to go through the mountains and then head South, come down
through areas like Durango, Pagosa Springs, Chama, Taos, etc. and have good
rain and cold weather gear you can change into if needed. Also be aware that
it can be a long way between gas stations out here so tank up early and often.
Enjoy the ride!
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 562
Likes: 21
From: Arlington, TX
You could also run down to the Ozarks and then west. Do a Mississippi River ride until Galena then find solid (read as boring, but direct) 2 lane to St Louis, then 2 lane down to the Talimena, then west to NM through OK and TX. I don't have routes around there but I do know routes to OK. JMRoadglide and RobertWY probably could shed some light from there.
http://txharleyrider.com/trips/ark10...2-day-2/#/5/37
From the west end of the Talimena drive, you may as well bite the bullet and head west on I-40 through the rest of Oklahoma and Texas. There's not much to look at except flat straight roads all the way to Albuquerque. Oklahoma does offer a little more varied terrain than west Texas. I know very well from where I live in Texas (Arlington, DFW area) that it's sorta like riding on your kitchen table from here to Albuquerque, which is over 600 miles. At least from around Tucumcari to Albuquerque you can see mountains in the distance.
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Road Master
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,232
Likes: 4
From: Albuquerque, New Mexico
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