Last Year,from Wisc., I went down to Colorado & spent the weekend by friends in Denver. Then rode the Million Dollar hwy.(highly recommended) then to Masa Verde,on to Grand Canyon(n.rim) up to Zion N.P. & Bryce canyon. Cut north through Utah up to Wyoming then back east to Mount Rushmore & Crazy Horse. From there I headed home.Those were the highlights but I did the whole trip in 13 days. Three of those days were spent in Denver so I was on the bike 10 days. I seen alot of beautful scenery on that trip-everything from Mountains to desert.
Just my recommendation but it sure was a great ride.
Oh ya.........did on my 09 train.

 

Kiz,
Here are my thoughts:
First off, I've lived in Rapid City for 5yrs in the 90's. I live in N. GA now (close to NC and TN). I spent last summer (60 days) riding through CO,NM,UT,MT,ID,SD.
In reference to having 9days avail to ride, there are basically TWO TYPES of riders...those who revel in ending their day 400+ miles away from where they started OR those who seek out 'destination roads'.
For a 9day plan to reach FL or San Diego (from MN) you must be one of the FORMER riders...the long, fast highway miles and wonderful scenery observed along the way making for a great ride. The latter rider is looking for the scenic parkways through the mountains, maybe clocking 250 miles today, but stopping in a nice place with some hours of daylight avail to enjoy the local cafe's and people.
I am of the latter persuasion and I think your idea to do the Black Hills is a great one. Your group could easily spend 3days riding locally (I did 5days there last summer) and rarely see the same road twice. Someone else mentioned heading W from there to Yellowstone as well...and the Beartooth Pkwy (MT) ...if you get bored. Great idea AND the BEST road of the entire West (Beartooth).
That plan has the added benefit of being flexible, a FL ride would not. If you love the Hills, stay there. If you've seen enough, head to Yellowstone. I tell you it is PLENTY warm in western SD by June, no problem. I am assuming you have not been there? If you haven't, it should be high up on your list.
Tied for first, though, is coming down to TN/NC and doing what many riders only dream of...the Dragon, Blue Ridge, Cherohala Skyway, Hellbender, Moonshiner, Smokey Mtn Pkwy, etc. Yes, some of these roads sound like the names of amusement park roller-coasters...and the BEST part about that is that they ARE just like riding roller-coasters!
The riding in TN/NC/N. GA is really just incredible...I put it a little above the SD experience I have.
You won't get the great cities, or oceans with either of my suggestions, but the riding will be incredible either way. If that's what you're after, you've got my two cents.
Enjoy and be safe!

 

I agree. NE would be some really nice riding the time of year that you're going. The Blue Ridge Parkway to the Keys would be nice too but below Atlanta until you get to the Keys would be kind of boring unless you plot out a good route other than interstate. Also the Keys and back would be a lot of riding for 8 or 9 days.

 

Since I can't figure out how to insert the link that includes the route I have mapped out, here is a crappy picture I took of my computer screen with me cell phone. I know that this trip would be definitely ambitious (closing in on 4300 miles in 8 days).. But there are countless sites to be seen throughout the trip, and as long as the day is broken into morning and afternoon riding, there should be no reason why it is not feasible. With stops at Mount Rushmore, the Badlands, Las Vegas, Pacific Ocean, the Mojave Desert, Grand Canyon (if time), as well as several National Parks, National Forests, National Monuments.... I think that this ride would ultimately be a once in a lifetime deal with all of the guys. (Of course they would have to be on board). Here is the picture of the route. (I had a whole itinerary typed up in the message box here, but it took me so long that by the time I wanted to submit it, my login had timed out. Caused me to have to redo the whole thing so I said F-it and gave you this short little excerpt. lol). Ok, now the picture:

 

If you're heading southwest then Zion National Park should be on your list...then it's just a little over two hours to Vegas with some good interstate to take you there and pretty scenery most of the way...just moved from there a few months ago

 

Kizzle....Thats a very ambitious trip & by the looks of it alot of interstate. Seems to me your streatching yourself & your friends way to thin. Your talking about 530+ miles a day-thats o.k. if you just want to get some place but to average that for the full trip is way to much-MY opinion. Of course you do what you & your group want but for me,with only 8-9 days,I would scale back abit on the miles & pick a few special places & do that instead. Once again-just my 2cents worth.

 

Ambitious is definitely what I thought of when I started making the route, planning the overnight stops, etc. I just cannot see spending 8 days in the Black Hills area. Seems to me that I can see much more of the country in 8 days than just what I can see in a 4 day weekend. The way that these guys roll, they may be banking on spending a lot of time sitting in the bar getting blasted. Something I don't do (since I don't drink anymore). But the name of my game IS ambitious. I rarely get summer time vacation, due to the nature of my job.. Just was looking to take advantage of having the 8 days off.

Like I said, I have to get together with all of the guys who may be going and feel them out. See what their ideas are. (I'm not even supposed to be the one planning the trip, lol... But nobody has taken the bull by the horns).

 

Kizzle,
I see your map...ambitious IS your middle name. Yes, it CAN be done in 9 days. But are you training for the famous Ironbutt race?
I find it hard to believe that's a 9 day trip on anything but the straightest, fastest highways.
I understand you don't want to spend all your time in the Black Hills area, but doing the Hills, then Yellowstone, then the Beartooth area in MT would only be, like, two days in each area. Added to those destinations could be Devil's Tower and the BigHorn mountains.
Just sayin' cause everyone here knows you get to do what you like. But I looked at your map and cringed.
Good luck and have a great, safe, unique ride. Hope most of your buds go with you.

 

Well, guys... I still have not been able to get everyone together to do a little consensus on what our final trip destination will be, but with the accumulated number of responses... And accumulated experience in riding (who am I kidding, I have only been riding for 4 years).... I think I should take a big step back and look at the big picture, not the big distance. The point is to actually SEE what you are driving by, correct? Realistically, a person could ride to and from San Diego in 8 days... But that is all you will do. Ride. And what if it rains? Am I going to be moving at 75-80 MPH? Definitely not. I think that a trip to SD, WY, MT would be about as good a scenery as any. Plus, I was looking on Google at some great roads through the badlands, black hills, etc. There are a lot of spots in there that you would swear are right in the middle of the Arizona Canyonlands. The trick is mingling, and finding the best spots... Which is where you folks come in. Let's say the ride is planned to the Black Hills/Badlands area... What should I try to plan on seeing. Devils Tower, Rushmore, Black Hills/Badlands, Custer State Park... Keep in mind, it is the week of June 2-9th. I am hoping temperatures are cooperative by then!

 

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