Planning a trip!!!
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Planning a trip!!!
Hello all! I'm planning a trip to the southwest in late August. I finally got to bust out my H.O.G. road atlas and remembered what I learned in the service...I hate maps. But I feel okay about it since I am a member here and have been able to get every question answered that I have had so far. So:
We are going to leave from southwest Missouri and are looking for a good route to the Grande Canyon (Yeh, I know...been done to death). I have only been able to see the canyon from 32K feet, so this ought to be a bit better! Does anyone have a suggestion for a good route? We are not planning a rush trip...maybe 350-500 miles a day (probably closer to 350) and would like to come back a different way than we went out.
Thanks for looking.
We are going to leave from southwest Missouri and are looking for a good route to the Grande Canyon (Yeh, I know...been done to death). I have only been able to see the canyon from 32K feet, so this ought to be a bit better! Does anyone have a suggestion for a good route? We are not planning a rush trip...maybe 350-500 miles a day (probably closer to 350) and would like to come back a different way than we went out.
Thanks for looking.
Advanced
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RE: Planning a trip!!!
I've driven through the midwest too many times to count. And no offense the the folks that live in that area but its almost like the post apocolypse, there just isn't anything really out there. I70 through Kansas into Denver is damn near 12 hrs of just treacherously flat, straight, and windy asphalt... there are hardly any turns on that road. Oklahoma and Texas aren't much better so you have little choice. Colorado Rockies are more scenic personally than the mountains in New Mexico so I'd take 70 accross to Denver stay in the mountains as much as you can and then try to cut through the Canyon Lands down to the big ditch. I've no idea on the return... guess it all depends on how far off the beaten path you wish to go and how much time you have.
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Front Royal, Virginia
RE: Planning a trip!!!
Brokenfingers is exactly right. I trailered from Va. to Denver (Actually stopped in Mo. to see friends). No way I would ride a motorcycle across Ks. and eastern Co. The wind was unbelivable. Just plain dangerous. We want to go back, maybe this year. If we do I will explorer northern routes. No matter how you get there, once in Colorado it is motorcycle heaven. We found eastern Utah and Az., desolete to say the least.
Gary
Gary
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Powderly TEXAS
RE: Planning a trip!!!
The temps in August can be mighty unforgiving. I made a trip from Las Vegas to Iowa in June of last year. Did not see any of the high winds that others spoke of in Colorado and Kansas. Had a great trip!
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2006
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RE: Planning a trip!!!
I went that way last july,and yes it was 110 and that,s hot!
It felt like rideing in frount of an open oven door.
Now we found that is is better to take rt80 across
Nebraska then rt76 to Denver.
Shortleg[Dave]
It felt like rideing in frount of an open oven door.
Now we found that is is better to take rt80 across
Nebraska then rt76 to Denver.
Shortleg[Dave]
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Acworth
RE: Planning a trip!!!
The other responses are correct about the area east of Denver and the high temps. However, Once west of Denver things turn very good. Several mountain passes in Co.I prefer the Rand McNally to the Hog but, stay on the scenic two lane roads that go in your direction. You might want to see 4 corners and Monument Valley.I like the North Rim and after that I would try to visit Zion N.P and BryceN.P. Both are excellent and close by.. And be sure to take hwy. 12 east from Bryce. Just past Escalante, hwy 12 is Awesome riding. Capital reef N.P. is like riding in the bottom of the ocean. There are many more ares of interestfor you to pick from.
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Road Captain
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RE: Planning a trip!!!
You might try posting in the Road Trip section of this forum. You might get other results.
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Cruiser
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RE: Planning a trip!!!
If you got some time, do Bear Tooth Pass in Montanta, then the North Entrance to Yellow Stone down thru Jackson Hole and approach the the Grand Canyon from the west, thats what I have done. I live in Ga. We go to St.Louis on Inter State and dont pick it back up until we are in Amarillo Texas 2.5 - 3 weeks later. We ride 2 lane rode all the way across Missouri (cross the Mississipi on a ferry) then ride up thru Iowa's corn fields and across Neb all on 2 lane stopping at all the Ma and Paw motels and back woods places, never on the Interstate into Cheyene Wy, up to Sheridon to Cooke City then to Yellow Stone down th Jackson Hole to Las Vegas to Hover Dam to the big Crack in the Ground then in to the Painted Forest area of NM to Texas then the ride home to Ga.
It is a big loop for us and wow what a ride but staying away from the Interstate is the way to go. We have rode so many back roads, dirt, gravel, stream beds, wash outs, you name it but thats what make the trip fun. Any one can do the interstate ...... I like to see the country and meet the people.
Dog
It is a big loop for us and wow what a ride but staying away from the Interstate is the way to go. We have rode so many back roads, dirt, gravel, stream beds, wash outs, you name it but thats what make the trip fun. Any one can do the interstate ...... I like to see the country and meet the people.
Dog
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RE: Planning a trip!!!
My wife and I took the bike to the grand canyon this past summer, we did it in May and it was HOT already, can't imagine doing it in late August, but hey, if that is when you have it planned, ride on !!!
Don't know where you are starting from, but you can take I-70 and cover Kansas pretty quickly, but you'll be tired and won't see much. If you cover the north part of Kansas, US-36 will offer some more relaxed riding at 65mph. The lower part of Kansas offers, US-160, US-400, both good 65mph roads. On US-56 there are two "wind farms" one around Spearville and a larger one by Montezuma, either way you could pass through Dodge City.
We took US-160 west from Walsenburg Colorado and it was very nice, a good road with some nice scenery which included Wolf Creek Pass. From Durango we took a day and went north on hwy 550 to hwy 62 at Ridgeway and went west to hwy 145 which took us south into Cortez, that was a beautiful ride !!! We continued on US-160 to US-89 which we took south and then headed for the south rim on hwy 64 and shut down for the night in Williams AZ.
Anyway you go, you are going to have a good time. Ride safe and enjoy.
Don't know where you are starting from, but you can take I-70 and cover Kansas pretty quickly, but you'll be tired and won't see much. If you cover the north part of Kansas, US-36 will offer some more relaxed riding at 65mph. The lower part of Kansas offers, US-160, US-400, both good 65mph roads. On US-56 there are two "wind farms" one around Spearville and a larger one by Montezuma, either way you could pass through Dodge City.
We took US-160 west from Walsenburg Colorado and it was very nice, a good road with some nice scenery which included Wolf Creek Pass. From Durango we took a day and went north on hwy 550 to hwy 62 at Ridgeway and went west to hwy 145 which took us south into Cortez, that was a beautiful ride !!! We continued on US-160 to US-89 which we took south and then headed for the south rim on hwy 64 and shut down for the night in Williams AZ.
Anyway you go, you are going to have a good time. Ride safe and enjoy.
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