Best roads in the good ole USA

[ferguzzi]

Hey folks,

I’ve managed to get 3 weeks leave in June, and I’ve bought a bike in New Hampshire and am going to ride it to Vancouver, where the in laws live.

It ain’t a Guzzi. Dammit, but the griso doesn’t come with a fairing, and I know a Norge or Stelvio would make more sense, but they just don’t light my fire.

So I got a pristine 1995 triumph sprint.

Now, I live in Ireland, but have ridden a lot in the states, so this is kind of a bucket list of states I haven’t seen, before I cross the border, in North Dakota, to Canada.

New England I’ll pretty much do in a day.

I’m going to head south after that. I was thinking Ohio, Kentucky,Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas , Nebraska, then the Dakotas.

I know the Dakotas will be spectacular, it’s the other states I don’t know much about.

So.....

Any roads I really shouldn’t miss?

Or bar/restaurant/place that I’d be just stoopid not to visit?

I know it’s a big question, but hey, it’s raining outside, and I’d feel silly if I didn’t ask....

[guzzigary]

Sounds like fun....

 

Try to save some time for some of the great roads and scenery in B.C.

                                       

[docc]

Coming southwest from New Hampshire, you'll likely want to head west first into eastern New York State (The Adirondacks and Finger Lake Region ,before angling south through  eastern Pennsylvania (missing all the congestion of the Eastern Seaboard). From there you can meander the Appalachian Divide through Virginia/ North Carolina. Asheville, North Carolina has a fun downtown area with brewpubs and good food.

 

Crossing into Tennessee on the Cherohala Skyway is a delight. The adopted home of the South'n Spine Raid is in Tellico Plains on the west side of the mountains: The Lodge at Tellico is a nice cluster of clean, well kept cabins.  You'll hear a lot about "Riding the Dragon's Tail" (US Hwy 129 at Deal's Gap North Carolina/Tennessee). If it's a weekday, go for it, get the T-shirt! If on the weekend? I would avoid it.

 

This route might bring you further south and may miss Ohio, but it's an option worth considering if you're into the "Best roads in the good ole USA."

 

Keep us Tennessee boys in the know and we''ll get together for a pint around Nashville!

[docc]

Looking back, I see you have a bucket list of States, so likely you've ridden that area I posted already. I thought about taking it down, but how about, but if you get to southeast Ohio you can cross the Ohio River on a ferry from Fly, Ohio, to Sistersville West Virginia and angle across West (by God!) Virginia through the Kentucky horse country into Middle Tennessee. From here, we can send you northwest to cross the Mississippi on another ferry into Missouri where you can dip into the Ozarks region of northern Arkansas.

 

The offer of pints still stands!

[velofish]

Skip Ohio.  Ride West Virginia. 

[footgoose]

^^ agree ^^  West Virginia is beautiful. Also anywhere in east Tennessee and all of North Carolina. There might be an interesting road in Kansas, but I don't know where it is. Interstate 70 from Kansas City to Denver Colorado is 600 miles of straight and flat, prairie grass, wheat, and wind generators.

[Chuck]

South east Ohio is ok.. 

 

 

Any roads I really shouldn’t miss?

 

Hello. Earth calling.    You are missing some of the best roads in the US in Wyoming. Think about Cody. Chief Joseph highway..Beartooth pass. (!!)  Going to the Sun if you have time. Many places to see and roads to ride in that general area. Yellowstone park. South out of there to Jackson (tourist trap) but west out of Jackson over the pass is awesome, too. 

Don't miss Beartooth. Trust me. 

[fotoguzzi]

A bit out of the way but are you really going to skip Lake Superior?

 

 

I'm in Mpls if you need a shop day for your bike stop in.

[Scud]

Well, it looks like California roads are out of reach for this trip, but there is some stunning scenery and fabulous roads along your route. I'm a fan of big mountains, which, IMO don't start till you get into the Western States. If it were me, I'd hit Yellowstone Park, then meander North and cross the Canadian Rockies, making sure to stop in Banff. I haven't been there myself, but it's a "bucket list" place for me.

 

As for the Eastern States, if you have any interest in American Baseball, you could stop at Cooperstown, NY (Site of invention of the game and the Hall of Fame). The roads in the area are good fun and it sure beats fighting the slab in the NorthEast. From there, if you are interested at in American History, you could find some little country roads through to Gettysburg, PA and tour the US Civil War battlefield.. on your way to West Virginia, which is not to be missed. (This West Virginia endorsement means a lot coming from West-Coast Mountain road snob).

 

Then I would go to Chuck's house and try to sleep in his garage and score a ride in a hand-built airplane.

 

The Triumph sounds like fun. You are obligated to post photos of your trip now.

[Bill Hagan]

What they (all) said.

 

While I understand that everything in life and your trip is limited, I am an "Eastern woods" kind of guy, thus cannot stress enough the joy of riding most any valley or ridge road in and along the Appalachian spine -- from NE Alabama up to NE Canada -- especially on the likes of that NTY Triumph..

 

If your final routing (sometimes decided on the fly!  ) takes you anywhere near the top of Virginia, stop in for a bed, grappa, and more. 

 

And, of course, wherever your ride takes you, best wishes! 

 

Bill

[LowRyter]

It's hard to get a bearing on where you want to travel and how much time.  If you stay north, the Great Lakes are my favorites especially Duluth and Grand Marais MN.  The plains are flat and boring but can at times provide pretty vistas.  But one you get to the Black Hills and Mt Rushmore, quite spectacular. 

 

My favorite places to ride (or visit) in the country's center are Arkansas and Missouri Ozarks and then all over the Rockies, particularly, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. 

 

But as you can see from the map, none of these are in a line from NE  to BC.

 

Another variable is weather.  If you are traveling in the Spring, you can hit some foul weather in the north and might have to avoid storms in the midwest.  If you travel in the summer, the south and midwest can be very hot.

[ferguzzi]

Actually, the states I mentioned are pretty much where I’m going!

I’ve ridden across the US before, and covered about 30 states. So I’ve done the carolinas, Deep South, and across to California.

I know Montana and Wyoming are a real treat, but I’ll concentrate on them next year hopefully, on another trip. The bike will live with my wife’s family on Vancouver island, so I have scope for lots of trips over the next few years like Oregon, Yukon ,maybe even Alaska.

So this trip is really about the states that wouldn’t normally get a foreign rider excited? I mean, I’m sure Nebraska is lovely, but, um, I know nothing about it!

The same goes for Kansas, Arkansas etc., so the ozarks sound interesting, as does Tennessee. Actually, it all does. There’s something really enjoyable about completely zoning out and riding for hours through a prairie. You don’t get them in this part of the world, and anything different is enjoyable, within reason.

Baseball destinations I think I’ll give a miss....!

I am a big history fan, but I doubt there’ll be much civil war stuff the further west I go. I was thinking more Native American history like wounded knee, and little big horn(which has a big Irish connection).

Of course in 3 weeks, there’ll be a lot of 500 mile days, and inevitably lots of things missed.

Lots of great suggestions though, thanks guys!

[Scud]

Ha - I've been through Cooperstown several times, but have never bothered to stop. Upstate NY is still a lovely, uncrowded area to ride if you are heading into the Appalachian Mountains. 

 

Every National Park I've been to has been worthwhile. You could buy a National Park Pass and get free admission all across the USA. There are many historical/cultural parks, and many that are essentially wilderness preserves with great roads. Watch out bison in Yellowstone, they are large and not to be trifled with.

 

Find National Parks by State:  https://www.nps.gov/hfc/cfm/carto.cfm

[footgoose]

Rapid City SD is a nice town. If you tour the Badlands at Pine Ridge, (recommended) you can spend the evening at Rapid City and have a fresh start to the splendor if the Black Hills. Botticelli restaurant is a great Italian eatery in Rapid. Find Nemo Rd going west out of town (This will take a little map study, or asking directions, but worth it!) Check out Deadwood. Take a fast road to Spearfish and head back south on Spearfish Canyon Rd. Not to be missed! If you have time, head back south and east to 385 north of Silver City and go south, take a break at Pactola lake. Farther south gets you some of the old mining towns, Hill City and Keystone, Rushmore, Custer park, and another must see... the Crazy Horse Monument. It's hard to ride the Black Hills without some criss-crossing of roads.

 

It's easy to spend the whole day there. Belle Fourche north and west is beautiful. Devils Tower is kinda cool if you haven't seen it. Give yourself plenty of time to get to the battle site at Little Big Horn (Greasy Grass - native reference) as you will want to partake in the battle story as told by a park Ranger, as well as tour the grounds. I got to hear it from a Native American female Ranger, who told many details from the Native side of history.. truly amazing.

[Chuck]

They were only defending their way of life..

2016-07-02_10-32-07 by Charles Stottlemyer, on Flickr