WHAT ARE THE TOP 10 "MUST SEE DESTINATIONS" IN A MOTO-TOUR OF THE UNITED STATES?

[scott123007]

To answer your question I think it depends on what your style is. Are you a museum or history seeing type person? For me, my preference is to ride the most scenic twisty curvy roads, and now with the Tenere the same but off road away from people and cars as much as possible. I don't do museums or history places.
If i went to Europe, i want to ride my ass off in the alps, but only stop for fuel, and eating sleeping. I do want to see a factory tour of Lamborghini and Ferrari in Italy though. I like to get on bike early already having eaten and gassed on road by 7am, ride till 1-2pm eat a good meal, then ride till 6-7pm if not later. Most people don't like this style, and would rather stop and take tons of pics. Many of my trips in past have been slab balls to wall to make miles usually consisting of 15-18 hour days for time sake.

These are some things to consider on what you want out of the trip. For me, i forget to take pics because I am too driven in daytime to stop and enjoy the flowers.

Of my items, they are mostly the roads:

Blue Ridge Parkway (midweek only) Stopping at Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground for bikes only (They have cabin Rentals)
Vermont / New Hamshire / Maine Back roads
Rt 12 in Idaho Lolo Pass (175 miles of curves along a beautiful river)
Glacier National Park MOntana
Zion Natn'l Park Utah
Side Roads near Ashville, NC off BlueRidge Pkwy (Deals Gap Rt 129 is too congested) Rt 128 north of Franklin, TN is great
Poudre Canyon Rd heads West just north out of Ft. Collins, CO over to Walden
Any of the Continental Divide Passes in Colorado
Southern Oregon Coast HWy 1 although can be very congested weekends
Mt St. Helens Volcanic MOnument and side roads getting there through and around Mt Rainier

I'm with you on this one HoebSTer, I ride motorcycles for sport so I'd be looking for the most challenging roads or trails that I, or by bike could handle, and get through them quicker than the next guy. If I had to pick 10 places as destinations, it would probably be the best racetracks or motorcycle museums this country had to offer. Sightseeing and other points of interest are for my car. Simpleton, aren't I? lol

 

[HoebSTer]

Let me add Hwy 1 (Pacific Coast Hwy) North from Santa Monica to San Francisco through Big Sur, San Simion, Morro Bay, Monterrey Bay...Etc

I think the scenery of the Hwy 1 up to Monterey was treacherous with traffic. Sure nice roads and scenery, but the RV's and blind corners to hold you behind them. Not a fan at all for this reason. We rode from Monterey back down to San Louis Obispo roughly 100 miles and it took like 4 hours. That was nuts and frustrating. It was even mid week. There was one section they were filming a movie scene as well. Plenty more to see and ride better than that.

Jeff

 

[eemsreno]

IOWA How could you guys foreget IOWA

Really though the National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, Iowa is good.
http://www.nationalmcmuseum.org/

 

[djm_ct]

I think the scenery of the Hwy 1 up to Monterey was treacherous with traffic. Sure nice roads and scenery, but the RV's and blind corners to hold you behind them. Not a fan at all for this reason. We rode from Monterey back down to San Louis Obispo roughly 100 miles and it took like 4 hours. That was nuts and frustrating. It was even mid week. There was one section they were filming a movie scene as well. Plenty more to see and ride better than that.

Jeff

My wife and I did the whole PC Highway (by car not bike) from San Fran to San Diego in October and we found it to be a fantastic trip. Traffic was light. No issues. I would have loved to be doing on a bike. Based on our experiance and from what I've heard, timing is everything for that particular trip. October is the best time of year if you're going to do it.

 

[Mtbjay]

This is a good start. I guess I'm showing my naiveté (being from the West - and rural West, at that) thinking I could do 500 mile days on the East Coast! One look at a population density map and it's obvious.

Although it would be great to sport bike all the best roads, this trip is about seeing the country. I think, if I only have 3-4 weeks, I will limit my destinations in the East to just a few key areas. It would be GREAT to wander about and spend time here and there, not really caring about pace... But I imagine I would be chomping at the bit to rally off mileage and get on to somewhere new, uninhibited by thick traffic, each day. I guess I'm spoiled here in Portland (and a big part of why I moved here, it would seem).

Anyway I slice it, it would be fun. Now to mould it into an EPIC TOUR!


Input still welcome! ::015::

 

[NittanyXT]

When is this taking place? If I'm back from Colorado the door's open, I'm located smack dab in the middle of PA.

 

[jrb_nw]

There are lots of good suggestions here and I agree with Markjenn and others that your mileage goals were originally too high, especially for the East Coast. When you cover too many miles per day, you miss a lot. I also liked what Twisties suggested about heading mainly East to explore if you haven't seen it. There really are a lot of awesome places with a deeper sense of history out there such as the Civil War battlefields in Virginia, as well as gorgeous scenery such as Acadia Nat'l Park in Maine. I also agree that seeing significant parts of the East Coast would be easier with a fly and ride (or drive). which is how I got to see most of it (over several trips).

You might consider looking at the Adventure Cycling website and following the basic route of some of their bicycle tours, which often have some sort of historical theme associated with them, and at minimum are designed to follow the road less traveled, where you are on two laners and there are lots of small towns to interact with locals. For example, following the Northern Tier route across the top of the US, then down the East coast partway, then back across the heartland on the Trans Am route. I would avoid the deep south and southwest in summer and do that in the Fall. You can get an idea of the routes without purchasing their detailed maps which are tailored to cycle tourists.

 

[MikeBear]

When are you planning on doing this trip? Anytime between Memorial Day and Labor Day you are going to have traffic and a lot of it. Plan accordingly. Anything on the East coast within 20 miles from water in warm weather is tourist trap. I am not saying its not worth going to, but summer is not time for it.

 

[HoebSTer]

If heading east to save time, hop onto your east/west thoroughfare of choice and let her rip. You can knock down miles covering the boring parts of the central states just past the continental divide (i.e. iowa, nebraska, kansas, oklahoma, Texas) just to name a few. I am not saying there aren't neat places to visit there, it's just the flat land of loooooooong straight roads.
This is what i have done when i traveled from Ohio to various western states while only having a little over a weeks vacation to use at a time. Once to your destination, then you can cut the miles back and see what you want.
If you do long days in saddle you can get from your home to say Tennessee in 3 days, just riding. Then 3 back towards home at a good clip. That is only 6 days out of possible 3-4 weeks?

In the summer months, keep in mind a few things to prevent heat exhaustion and fatigue: camelback (72 oz or more x 3 a day at least), good jacket for ventilation and block direct sun rays, low carb meals, protein rich snacks like nuts while riding to knock some miles down quickly.

 

[greg the pole]

Let me add Hwy 1 (Pacific Coast Hwy) North from Santa Monica to San Francisco through Big Sur, San Simion, Morro Bay, Monterrey Bay...Etc

we will be riding that strech first week of april ::014:: ::014:: ::014:: ::014:: ::014:: ::014::

 

[tomatocity]

I think the scenery of the Hwy 1 up to Monterey was treacherous with traffic. Sure nice roads and scenery, but the RV's and blind corners to hold you behind them. Not a fan at all for this reason. We rode from Monterey back down to San Louis Obispo roughly 100 miles and it took like 4 hours. That was nuts and frustrating. It was even mid week. There was one section they were filming a movie scene as well. Plenty more to see and ride better than that.

Jeff

My favorite parts of PCH is... from Ragged Point to Carmel... from Santa Cruz to Pacifica... Tamalpais to Crescent City. SoCal, Montery, and Santa Cruz can be a slow adventure with traffic and congestion.

There are so many excellent rides, scenery, and places connecting to PCH. Nacimiento-Fergusson is one of them. A Monday is the best day I have found to ride PCH. Riding PCH north and south are two very different rides. Riding PCH fast is fun but riding it slow allows me to enjoy the scenery. Just my biased opinion.

 

[cb0802]

Mackinaw Bridge and the Great Lakes Region
[/quote]
+1 on the Mack Bridge. It's as high and longer than golden gate with a different but equally beautiful view. It is one of my favorite spots on a 2500 mile tour around the lakes. But before you get on be aware that on lane on each side is grated. I hit the Mack on a construction day and being 250 feet above the water with wind and that damn grating will really wake you up.

 

[markjenn]

+1 on the Mack Bridge. It's as high and longer than golden gate with a different but equally beautiful view. It is one of my favorite spots on a 2500 mile tour around the lakes. But before you get on be aware that on lane on each side is grated. I hit the Mack on a construction day and being 250 feet above the water with wind and that damn grating will really wake you up.

To each his own I guess. It's a great bridge to look at and marvel at its construction, but I've been over it six or eight time on a bike and I don't see the attraction of riding 5 miles of arrow-straight road in super-stiff crosswinds while the bike jinks left and right inches at a time on slippery bridge grating.

- Mark

 

[Karson]

I agree with most of the folk's lists, however, I have this to add if it hasn't been mentioned already. Some of the destinations are seasonal. The northern california PCH portion left a lot to be desired in July and August the one time I was there. Cloudy, cool, and rainy. The Bodega bay region I guess is gorgeous if you catch it during the right time of year.

The scenery in NW Arkansas in the Ozark mountains is awesome anytime of year, but late Oct, early Nov is when the leaves pop and will leave you speechless.

Aside from that, skip anything in Iowa. Haha

 

[Mtbjay]

Thanks!

A big thanks to everyone who contributed here, especially those that offered a place to stay! My goal of a big U.S. Tour is still a dream for the uncertain future. But I had the feeling if I started a conversation here, I would be one step closer.

Juggling family, work and time off/away is the only thing that keeps me from simply jumping on the bike and just doing it!

I will check back here from time to time to see if anyone added more "Don't Miss" destinations. I printed out most of what has been said here and will certainly use it to begin my route planning. It exciting just thinking about it!

 

[greg the pole]

just to open another can of worms..
you could head north to Canada, some amazing riding in BC.
add it to the list

 

[Bigbore4]

Beartooth Pass MT
Lewiston ID #129 to Enterprise OR #3
Going to the Sun Road MT
Grangeville ID #96 to New Meadows ID
Lolo Pass MT and ID
Teton Pass Jackson WY to Idaho Falls ID

That my friend is a bichin list. A couple locals pointed me at yout number 2, they called one stretch of it rattlesnake something. Fantastic ride. I need to tick off Going To The Sun yet.

 

[greg the pole]

going to the sun MT is a great road..............but.
it's busy, and quite often the speed limit is very low (20-25mph),
we came around several corners, where we found people parked in the middle of the road taking pictures, with a perfectly good shoulder next to them. ???

great, but use with caution