Taking a little trip, looking for suggestions for detours!

[realslacker]

My brother and I are taking a two month long trip on our motorcycles and we are looking to spend as much time off the express way as possible. If you have any good route suggestions, interesting detours or destinations along the way we would love to hear them!

Also, If you live along the route and want to let a couple of guys setup camp in your back yard for over night and show us around we would love that too!

Our route (generally speaking):

First Leg: We plan on leaving Appleton, Wisconsin and heading up to a cabin in northern Wisconsin to stay for a week with family (B on Map), then we are going to head over to the Mississippi and the Great River Road (hwy 35) and stay over night at the Frontnac State Park.

Second Leg: We will follow The Great River Road to Tennessee and at some point head over to Nashville.

Third Leg: Head back to the Mississippi and New Orleans/Mississippi delta area.

Fouth Leg: Follow the coast down to the Florida Keys and ride Hwy 1 over the ocean.

Fifth Leg: Follow the east coast up to the Carolinas and visit my sister in Southern Pines, North Carolina.

Sixth Leg: Drive through the mountains towards Washington DC, stay in DC with some friends.

Seventh Leg: Drive to New York, NY and stay with friends.

Final Leg: Follow the Great Lakes, possibly go through upper Michigan.


We plan on camping this whole trip, doing between 200 and 400 miles a day and taking breaks as necessary. We will be packed light, having just the essentials, a laptop (or similar), a cell phone and a GPS. We are not on any kind of schedule, except that we are leaving mid June, stopping by my sister in NC around mid July and coming back mid August.

I'm going to try to get a web site setup with a map of our progress, pictures and a sort of blog to track our progress. I will post a link if/when that happens...

Any suggestions or offers of hospitality are greatly appreciated!

 

[bonanzadave]

You dont look old enough to be retired.

When are you going ? Id ride with you from Prescott down to Frontnac State Park if the timing is right. That is a very scenic park that has views for miles up and down the Mississippi.

Heres a shot from the park.

 

[realslacker]

LOL, mini-retirement

We should be coming through on the 21st of June, which just happens to be a Saturday... so if that works out, great! The more the merrier!

 

[bonanzadave]

LOL, mini-retirement

We should be coming through on the 21st of June, which just happens to be a Saturday... so if that works out, great! The more the merrier!

Don't worry about more......On a nice weekend day that stretch is a steady stream of all things motorcycles. Don't stop in Prescott for lunch. The Hardly crew are lined up out the doors !

 

[DanTheMan]

Why do you guys always go south????? We've got great twisty scenic roads to ride way up nort' here, in between the rain, snow, fog and hail storms. What a bunch of party poopers.......:roll: We've got more of the same predicted this weekend, and I'm teaching a MSF BRC course in Duluth, it looks like it might get ugly...........

 

[ALB80-850]

I'm with you, north over south anyday.:-D North or south, either way sounds like a great trip. Have fun and be safe.

Andy

 

[Steve]

Hey, at least he is showing signs of being an experienced rider.

I have heard it said that newer riders pick a destination before they head out.

Experienced riders pick a direction. 8-[

.

 

[realslacker]

Not only are we picking just a direction, we are stating time frames in months :-D

Hey, at least he is showing signs of being an experienced rider.

I have heard it said that newer riders pick a destination before they head out.

Experienced riders pick a direction. 8-[

.

 

[realslacker]

Hey, I'm from Wisconsin... I get to enjoy the back roads up north every year... rain, sleet, snow and all

Why do you guys always go south????? We've got great twisty scenic roads to ride way up nort' here, in between the rain, snow, fog and hail storms. What a bunch of party poopers.......:roll: We've got more of the same predicted this weekend, and I'm teaching a MSF BRC course in Duluth, it looks like it might get ugly...........

 

[Guest]

Final leg - If you are a little saddle sore in MI - catch the US Badger back to Manitowoc.

 

[scottp8113]

while you're on the great river road through southern illinois, make sure you stop in alton. lots of history (lincoln douglas debate site, confederate prison, piasa bird legend, cahokia mounds a bit further south), plus if you're into the ghostie thing, we're supposed to be one of the most haunted towns in america (saw some creepy stuff on night shift with the PD). anyways, good luck and just make sure to take a ton of pictures!

 

[realslacker]

Will do! I'm not much of a believer, but you never know...

while you're on the great river road through southern illinois, make sure you stop in alton. lots of history (lincoln douglas debate site, confederate prison, piasa bird legend, cahokia mounds a bit further south), plus if you're into the ghostie thing, we're supposed to be one of the most haunted towns in america (saw some creepy stuff on night shift with the PD). anyways, good luck and just make sure to take a ton of pictures!

 

[enzo_f1]

My brother and I are taking a two month long trip on our motorcycles and we are looking to spend as much time off the express way as possible. If you have any good route suggestions, interesting detours or destinations along the way we would love to hear them!

Also, If you live along the route and want to let a couple of guys setup camp in your back yard for over night and show us around we would love that too!

Our route (generally speaking):

First Leg: We plan on leaving Appleton, Wisconsin and heading up to a cabin in northern Wisconsin to stay for a week with family (B on Map), then we are going to head over to the Mississippi and the Great River Road (hwy 35) and stay over night at the Frontnac State Park.

Second Leg: We will follow The Great River Road to Tennessee and at some point head over to Nashville.

Third Leg: Head back to the Mississippi and New Orleans/Mississippi delta area.

Fouth Leg: Follow the coast down to the Florida Keys and ride Hwy 1 over the ocean.

Fifth Leg: Follow the east coast up to the Carolinas and visit my sister in Southern Pines, North Carolina.

Sixth Leg: Drive through the mountains towards Washington DC, stay in DC with some friends.

Seventh Leg: Drive to New York, NY and stay with friends.

Final Leg: Follow the Great Lakes, possibly go through upper Michigan.


We plan on camping this whole trip, doing between 200 and 400 miles a day and taking breaks as necessary. We will be packed light, having just the essentials, a laptop (or similar), a cell phone and a GPS. We are not on any kind of schedule, except that we are leaving mid June, stopping by my sister in NC around mid July and coming back mid August.

I'm going to try to get a web site setup with a map of our progress, pictures and a sort of blog to track our progress. I will post a link if/when that happens...

Any suggestions or offers of hospitality are greatly appreciated!

Second Leg: Memphis, Beale Street for some music and clubs. There are a few BBQ places if you like BBQ(let me know I know some great BBQ all over the south).

Third leg: The Natchez Trace Parkway runs for 404 miles between a point near Franklin, Tennessee (south of Nashville) to just north of Natchez, Mississippi. Apart from a gap in the Jackson, Mississippi area the Parkway is continuous. http://www.johncletheroe.org/usa_can/scenroad/ntp.htm

Fifth leg: Daytona Beach, Savannah, Charleston. Deal's Gap (The Dragon's Tail) http://www.dealsgap.com/ .

The Blue Ridge Parkway, administered by the National Park Service, runs along the ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains for 469 miles from the southern tip of Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, south to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee. The Parkway is continuous with no gaps.

If the highly scenic Skyline Drive (97 miles long) through the Shenandoah National Park at the northern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway and the equally excellent Newfound Gap road (26 miles long) through the Great Smoky Mountain National Park at the southern end are both added then the total distance from Front Royal, Virginia to Gatlinburg, Tennessee is 592 miles, all on National Park Service roads. Technically the Blue Ridge Parkway itself does not extend into Tennessee. However, the Newfound Gap road through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a natural extension to the southern end of the Parkway, so Tennessee is included in these notes as if it were truly a state through which the Parkway runs.
http://www.johncletheroe.org/usa_can/scenroad/brp.htm

Seventh Leg: Peter Lugar's New York for a steak.

If I come across anything else I'll post it.

 

[DanTheMan]

What do ya mean, UP NORTH????
Y'all are sooooo down south, Gawga folk might even unnerstan' y'all....:-D\\/

Hey, I'm from Wisconsin... I get to enjoy the back roads up north every year... rain, sleet, snow and all

 

[spikehead]

If you've never been, try to make a stop at the Barber Motorsports Museum in Birmingham, 'Bama. Allow at least three hours on site.

 

[WesV]

As Enzo said, for VA, catch the Blue Ridge Parkway up the mountians, when you do, please let me know and if I am around I will ride with ya as I live right dead center of it in Harrisonburg, VA.

 

[realslacker]

Lots of great replies!

@enzo: Thanks for all the suggestions! I'm going to try an do as many side trips as possible, so this is great!

@WesV: PM me your contact info, and I'll be sure to drop you a line when I'm coming through!

 

[dodger1]

Can't comment on most of your planned trip except to say I'm jealous as hell! but I drove the south shore of Lake Superior from the Soo through to Duluth a few years ago, managed to keep off the 4-lanes for most of it, and wished I was on my 850. Met some great folks, found some great beers, Enjoyed the drive. Hope you get to do the same.

 

[dardoonk]

After leaving Southern Pines and heading north, aim toward Charlottesville, VA and drop by Monticello & Jefferson home. You can run up Hwy 15 in VA & catch the Thomas Jefferson Pkwy (hwy 53) north.

Or, if you head toward Lynchburg, VA you could go to the Walton's Mtn Museum. It's between Lynchburg & Charlottesville

Sounds like a fun trip

 

[TheCafeKid]

Second Leg: Memphis, Beale Street for some music and clubs. There are a few BBQ places if you like BBQ(let me know I know some great BBQ all over the south).

Third leg: The Natchez Trace Parkway runs for 404 miles between a point near Franklin, Tennessee (south of Nashville) to just north of Natchez, Mississippi. Apart from a gap in the Jackson, Mississippi area the Parkway is continuous. http://www.johncletheroe.org/usa_can/scenroad/ntp.htm

Fifth leg: Daytona Beach, Savannah, Charleston. Deal's Gap (The Dragon's Tail) http://www.dealsgap.com/ .

The Blue Ridge Parkway, administered by the National Park Service, runs along the ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains for 469 miles from the southern tip of Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, south to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee. The Parkway is continuous with no gaps.

If the highly scenic Skyline Drive (97 miles long) through the Shenandoah National Park at the northern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway and the equally excellent Newfound Gap road (26 miles long) through the Great Smoky Mountain National Park at the southern end are both added then the total distance from Front Royal, Virginia to Gatlinburg, Tennessee is 592 miles, all on National Park Service roads. Technically the Blue Ridge Parkway itself does not extend into Tennessee. However, the Newfound Gap road through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a natural extension to the southern end of the Parkway, so Tennessee is included in these notes as if it were truly a state through which the Parkway runs.
http://www.johncletheroe.org/usa_can/scenroad/brp.htm

Seventh Leg: Peter Lugar's New York for a steak.

If I come across anything else I'll post it.

Were I you, if you've ever already ridden the Dragons Tail, I would pass on it. Its simply, by all accounts anymore, over crowded, CRAWLING with cops and probably not worth the hassle if youve already been on it once. *I* have not, so at some point I would like to give it a go, but only to say ive done it. I have seen video and heard tales of the overrated monstrosity it has become. And after my little trip thru parts of WV this weekend, I think most of the Apps have just as good as roads, and we were fortunate enough to see VERY little traffic, especially on a holiday weekend. Incidentally, WV 33 and 47 were pretty darn fun, but as I said, I am sure there are a lot of Byway type roads in those areas to ride that would be very satisfying. Hit up Dpep, and Grandpa on the board here, both know that area pretty well.