[T-Rex]

Hi Everyone, I'm planning a road trip and would like rider info on their favorite places to visit. It's easier to state where I won't be riding I plan on covering the Eastern, Central and Western parts of the USA. As far north as New York and as far west as Arizona. For example on my list of sites to visit are: Custer's Last Stand, Tomestone, AZ, Sturgis, SD, and everwhere that offers good riding and food!

Any and all info is requested; however I won't be going off-road...intentionally anyway. I won't be able to make it to the Northwest, extreme Northeast USA, or extreme West.

I'll be on the road in late April or early May. First stop will be Ellijay, Ga. From there its a toss of the dice. My thanks in advance!!
T-Rex
Vero Beach, FL

 

[Scooter01]

I received a book for Christmas of America's best road trips.

in my state of NC it has a great road trip exploring all of our light house's. Also if you staying west in out mountains their is the ride at Deals Gap too, not to mention the Blue Ridge Parkway as well.

 

[Dookoo]

I definitely recommend Bryce, Zion, and Grand Canyon N. Rim.

 

[EFINREF]

Hi Everyone, I'm planning a road trip and would like rider info on their favorite places to visit. It's easier to state where I won't be riding I plan on covering the Eastern, Central and Western parts of the USA. As far north as New York and as far west as Arizona. For example on my list of sites to visit are: Custer's Last Stand, Tomestone, AZ, Sturgis, SD, and everwhere that offers good riding and food!

Any and all info is requested; however I won't be going off-road...intentionally anyway. I won't be able to make it to the Northwest, extreme Northeast USA, or extreme West.

I'll be on the road in late April or early May. First stop will be Ellijay, Ga. From there its a toss of the dice. My thanks in advance!!
T-Rex
Vero Beach, FL

How long do you intend on riding exactly?

 

[Chopin]

Plan a trip up the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. I should be home.

 

[fossil92]

T-Rex,

You have so much ground to cover. I'll ask the same question Ref did. How long is the trip it will impact my suggestions? Like Dook indicates you can never go wrong with National Parks, there are some great side roads in almost every State, & riding Rt. 66 is like a trip into the past Americana. Give us some information on the intended path, time frame & let's see where you can go.

In the meantime here are some websites of Motorcycle roads.

http://www.motorcycleroads.us/

http://www.openroadjourney.com/

 

[LarryinSeattle]

The parks in Utah should not be missed. Grand Canyon as well.

Sedona, Arizona has some fantastic views coming and going.

Roosevelt Damn a little south of Las Vegas is worth seeing.... and if you are going that way, the Hacienda Casino and Hotel, just west of the damn had nice rooms for $20 a night and it was motorcycle friendly.

 

[budoka]

Oh so many roads, so many sights. T-Rex, may the winds be at your back. Aach! Winter, now I'm really bummed out

 

[crownfire]

Arches National Park, Utah
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
Davis Mountains, Texas
US Hwy 219 in West Virginia
Gettiesburg, Pennsylvania
NC Hwy 209 from Waynesville to Hot Springs
Blue Ridge Parkway
Natchez Trace Parkway, Mississippi and Tennessee

let me think about it a little......

 

[T-Rex]

Thanks For Initial Input

Thanks for the input guys and gals. EFINREF asked how long I plan to ride? Well, that's tough to say. Last May and June I was on the road for six weeks and covered 6700 miles. My plan is to get as much info about sites to see and then sit down with my AAA rep and plan the trip. I'll travel most of the way alone; however, my nephew and niece will accompany me on a short 1 wk trip on the Blue Ridge in April.

Last May I rode the Blue Ridge from start to finish, I ended up in Front Royal, Va. From there I rode to Ohio, via the twisty they call W. VA. Got tired after 400 miles of following the snakes back and overnighted in a motel. Telephoned a niece and told her I would not be in that evening and that I was about an hour away. She said, "good thing Uncle Mike, a tornado is going through our town at the present." She called back about 2 hrs later and told me that her vehicle had all the glass broken, the house siding was shredded and the pool cover was swiss cheese. I told her that I would see her on my next trip north because I knew she would be too busy to entertain a guest. The next day I rode to Almont, MI to visit her dad, my 5th oldest brother, and remained there about a week.

I've made the trip from MI to Upstate NY, near Watertown, via Canada, in a day without too many problems. However, going the southern route under Lake Erie I have to overnight before reaching my nephew's house. We rode to Americade in Lake George, NY and a few other spots locally. After a week, I headed to a nephew's horse farm in PA. I normally try to plan my rides to reach a rest stop where I don't have to pay for a room.

Unfortunately, when I head West my free rest stops come to an end. This time I'm going to pack a light sleeping bag just in case I get too tired to make the next town.

I'm retired and disabled, I can't walk very well but I like to ride. Normally I try to budget about $100.00 a day: gas = 3 fillups; motels $30 to $60.00 and at least one hot meal a day. I don't get upset when I get lost and I wear clean clothes every day, except for trousers. I've met some pretty amazing folks on the road, some I helped out and others have bought me lunch (the GI Vet thing). In Ga, Tn, Al, SC, NC, Va, W.Va folks have gone out of their way to thank me for my military service. When I get home from a long trip the first thing I do is start planning on how to pay-off my credit cards bill. Thanks again for the input, I'll keep checking the posts. T-Rex

 

[T-Rex]

Riding Destinations in the USA

I've started gathering travel info from all the states I plan on travelling through this summer. On-line, I've contacted the states I plan on visiting/travelling through and almost all replied with free books, brochures, maps, etc. South Dakota has a super tourist package they send out.

I've received most of the information I've requested from about the twenty-odd states I'll be travelling through. I'm requesting a Canadian insurance card from my insurance company (GEICO) and making sure my passport is up-to-date for crossing the north border. Don't plan on crossing the south border...too many banditios.

I will also incoporate the input I've received from this post, Thanks Again for the input.
Ride Safe
T-Rex

 

[budoka]

T-Rex, if insurance works the same there as here, as long as you're on continental North America, you should have insurance coverage, but yes, check with your agent and go over your policy coverage. Most of our insurance for autos covers rentals in N/A as well. But Geiko doesn't write us in Canada either so. Sounds like you're going to have quite the adventure though. Where in Canada are you thinking? Some of us might be able to hook up with you along the way

 

[Tatanka]

Howdy T-Rex,

If you visit Sturgis, of course you ride the Black Hills (Paha Sapa to my Lakota friends) and head west to the Devil's tower in NE Wyoming. Can't remember which is first, The Tower or Little Big Horn. If you're heading west from there, then I'd hit Yellowstone then head NNW to Glacier National Park to ride The Highway to the Sun. After that you can head NNW into Canada and Banff National Park/Lake Louise and head west to BC, or take the "low line" heading southwest for a loop through Utah, northern CA, OR, and WA. Can't really lose any way you go in the Rockies, Tetons, Cascades, etc.

Tatanka

 

[Eric]

TRex: From Down Under I wish you a safe trip. And what a trip it will be. Give us a bit of an update every now and then. Eric

 

[T-Rex]

The Journey

Howdy T-Rex,

If you visit Sturgis, of course you ride the Black Hills (Paha Sapa to my Lakota friends) and head west to the Devil's tower in NE Wyoming. Can't remember which is first, The Tower or Little Big Horn. If you're heading west from there, then I'd hit Yellowstone then head NNW to Glacier National Park to ride The Highway to the Sun. After that you can head NNW into Canada and Banff National Park/Lake Louise and head west to BC, or take the "low line" heading southwest for a loop through Utah, northern CA, OR, and WA. Can't really lose any way you go in the Rockies, Tetons, Cascades, etc.

Tatanka

Thanks for the info. Plan on visiting the Little Big Horn, Devils Tower and the Cody, Wyoming where there's a super Museum featuring weapons of the West, Annie Oakley, etc. When I get all my info assembled I'll plan an organize route and try not to travel over a road previously taken. Thanks Again.

 

[T-Rex]

Motor Vehicle Insurance in Canada/Credit Cards

T-Rex, if insurance works the same there as here, as long as you're on continental North America, you should have insurance coverage, but yes, check with your agent and go over your policy coverage. Most of our insurance for autos covers rentals in N/A as well. But Geiko doesn't write us in Canada either so. Sounds like you're going to have quite the adventure though. Where in Canada are you thinking? Some of us might be able to hook up with you along the way

Thanks for the info re: Insurance. I have GEICO insurance and whenever I plan on departing the USA I go on-line and request an Insurance Card for Canada. Normally I get the card within a week. Don't really know why they have a separate Insurance ID Card for Canada but they do.

Also, I've found out that it's best to notify credit card companies whenever one travels. Believe me, the credit card companies track all spending and movement when a card is used. If unusual expenditures occur or the card is used outside the normal areas, the credit card company's security staff may hold up approval until they contact the card holder. A pain in the neck but better than having some jerk ruin your credit rating.

Also, I'll be entering Canada just north and east of Almont, Mich. I'll stay on the main hwy until I reach the "Peace Bridge" and then cross over to Watertown, NY. I appologize, I haven't checked the map for the route numbers or the correct name of the Bridge. The last time I went this way was back in 2007. Coming back through Canada I crossed the border in Buffalo, NY...I had to walk my Kawasaki Voyager across the border due to the traffic backup. Just another travel story.
Ride Safe,
T-Rex

 

[crownfire]

Crossing at Port Huron, MI to Sarnia, Ontario onto Hwy 402 then 401 to 403 and some others if you are crossing the Peace Bridge to Buffalo, NY. Crossing north of Watertown is teh Thousand Islands Bridge. Stay on 401. Sounds like a trip I would love to do.

 

[T-Rex]

Canadian Route

Crossing at Port Huron, MI to Sarnia, Ontario onto Hwy 402 then 401 to 403 and some others if you are crossing the Peace Bridge to Buffalo, NY. Crossing north of Watertown is teh Thousand Islands Bridge. Stay on 401. Sounds like a trip I would love to do.

Thanks Crownfire, as soon as I read your post the route came back to me. If I'm not mistaken the trip from Almont, MI to Gouveneur, NY was done in a day, I guess I'll find out later this year. I do know that the route that goes under Lake Erie to NY requires me to make a layover with about 4 hours of riding the next day. Hope you and yours get to make the trip someday. Best of Luck in the Future.
Thanks Again,
T-Rex

 

[T-Rex]

Bemidji, Minnesota

Howdy T-Rex,

If you visit Sturgis, of course you ride the Black Hills (Paha Sapa to my Lakota friends) and head west to the Devil's tower in NE Wyoming. Can't remember which is first, The Tower or Little Big Horn. If you're heading west from there, then I'd hit Yellowstone then head NNW to Glacier National Park to ride The Highway to the Sun. After that you can head NNW into Canada and Banff National Park/Lake Louise and head west to BC, or take the "low line" heading southwest for a loop through Utah, northern CA, OR, and WA. Can't really lose any way you go in the Rockies, Tetons, Cascades, etc.

Tatanka

Hey Tatanka you'll get a laugh out of this, returning from Sturgis, SD I made a detour to Bemidji, MN just to see Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. They were made in 1937. I really enjoyed riding in Minn. Thanks Again

 

[blk93wing]

Where ever you go, post us some photos!! Wish I had time to ride out more than a week.