giant loop

[frozenpoet]

I have recently dug myself out of the rock I've been hiding under and started posting again. For the most part there is a reason, I'm slowly starting to pull information together in preparation for a slightly epic ride. The general plan is in one day go from My home in Strasburg, VA to La Fontaine IL for a small visit with the wife's friend, then from there take around four days to get to Limon, CO. The plan is to spend a couple of days there, then bust out and head down to Fort worth TX. After leaving TX, I want to take a more southern track into GA, then swing back up to home.

Sounds good? ok, I'm looking for some suggestions in the rout planning. Sections of roads that are more interesting than the interstates, cool stuff that I should see, good food to eat. I don't mind if things are a bit out of the way, if they're corny, or just bazaar. Anything that is better than the numbness of corn and soybeans is fine by me. Any suggestions will be welcomes, especially in Kansas.

Overnight will be spent mostly camping. Around here, state/national forest are nice and plentiful...and cheap. Any suggestions there, or places to avoid, will be welcome information. I'm not against staying at the more "established" places, like KOA's, (probably prefer it come laundry day) but would like to avoid them for the most part.

I will be trying to take lots of pics, I'll have to force myself to actually stop and take some, and recording with an action camera or three. I was given one camera, it's cheap and is only either on or off, but I hope to get a new one soon. I'm thinking a GoPro, or a sony action cam, but I'll have to do some more digging before I decide on that.

The NCX is pretty much set up how I need it, although I plan on replacing my oem trunk with a larger 56ltr givi trekker. I'm planning on mounting a 1 gallon rotopax on the lid. not a big fan of it there, but I don't think it will cause much of a problem. It will have new tires put on before the trip, and all the normal stuff done beforehand.

So, what are the thoughts/suggestions/questions?

 

[TigerDude]

I can tell you that the portion from Dallas to Georgia is going to be pretty dull unless you go through Arkansas mountains or down to south LA/Miss/Ala/FL gulf coast. Alabama does have a few mountain roads, but I-20 is a pretty dull road (and the highways that parallel it are as well. You can hit Elvis' childhood home in Tupelo Miss. Clarksdale Miss is where Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads. I may be biased (I am from South LA), but there just isn't much to Louisiana & Mississippi much above I-10. And there are sections of Mississippi where they don't even have gas stations at the interstate exits.

Do not for any reason take I-40 from Arkansas to Memphis on a bike. It is loaded with semi's, and makes I-81 look empty by comparison.

Unless Atlanta is a destination for you (Aquarium, CFB Hall of Fame, Coca Cola, King Center) you might enjoy Memphis & Nashville more. North Georgia has a ton of great bike roads, but I'm guessing you have as much of that as you need not far from your front door.

Asheville NC is a neat little city, right along the Blue Ridge Pkwy.

 

[frozenpoet]

I've been on I40 from Nashville to I81 on the bike before, didn't think it was that bad...then again I've also been on the bike all around the DC metro area so I might be a little crazy too. The main reason I want to travel south like that is to hit some states I've never been in, Atlanta was kind of a city I pulled out of thin air as a destination. By that point I'll probably be thinking more about just getting back home.

 

[StratTuner]

FreeCampSites.net was life changing for me and Mrs. StratTuner.

"Alabama Hills" outside Lone Pine, California. (not far from Manzinar Japanese Internment camp)


(below) That red spot on the left is a Honda Fit.
Mrs. StratTuner and I don't tour on the NC700x.

 

[Old Can Ride]

Being you are going up into Illinois, you might consider the old Lincoln Hwy or a little further down for old Route 66. These roads would keep you off the interstate most of the time.

Must ride in Colorado - Million Dollar Highway and Pikes Peak

Must see in Fort Worth - Stock Yards, and Billy Bobs.

 

[TigerDude]

I've been on I40 from Nashville to I81 on the bike before, didn't think it was that bad...then again I've also been on the bike all around the DC metro area so I might be a little crazy too. The main reason I want to travel south like that is to hit some states I've never been in, Atlanta was kind of a city I pulled out of thin air as a destination. By that point I'll probably be thinking more about just getting back home.

I-40 west of Memphis is a special kind of awful, even in a cage.

 

[TN Thunder]

Tiger Dude, I don't know where in S. LA you're from but I lived there for over 40 yrs., in MS and parttime lived in SE TX. There's some good rides north of Lake Ponchatrain in LA and in MS. You just have to get off the interstate.

 

[TN Thunder]

FrozenPoet, your route will depend on where you want to end up in GA from Dallas. There's some good back roads SE out of Dallas towards Beaumont, TX or you can run I-20 out of Dallas to Shreveport, LA and catch some good roads, especially South out of Marshall, TX down toward Beaumont or over into central LA. Lots of hills in LA south of Shreveport down to Alexandria, LA. Similar over in MS. US 90 from N.O. to Mobile, AL is very scenic but camping will be limited in the N.O., LA area where I lived before TN. The Natchez Trace from Natchez, MS to Nashville, TN is scenic, not the Blue Ridge but nice easy traveling, mostly 50 mph. However this will take you away from GA. I-40 from Nashville to Asheville, NC is one of the prettiest interstate runs you can make. Also I-77 up through WV. So your determining factor, or one of them, is if you want to run state roads or interstate. The best food in the US is in South Louisiana. Believe me, I've been in all the states except Hawaii. If I can assist you with your route planning, just let me know. A very scenic route along the MS River is from Baton Rouge to N.O. on the West bank of the river. Flat land but lots of curves following the river. Plenty of plantation homes and sugar cane. Planning is half of the enjoyment of traveling.

 

[frozenpoet]

Any favorite apps or mapping programs? I'll be using an Android os phone.

As far as ga goes I can skip the state entirely as I've been there before. I've never been to la, ak, ms, or al before though.

 

[Garydj]

Coming from Colorado into Kansas, US 50 would be more interesting than I70. It would take you more South and since you are going toward Texas that's the way you want anyway. Dodge City is the major attraction on 50.

 

[drdubb]

Draw your map on Furkot. Load it into CoPilot app.

 

[frozenpoet]

Draw your map on Furkot. Load it into CoPilot app.

I've used Copilot before, never used furkot though, so I'll have to check it out.

 

[drdubb]

Furkot works off like Google maps, but will let you export to various devices. Each day of travel will be a route.

 

[frozenpoet]

maaaaan, there's a lot of stuff on fukot. Started playing with it and found some useful stuff. Have to play with it some more.

 

[frozenpoet]

What's some odd touristy traps out there? I'm already planning on stopping at Cadillac ranch, the wife has been talking about the worlds largest prairie dog. The ride from La Fontaine to Limon will probably have the most stops as we will have the most time to kill.

 

[Old Can Ride]

What's some odd touristy traps out there? I'm already planning on stopping at Cadillac ranch, the wife has been talking about the worlds largest prairie dog. The ride from La Fontaine to Limon will probably have the most stops as we will have the most time to kill.

I you are going by the Cadillac Ranch off of I-20, you might consider visiting Palo Dura Canyon. Great play most nights called "TEXAS" at the Palo Dura Canyon in the evenings. There is a Texas Barbeque before the show in the park. Palo Dura Canyon is also a great place to ride and camp.

 

[frozenpoet]

Well I just ordered some farkles...New trunk, rotopax and mount, windscreen, and a couple other odds and ends. May wont get here soon enough!

 

[Chestnut]

It does seem a shame to go all the way to Colorado and not get up into the mountains. Million dollar highway would add a couple days to your ride, but Pike's Peak is only about 100 miles from Limon. Or pick any other squiggly line in the area. Of course being able to do that will depend on how much more winter they end up getting.

 

[drdubb]

Here's a route I was thinking about riding in June.





Hits several good roads and many of the National Parks and monuments. I have 21 days. I had good input from members here.

 

[frozenpoet]

Pikes peak is on the list to hit, hope to get to the million dollar highway and some other stuff. Hard to say what/where I can go till I get there.