Touring on the highways and byways

[Northshore__Paul]

Some of the best trips I've taken is when I avoided the interstates and pointed the bike in the direction I wanted to go and just went. I would like to do so on a scale that is planned and not just serendipitous. I would like to make a trip from Louisiana toward the Canadian border and would like to find a publication that shows "the road less traveled". Does anyone know of a book or booklet that covers the entire U.S. and shows the better roads to tour on and avoid the interstates? As they say, it is not the destination but the journey and if you are on a long journey why not travel the more picturesque roads, no matter how much slowly you have to travel.

 

[drdubb]

Butler maps now has a map for the ozarks, as well as most western States. Tom tom has a feature that will route you down curvy back roads.

There is always the great river road or the natchez trace

 

[Doc True]

This trip screams River Road. You'll have to do some google-fu to find specifics, but it follows the Mississippi up to it's head waters. From there, it's just a quick jump across the border.

 

[zirconx]

Check out rever.co. You can use it to plan your route, and even use it as a GPS to route you. If you upgrade to the pay version it will overlay the Butler maps routes on it.

I use rever to plan my routes, and in another tab I Google satellite & street view open. I inspect the roads to see what the surface is like and what the scenery is. Then layout my route on the rever.co tab. It's time consuming but I find it enjoyable.

I also use Motorcycle Roads | Motorcycle Roads and Rides | MotorcycleRoads.com to find good roads.

 

[wickerman]

The Natchez Trace will get you north to Nashville, with lots of interesting sites and side trips along the way.

Motorcycle Riding Along the Natchez Trace Parkway | Rider Magazine | Rider Magazine

https://www.nps.gov/natr/index.htm

 

[jtkirk]

You must take some of the roads in N. Central Arkansas and South Central Missouri and I am not referring to those around Harrison like Hwy 7. I live 80 miles west of there and there are great roads in my area that will get East and North on your way to Canada.

 

[drdubb]

I've used Furkot to plan routes. You can export for use in a Garmin.