Best roads in the good ole USA

[stewgnu]

I’ve been to Oklahoma (of all places), Red rock canyon was nice enough, loved Tulsa, sadly did not get a chance to ride in the Ozarks.

[stewgnu]

Some long, looooong roads of not much... I got a touch of heat-stroke from just driving for 2 hours. If you stagger red-faced into a Walmart, go to the pharmacy and ask, in an English accent for “Paracetamol?” You’ll get nowt but strange looks.

 

Oh they do have a massive wooden round barn. And a massive soda-pop place. Er, and a few buffalo remain.

[LowRyter]

Living in Okla, I live about an hour from Red Rock Canyon and have seen it once. The term "canyon" would be a generous description.  

 

Mentioning the round barn and Pop's Soda shop to Tulsa, it's fair to say you've been on Rt 66.  There are great and scenic parts of the state, like the Wichita "Mtns" wildlife refuge, the Gloss "Mtns", frontier capital Guthrie, and the eastern lakes and forests in Green Country like the Talimena Drive.  We have a rally at Talihina in Oct.

 

But, so far as riding, the Ozarks Mtns have it all beat.  You might check my maps that I listed for the Ozark Raid next month.  Harrison Ark is right in the center of some of the best roads anywhere.

 

https://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20267

[Gmc28]

Sounds like u know what you’re getting into in each area of the US, and the expanse of it, so that’s the key. Those who don’t realize the scope can get surprised by the need for long days in the saddle to get anywhere, as compared to Europe where u can cross so many geographic and political divides so quickly.

 

To add to the western end comments, if you’re going to Vancouver, the Banf/jasper ice field parkway is awesome, and very worth doing. It is farther north than you might think, but u sound like you’re good that way.

If u do the ice field parkway, then consider Routing from the south through the “going to the sun” highway in NW Montana, as has been mentioned earlier in this thread. Plan to go early or late in the day, as it can get real busy with traffic, even though it’s semi remote. For that matter, if you go through Yellowstone that’s also outstanding, but there again traffic can get nauseating, so shoot for early mornings, late evenings, and/or mid week time periods.

To get there, I recommend finding White Sulphur Springs on the map (MT) and Routing yourself from the south up through there and on to Great Falls. There are other great roads in there, but the run from white sulphur to great falls would be real nice on a Sprint.

The route up to the going-to-the-sun Highway is interesting... flat but not unpleasant at first, then some beautiful tight twisties as u climb at the end of that segment into the mountains.

 

I’ve got family on Vancouver island too.... which town you heading to?

[ferguzzi]

All good ideas, I was thinking the ice fields towards the end of the trip. I guess it’ll depend at that stage on time available.

The in laws live outside Duncan. I keep a ‘65 corvair there when I’m visiting, but I wouldn’t trust it for any longer trips, like Oregon or Montana.

Should be fun on a bike though!

[LowRyter]

Duncan OK?  

[ferguzzi]

Not bad, it’s quiet and rural, the town’s nothing special.

But when I’m visiting it’s a holiday, so beers and g+t’s can cheer anything up!

[ferguzzi]

So, trips over and I’m home in Ireland again.

7800 miles in 17 days, 23 states 2 countries. Longest day was 530 miles. The bike ate both tyres, developed a fuel leak from one of the carbs towards the end, but otherwise performed perfectly.

It’s an imperfect bike, the fairing isn’t very aerodynamic, so wind turbulence and noise was a factor,so I’m going to have to reconsider a better screen (and better earplugs). It now lives in Vancouver,which I visit every year so, Oregon, Montana etc will be in it’s future sometime.

Highlights were the roads in Virginia, Tennessee, the scenery in South Dakota and crossing the Rockies in to British Columbia.

The lowlights we’re coming off the bike in a thunderstorm in Virginia (hurt pride more then anything), and riding at a constant angle because of the crosswinds in the prairies.(now I see the reason for a Harley).

Not a single boring day, from the cold in Manitoba to the 96 degree heat in Kansas, there was always something new.

And I ate my body weight in barbecue....

Back to real life now, I’ll post a few photos,as soon as I figure out how!

[docc]

Haha: " . . . I ate my body weight in BBQ . . ."

 

Good on ya, man!  Success! 

[Scud]

That sounds like a great trip (except for those lowlights). Looking forward to the photos.

[Chuck]

 

riding at a constant angle because of the crosswinds in the prairies.(now I see the reason for a Harley).

I have some friends that were coming back from the west coast through the prairie. She is a sweet thing, and wouldn't say sh!t, etc. They normally camp, but in the evening of one of "those" days, she slammed her kickstand down and said, "Get me an effin motel. I'm not riding another mile.." We've all had those days..

Motorcycle trips are memorable. Some good and some bad. Just the same, if you don't remember that day,  was it worth living?

[LowRyter]

I find that having some adventure on a trip, some rain, snow, hail, food poisoning, etc.,  makes the best parts of the trip ahhhh.... so memorable.  

[ferguzzi]

No guesses where this is....

[ferguzzi]

Dakota badlands...

[ferguzzi]

Canadian Rockies...