Summer Destination?

I'm planning on a 4-5 day getaway in July. Did Lake Superior last year, have done the Dragon, Mount Rushmore. Looking for tasty roads within a reasonable distance of South Bend/Chicago.

Requirements:

* Interesting things to see

* Entertaining roads

* Preferably north to maximize daylight and minimize temps

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Get yourself to NAFO. Lots of stuff to see between your location and Castlegar BC and awesome riding once you get there. 3-4 days each way plus a few days there should be a good trip.

The Nerds event was great last year. This year it is August 15th to the 19th Stowe Vermont

Sharif said:

I'm planning on a 4-5 day getaway in July. Did Lake Superior last year, have done the Dragon, Mount Rushmore. Looking for tasty roads within a reasonable distance of South Bend/Chicago.

Requirements:

* Interesting things to see

* Entertaining roads

* Preferably north to maximize daylight and minimize temps

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Click to expand...

I would suggest following the curvy road and let the interesting things come to you as you pass them by...who knows what you'll find?

If you want north...then maybe southwest Wisconsin into Cheeseland between LaCrosse and Prairie Du Chien on the west, and Hollandale and Hillsboro on the east. Curvy roads, Cheese, curvy roads, beer.

If you don't mind the Ohio, WV, Kentucky area...I would head straightaway to SE Ohio and do a nice loop based out of Athens, Marietta, or Caldwell. Then I would head east and travel through WV for a day and end up in Elkins or pictured Rocks area. Then I would meander south and base out of Lewisberg. If you have more time, meander even further south and base out of Tazewell or Marion, VA.

Get yourself a nice Gazetteer...the map will tell you where to go.

wheatonFJR said:

Sharif said:

I'm planning on a 4-5 day getaway in July. Did Lake Superior last year, have done the Dragon, Mount Rushmore. Looking for tasty roads within a reasonable distance of South Bend/Chicago.

Requirements:

* Interesting things to see

* Entertaining roads

* Preferably north to maximize daylight and minimize temps

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Click to expand...

I would suggest following the curvy road and let the interesting things come to you as you pass them by...who knows what you'll find?

If you want north...then maybe southwest Wisconsin into Cheeseland between LaCrosse and Prairie Du Chien on the west, and Hollandale and Hillsboro on the east. Curvy roads, Cheese, curvy roads, beer.

If you don't mind the Ohio, WV, Kentucky area...I would head straightaway to SE Ohio and do a nice loop based out of Athens, Marietta, or Caldwell. Then I would head east and travel through WV for a day and end up in Elkins or pictured Rocks area. Then I would meander south and base out of Lewisberg. If you have more time, meander even further south and base out of Tazewell or Marion, VA.

Get yourself a nice Gazetteer...the map will tell you where to go.

Click to expand...

+1

"If you want north...then maybe southwest Wisconsin into Cheeseland between LaCrosse and Prairie Du Chien on the west, and Hollandale and Hillsboro on the east. Curvy roads, Cheese, curvy roads, beer."

Bad info, there, Mark. Nothing good up this way. Plus, performance awards abound. ogranichnik:

(All you "foreigners" keep drinking all our home-state beer) :drinks:

Even though I live in Minnesota, I'm a cheesehead in my heart (and stomach).

South Bend to Banff is only 1,784 miles....one way.

Start in Pottsville, PA for a tour of the Yuengling beer factory & then ride down to Skyline drive in VA and take it south on the BRP to it's ending point in Cherokee, NC.

Southwest Wisconsin :bike: Yee-Haa

Well lets see. Right now we are planning for a number of contingencies. Some have us going north back into Iraq. Others have us just heading east of Iraq. Another has us providing humanitarian support in a number of countries Of course the most likely scenarios has us continuing to sit on our asses here in Kuwait..........

BUT on the motorcycle side of things shortly after I get home I'm going to the Women's Sportbike Rally with my wife where I should be surrounded by lots of women who ride sportbikes all wearing leather!!! LOL

EDITED to say: Oh! This is about you! Sorry!! Just because you've done the Dragon doesn't mean you've seen all the region has to offer. Head south and pick up US 421. You can stay on it through KY (great piece of road). After you go through "The Snake" you'll get to Mountain City. Once there head east a little ways then back north through WV into eastern OH, and back home. Great roads all around.

Kevin_Ireland said:

Head south and pick up US 421. You can stay on it through KY (great piece of road). After you go through "The Snake" you'll get to Mountain City.

Click to expand...

Don't mean to threadjack...but I'm riding this stretch of road in June as part of my 4 day mountain riding trip with my wife. :yahoo: .....plus many, many, many other curvey paved roads in the Appalachians.

Southwest WI indeed. I lived in Chicago for 10 years or so, and WI's wonderful roads were a frequent companion.

I do like 421, that's what I used to come back up.

Keep the ideas coming! I'm thinking possibly Mount Washington in NH and Mount Equinox in VT...

If great motorcycling roads is what you seek, you may be disappointed in New England. We have some pretty tough winters (though this one hasn't been yet) and some really frugal municipalities, so the roads tend towards the rougher side. Yeah, it's pretty as all get out up here, and lots of stuff to see and do, but not the best roads. But if you are coming, why not come in August and join us for the NERDS rally as previously suggested?

JUst given your criteria, I would suggest heading down to West Virginia, especially if you've never been before. Some of the best damn motorcycle roads anywhere, and the temps aren't too awful in the mountains. We did a July trip there a couple years back and though it got a bit steamy in the late afternoons, it was quite bearable.

Sharif said:

Southwest WI indeed. I lived in Chicago for 10 years or so, and WI's wonderful roads were a frequent companion.

I do like 421, that's what I used to come back up.

Keep the ideas coming! I'm thinking possibly Mount Washington in NH and Mount Equinox in VT...

Click to expand...

If you're really just looking around for some good roads...explore with motorcycleroads.us. Not a perfect resource...but between that and a good Gazetteer and MS S&T, you should get the idea.

Mt Washington?

Nothing up there except bunch of FJR NERDS

wheatonFJR said:

Sharif said:

I'm planning on a 4-5 day getaway in July. Did Lake Superior last year, have done the Dragon, Mount Rushmore. Looking for tasty roads within a reasonable distance of South Bend/Chicago.

Requirements:

* Interesting things to see

* Entertaining roads

* Preferably north to maximize daylight and minimize temps

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Click to expand...

I would suggest following the curvy road and let the interesting things come to you as you pass them by...who knows what you'll find?

If you want north...then maybe southwest Wisconsin into Cheeseland between LaCrosse and Prairie Du Chien on the west, and Hollandale and Hillsboro on the east. Curvy roads, Cheese, curvy roads, beer.

If you don't mind the Ohio, WV, Kentucky area...I would head straightaway to SE Ohio and do a nice loop based out of Athens, Marietta, or Caldwell. Then I would head east and travel through WV for a day and end up in Elkins or pictured Rocks area. Then I would meander south and base out of Lewisberg. If you have more time, meander even further south and base out of Tazewell or Marion, VA.

Get yourself a nice Gazetteer...the map will tell you where to go.

Click to expand...

That sounds real nice to me!!Ive been thinkin bout that area myself.

Sharif said:

I'm planning on a 4-5 day getaway in July. Did Lake Superior last year, have done the Dragon, Mount Rushmore. Looking for tasty roads within a reasonable distance of South Bend/Chicago.

Requirements:

* Interesting things to see

* Entertaining roads

* Preferably north to maximize daylight and minimize temps

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Click to expand...

Get this months issue of "RoadRunner" mag. The featured ride suggestions this month were

tempting. They do nice write ups and include maps. The covered bridges route looked close

for you. The Northern Cal/ Southern Oregon route is being added to my list to do with the wife.

OR

NAFO is in a GREAT area this year!