planned rides

My "new" FJR is getting a workout. Over 400 miles on it for the first week and I have enjoyed everyone of them. At the end of the month I have a road trip planned from Nashville to Atlanta to Goldsboro NC to Beaufort SC to Atlanta, then up to Johnson city (dragon maybe?) then back to Nashville. A nice little trip to visit friends and play golf. The big trip is in June when we will be traveling out to the Grand Canyon. My father in law on my old bike and the family in the car. That will be the sight seeing trip and a good stretch of the FJR's legs. Any advice for these up coming adventures would be appreciated.

On your June trip, go to the North Rim of the Canyon. The Grand Canyon is more spectacular from the South Rim but it is a much nicer motorcycle experience on the North Rim.

Make a swing through Monument Valley, hit Antelope Canyon just outside of Page AZ.

^^^^^^ listen to him he knows.

Redfish Hunter said:

The Grand Canyon is more spectacular from the South Rim but it is a much nicer motorcycle experience on the North Rim.

Click to expand...

Agreed!

Redfish Hunter said:

Make a swing through Monument Valley, hit Antelope Canyon just outside of Page AZ.

Click to expand...

Wish I'd thought to do this. Another item for the bucket list...

Regarding your Appalachian adventure, take a look at my ride report "9th State". I've got daily ride routes posted there. Consider broadening your swing to include some southwestern Virginia, southeastern Kentucky, and parts northeast of the Dragon along (but not necessarily ON) the Blue Ridge Parkway. The state hwys in the mountains adjacent to the Cumberland Gap are wonderful and very well suited to the FJR (plenty twisty, but not too technical for a 650 pound motorcycle).

The Dragon is a rite of passage - if you haven't ridden it yet, you simply must. I'd recommend timing things so that you get to the Dragon on either end around 9:30 am - this is when the fog usually lifts and well before the idiots with the mohawks on their helmets or the other idiots dressed as pirates get out of bed. OTOH - if you have already been to the Dragon, I say skip it. If necessary, use the Cherahola Skyway to get to Tellico Plains, then turn south and ride some of the roller coaster in Northwestern Georgia on the way home. The roads there are just as good (if not better quite frankly), the traffic is MUCH lighter, and the traffic that does exist is MUCH less squid-ish.