| Author | Message | ||
     Racerboy |
V2WIN and I are planning our annual summer sojourn for 2002...The destination is Glacier National Park and the "Going to the Sun Road"...We are looking for great roads to ride....Here's what we have as of now: .....MT...Going to the Sun Road .....MT...Hwy 89 from Hwy 87 in the north to Yellowstone National Park in the south .....MT...Hwy 12 from Helena in the west to Vanada in the east .....WY...Hwy 212 and Beartooth Pass .....SD...Needles Highway .....SD...Badlands .....SD...Spearfish Canyon .....SD...Game loop in Custer State Park .....CO...Million Dollar Highway .....CO...Highway 34 from Granby in the west to Loveland in the east along the Big Thompson .....CO...Highway 50 from Gunnison west to Montrose As you can see these are mostly well known roads and we would really appreciate some "local knowledge" Thanks, Bob | ||
| Mikej |
Bob, On my westward ride last July I really enjoyed hwy-16 between Buffalo and Ten Sleep in western WY. If I remember right I then took 31 north heading to Cody instead of continuing to the more-main highway, 31 is your basic country paved road with no obvious painted line down the middle, light traffic, not much else apart from the occaisional ranch house. If you're camping and get near Cody, there are two state park campgrounds just west of Cody, one right on the reservoir, and the other a little farther out next to the river (which is the one I stayed at). These will put you about a half-hour from the Yellowstone entrance, and out of the main Grizzly alert area. 181 northbound out of West Yellowstone is a leisurely meandering road along the Galatin river, nice relaxing ride. I-90 between Butte and Missoula MT is okay, basic mountain interstate with some posted 35mph corners. Traffic (what little there was) flowed along between 80-95mph, with the occaisional State Trooper hanging out (the one I saw was stopped helping out some guy on a blue M2 Buell that was down off the road in the middle of a field but looked okay). Hwy 12 between Missoula and Lewiston ID is a nice road, lots of turns. But don't do it at night as there are lots of deer and millions of bugs after sunset. Fill your tank in Missoula or at the small town where 12 splits off from 93. There isn't much in the way of services apart from one campground until you get down the hill to Stites. Stites is on the Nez Perce Indian lands, and that whole nation seems to close up by 9pm. There's a nice shortish section of hwy 12 out of Clarkston WA where it leaves the river and heads up to the higher plateau. Probably not worth the side trip unless you end up in Lewiston and have an hour to spend going out and back. I was going to hit Glacier National Park on the return trip, but that hasn't happened yet. So, this ends my input unless you want some impressions of the Badlands and some of the roads around Sturgis and Mt. Rushmore. What time of year are you planning on going? | ||
| V2win |
Mid July | ||
| Werewulf |
speaking of roads, i would like to tag along with some buellers on some kind of excursion. i live near deals gap and all last summer tried to find some folk to ride with, without success. im a retired trooper, so i can come and go as i please. i hope to do some real traveling, (cross country) so if anyone would like another bike in their group, i sure would like an invite. | ||
| V2win |
Werewulf, Racerboy and I get down your way a lot. Send Bob (racerboy) an email with your phone number so we can call before we come down. We would love to ride with you. Locals always know of those special places to ride.  | ||
| Mikej |
Just west of Custer SD just out of town a few miles on hwy-16 I stayed at a private campground. Decent place, but most of the campsites were on dirt with limited grass so it would be muddy if it rained. It wasn't a KOA, but there might have been one of those nearby. No mosquitos for some reason, the owner/manager said they don't have any of them in that area. Rate was okay, and they had a very small grocery store, and showers. Just some info to tuck away if you end up near there at the end of the day and are camping. | ||
| Blake |
Needles highway, South Dakota. | ||
| Bill |
Texas hillcountry | ||
| Blackbuellm2 |
Cache Le Poudre Canyon west of Fort Collins Colorado - hit it off season if possible, or weekday. You can take it all the way to Steamboat Springs or cut up toward Wyoming and parts North. Heck let's be honest you could spend two weeks in Colorado riding all the awesome roads here. Give me a holler and come on out!! | ||
| Rocketman |
I'd have to agree with BuellBlack. I thought we had some awesome roads in the UK but the canyon road Aaron took Pete and I down, from Estes Park to somewhere near Berthoud, has to be the best road I've ridden all year. Buelling in Colorado was ace Rocket in England | ||
| Hoser |
Where do I begin ??.............................. How about British Columbia Pick a road , say , .......Hwy 3A from creston to Crawford Bay on the east side of Kootenay lake. It's rated #1 in British Columbia. You don't believe me ??...............Go here.... http://www.twisted-edge.com/ Anyone planning a trip to B.C. needs to do some research using "Destination Highways" website or better yet order the book , it fits in a tank bag and will enable you to not waste time or rubber droning along on boring roads. Southern B.C. is covered extensively and the rating system used is based on ............ Twistiness........max score 30 Pavement..........max score 20 Engineering.......max score 10 Remoteness........max score 10 Scenery...........max score 15 Character.........max score 15 For a maximum score of 100 Destination highways is about to release a new book about Washington state , another favourite place to ride. Jeff | ||
| Bigblock |
There's some great "secret" CA roads at www.moto-rama.com | ||
| Davegess |
Almost any road in southwestern Wisconsin. Basically south and east of I 90 State 33 from Baraboo to Lacrosse is fun, particularly in the early summer before the corn comes up. Then you can see through two or three turns at a time as you are on a ridge top. Dave | ||
| Rocketman |
Ok, another great road I rode this year. Grenoble to St Tropez via Sisteron. Awesome French fun ! Rocket in England | ||
| Werewulf |
since its winter, i might suggest a florida place to ride. while i was stationed in tallahassee, i used to go to wakulla springs about 45 minutes south of town. it used to be an old hotel at the worlds largest spring. this is where they used to film a lot of the old johnny weismuller tarzan movies. about ten years ago, the state bought it and made a state park out of it, glass bottom boats and the lot. a good restaurant and i spent a few nights in the old hotel, still has mistique. from there you can take us98 along the coast and see the old time florida. i havent been back there since i moved to the smokeys 7 years ago. i miss riding the coast. anyone who wants to do a ride in the area, i plan to do several this winter. give me a call and come on! | ||
| Racerboy |
Okay...John and I are kind of zeroing in on Montana and are thinking of eliminating the CO roads listed above...The transition from MT down to CO looks like it will take two days and will make the trip a whole lot more hectic...So what we are looking for is local knowledge of Montana roads...I have the info from the "Scenic Driving" series and the "Off the Beaten Path" series from Whitehorse Press but we would appreciate anyone with experience in Montana posting here...Also, it appears to us the northwest MT can be very wet and we would like some feedback on this as well... See Ya! Bob | ||
| S320002 |
Racerboy, It rains but not Portland/Seatle style. If you're lucky you may not even get wet. A few more roads; South of Glacier highway 35 along the east side of Flathead Lake. South of Missoula/Hamilton/Darby Highway 93 (Lost Trail Pass) great road with some nice tight curves. You can take hwy 43 to Wisdom/Wise River when you get to the top of the pass or you can stay on 93 and drop on down into the Salmon River Valley and come back up (my choice). If its been dry for a few days and you don't mind the few miles of dirt at the top Highway 38 (Skalkaho Pass) going east out of Hamilton to Phillipsburg is a real treat. So many roads so little time. Greg |
