I think that no matter where you live, you have that one great road that you love to ride, the one you try to get out to as often as possible because it does something for you. This is the road that you recommend to anyone traveling through your neck of the woods.
So, that's what I want to know. What's the one great road in your area, or your state? Where does it start and end? What's the route number? How long is it? What are the characteristics? What makes it a must ride road? I'd like to travel around and ride these roads, so please share them with me.
I'll start with my favorite:
In northern NM, US64 from Tres Piedras to Tierra Amarilla is my favorite road. Running east to west, it's full of twists and turns as it crosses the Brazos Mountains. The pavement is smooth and the views are epic. We took one of the last BRAG adventure rides there a few years ago and it was exhilarating. There are numerous tight 180-degree lefts and rights as well as lots of long sweeping high-speed curves that hug the foothills on either side of the peak. It's about 46 miles long and virtually demands that you stop at the crest and take in the scenic beauty of the area. Your heart will thank you for the break and will beat twice as fast on the more technical west facing down-slope.
I look forward to reading about your favorite rides!! Thanks!
There isn't a "good" motorcycle road in the whole damn state of FL.
There are some scenic ones like US98 that runs along the gulf coast with nice views of the Gulf but 35 mph, straight, flat, and often congested kinda ruin it for me.
That said, if you want a long straight flat road to find out how fast your bike will go, this is the state for you. Just in the Tallahassee area, one of if not the most hilly parts of the state, there are many roads that go for 2-3 miles straight and flat with no side roads to worry about someone pulling out in front you.
Beat me to it Sayitaintso...we have 2 corners down here in the center of the state...
Just kidding...we sure are not blessed with the miles and miles of endless twisties that a lot of places have...but if you look hard enough, you can piece together enough sections to have a good time without having to drone along for hours in the straight and flat...in my neck of the woods anyways....we use what we have...and we can put together about 40 or 50 miles of sections that range from pure fun to completely hair raising.
And the best section is a road called Fussell Road..only about 3 miles long, with about 11 corners..good road surface..Old Lake Alfred Road...6 miles of twisties, some off camber...Green Pond Road, older narrow road..lots of shade from trees..dont ride it at mid-day if you are epeleptic or prone to flashbacks...Lucerne Park Road...8 miles of off camber madness with a handful of genuine white knuckle sweepers...there are a few good roads in the Tampa/Brooksville area too...
Well in East Tennessee.....we pretty much have it all. The most popular is the Dragon, 318 turns in 11 miles, rt 129. There are so many others. I have been riding here for about six years and am totally amazed at the roads that I continue to find.
My favorite method of finding them has nothing to do with maps or my GPS. I head a direction on a road I have never seen and go until it runs out or I see a more adventurous looking option. Some areas require carrying a weapon to ease fears of armed fiddle players on a shack porch, or wild animals that are predatory carnivores. This is done in the event of a really remote breakdown. Also carrying a couple new fiddle strings is a good idea if the need to barter arises.
One of my favorite is rt 32. It has a twisty section 7 miles long, and it seems made specifically for a Buell ride. This road runs parallel to Interstate 40 as it turns South through the Tennessee Appalachian Mountains towards Asheville NC.
It is new pavement that is in excellent condition. If you hit it on a day the mowing crews haven't been there, and there has been no rain and high winds, it is crazy awesome to ride. The turns are closer and more intense than the Dragon. I recall one straight stretch that may cover nearly a quarter of a mile, other than that it is twisted!
The first time I rode it I had to stop about four miles in. I was laughing so hard I couldn't see for tears in my eyes. The seven miles of pretzel making twisties end in a dirt road at the NC state line, about three miles of which are switch back dirt roads with a left turn at the bottom that will put you right on rt 40. The ride to and from this jewel hanging on the side of the mountain, is great too. But I have at least six different ways to get there.
elevation change: +5000' curves: Ain't no straight section condition: Paved from great to medium surface Fun duration: 27 miles Starts: 5 miles from my house
We have a few good roads, but if you're coming from out of State, I suggest riding the Mohawk Trail (Mass Rt. 2). State Rt. 116 is a peach as well. The road up to the peak of Mt. Wachusett isn't bad either. Neither is the road to the top of Mt. Greylock. Then there's Rt. 119 through the Willard Brook State Forest... Aw hell; just let me know when you're coming and I'll lay out a ride you will enjoy.
IL71 by Starved Rock state park here in IL is about the best you can get around here. The road sucks but the curves are nice and the scenery is beautiful.
I certainly know what my favorite road is, but I don't recommend it to just anyone. It's a road that not everyone should ride. Unfortunately many unskilled and sloppy riders swarm this place and its popularity has killed what it once was. Lucky for me I've got plenty of other roads I can have fun on when all the tourists come take over The Dragon. When the tourism slacks off and all the squids go back home, then I can enjoy my favorite stretch of asphalt.
l'm with 20xb12s04, only l hit it from the other direction. A good variation to get there is the south side of the Skagit river from hwy 9 to Concrete. Nice windy county road.
Here in eastern Ky my road is hwy 52 from Irving to Beattyville, probably about 15 miles. Very smooth and great curves only about 15 min from my house too. I feel really blessed to have all the great roads that we do.