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MD to NV on US 50: Advice, please!

MDCRUISER

Ride Safe!
In late April I will embark on my longest ride yet (maybe ever!): US 50 from Maryland to Ely, NV (then down 93 to Las Vegas, where I will participate in Edelweiss's Grand Canyon Tour). I'm shipping the bike home after the tour, so I need to do all my sightseeing while heading out west.

So far, I'm thinking of stopping in Athens, OH the first night, then Madison IN the second night. As you can see, I'm a 200-350 mile per day rider -- I love to stop to smell the roses, as it were, and enjoy riding in the morning and stopping by early to mid afternoon, exploring interesting towns and blue highways. I'm a hotel and B&B guy, not a camper. I try to avoid slabs, except when they are beltways around cities (such as Cincy, St. Louis, etc.)

So: any advice on places to stop en route? [I've got Jamie Jensen's Road Trip USA, but of course he's not a bike rider.] Great towns, must-see sights? Any special weather warnings or advice?

[And of course if anyone is interested in joining me for the ride out, please let me know!]

Many thanks in advance for your advice!
 
Roadrunner Magazine is doing a 3 part ride report on that route from west to east. So far they've covered the left coast all the way to Ohio. The next issue finishes the route. Some of their articles focus on the hotels and tourist traps, but this series mentions weather, road conditions, and a lot of the little things that set motorcycle travel apart from car trips.

If you have trouble finding back issues PM me and I can send copies.

Pete
 
widebmw: Thanks for this very valuable info. I plan to leave on April 28, and the risk of snow really does turn me off.

Perhaps I will take Route 50 for three days, until St. Louis, then head south down the Mississippi to Vicksburg, then West from there (combining the "River Road" and "Southern Pacific" itineraries in Jensen's Road Trip USA)

Apparently I can't change the title of this thread to reflect the altered route, but if you've read this far and can give advice on the modified itinerary, many thanks.
 
I did Rt. 50 from St. Louis to Sacramento in May 2010. The weather was generally terrible, with a few nice days here and there. At the Summit of Monarch Pass, just west of Salida, CO, it was 20 degrees. I hit a lot of high winds, a couple of snow storms at the higher elevations. There wasn't a whole lot of rain, but some. The worst were the crosswinds in Kansas.

In retrospect it was a miscalculation in timing. Doing it again, I would go a month later. Certainly not earlier.

Rt. 50 through Nevada is awesome. Watch out for the Mormon Crickets! Stop for gas at every opportunity. Don't miss the famous Hotel Nevada in Ely.
 
Heads up - Route 93 has a few blatant speed trap areas, especially around Pioche.
 
Gosh, not for the first time I am so grateful to be a BMWMOA member! Thanks to extremely useful tips by dhgeyer and widebmw, I've altered my tentative itinerary to Las Vegas. Here it is -- comments and improvements alternate stopping points (only Scottsdale is unchangeable) and places to see ARE MOST WELCOME:

Day 1 Potomac MD to Athens, OH: 334 miles
Day 2 Athens OH to Madison IN: 220 miles
Day 3 Madison IN to Ste Genevieve MO 327 miles
Day 4 Ste Genevieve MO to Clarksdale MS 348 miles
Day 5 Clarksdale MS to Shreveport LA 321 miles
Day 6 Shreveport LA to Albany TX 343 miles
Day 7 Albany TX to Whites City NM 319 miles
Day 8 Whites City NM to Willcox AZ 376 miles (incl. a bit of slab)
Day 9 Willcox AZ to Scottsdale AZ 197 miles (visiting family there)
Day 10 Scottsdale AZ to Las Vegas NV 307 miles
 
Western USA, year round rider;

Having ridden ALL the roads, or most of them on a year round basis, I've got a lot to say:). Some of my best riding has come in winter, but its always a gamble in winter to hit the right days to be on a bike, at any given locale out here. It snows in May and even June out here! My advice would be watch/listen to the NOAA sites closely as you travel and ride accordingly to your pics of choice. US50 is a great road out West. Wear or bring "electrics" always, for your personal warmth when riding. I go year round winter out here and wear an electric vest and heated grips and this gets me by, even into the teens. MY GSA twin keeps my feet warm and so on:). AZ is a favorite of mine and do not be surprised to find it cold too at any given time. Its a mountanous state, big mountains. Scottsdale to Las vegas, some really great riding. Go to Phoenix and pic up US93 to Wickenburg and N. to Kingman and Vegas, OR take a longer Inter.17N to Prescott,AZ and Northward to Inter 40 and Seligman,AZ where you can pic up the famed US66 Westbound to Kingman. A favorite biker road:). Oatman, AZ. should be on your list, on the old 66, just West of Kingman,AZ and on your way to Vegas. I have hit some of my worst snow riding storms in AZ. on my Beemers into May, so listen to your NOAA radio en route. Don't stop riding, just deal with it. Happy Trails to ya. Randy
 
In late April I will embark on my longest ride yet (maybe ever!): US 50 from Maryland to Ely, NV (then down 93 to Las Vegas, where I will participate in Edelweiss's Grand Canyon Tour). I'm shipping the bike home after the tour, so I need to do all my sightseeing while heading out west.

So far, I'm thinking of stopping in Athens, OH the first night, then Madison IN the second night. As you can see, I'm a 200-350 mile per day rider -- I love to stop to smell the roses, as it were, and enjoy riding in the morning and stopping by early to mid afternoon, exploring interesting towns and blue highways. I'm a hotel and B&B guy, not a camper. I try to avoid slabs, except when they are beltways around cities (such as Cincy, St. Louis, etc.)

So: any advice on places to stop en route? [I've got Jamie Jensen's Road Trip USA, but of course he's not a bike rider.] Great towns, must-see sights? Any special weather warnings or advice?

[And of course if anyone is interested in joining me for the ride out, please let me know!]

Many thanks in advance for your advice!

Just saw your post. I have traveled much of your planned route and there is much to see and not enough time to see it even in a month. When I get back home I will send you some information.

A big issue could be weather. Thunderstorms, tornadoes, and flooding tend to be common place in the plains states during that time of year. Also snow crossing the Rockies and the Sierras could also affect your ride.

I would suggest you plan alternatives just in case and add a few days to your ride out west. To avoid the thunderstorms generally a northerly route above the fronts works well but being pushed north could make crossing the Rockies challenging.

All in all a great ride though. If I remember in Ohio west of Chillicothe there is a town where the first crop circles were found in the USA, the first dental school in the USA, lots of beautiful scenery, Amish communities, etc.

And Ely the Hotel Nevada is Biker Friendly and a ride on the Ghost Train or visit to the depot is a great photo op!

Backroad ADV
 
Thanks to two suggestions (via PM), here is the revised itinerary (one change, deleting Shreveport):

Day 1 Potomac MD to Athens, OH: 334 miles
Day 2 Athens OH to Madison IN: 220 miles
Day 3 Madison IN to Ste Genevieve MO 327 miles
Day 4 Ste Genevieve MO to Clarksdale MS 348 miles
Day 5 Clarksdale MS to Jefferson TX 311 miles
Day 6 Jefferson TX to Albany TX 313 miles
Day 7 Albany TX to Whites City NM 319 miles
Day 8 Whites City NM to Willcox AZ 376 miles (incl. a bit of slab)
Day 9 Willcox AZ to Scottsdale AZ 197 miles (visiting family there)
Day 10 Scottsdale AZ to Las Vegas NV 307 miles
 
Some places to see along US 50, you can go to internet and get more info:

Chillicothe, OH - Hopewell Cultural Historic Park-Prehistoric mound building society.

Milford, OH - Was part of the underground railroad

Holton, IN - Otter Creek Covered Bridge

Seymore, IN - 1866 Reno gang; first US train robbery

Bedford, IN - Home of astronaut Gus Grissom

Montgomery, IN - 1 mile north is the Gasthoff Amish Village; gift shop/restaurant/lodge

Olney, IL - Home of the White Squirrel

Carlyle, IL - General Dean Suspension Bridge

Lebanon, IL - Mermaid Inn (Charles Dickens stayed here) and great town to browse downtown

(more to come)

Backroad ADV
 
More Places Along US 50:

Union, Missouri - Home of the Corn Cob Pipe Factory which manufactured 25 million pipes annually.

Jefferson City - Capital and lots of history: James Gang, Lewis and Clark, etc

Tipton, Missouri - in 1858 the railroad met the Butterfield Overland Stage

Warrensburg - Home of the B-2 and where the say "A dog is man's best friend" - check it out

Williamsburg, KS - Home of the Pome in the Range Winery

Peabody, KS - Look around you may find signs and remnants of old WWII POW camps nearby

Hutchinson, KS - this is where 150 million cubic feet of natural gas migrated undo the town 1/17/2001. Read up on the "Big Boom":doh

Dodge City - the obligatory tourist trap.

(More to come)

Backroad ADV.
 
Strong City, KS The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
 
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Some more places along US 50:

LaJunta, CO - Kashare Indian Kiva and Museum

Pueblo, CO - Historic Arkansas Riverwalk, Pitkin Historic District (A good go/no go point if pass is closed).

Canon City - Royal Gorge Tourist Trap (1000 foot high suspension bridge)

Grand Junction, CO - fantastic downtown; lots of street art, trees and shops, also a micro brewery.

That's it for tonight.

Backroad ADV
 
In late April I will embark on my longest ride yet (maybe ever!): US 50 from Maryland to Ely, NV (then down 93 to Las Vegas, where I will participate in Edelweiss's Grand Canyon Tour). I'm shipping the bike home after the tour, so I need to do all my sightseeing while heading out west.
....

Hey Michael... Keep your U.S. 50 options through Colorado and Utah open. 50 is sweet through Colorado. If you're flexible, check the weather as you ride west. You can check the latest Colorado road conditions here... http://www.cotrip.org

I ride year round in the middle of the Rockies at almost 9,000 feet, and annually pour the miles in April and May. Yeah... the weather could be unaccomodating during the window you have, but it also could be fantastic. Also, it is typically a wet snow late April, with it melting quickly, if not instantly when it hits the pavement.
 
Do you have time constraints on the trip? There are some roads in Texas you could enjoy since you are coming this far west if you have the time. I can point you in the right direction if you are interested. If you stay in Albany, Texas...be sure to eat at the Beehive...great place.

http://www.fortgriffinandbeehive.com/
 
Do you have time constraints on the trip? There are some roads in Texas you could enjoy since you are coming this far west if you have the time. I can point you in the right direction if you are interested. If you stay in Albany, Texas...be sure to eat at the Beehive...great place.

http://www.fortgriffinandbeehive.com/

Thanks for the Beehive recommendation -- I will definitely eat there and report back!

I do have a constraint, and that is to be in Las Vegas for the beginning of my Edelweiss tour on May 7. I also cannot leave Maryland until April 26. Apart from those constraints I'm free and easy! I've never been to the stretch between Jefferson and Albany, and would welcome recommendations. Thanks again.
 
Here are some pics taken April 28, 2008 of Blue Mesa, Gunnison, and Monarch Pass all along US 50.

Blue Mesa Reservoir

1146034300_MpTif-M.jpg


Monarch Pass

1146035024_PRJiW-M.jpg


1146035639_EbuhN-M.jpg
 
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