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Routes to Sedalia, MO BMWMOA Rally

fastdogs2

New member
I am doing some preliminary planning on routes to next year's BMWMOA rally at Sedalia, MO and I submit this to folks in the Midwest who are familiar with the roads around St. Louis.

We want to travel on US Route 50 through Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. We have a rider in our group who is terrified of Interstates and I can't see a way to get around St. Louis without using the Interstates.

Can anyone suggest an alternative route around St. Louis, if we approach from the east on US Route 50? If it is impossible to avoid the Interstates, is there an optimal time to travel without encountering too much traffic?
 
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I would think a lot depends on how much time you have for travel. I have crossed the Mississippi at St. Louis, and at Natchez. Natchez is a lot less hectic. Another option might be to travel through Canada and then head south once you are west of the Mississippi. If you travel in Canada, I would suggest avoiding Hwy 401 as it is a lot like the interstates, but busier. St. Louis wasn't too bad, but anyone I talked to said plan your arrival to avoid rush hour(s). Once you're through St. Louis, the rest is more regular interstate with more options for route and type of riding.
 
Sure. Aim for and cross the river at Cape Girardau, and then take the back roads through southern Missouri doing a weave and bob up to Sedalia.

Unless this is a nostalgia trip on highway 50 why go there. There are lots of two-lane roads with less traffic, fewer trucks, and better scenery.
 
Travel to Sedalia, MO

Thanks, guys for your replies.

As far as travel time, I would like to make the trip to Sedalia in three-four days from Raleigh, NC. I will need to be back in Raleigh on the return trip from Sedalia in just three days.

I am not totally obligated to Route 50. As I said before, I just looked at the map and that seemed to be a logical route. I will be travelling with three other riders and would prefer not to do a lot of "route adjusting," with potential for missed turns, backtracking, etc.
 
You can always take the ferry across the mighty Mississippi to a little town call Ste Genevieve(have lunch) and backroad it to Sedalia.


ROC
 
To Rally via Great River Road

You could travel north through Michigan, across the Mackinaw Bridge, then west to Northern Minnesota to the source of the Mississippi at Lake Itasca State Park. Generally follow the signs for the "Great River Road" south as it follows the Mississippi River. Somewhere north of St. Louis, follow back roads southwest to the Rally. After the Rally, resume your southerly route along the big river to New Orleans or until you run out of time. Then find your way home by the back roads. I'm thinking of heading southeasterly from Natchez to the Gulf, east to the Atlantic, then northwest though the Carolinas toward home...

I will likely be leaving northwest Michigan sometime the week before the rally. I'm not sure when I'll get home.
 
Rt 50 acros Indiana is a great road.Wife has a sister that lives outside Bedford,so i have ridden it a bit.There to rt 65 is very niceHope this helps.Ed
 
Routes to Sedalia from NC

Folks, thanks to everyone for the ride suggestions. I appreciate those of you who are directing me north (Canada, Michigan), but I don't know if we have enough time to do that, since our starting point is Raleigh, NC. We need to arrive in the Sedalia area on Wednesday, July 18.

We will probably travel northwest through southern VA into WV and then turn westward.

I am tentatively considering two routes:

1. Route 50 through southern Ohio, Indiana and Illinois and then either continuing on Route 50 to Sedalia or take alternative routes (yet to be determined) through MO.
2. Route 60 through WV and linking up to Route 62 through Kentucky and 62/412 through Arkansas to 65 north into MO.

Any alternative routes would be appreciated.

Bill
 
When you get to Illinois, you could head toward Quincy/Hannibal MO., and pick up US24. I'm pretty sure that US24 will take right to the destination, or very close. If I ride direct, I'll be leaving from Peoria. US24 turns into a more interesting road west of here as you get closer to the Mississippi.
 
Routes to Sedalia

James,

Thanks! I am a great fan of Mark Twain and if I can go through Hannibal and see some of what inspired his writings, that would make my day.

If I enter Illinois on Route 50, I will have to jog a bit northwest to cross into MO at Hannibal, but that would avoid the interstate at St. Louis.

I'll have to plan it out.

Bill
 
James,

Thanks! I am a great fan of Mark Twain and if I can go through Hannibal and see some of what inspired his writings, that would make my day...l

I made a stop in Hannibel last spring and was not disappointed. You can spend anywhere from an hour or two to a half day or more. It's a fun place.
 
Avoiding the Interstate at St.Louis is a very good idea. It would be very easy to get killed right there where you come off the bridge.
 
Avoiding the Interstate at St.Louis is a very good idea. It would be very easy to get killed right there where you come off the bridge.

From what I saw at rush hour, you might have a real good chance of dying of boredom while you creep along in stop and go traffic. :lol

p.s. Hi Jim. Haven't seen you in a while.
 
Bill, my thoughts based on closely reading your posts: Your going to see a lot of traffic & intersections/turns based on your route choices, and Ky Rt60 is slow, long & confusing in many places. Remember those two digit routes were laid out pre interstate & pass THROUGH every town/city the creek/valley allows. That said, there are nice segements to many of them. My idea for you: Rt 60 throuth WV to Huntington. Very nice & Charleston - Huntington not to difficult. Then Rt52 along Ohio Rive through Cincinnati, connecting onto Rt50 through IN and most of IL.
The 2.1 million people in Cincy are not much of a factor along that slower route through the city. Think suburbs & beltways, but avoid rush hours. I like the Hannibal approach to the Rally site. Peel off 50 onto 127 & 16 toward the big muddy to join 100 & 96 to Hannibal. That leaves a short day in; allways good to arrive earily in the day & week! Going home I would seek a southern route which has the availability of shorter distance. Happy Trails, John
 
Routes to Sedalia

John,

Thanks very much for your suggestions! I am old enough to know about roads before the interstates. I grew up in eastern OH, on the Ohio River, near US Rt 40 (the National Road). It was pure agony to travel from the River to Columbus on Rt 40 going through all of those little towns with red lights on every corner and 20 mph speed limits, and the stereotypical "Barney Fife" type LEO's lurking down side streets, seeking to enhance revenue.

I have ridden on 60 from Charleston to Huntington and it was easy, as you describe. By the way, Rt 10 south from Huntington to Princeton, WV is an excellent motorcycle road, but you probably know that.

I like your suggestion about US 52. I will look at 127 & 16 toward Hannibal.

I am leaning toward a southern route through Arkansas, perhaps down Rt 7 to Hot Springs and maybe on to Natchez, MS and ride the Natchez Trace north to Tupelo.

Bill
 
From what I saw at rush hour, you might have a real good chance of dying of boredom while you creep along in stop and go traffic. :lol

p.s. Hi Jim. Haven't seen you in a while.

Same back at ya, Dan.

You are correct on that rush hour-death by boredom. I was thinking more along the lines of mid-morning on a saturday on the way to the MOA open house, which would be about the same as any time other than rush hour.
 
If you must go through a big city, I'd recommend late afternoon on Saturday or Sunday. If you take Rt 50 through West Va, it's been a while for me, but lots and lots of switchbacks, challenging & entertaining on the bike, but very fatiguing on a long ride.
 
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