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Rollin' by THE GREAT RIVER ROAD to the MOA RALLY... Join the Ride!

Thanks for the routes

Working on building interest for this ride and hosts for each stop.....if there is not enough interest I will continue to post routes for interested riders.

I realize it early...to commit for many for a ride of this nature... but we continue to hope for more riders to say they will join at some point.

Look at these GPX files... they are choices from South of St. Louis to Ft. Madison or Hannibal area. The River Road runs really on both sides of the river and so marked...Hwy 61 in most areas... I found the times I ran the ride that I would cross the river at given points either bridges or ferry options to enhance the ride. There are many historic or national park/memorials POIs as well...

These routes are choices either East or West of St. Louis...
Hope this helps.

Thanks for the routes, part of the ride is in the planning and routing so I don't think it's ever too early to start. It just makes the ride that much more fun. This way you can start sharing the ride before you go, with the unfortunates that don't ride. Thanks again hope to see you on the road. Douglas
 
For much of the Great River Road in Arkansas, it ain't near the river. You have to ride over the levee's to see it. One neat little stop is north of Marion between Wilson and Osceola. Highway 198 takes you over the levee to a scenic overlook. Nice view of the river. 4 or 5 historical markers tell of one of the largest unknown river battle of the Civil War, The Battle of Plum Bend or Plum Run Bend. Park like peaceful setting. If your not into crowds and traffic, this is your stop. Probably 5-10 miles off I-55, depending on the drive to it.
 
Helena, Ar.

Another quaint stop on the River road is Helena, Ar.. Old riverport town with much history of early Ar. Civil War battle and tour, and cemetary. Home of the famous King Biscuit Blues Fest. Step back in time to another era.
 
Routes are ready,working on adding waypoints and looking for hosts for Clarksdale MS area, Ste Genevieve, Mo, Hannibal day host, Dubuque Iowa.... someone to meet and greet fellow BMW riders...
 

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Will you be posting the route GPX files for download soon? I want to join at least part of this ride.

Yes, very soon.... Some legs have two choices...for example route East or West of Memphis and East or West of St. Louis... of course the River Road runs on either side and lots of exploring to do..... Rode the River a couple times and found each time... I would hop on a ferry or cross bridge to ride the other side for a while.....
 
Scenic Overlooks Along the Great River Road

Some of my favorite scenic overlooks along the upper portions of the Great River Road:

-Pikes Peak State Park, McGregor, IA
-Wyalusing State Park, Bagley, WI
-Mt Hosmer City Park, Lansing, IA
-Grandad Bluff, Lacrosse, WI
-Great River Bluff State Park, Dakota, MN
-Buena Vista City Park, Alma, WI
-Soldier's Memorial Park, Red Wing, MN
-Barn Bluff, Red Wing, MN

View from Mt Hosmer
P1010004-L.jpg
 
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Some of my favorite scenic overlooks along the upper portions of the Great River Road:

-Pikes Peak State Park, McGregor, IA
-Wyalusing State Park, Bagley, WI
-Mt Hosmer City Park, Lansing, IA
-Grandad Bluff, Lacrosse, WI
-Great River Bluff State Park, Dakota, MN
-Buena Vista City Park, Alma, WI
-Soldier's Memorial Park, Red Wing, MN
-Barn Bluff, Red Wing, MN

Thanks, I have added your above waypoints to the GPX file (BaseCamp) .....

Am I correct....Pikes Peak Park is the best View of the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers merging?
 

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Thanks, I have added your above waypoints to the GPX file (BaseCamp) .....

Am I correct....Pikes Peak Park is the best View of the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers merging?

Yes. Wyalusing State Park also has a good view of the merging rivers.

Let me add one more interesting stop/scenic view to the mix. It's called Elmer's Toy & Auto Museum on a bluff overlooking Fountain City, WI.

http://www.elmersautoandtoymuseum.com/home.html
 
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Memphis on the Mississippi.

Memphis has a few parks overlookin the river. Asburn/Coppack Park has allways been a favorite of mine. 441 Riverside Dr. Kinda secluded and shady. The new reconfigured Tom Lee Park on Riverside Dr.. Take Auction St. over to Mud Island and visit Mississippi River Greenbelt Park. Stop in the the downtown Welcome Center off Front St. by the overhead tram. Plenty of free parking and info.
 
GRR stops north of Memphis.

Like I said about Ar., much of the time in Tennessee the Great River Rd. isn't close to the river. Highway 51 is the main road north/south in west Tn.. And a fairly good drive at many points from it to the river. In Shelby County just north of Memohis the best view of the river is in Shelby Forrest. North on 51 to 388/Watkins Av. Follow the sighn to the Park HQ. They will direct you to the river. On the way there stop into the locally famous stop point. Shelby Forrest Store. The next stop further north is Randolph in Tipton Co. Take Hiway 59 west to Randoph. Favorite biker stop overlookin the river is John's Boatdock. Civil War markers worth reading. North on 51 to Henning. Tn, then 87 west to Ft. Pillow overlookin the river. Tour the fort. Get directions at the fort to head north to Golddust, then 19 east to Ripley. All of these roads are very nice pastoral rides. Continue north on GRR tour. Ps Most of the local riders use Shelby Forrest Store as a breakfast/lunch stop. Good luck on the ride, I never tire of seein Ol Man River.
 
Looks like it's open the weekend before the rally. Not open during the week.

OK, we where posting at same time... heck, maybe a call ahead would yield some consideration.... sounds like a great place and vista point.
 
Like I said about Ar., much of the time in Tennessee the Great River Rd. isn't close to the river. Highway 51 is the main road north/south in west Tn.. And a fairly good drive at many points from it to the river. In Shelby County just north of Memohis the best view of the river is in Shelby Forrest. North on 51 to 388/Watkins Av. Follow the sighn to the Park HQ. They will direct you to the river. On the way there stop into the locally famous stop point. Shelby Forrest Store. The next stop further north is Randolph in Tipton Co. Take Hiway 59 west to Randoph. Favorite biker stop overlookin the river is John's Boatdock. Civil War markers worth reading. North on 51 to Henning. Tn, then 87 west to Ft. Pillow overlookin the river. Tour the fort. Get directions at the fort to head north to Golddust, then 19 east to Ripley. All of these roads are very nice pastoral rides. Continue north on GRR tour. Ps Most of the local riders use Shelby Forrest Store as a breakfast/lunch stop. Good luck on the ride, I never tire of seein Ol Man River.

Barry, got your Memphis locations added to the waypoint list.... thanks!
 
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Memphis

If you decide to come into downtown Memphis and are not famililer with the city, probably best to head to the downtown welcome center just off Riverside Dr. Address is 119 N. Riverside Dr.. Scenic drive coming off the bluffs on I 55 to Riverside Dr.. The ladies at the center can point out a lot of the local sites to see and are very informative. It's worth it just to see the oversive statues of Elvis and B.B. King. Memphis is the real home of Soul, Rock&Roll, Blues, and Rockabilly. :dance:groovy
 
Chickasaw Bluffs 1,2,3,4

The reason I give these 4 sites is due to geography. The 4 Chickasaw Bluffs. Memphis sits on the 4th bluff. Shelby Forrest the 3rd, Randolf the 2nd, and Fulton/Ft. Pillow the 1st. Geography lesson. The reason Helena Ar. exists is that it too sits on a bluff over the river. It's the southern end of Crowley's ridge. Class over, time for recess.
 
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