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Riding to our 50th Anniversary Rally

Visian said:
This route is a good long day's ride, 366 miles of country roads, and a great option for those riding from Dallas, TX and surrounds. Worth the short jaunt south of I-40 to ride the Talimena Scenic Byway...

To see a better view of the road numbers, use the pull-down menu in the upper right of the map to select "Map"

Note: there are some sweet dirt road alternatives to this route..."adventure detours" .... :evil

<iframe src="https://ridewithgps.com/embeds?type=route&id=39021259&sampleGraph=true" style="width: 1px; min-width: 100%; height: 900px; border: none;" scrolling="no"></iframe>
Click to expand...

We took those roads today except we took 28 back west after going over Mt Magazine.
Great view at the Mt Magazine Lodge.
On our way to Texas.
 
To the rally

Have not played with fancy route planning yet but I live about 40 miles nor of St Louis, I plan on crossing the River at Chester ( lots of Popeye stuff including statue that should be Coddiwomple worthy and a great smorgasbord if you are hungry) after crossing river go southwest
 
Not the fastest way from the Southeast

If you're heading to the rally from the deep Southeast, and you haven't ridden the Natchez Trace yet, this route starts at the southern terminus of the Parkway, takes in a fair amount (it's going to Memphis, which is the wrong way), then through interesting parts of Arkansas, bypassing Little Rock and other urban areas.

This ride is more of a guesstimate on my part, I've ridden most but not all of these roads, so consider it a starting point. It's nearly 700 miles at country road speeds, so I'd say it's a 2-day ride.

<iframe src="https://ridewithgps.com/embeds?type=route&id=39194796&sampleGraph=true" style="width: 1px; min-width: 100%; height: 900px; border: none;" scrolling="no"></iframe>
 
That's almost the route I've been considering, but instead of the southern portion of the Trace, I'll probably take US82 from Tuscaloosa (AL) until it intersects the route as you've mapped it, then heading on "your" route to Springfield.

Some other options for your consideration:

Option 1: Bail off the trace on US61 north. Take 61 north US49 and cross the Mississippi @ Helena/W Helena. Follow US49 to SR1, SR-1 to Jonesboro, AR where you'll pick up US63. Follow US63 North to US60, US60 West to Springfield. This route will take you very near Mr D's Restaurant (about 1 mile sout on US 61, south of Port Gibson), and you can go by the Crossroads and Ground Zero in Clarksdale, MS.

Option 2: Stay on the trace to US49. Follow US 49 all the way to MS SR-1, then follow the route in Option 1 from Helena/W Helena to Springfield.

Both options have numerous options for overnight lodging.

See ya'll in Springfield!
 
Route planning NoVA to Springfield.

I'm looking forward to traveling to the rally and it looks like there's a lot of motorcycle worthy roads along the way through states I haven't spent much time in. I'd like to avoid the "slab" as much as possible, but I'm planning to travel alone and don't know if I'll wear myself out too much. I was planning to travel from NoVa to Louisville to Springfield. The way back will probably not go through Louisville. I'm guessing 2 days in each direction, staying far away from St Louis. Anyhow, how do you plan something like this? Slab it close to home and pick up the fun road somewhere along the way? Do all the fun stuff on the way there and slab it home?

Someone told me to plan to "average 50 mph" on a long ride with fuel stops, pee stops, general motorcycle stuff you don't worry about in the car.

How best to plan?
 
It seems like most rally goers take their time on the way to the rally and slab it home. Slabbing it home in two days on an Oilhead shouldn't be a problem. However, if you are taking backroads, site seeing, etc, you may want to allow more time for the ride to the rally. The 50 mph suggestion is reasonable. We may ride well above 50 mph, but stops for gas, food, res rooms or "piddling around" will bring the average down. Backroads on my Airhead I usually plan on a 45mph-50mph basis.
 
Lee said:
We'll be on 23 in a few days on our way to Texas.

I think Pete is planning on Oark and 23.
Click to expand...

There is a little bit of one-way construction traffic just South of Huntsville (on 23) that has an unmanned traffic light control.
It's timed way too long! So be prepared to turn off the bike for a few minutes if you get caught in it.

Yes the Oark Cafe is open.

SS
 
bluehole said:
It seems like most rally goers take their time on the way to the rally and slab it home. Slabbing it home in two days on an Oilhead shouldn't be a problem. However, if you are taking backroads, site seeing, etc, you may want to allow more time for the ride to the rally. The 50 mph suggestion is reasonable. We may ride well above 50 mph, but stops for gas, food, res rooms or "piddling around" will bring the average down. Backroads on my Airhead I usually plan on a 45mph-50mph basis.
Click to expand...



Thanks. I have planned a route of three days there, two days back. The second day back covers familiar territory (and sadly some of I81) but it should be doable. I'm not a huge fan of wide open throttle on the slab or the slab in general. But I should be able to make this work
 
bluehole said:
It seems like most rally goers take their time on the way to the rally and slab it home. Slabbing it home in two days on an Oilhead shouldn't be a problem. However, if you are taking backroads, site seeing, etc, you may want to allow more time for the ride to the rally.
Click to expand...

Sixteen days to get there from Vermont, and probably five to get home. We don’t do slab.

FILE1728.jpeg
 
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We're 335 miles from the rally.
Planning on two days to get there and six days to return home :)
 
We left Pilot Knob MO this morning at 0730 and had a blast riding along Missouri's rural roads - the lettered roads in particular were very nice! By lunchtime the overcast had burned off and the heat began to build. We countered by taking breaks at every river with access from the roads. Glenlivet's personal favorite was the Current River. By 1300 the heat index hit 110F and we called it quits for the day in Massive Spring AR.

Tomorrow conditions will be much the same, so we'll start earlier and will probably end up in the Clarksville AR region - lots of air conditioned motel options there. Camping in these conditions is not our idea of fun.

Pete and Glenlivet

FILE2292.jpeg
 
Leaving home Tuesday, riding with a few fellow East Texas club members, taking two days to ride through Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri, arriving at the rally Thursday morning. Plan to ride the Old Indian Highway (OK), the Talimena National Scenic Byway (OK, AR), the Pig Trail (AR), Push Mountain (AR), and take Peel Ferry (MO), stopping along the way to eat at Queen Wilhelmina Lodge (AR), Oark General Store (Oark, AR), Granny's Kitchen (Huntsville, AR), and Breadeaux Pizza (Yellville, AR). Hope to arrive in time to catch Jack Riepe's K-Bike seminar mid-day Thursday, espousing the virtues of water-cooled perfection :german, as opposed to the whale-oil fueled twins ;).

IMG_4760.jpg
 
We had planned to ride 330 miles to Hermann Missouri on Tuesday before riding 320 miles to Springfield on Wednesday. Forecast calls for 98F in Hermann on Tuesday so we're thinking about wimping out and leaving tomorrow and only riding half way to Hermann :)
I have a nice 320 mile back road route planned to Springfield from Hermann on Wednesday. Hope it's a little cooler so we can enjoy that route.

Shortest route to the rally is 335 miles. It's looking like it will take us three days :)
 
R65_Steve said:
Can you elaborate? {About Cairo, IL}
Click to expand...

A few years ago we arrived to Cairo about 8:00 p.m. We had to get gas. The only open station we could find was a convenience store near the middle of town. There were about 8 or so guys sitting on the curb in front of the store, drinking liquor housed in brown paper bags. They didn't actually threaten us but their presence and demeanor as they eyed the bikes felt threatening. We didn't leave the bikes except Voni went in to pay while I stood beside the bikes.

It is simply a town who's economy has collapsed. It is just one of many. Median household income is about $26,000. The median property value is only $28,000. The poverty rate is 34%.

Cairo has an exceedingly high crime rate. It is ranked in the 2nd percentile for crime, meaning 98% of all places in the US are safer than Cairo.
 
PGlaves said:
A few years ago we arrived to Cairo about 8:00 p.m. We had to get gas. The only open station we could find was a convenience store near the middle of town. There were about 8 or so guys sitting on the curb in front of the store, drinking liquor housed in brown paper bags. They didn't actually threaten us but their presence and demeanor as they eyed the bikes felt threatening. We didn't leave the bikes except Voni went in to pay while I stood beside the bikes.

It is simply a town who's economy has collapsed. It is just one of many. Median household income is about $26,000. The median property value is only $28,000. The poverty rate is 34%.

Cairo has an exceedingly high crime rate. It is ranked in the 2nd percentile for crime, meaning 98% of all places in the US are safer than Cairo.
Click to expand...

Thanks ..it looks like crossing from KY to MO through IL is only a couple of miles. So maybe 10 min if no stops. Right?
 
R65_Steve said:
Thanks ..it looks like crossing from KY to MO through IL is only a couple of miles. So maybe 10 min if no stops. Right?
Click to expand...

Yes. Daytime probably OK. I know there are lots of good folks there but a bad element too.

It is simply a sad place. In my 30+ years as a City Planner and Community Development official I encountered many places I would not choose to go. Some in the Kansas City metro where I worked. Some in St. Louis. Some in south Chicago, and some in south Texas. My sole point is that Cairo is a high crime area and not going there is not a bad thing.
 
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