Need ride advice... leaving Chicago

Next weekend - Easter Weekend - I'm going to take a 5 day trip on the bike, leaving Chicago on Saturday April 23.

Too early to ride West or North - and several weeks ago I did ride down to the Carolinas and Deal's Gap, so checked that box for a while.

I'm thinking Southern Illinois and Missouri? Any route recommendations and must sees? I'm riding my KGT so I'll leave the dirt and gravel for another trip. I'll be camping so factor that in too.

I've been to Motorcycle roads.com and got some suggestions - but suspect some of you will have ideas as well?

For sure don't overlook southeastern Ohio when planning your route. Some very fine riding throughout that part of Ohio.

realworld51 said:

For sure don't overlook southeastern Ohio when planning your route. Some very fine riding throughout that part of Ohio.

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Agreed. Hitting southeastern Ohio would be nice, ride 555 from Zanesville south towards Athens, roads around Marietta such as 26 heading northeast and into West Virginia are all good.

Crusing around West Virginia is always fun - endless mielks of twisty roads, no traffic and friendly little towns.

Southern Indiana and into Kentucky isn't bad. Route 135 to 58 west to 450 into French Lick is a good ride. 145 south from there into the Ohio River area is nice. Then you could take the Bourbon Trail Tours and hit all of the Bourbon distilleries in KY. Lots of old historic places and towns to visit. And the ride isn't bad either.
See: http://www.kybourbontrail.com/

You can ride along route 460 near Georgetown and check out all of the huuuuuge race horse farms. Lots of civil war era mansions and houses to check out, too.

Loads of great rides down there to be had. If you need any help with routes, feel free to email me EaracheMS@Gmail.com

I am leaving today for NC to arrive on Thursday. 1st stop is Indy. Yep, taking my sweet as time.

Make a swing thru OH-doesn't have to be SE part either, then head into WV and make a swing around thru the mtns then eastward into KY(try US460 and nearby roads), head generally west and into southern IL and over into S MO then upward toward IN and play around there all the way home while headed back to Chicago

Il/mo

Some years back my buddy took me on a curvy two-lane SW of St Louis that was really nice. Too long a go for me to recall the rte #, but we picked it up just on the outskirts of town and rode for maybe an hour at 30-40 mph. Nice little road, not terribly challenging, but not bad either. The terrain gets hilly out that way so I suspect there are a few more pleasant rides in that 'hood.

Once you get down near Carbondale, and the Shawnee Nat'l Forest, the IL scenery changes distinctly. And for the better. North of there it's straight as a pipe and flat as a pancake, mostly.

If you go thru Springfield, The Lincoln Museum is a great stop.

check out

might have been Rock Creek Rd. I just looked at the google map and that name rung a bell. Pick it up off rte 30 not far sw of town

Land between the Lakes, Western Kentucy. Burboun trail.

weather

hey, beemer01, you ok? looks like there was some weather down that way yesterday.