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Chicago to Portland, OR

LUDDITER90S

LudditeR90S
Greetings! Looking for a route that parallels I-80. Two lane, gravel o k, etc. Need to get to niece's wedding in 5 days.
I've always taken US 2. Northern tier bicycle route Or route 34/36 west through Missouri/Kansas/Colorado. Looking for different route . Yes, have searched all the fav motorcycle route sites, but all list only loop day rides. Need " no slab " route! TIA!
 
Greetings! Looking for a route that parallels I-80. Two lane, gravel o k, etc. Need to get to niece's wedding in 5 days.
I've always taken US 2. Northern tier bicycle route Or route 34/36 west through Missouri/Kansas/Colorado. Looking for different route . Yes, have searched all the fav motorcycle route sites, but all list only loop day rides. Need " no slab " route! TIA!

take a look at NE2 out of Grand Island, NE.

i also enjoy SD50 out of Yankton, SD... to US18 and across, but that might be a bit too far north for you?

KS18 to US24 is also a whole lot better than I-70... but probably too far south.

Ian
 
Thanks! US 20 from Rockford, IL west? Anyone?

Great to see someone reads this stuff. Anyhow will checkout NE 2. Anyone ride west US 20 through IL onward? Any input on greaseyspoons, campgrounds, things to see, microbrewerys, etc? TIA (Thanks In Advance).
 
when the rally was in Oshkosh back in the 90s, I rode across the top of Iowa on rural roads that paralleled US20. I headed up through Prarie du Chien, though.

great countryside, even greater people, but the roads are nice and straight there......
 
I rode 20 through Iowa and eastern Nebraska on the way to Gillette a few years ago and Nebraska was much more interesting than 20 in Iowa - I think there were 3 turns in all of Iowa.

I would recommend Hwy 12 through the southwestern tip of ND, through MT and then heads through the Lolo Pass in Idaho (great!)... I rode that to Redmond last year - nice!
 
Thanks all! US 20 it is!

Found a really cool site "Beer Expediton" that lists brew pub for Iowa (several in range of US 20) Neb. and WY.

BTW, Rode back and forth from San Diego to Michigan several times via Utah, Tetons, Kansas, even US 2 through the Land Of Sky Blue Waters, U.P. etc., on Goldie, my 1978 R100RS, and stopped at the MOA Rally in Gilette WY, the night of the thunderstorm (if you were there --you remember!) -- had a neighbor's behemoth GS fall on my tent while sleeping narrowly missing my leg! Never forget the sound of bikes tipping over all over the campground!
Lesson Learned: Never park on a centerstand in the dirt, no matter how hard the ground is (before it rains). And NEVER pitch a tent near a bike on a centerstand!
 
Rode US 20 west from north of Chicago, across Iowa and a good part of Nebraska before heading south from Cheyenne back in 1981. Beautiful plains and small towns across Iowa. Heartland of America? You bet!

Enjoy the ride and ride safe.
 
Well, great ride, scenery, people, etc

In case anyone reads these threads, the route was great. A much better perspective of of the Great Prairie, plains, high plains. If you are a paranoid, this-country-gone-to-hell type you need to take this route west. It reaffirms what we already know--decent people abound. Portland (Troutdale) was a wonderful place. Contact me for highlights and advice on campgrounds, etc. And thanks for all who chimed in!
 
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