Heading out for 3 months across the US - Looking for suggestions

[MeanderingMiles]

I'm leaving NYC in 9 days (on April 11) on an epic (I hope) trip across the US. I expect to be back in late July - early August.

Here's a link to all the places I'm looking to visit so far: 2024 Cross Country - Google My Maps
I'd love suggestions, ideas or recommendations on places to ride, to see, to stay, or to eat!

I'm also planning to document the trip on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@AdamsLifeInBetween

Maybe I'll see you on the roads...drop me a line, if you'd like.
-Adam

 

[PGlaves]

Just west of Buffalo and Sheridan, WY lie the Bighorn Mountains. Don't miss them on your way west toward Yellowstone. Check out the Medicine Wheel west of Burgess Junction.

Medicine Wheel/Medicine Mountain: Celebrated and Controversial Landmark | WyoHistory.org

The Bighorn Medicine Wheel and its surrounding landscapes on Medicine Mountain in the northern Bighorns make up one of the most important Native American sacred sites in the United States. Twenty years of compromise and conflict on how best to preserve the site involved several governmental...

www.wyohistory.org

 

[drneo66]

I hope you have a wonderful time! I've been lucky to ride in all 50 states, and I firmly believe there's something fun and unique in all of them. I always like to stop at the weird, offbeat places along the way: https://www.roadsideamerica.com/ https://www.atlasobscura.com/

Hopefully you're going to spend some time at local rallies? Hopefully that includes joining the MN crew at the Hiawatha Rally in June:
https://www.bmwmocm.com/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=285381&module_id=290524

 

[kbasa]

Butler Maps. You want them.

If you get to NorCal, let us know. I've got some suggestions.

 

[MeanderingMiles]

Just west of Buffalo and Sheridan, WY lie the Bighorn Mountains. Don't miss them on your way west toward Yellowstone. Check out the Medicine Wheel west of Burgess Junction.

Medicine Wheel/Medicine Mountain: Celebrated and Controversial Landmark | WyoHistory.org

The Bighorn Medicine Wheel and its surrounding landscapes on Medicine Mountain in the northern Bighorns make up one of the most important Native American sacred sites in the United States. Twenty years of compromise and conflict on how best to preserve the site involved several governmental...

www.wyohistory.org

Excellent. Thank you! Added to my list of places to check out.
-Adam

 

[MeanderingMiles]

I hope you have a wonderful time! I've been lucky to ride in all 50 states, and I firmly believe there's something fun and unique in all of them. I always like to stop at the weird, offbeat places along the way: https://www.roadsideamerica.com/ https://www.atlasobscura.com/

Hopefully you're going to spend some time at local rallies? Hopefully that includes joining the MN crew at the Hiawatha Rally in June:
https://www.bmwmocm.com/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=285381&module_id=290524

Thanks very much. I'll probably be making my way up the Pacific Coast Highway (avoiding all the landslides near Big Sur) when the MN rally is going on. I do plan to make it to the rally June 13-15 in Redmond, Oregon. Roadside America looks great. Thanks again!

 

[MeanderingMiles]

Butler Maps. You want them.

If you get to NorCal, let us know. I've got some suggestions.

Yes indeed. I have Rever, which shows all the Butler roads and routes submitted by the community. I've been to Yosemite several times, so I'm probably skipping that area in favor of the coastal route. Probably crossing the Golden Gate Bridge the first week of June to make it up toe Redmond by the rally on the 13th.

 

[kbasa]

Yes indeed. I have Rever, which shows all the Butler roads and routes submitted by the community. I've been to Yosemite several times, so I'm probably skipping that area in favor of the coastal route. Probably crossing the Golden Gate Bridge the first week of June to make it up toe Redmond by the rally on the 13th.

I'm in Sonoma County and would be happy to give you advice about the north coast. I lived in Marin for 25 years prior, so if you have questions, please ask. @88bmwjeff is nearby as well, as are plenty of others. I can't speak for them, but we love welcoming riders to absolute riding paradise.

 

[robsryder]

You can make better time on the "super" (i.e., interstate highways), but I think that it is a better motorcycle trip to take the "blue highways". The blue highway term came from older maps that would have secondary roads in blue. Although much slower, I find the back roads much more enjoyable. There are more opportunities to interact with folks and there are interesting (and sometimes wacky) things to see along the way. Oftentimes a gas stop can take a half-hour or more as one spends some time talking with folks. This is a way (often times a good one) to find places to eat and stay.

A feller named William Least-Heat Moon wrote an interesting book about his journeys along the back roads. His book is called "Blue Highways".

Blue Highways - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Highways-Journey-into-America/dp/0316353299

Blue Highways

Hailed as a masterpiece of American travel writing, Blu…

www.goodreads.com

 

[tenequip]

You might want to take the Bear Tooth Pass from Red Lodge, Mt to Cook City. It is beautiful ride.
Tenequip

 

[ahd43]

Atlas Obscura is a great app to find the fun and unusual.

 

[MeanderingMiles]

You can make better time on the "super" (i.e., interstate highways), but I think that it is a better motorcycle trip to take the "blue highways". The blue highway term came from older maps that would have secondary roads in blue. Although much slower, I find the back roads much more enjoyable. There are more opportunities to interact with folks and there are interesting (and sometimes wacky) things to see along the way. Oftentimes a gas stop can take a half-hour or more as one spends some time talking with folks. This is a way (often times a good one) to find places to eat and stay.

A feller named William Least-Heat Moon wrote an interesting book about his journeys along the back roads. His book is called "Blue Highways".

Blue Highways - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Highways-Journey-into-America/dp/0316353299

Blue Highways

Hailed as a masterpiece of American travel writing, Blu…

www.goodreads.com

Thanks. I'll check out the book--sounds exactly like the feeling I'm looking for.

I leave in 8 days, and the only actual reservations I have are
1) A Street Riding course at the BMW Performance center in South Carolina on April 13th
2) The Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone on July 15th

In between, there are no plans--only places I'd like to see.
-Adam

 

[MeanderingMiles]

I'm in Sonoma County and would be happy to give you advice about the north coast. I lived in Marin for 25 years prior, so if you have questions, please ask. @88bmwjeff is nearby as well, as are plenty of others. I can't speak for them, but we love welcoming riders to absolute riding paradise.

I was thinking about following RT 1 along the coast all the way from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Redwood National and State Parks. Would love suggestions for side trips and/or places to see along the way.

 

[PGlaves]

I was thinking about following RT 1 along the coast all the way from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Redwood National and State Parks. Would love suggestions for side trips and/or places to see along the way.

Don't fall off!

 

[lee]

I was thinking about following RT 1 along the coast all the way from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Redwood National and State Parks

We did it two times and really liked it from Morro Bay up to Crescent City.
We were lucky and and didn't have much traffic and only had fog one morning.

 

[kbasa]

I was thinking about following RT 1 along the coast all the way from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Redwood National and State Parks. Would love suggestions for side trips and/or places to see along the way.

Take your pick of roads that loop off of 1 and then allow return to it on another road.

Mountain View that heads from 1 to Booneville.
Stewart's Point/Skaggs Springs Road is epic and amazing, but a serious goat trail.
Comptche Ukiah.

Where 1 turns inland at Westport and on over to Leggett on 1 is some of the finest riding in the entire state.

South of Fortuna, consider 36 east, maybe to 3, then back to Eureka on 299. 36 has a curvy arrow sign with "next 140 miles" under it, so hang on to your hat.

The Butler/Rever maps ought to get you there, but if you have questions about them, there are a few of us here that can help you.

 

[bigjohnsd]

I see Deadwood, SD on your list - here is "The Best of the Black Hills" a route I take folks on when they visit.

The Best of the Black Hills in one easy day

US Highway 385, on the route above, is the subject of major rework this summer and there will be some detours, in some cases long ones.

This is my "Day Two" route for visitors - Day 2 - Devils Tower and more

 

[lee]

On our third trip to California we stayed inland. We enjoyed those roads as much as the coast and maybe more.

 

[MeanderingMiles]

Take your pick of roads that loop off of 1 and then allow return to it on another road.

Mountain View that heads from 1 to Booneville.
Stewart's Point/Skaggs Springs Road is epic and amazing, but a serious goat trail.
Comptche Ukiah.

Where 1 turns inland at Westport and on over to Leggett on 1 is some of the finest riding in the entire state.

South of Fortuna, consider 36 east, maybe to 3, then back to Eureka on 299. 36 has a curvy arrow sign with "next 140 miles" under it, so hang on to your hat.

The Butler/Rever maps ought to get you there, but if you have questions about them, there are a few of us here that can help you.

Awesome. Thank you. I've marked all those on my map. That loop south of Fortuna looks like an amazing ride. I'm also planning to ride the Moki Dugway in UT, so I should have lots of goat trail experience by the time I get to Stewart's Point. Thanks again!

 

[kbasa]

Awesome. Thank you. I've marked all those on my map. That loop south of Fortuna looks like an amazing ride. I'm also planning to ride the Moki Dugway in UT, so I should have lots of goat trail experience by the time I get to Stewart's Point. Thanks again!

That area up there in Humboldt/Del Norte counties is full of amazing roads, so help yourself. It's tough to pick a bad one.

Beware that lots of them are narrow goat trails with marginal pavement, but they are endless and challenging. A stop by the side of the road on Coleman Valley (the most scenic road in Sonoma County) can be a highlight, even though the road is bumpy and windy.