Planning Cross Country - Suggested Routes?

[Pred8tor]

I'm in the very early stages of planning a cross country ride from NC across to CA. I'm not trying for IBA certification... but thinking of taking perhaps three days across, then coming back again. Probably do the ride sometime in September.

I'd like to stop on the return trip and spend a day at the Grand Canyon area, and also want to cross one of the deserts out west (I've never done that before). Beyond those goals, I probably won't do a lot of sightseeing.

On the way west, I'm thinking of starting out in Wilmington NC and probably heading to San Diego (or perhaps L.A.) I don't have a big problem with Interstate highways, but then again hitting the smaller roads may be somewhat more "interesting".

Time is somewhat of a factor, but if I can ride fewer interstates across then that would be appealing. On the return trip, I'll probably take the interstates just to spend less time on the road.

Do any of you folks have any suggestions of great roads from east to west?

[Putt]

A Little bit farther North, but I-70 from Denver to the Colorado/Utah border is
a GREAT ride for an Interstate...


Putt..

[George]

I-40 both ways, stop only at Loves truck stops, don't get away from the I-state.

Enjoy your ride. ;^)

George
in Kingman, Arizona

[BamaRider]

Given the fact you're starting in NC and riding straight west, I'm gonna leave out any thing north of Kansas.

My best east-west routes bring me through Colorado, but that is way time comsuming for a guy with your agenda. Working 2 lane roads across the Rockies is a mega challenge for a guy on a schedule. And it will take ya day to even get to I-70from Wilmington.

I dunno what's in San Diego bro (family?) but if it were ME, and I had your time challenges, I'd book to Colorado, then connect state routes to Big Sur.

I'd spend one the night in San Luis Obispo and ride across the desert on SR 62 near 29 Palms, go to I-10 and get into Az and connect from there to the Grand Canyon.

After the Grand Canyon. you're prolly gonna be pressed for time by then, so find a route to I-40 and come home.

Gonna miss out on alot of nice country though.

[uncal]

Jeff, sounds like a great trip!!

You might consider a southern route out, something else (I-40?) back.

Also, you might be interested in this site ...
http://www.goldwing-world.com/Road_Reports.htm

Keep us posted!

Regards,
Alan

[kenya6]

At the speeds you are going to be traveling about all you will really see is gas stations and truck stops. Try to take a bit more time if you possibly can.

I-70 across Colorado and on into Utah is a nice road. You could hook up with I 15 in Utah and run down into LA/SD.

For my money the most interesting desert crossing is US 50 from Salina, Utah to Reno. Lonley-est road in America - real UFO abduction territory.

I -40 is not bad as Interstates go. It will put you close to the Grand Canyon so you might want to go that way out or back.

Post your query again when you have decided on a basic route. I am sure a lot of us could be more helpfully specific at that point

[Britman]

I'm in the very early stages of planning a cross country ride from NC across to CA. I'm not trying for IBA certification... but thinking of taking perhaps three days across, then coming back again. Probably do the ride sometime in September.

I'd like to stop on the return trip and spend a day at the Grand Canyon area, and also want to cross one of the deserts out west (I've never done that before). Beyond those goals, I probably won't do a lot of sightseeing.

On the way west, I'm thinking of starting out in Wilmington NC and probably heading to San Diego (or perhaps L.A.) I don't have a big problem with Interstate highways, but then again hitting the smaller roads may be somewhat more "interesting".

Time is somewhat of a factor, but if I can ride fewer interstates across then that would be appealing. On the return trip, I'll probably take the interstates just to spend less time on the road.

Do any of you folks have any suggestions of great roads from east to west?

Sorry to be be blunt but taking 3 days to ride 2,500 miles sounds great if you want to stop at gas stations and ride, ride, ride. That's averaging 866 miles a day on Interstate. :eek:

Now if you are a masochist go for it.
If you want to do it so you can say you did it go for it.

You could fly to LA and rent a bike and ride the Pacific Coast Hwy?

[motomac]

If crossing desert is one of your goals, either I-10 or I-40 will get you into deserts. There is nothing west of San Antonio but desert until you get to the Pacific Ocean. Some areas just doll them up a little more than others but it is still desert. If you go through Palm Springs, you'll get to see the wind mile type generators for miles and fight a head wind all through that area. I 40 will take you through Kingman AZ and George's territory and then into Needles and Barstow. That is all desert from Oklahoma to Barstow. Be prepared for sticker shock at the gas pumps west of NM and 85 octane. Yes, the Wing runs just fine on that stuff so don't be afraid to fill up with it. I 70 across Kansas has got to be the most boring highway in the world. If you get a chance to run I 15 through Utah, it is the most fun section of Interstate I've run west of I 77 in WV. Have a great trip and make sure you give us a trip report when you get back.

[Pred8tor]

Sorry to be be blunt but taking 3 days to ride 2,500 miles sounds great if you want to stop at gas stations and ride, ride, ride. That's averaging 866 miles a day on Interstate. :eek:


Yep, there will be some long days in the saddle, particularly heading west. The eastbound return will be somewhat more leisurely, though.

The trip dates have moved up to the last two weeks of April, due to changes at work in expected, large projects.

I'm planning a southerly westbound trip, from Wilmington NC down thru Atlanta and into LA. Across Texas thru El Paso and up into San Diego.

Coming back east, I'm planning a ride thru Death Valley into Vegas, then down to Kingman AZ to Williams AZ (with a side trip between there on Route 66) where I'll spend a day or two at the Grand Canyon.

I'll take I-40 back home from there - with a few stops in between.

I don't mind long hours on the bike - I don't even mind the interstates. If I'm riding, I'm happy. I have a few extra days to spare in case I either see something I want to stop for, or if I get tired and want a break. If I run into rain at the Grand Canyon I'll probably stay a day or two longer in hopes of waiting it out.

I've got some flexibility... and I figure a quicker east to west ride will give me more time on the return trip.

[motomac]

I've never run into rain at the Grand Canyon, but I have been there in April and had a white out. Couldn't see the Canyon standing at the edge, it was snowing so hard!!!!

[Birdman]

I can not speak about anything between North Carolina and Dallas – I know that are a lot of good roads but most of my riding is west.

I-40 west to I-30 west (Little Rock)
I-30 west to 380 west (Greenville, TX)
380 west (the first part of this road is not great but it gets better later on)
380 west to I-25 in New Mexico (You will pass through Roswell, north of the White Sands Missile Range, Valley of fires Nat. Park. Interesting area.
At I-25 go north to Socorro (about 9 miles) 60 west.
60 west – you will go by the Nat’l Radio Astronomy Observation VLA Telescope – you have seen these in moves and on TV. There is a visitor center if you want to stop – riding is great.
60 west to Alpine, AZ. At this point there are a number of options:
Take 191 south to I-10 (191 was high 666 but everyone stole the signs so they changed the name. 90 miles of fun.
Take 191 north to 180 then go through the Petrified Forest Nat’l Park. Then you can take I-40 west
Take 60 west to 260 west Payson (87) you can go north to I-40 (Flagstaff) or south to I-10 (Phoenix)
Take 60 west to I-10 (Phoenix)

[BigTom]

It sounds like you have a pretty good handle on how you are comming out here. I-10 is a racetrack most of the way, most west of LA is 75 or 80 mph. You'll probably be about tired of desert by the time you hit San Diego.

Depending on time and timing, there are lots of ways to get where you want to go on your way home...Unless you have a really good map of CA, or AZ, a lot of the roads won't even show....Maybe you could give us a blast from San Diego with time/distance needs? The best remaining part of route 66 is from Oatman to Kingman, IMHO.

Anyway, there are lots of ways across those California mountains that don't have four lanes and do have some twisties...

These pics were in July. The Thunderstorm got us real wet, the look down the Angel trail is in the rain. It doesn't rain there often, but it can happen..BTW, wet in July is a good thing:)

[Pred8tor]

Anyway, there are lots of ways across those California mountains that don't have four lanes and do have some twisties...

These pics were in July. The Thunderstorm got us real wet, the look down the Angel trail is in the rain. It doesn't rain there often, but it can happen..BTW, wet in July is a good thing:)

Nice pics ...I want to go there!!! :bow1: I'm giving serious consideration to adding a day between San Diego and Vegas... especially if I can find a scenic detour. Any routing suggestions along that line? Perhaps some good mountain roads that won't get me too far off course??

[msnyder755]

Let me know if your gonna stop in San Antonio for lunch or dinner etc. I come down if Im in town. heck I might even ride with you for a couple hundred miles or so.

[Pred8tor]

Let me know if your gonna stop in San Antonio for lunch or dinner etc. I come down if Im in town. heck I might even ride with you for a couple hundred miles or so.

I'll be passing thru San Antonio on Sunday, April 15. It would probably be in the early afternoon - a lunch time deal. That day will start in Baton Rouge LA and end in Pecos, TX. It would be nice to meet you there!

[BigTom]

Man, only about 500 miles of 'senic detours' between San Diego and Las Vegas.

My wireless provider is having a problem. I'll try to up load a map after while, I just hope this goes out...

[msnyder755]

I'll be passing thru San Antonio on Sunday, April 15. It would probably be in the early afternoon - a lunch time deal. That day will start in Baton Rouge LA and end in Pecos, TX. It would be nice to meet you there!

Shoot me a PM when it gets close to remind me and I will come and meet you for lunch. That is if Im not flying and in town

[Pred8tor]

Man, only about 500 miles of 'senic detours' between San Diego and Las Vegas.

My wireless provider is having a problem. I'll try to up load a map after while, I just hope this goes out...

Cool - I use a very old GPS system (paper maps) - so the simpler, the better!

Shoot me a PM when it gets close to remind me and I will come and meet you for lunch. That is if Im not flying and in town

Okay - I'll let you know.

[sherob]

I doubt I'll be doing anything that weekend :rolleyes: Looks like I'm not going to be able to run up to Moonshine as planned, so I can run out to San Antonio for lunch too :)

[Pred8tor]

I doubt I'll be doing anything that weekend :rolleyes: Looks like I'm not going to be able to run up to Moonshine as planned, so I can run out to San Antonio for lunch too :)

That would be great!

[sherob]

That would be great!

Depending on how things go... and as the time for this gets closer, I might just meet ya at the TX/LA border :eek: They just built a real nice welcome center on the TX side of I-10 :) Nothing like a day long ride :)

[joaks]

if you go through iowa you should go up in the northeast corner of the state i think the name of the road is x56 it is a really nice ride it takes you right along the river it is a beautiful ride it has a bunch of curvys the name it runs north of dobuque but if you head west don't take c33 because it is just very straight and every other road there is a stop sign so in my opinion very boring

[Mr.Brownstone]

I will be able to run out from SA as well for awhile towards Pecos. Just drop a pm.

[Raven]

Since you'll be in San Antonio anyway, take 90 out of town towards Del Rio (instead of I-10). It's absolutely gorgeous and will hook you back up with 10 at Van Horn. There's a great old hotel in Marathon as well as the Paisano in Marfa (if you decide to get a little further along). It's a great alternative to the expressway with very little traffic, beautiful landscapes, and wonderful solitude. It's one of those "I just went two hours without seeing another car" kind of roads.

Be sure and get GAS in Del Rio (even if you don't think you need it) 'cause there's not much between Del Rio and Alpine.