Trip in the planning

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Marman007	Trip in the planning		Lead	[-]
HSATF Tail Gunner Posts: 75 04/22/08 12:41 PM	Tags : None The only part of the lower 48 of these good old United States that I have not been too are the states out in the Northeast - Never been to New England. The plan called for me riding from St. Paul MN, to Bar Harbor ME (via Niagara falls NY and some backroads in Vermont and New Hampshire, then down to DC, via Rhode Island, Delaware, etc. then back home. One of my coworkers now tells me he is trailering three bike out to Myrtle Beach SC for some bike rally. I am now leaving a couple weeks earlier (May) and will trailer it out to SC, then ride 'up' to New England from there ! I am very excited, and busy doing last minute purchases for those 'gotta' haves on the trip. It really will be a whirlwind, more for the knocking off these remaining states of my list (and the ride of course) and less of doing the touristy stuff. If anyone knows of any MUST Do's, Gotta See's (remember the limited time frame) or any Gotta avoid, and stay aways - lemme know - thanks !! This is uncharted territory for me. -
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Fredrider		#1	[url]	[-]
Posts: 5687 04/22/08 4:03 PM	That rally would be Bike Week in Myrtle Beach. It draws about the same number of bikers as Bike Week in Daytona Beach, over 300,000. I would recommend from Myrtle Beach swinging west and avoiding Richmond, DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia and NYC unless you like riding in big cities. Going a little west you could ride through the Piedmont in SC, NC and VA or you could swing a little farther west and ride along the mountain tops on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Further north nice places to ride are through VA/WV on either US 220 or US 219 and angling across PA towards the Catskill Mountains in NY State on your way to VT & NH. Have fun! Fred
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Marman007		#2	[url]	[-]
HSATF Tail Gunner Posts: 75 04/22/08 8:35 PM	I like the sound and idea of the Blue Ridge Parkway, but am guessing that the best roads, are, by design.... not the fastest roads. Is the BRP a single lane in each direction ? A divided highway ? not a freeway ? The Myrtle Beach bike week - thinking I will hi tail it out of there in a hurry. Riding is huge crowds is not fun. People and bike watching however....
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Skip MMShadowT		#3	[url]	[-]
Posts: 5439 04/22/08 8:58 PM	The Parkway sure isn't the fastest. The posted speed limit is 45mph. "We want to be free... Free to ride our machines without being hassled by the man!"
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Fredrider		#4	[url]	[-]
Posts: 5687 04/23/08 5:37 AM	MM, You are correct, the BRP is not the fastest way. It is 479 miles of two-lane, mostly 45 mph curvy road largely along the mountain-tops in NC & VA between the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and Shenandoah National Park. It is probably the slowest way to New England. The fastest and shortest way is straight-up I-95, but you will encounter all the traffic associated with the East Coast's biggest cities if you go that way. The two-lane US highways that are between the BRP and I-95 are going to be slow too, and the ride is longer in distance as well, but it is much more peaceful as is riding on the BRP. How much time do you have to complete your trip? Another option is going on the inland interstates including I-77, I-81 & I-84 or I-88. They are still busy and it is a longer trip than going on I-95, but it is less busy than I-95 and much faster than the U.S. highways (i.e. two & four lane highways with traffic lights in many, many towns over hundreds of miles) and also much, much faster than the BRP. Do you like riding on interstates, country roads or mountain roads? Fred Last Edited By: Fredrider 04/23/08 5:42 AM. Edited 1 time.
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Marman007		#5	[url]	[-]
HSATF Tail Gunner Posts: 75 05/01/08 9:05 PM	I am going to have to compromise. While I MUCH prefere the scenic backcountry roads, time is not my friend. For that reason, I will alternate between super slab and the backroads. I will hi tail it from Myrtle Beach to Waynesboro then head up skyline drive in Shenendoah Natl. Park. I will have to superslab between DC and NY,then start hitting back roads in Mass, Maine, New Hampshire , Vermont. I should really do more planning but lets face it... best laid plans can get trumped by weather, road construction, a flat tire, etc. I appreciae the feedback, am down to the last few must have items to purchase and am hoping for the weather to warm up here in the Northland !!! I really really hate to say this, but having never been to New York City. Well, my plan is to enter the city around 5:00 am and drive from the south end of Manhatten right on up Park Ave or 5th ave. Hoping traffic will be light enough that I can tell my friends I cruised central park on the bike ! Nuts ? You tell me....
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alepel		#6	[url]	[-]
Posts: 7547 05/02/08 7:07 AM	Marman007 wrote: I really really hate to say this, but having never been to New York City. Well, my plan is to enter the city around 5:00 am and drive from the south end of Manhatten right on up Park Ave or 5th ave. Hoping traffic will be light enough that I can tell my friends I cruised central park on the bike ! Nuts ? You tell me.... Nuts ? Yes! Doing it on a motorcycle....Hell Yes! It's going to be rough driving in NYC no matter what time of day or night you decide to do this. And NYC at night is not the friendliest place in the world. Especially if anything happens to you, because NYC motorists will not even so much as slow down if you're laying in the street. My brother-in-law works in Manhattan and every time we go into the city he drives and I sit there having a coronary. It takes a special type of human being to drive in that city in that traffic and know how to get in and out properly. MM....take my advice. NYC on a motorcycle is crazy. alepel "Ride with the Spirit always, and in all ways"....hombldr
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eclecticdawn		#7	[url]	[-]
HSATF Tail Gunner Posts: 236 05/03/08 6:29 PM	Having driven in NYC in a car, during rush hour and less busy times (it's true, the city never sleeps), I would never suggest it on a motorcycle. Even gettin ginto the city is a hair-raising experience. I detest the GW bridge traffic. The damn potholes in NYC are deep enough that your bike would get lost in 'em, plus, like Alain said, NYC drivers will stop for NOTHING, including traffic lights. I did get to ride on the back of a Harley when we went to Hogs n Heifers night club, very late at night along the waterfront with a dear cop friend (RIP, JD - a WTC 9/11 casualty). It was a bumpy and wild ride, something I will NEVER forget! I re-iterate...I would not suggest riding through NYC on a bike. It's scary enough in a cage. Have a safe journey, take lots of pics, and be sure to fill us in on your travels when you return! Live It, Love It, Paint It, Ride It! Eclectic Dawn Arts Last Edited By: eclecticdawn 05/03/08 6:33 PM. Edited 1 time.
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CleRider		#8	[url]	[-]
Posts: 1897 05/05/08 9:08 AM	I drove to NYC once, in 1986. The things I remember: - I cost over $20 a day to park my car. In Cleveland, the best lots were under $5 a day. - I saw more dead people in NYC in one weekend that I did in my whole life. Drove down the Hudson river and saw two bodies on stretchers, waiting to be picked up. Saw another man in a three piece suit sprawled out on the steps of building. - The traffic in NJ is crazier than NYC. The NJ Highway Patrol runs 90+mph, trying to get ahead of the traffic, then they stop and setup radar. - The restaurants don't care if the food is bad. I had to return my toast... it might just be me, but I don't like food with mold.
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Marman007		#9	[url]	[-]
HSATF Tail Gunner Posts: 75 05/05/08 10:35 PM	Wow -y'all aren't painting a pretty picture of NYC ! Given some of this input, I may be better of skipping it on this trip. I am definitely doing the BRP in VA,and plan on getting lost (so to speak) in Maine and in the white and Green mountains of neighboring NH and VT. Anyone have any favorite routes up this way ? I think I am going to have nightmares about NYC tonight !
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alepel		#10	[url]	[-]
Posts: 7547 05/06/08 6:34 AM	Marman007 wrote: Wow -y'all aren't painting a pretty picture of NYC ! Given some of this input, I may be better of skipping it on this trip. I am definitely doing the BRP in VA,and plan on getting lost (so to speak) in Maine and in the white and Green mountains of neighboring NH and VT. Anyone have any favorite routes up this way ? I think I am going to have nightmares about NYC tonight ! Whew! I'm glad that you got that NYC thing out of your system. Rich (maniac317) might have some better ideas but I have one suggestion. Highway 2 travels across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. There are a lot of points of interest off of this route and a whole lot of the most picturesque towns you'll ever see. You could cross over Lake George and ride through some of the Adirondacks to the interstate 90 or you could ride down Hwy 100 in Vermont and cross over into New York State at Lake George and still get to Interstate 90. alepel "Ride with the Spirit always, and in all ways"....hombldr
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Marman007		#11	[url]	[-]
HSATF Tail Gunner Posts: 75 05/07/08 12:58 PM	Al - the Hwy 2 you refer to, I believe, will eventually take me right back to my home destination of Minnesota. I may end up riding it in the northeastern states, then ride down near/through Adirondak state park and will end up on the freeway. As much as I would like to avoid that old superslab..... I am thinking that after 6 days on the bike, I may be in a hurry to get home ! As much as I would like to hit the finger lakes region, I think the only big stop I have planned is Niagara falls. From there, I may end up avoiding Chicago by traveling through Canada. My original plans called for me to hit some of the big cities (great food and nightlife you know !) but after hearing input from others.... the only big city I will hit is D.C. - that one I do want to experience.
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alepel		#12	[url]	[-]
Posts: 7547 05/07/08 2:39 PM	MM....interestingly enough I have travelled both of the route 2's. The one through Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. And the one through Wisconsin and Minnesota. I do not believe that they are the same route. I know that they are not connected. That route 2 through Wisconsin and Minnesota was some of the darkest scariest road I travelled at night. We would drive through forests for what seemed like hours. My Mom and Dad came to visit us while I was stationed in North Dakota and took hwy 2 at my suggestion. Dad had car problems where his headlights started to flicker off and on while he was on some of that remote parts of hwy 2. My mother said it was the most scared she had ever been. I agreed with her that it was one place I never wanted to break down on. I have travelled both routes from New York to North Dakota. Through Canada, up through Michigan and across Wisconsin and Minnesota on hwy 2. Then the other route was through the states and around Chicago and then up I 94. The southern route proved to be faster. But the upper route was more scenic. alepel "Ride with the Spirit always, and in all ways"....hombldr
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