One route is a ton of miles and lots of slab but I get MI, IN and WI added to my list of states. With the miles though it would be hard to stop and see things like Mackinaw, Picture Rocks, the Sault locks or some falls. Though I could stock up on wild rice
Another route gets TX, OK and KS. Not really sure on sights to see but the miles are more realistic at 500ish a day. I could stop and say baa in KS maybe. Any suggestions on stuff from local folks? I would be coming into TX near Texarkana and the up the east end of OK and KS. I like interesting roads, historic stuff, waterfalls and hot women Well OK the odds of finding the last two just passing through is slim As far west as Council Grove is possible for KS. Oh and I have seen the VERY cool Arabia Steamboat Museum already.
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Last edited by SheepOfBlue; 06-08-2009 at 11:12 PM.
If everything tastes like chicken..... what does chicken taste like
So things of interest I have found in my roaming books:
Talimena Scenic Skyway: straddles the AK/OK border and I think I can work it into the route.
Flint Hills: In KS and runs through Council Bluffs.
Wichita Mountains and Oklahoma's Quartz Mountains sound interesting but might be beyond my range.
I might also see how many miles a detour that hooks the corner of Iowa and Nebraska cost...
If everything tastes like chicken..... what does chicken taste like
Talimena Scenic Skyway: straddles the AK/OK border and I think I can work it into the route.
...
If that is the one that goes through the mountains west of Hot Springs, that is a pretty cool road and has a nice visitor center up top. Saw a black bear run across the road my last time through there. Also, some decent roads/scenery running south down to Texas.
Good luck with your planning.
Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.
Albert Einstein
Thanks I need to decide if the distance is to great (maybe plan a bailout route). And add in some things from Roadside America - Guide to Uniquely Odd Tourist Attractions Though I think I need about 600 miles a day or more so big detours would be out.
If everything tastes like chicken..... what does chicken taste like
Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles, Bubba.... - Hunter S. Thompson
Roughly half way to Memphis Thursday night. Over to Texarkana to get my Texas picture Then back into Arkansas up to Mena across the scenic route then up to Mcalester, OK for the night on Friday. Up to Tulsa jog west to I35 and up to Wichita. Detour of the slab on a scenic route to Council Grove KS and up to Manhattan. Slab to near the MO/IL border for the night. Back home on Sunday.
Though I think I will adapt that some. That route is 1906 miles and 10 states though only 3 are new (might get a better Illinious one though)
Still in plotting mode and I might make and alternate if rain looks possible.
If everything tastes like chicken..... what does chicken taste like
For going up through MO, consider RT19 up to Cuba and the highway. Nice, windy road through the country ... pretty and you can make pretty good time. 160 east along the bottom of the state flows pretty good to, but not as scenic. I usually take that route to RT7 on my way south to Texas.
Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.
Albert Einstein
For going up through MO, consider RT19 up to Cuba and the highway. Nice, windy road through the country ... pretty and you can make pretty good time. 160 east along the bottom of the state flows pretty good to, but not as scenic. I usually take that route to RT7 on my way south to Texas.
I am below Missouri. I will be coming back down through it though.
I am going to look at alternate routes that just nip the corner of KS and see if I can drop the miles...
If everything tastes like chicken..... what does chicken taste like
I might also see how many miles a detour that hooks the corner of Iowa and Nebraska cost...
Council Bluffs, Iowa?
What are the dates for this? I'm in Iowa...
...dude you ride an offroad bike with slicks, 1/2 the weight of a GS, double the suspension, with a browning 50 cal going off 32" from your skull as a daily freaking driver - I'd expect anything except a nitro dragbike to be bland by comparison - SSG
Council Grove KS. Not getting all the way to Iowa since I only have 3 days.
Ahh, you said Council Bluffs in your post.
...dude you ride an offroad bike with slicks, 1/2 the weight of a GS, double the suspension, with a browning 50 cal going off 32" from your skull as a daily freaking driver - I'd expect anything except a nitro dragbike to be bland by comparison - SSG
Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles, Bubba.... - Hunter S. Thompson
Route is set and pack list almost complete The biggest question is where to stop Thursday night.... Corrinth, MS is not as far as I would like but Memphis is pretty high crime so I don't like having the RR there Not much in between either except an American Inn and I seem to remember it is flea'd fairly hard...
If everything tastes like chicken..... what does chicken taste like
Final 'planned' route. If something catches my attention I might detour. I was hoping to get 200ish last night but a storm was rolling through so I just waited since it looks like 3 nice days ahead (only ups the daily average a small amount).
The plan is Mena Arkansas tonight at a minimum. Depending on time I might go a bit further but probably not. Though the Huntsville to Texarkana is the one leg that is a bunch of interstate (and US72 is close to interstate in speed and flow)
Gratuitous sheep photos to come
If everything tastes like chicken..... what does chicken taste like
Just saw your map. If that is the same route I took through southern MO last year, there was loads of road construction going on. More like road rebuilding - for a stretch of about 20+ miles.
That was almost 12 months to the day, though, so the construction may be complete by now.
Have fun! I'm jealous...
Incognito: An Italian phrase meaning "Nice Gearchange!"
Day #0 was going to be ride to Corinth or Memphis to knock a few hours and a couple hundred miles off the other days. Well Thursday night it was raining so I just waited until morning. Not all bad as I remembered a couple of minor things I needed to do and it gave me time.
If everything tastes like chicken..... what does chicken taste like
Day #1 the official National Blue Sheep day (friday) Started out about 7AM and it was cloudy and almost misting. Quite nasty considering it was supposed to be nice. Also it was COLD It was supposed to be 80+ all three days so I had nothing warm with me. I put the rain liner my new Joe Rocket Reactor and it helped but it was cold anyway. I got to Tuscumbia AL though and there was a line in the sky. One side was nasty and clouds the other high wispy light clouds and blue. Still cold but the damp left at least. I slabbed on US72 to Memphis then jumped on I30 to Texarkana. This section was meant to be just getting there so lots of straight line. Got a picture of the divided courthouse for my Texas picture then left and headed toward Mena Arkansas (got another Texas picture just in case on the way).
The ride up was better than the first part but nothing exotic. Just some rolling two lane and decent scenery. Basically it was up US59 all the way to Mena.
The original plan was to stop in Mena but I had made decent time and figured I would go across the mountain. It helped that there was a bike show the next day and visions of getting stuck behind 1000000000 Harley posers doing 5MPH (yes I know it might not have been that bad)
So I head up Arkansas 88 to Queen Wilhelmina State Park. I stop at the gift shop for a magnet and meet a real nice couple. She had 2 R6's so you can guess on them being track folks I hope they sign on since they had a ton of great suggestions on roads and I am sure would share for anyone headed down there. I was limited as my route was already way aggressive to be added cool detours
Well it is getting late but the visit was worth every second of delay. Also the Arkansas side is decent pavement but had some weird ridging that they said would clear up just up the road. Plus I am always super cautious on strange state twisties until I get a feel for the signage.
If everything tastes like chicken..... what does chicken taste like
As I headed across I hit some nice overlooks and a one marked sunset point almost at sunset. I stopped for a picture of what was nice. Then continued on. Well a bit up the road I stopped to call Mom (yes she still worries ) and report in. The overlook was just a convenient one by time and I needed to swap shields anyway. Well I got some pictures but they totally do not do it justice. I could see a 180 degree view with the clouds out front reddened by the sunset. Off to the right the I could see a town starting to light with a lake in the foreground and further right the mountains were starting to fade into the mists. Not a sound or soul in sight. With a nice cool breeze blowing up the hill to me. No way can I describe the sunset there but to say it was a highlight of the trip.
If everything tastes like chicken..... what does chicken taste like
From the sunset I continued down and despite the almost full moon the light was fading fast. A bit more fun road and by the time I got to US270 I was ready to sleep and it was dark. But I had a ways to go as that was still in the middle of no where. Overall a fantastic day despite going to far. I figured the extra distance would help the other days though.
Day #2 tomorrow night as I am tenderized and need to count sheep™
If everything tastes like chicken..... what does chicken taste like
My Mississippi state line picture came out differently...
Because you trailered in and out so they wanted to run you off
I am not tired today but the back is stiff and my one knee a bit tight but that has already recovered.
I hope to get some more pictures done tonight but this week is busy as I need to clean rotors, wire an oil line, change a sprocket on the RC, clean the RR and if time allows swap cams on the RC and possibly change the brake fluid. So be patient, please.
If everything tastes like chicken..... what does chicken taste like
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As far west as Council Grove is possible for KS. 
Oh and I have seen the VERY cool Arabia Steamboat Museum already.
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Originally Posted by SheepOfBlue
The biggest question is where to stop Thursday night.... Corrinth, MS is not as far as I would like but Memphis is pretty high crime so I don't like having the RR there 
It was supposed to be 80+ all three days so I had nothing warm with me. I put the rain liner my new 
) and report in. The overlook was just a convenient one by time and I needed to swap shields anyway. Well I got some pictures but they totally do not do it justice. I could see a 180 degree view with the clouds out front reddened by the sunset. Off to the right the I could see a town starting to light with a lake in the foreground and further right the mountains were starting to fade into the mists. Not a sound or soul in sight. With a nice cool breeze blowing up the hill to me. No way can I describe the sunset there but to say it was a highlight of the trip.
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