Best place to ride in the U.S.?

Great conversation, really enjoy hearing the enthusiasm and wonderful suggestion on places to ride in the US. My 2 cents: Sturgis, SD area of course, and the smoky mountains along the Blue Ridge Parkway TN/NC area, the southern part is where I surfed the mountain. Early in the morning (no traffic) when the clouds are still in, ride to the peaks and as far as you can see, mountain tops poking up through a sea of clouds, unbelievably breathtaking. At the top, shut the engine off and coast down through the clouds for a few miles, no sound, you are sailing my friend. The grades are declined enough to get up to road speeds and long enough to remember the experience forever. It took me 4 weeks for a cross country ride, Jacksonville FL to Seattle WA and back. I rode from sun up to sun down you can certainly see a lot of the country with the time you have. Safe trip!

JR
 
Gentleman,

There may be some debate about this, but as an Aussie considering visiting the U.S., what would be you consider to be the best bike area to ride/visit in the U.S?

Thoughts?
The ride to/from Sturgis is (yawn) tiring. Not a "fun" ride/
If you get to Colorado, the ride through and around Ouray is wonderful. SW Colorado has so many nice rides at altitude. Telluride and the areas around, are a weeks worths of riding. High altitude winding roads. As stated before the time of year is a choice. May to October are the limits. June to September is awesome. Also the mountains near Lake Tahoe is a good possibility. There are lots of great rides in the east coast. Someone here can explain the dragon and like places.
There are lots of rides that are beautiful and Zion National Park is beautiful, but boring if you want the twisties.
Google the national parks and the ride of the California coast is pretty awesome. The road surfaces change from great to precarious. Read up on the HWY 1 coastal ride.
 
Great conversation, really enjoy hearing the enthusiasm and wonderful suggestion on places to ride in the US. My 2 cents: Sturgis, SD area of course, and the smoky mountains along the Blue Ridge Parkway TN/NC area, the southern part is where I surfed the mountain. Early in the morning (no traffic) when the clouds are still in, ride to the peaks and as far as you can see, mountain tops poking up through a sea of clouds, unbelievably breathtaking. At the top, shut the engine off and coast down through the clouds for a few miles, no sound, you are sailing my friend. The grades are declined enough to get up to road speeds and long enough to remember the experience forever. It took me 4 weeks for a cross country ride, Jacksonville FL to Seattle WA and back. I rode from sun up to sun down you can certainly see a lot of the country with the time you have. Safe trip!

JR

Dave and I did that at the memorial site for the Battle of Little Bighorn, it's a long, slow, grade, after hearing an excellent talk by a park ranger on the Battle, it was eerie coasting through the battle site in total silence.
 
I prefer the Ozarks. The eastern side of the country is much greener and has much better scenery IMHO.

When I saw this thread, it reminded me just how much I miss riding in the east. I've been all over the west and have seen some spectacular country, and that's probably how I'd describe some of the western riding. The Cascades, western Canada, the Rockies, the Sierra Nevadas, the Beartooth Mountains can best be described as majestic, spectacular; choose your superlatives.

The east coast has some absolutely wonderful roads though, meandering through small towns and villages with lush green landscapes in between. I do miss those rides. The Adirondacks, the Allegheny and Blue Ridge mountains are all beautiful.

So many roads; so little time.

I recommend you take a look at Rider Magazine's website. There is a drop down menu for touring broken down by region of the US.

Motorcycle Magazine for Passionate Riders

116 Beartooth Mts.JPG


The Beartooth
 
The thing about long rides is your time to yourself. If you want to go fast you go fast if you want to stop and look at scenery you do that. On my last trip to Oregon on the 458 mile trip home I went from 38 degrees to rain to 40 Degrees with strong winds to 90 degrees in California all within 9 hours. From no traffic to heavy commute traffic, from a four lane freeway to a two lane 'no passing' lanes. The best part is the self fulfillment and the stories you tell your friends and family about the ride. The crappy rain and wind sucked but when I tell the story I look at it in a different, fun experience type light. Rides are good for the soul and other than family nothing makes me happier. :):)
 
Don't come to Oklahoma. Ain't a **** thing to see or do. We got a saying around here "Come vacation in Oklahoma and leave on parole" We incarcerate more people per population than any other state. Ain't a **** thing here. Roads suck. Gas is dirty. Weather flat sucks. To hot in the summer and way to cold in the winter. The one or two days of spring are nice. Way to many Rednecks and church people. No one heading west stopped in Oklahoma and sayed "Hell this will work they just kept heading west" Good reason the place sucks that's why they moved the Indians here. Think about it.
You convinced me. I will go around.
 
When I saw this thread, it reminded me just how much I miss riding in the east. I've been all over the west and have seen some spectacular country, and that's probably how I'd describe some of the western riding. The Cascades, western Canada, the Rockies, the Sierra Nevadas, the Beartooth Mountains can best be described as majestic, spectacular; choose your superlatives.

The east coast has some absolutely wonderful roads though, meandering through small towns and villages with lush green landscapes in between. I do miss those rides. The Adirondacks, the Allegheny and Blue Ridge mountains are all beautiful.

So many roads; so little time.

I recommend you take a look at Rider Magazine's website. There is a drop down menu for touring broken down by region of the US.

Motorcycle Magazine for Passionate Riders

116 Beartooth Mts.JPG


The Beartooth

Beartooth pass is one of the coolest rides I've ever done in my short life :inlove
 
The only time Dave has ever seen me lose my temper, 20' visibility in the ice fog, I lost him going over the top I waited half an hour, and went back over the top, TWICE, after an hour and a half, I went down far enough to get cell phone reception.
He's like, oh, I couldn't find you, so I went on to the hotel, I was basically screaming at him when I caught up, You never leave anyone behind! He didn't see what the big deal was, but he said I scared the hell out of him, lol, he won't do that again.
 
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