Where do you ride ???

Greetings,
Just read Gino Rondelli's posting "Sunshine" and it made me think about a recent flight I took from Massachusetts to Florida via Detroit. Not having flown in a number of years I had my face against the window like a kid, landing in Detroit then later in FT Meyers, I marveled how land/roads were all in blocks with hardly a curve in sight. I started joking with the GF, I wonder what the local bike guys do for fun, probably get together and go down to "the" curve, or maybe one of them knows someone with a curvy private driveway.
I realized I take for granted the decent biking roads I grew up with in western Massachusetts, there are curves, hills, and valleys in every direction from my home. Someday I would like to ride through the Smokey Mts, or in Colorado, I hear its great riding there (at least according to Peter Egan, Cycle World magazine columnist). Where are your favorite rides ???

GB

They're all secret now.

There are some nice rides between Warrenton and Charlottsville in VA if you look for them but I won't tell you where. Blue Ridge foothills. I'm sure there are plenty in the Ozarks, eastern OH in the Appalachian Mts. and south eastern TN too. KY has some nice roads too along some of their rivers and state parks. You just have to get out of town.

Dave
69S

Some VERY nice motorcycle roads out here in eastern WA and northern ID. Another plus is that the population density is very low so are very few cars to worry about.

Hello, The easiest way to answer is to look at Google Earth,

The Gap, Queensland Australia.

Head West following route 31.

That's one ride, there are more around the hills.

Today it's 20 degrees C and sunny. And 12 degrees at night. (our winter)

Graeme

Graeme,
Man, you blokes get all the good stuff. I guess you are talking about the ride from The Gap to Mt Nebo. That must be incredible. Pictures please. I'll see if I can find some Blue Ridge Pictures.

Dave
69S

DogT said:

Graeme,
Man, you blokes get all the good stuff. I guess you are talking about the ride from The Gap to Mt Nebo. That must be incredible. Pictures please. I'll see if I can find some Blue Ridge Pictures.

Dave
69S

Click to expand...

You ain't seen nothing yet! Do the Google Map thing in satellite view for Lorne, VIC, Australia and follow the Great Ocean Road west (leftwards) to Apollo Bay. Nearest thing to the Isle of Man and even more scarys, but on a good day.... OMG what a ride.

Mick

You couldn't pay me to ride Deal's Gap.

New Zealand, north island the east cape Gisborne to Opotiki.
I drove it in a car. Fabulous winding road with great ocean views and very little traffic.
I kept thinking how much fun a bike would be.

Bob

Yeah, we have some nice roads here in Colorado but the police situation is getting out of hand. Cops with radar guns everywhere, looking for money. I got another speeding ticket on the Ducati this weekend. Damn revenuers. :evil:

Debby

Being from Illinois, land of the mile square blocks, I can say for me it is a matter of perspective. Along any river or creek there are acceptable roads to ride, but beyond that nothin but flat as far as the eye can see. Any vacation I take is usually w/o the wife and I go ride for a week. generally an IBA ride and then somewhere near mountains. With winters 6-7 months long any good weather is appreciated and even the flattest roads are fantastic when it is warm and sunny. I would however say that the majority of riders in this area are HD riders that are partial to poker runs, bar hopping and image so I don't think it much matters to most of them what the road is like, actually better long and straight if your half in the bag. Now since I don't drink I go enjoy the back dirt and gravel roads where most soccer moms and chromed out drunken HD riders and sport bike riders never venture. This is where I find my Midwestern enjoyment. The sound of gravel under my tires, the smell of wild flowers, corn and fresh air. A nice cool breeze on the north side of hills and the sounds of birds and various other animals running around. It sure isn't The east coast or the West coast, but like everyone knows deep inside there is no place like where you grew up to feel good about life when life is good. You just have to open your eyes and look around.

My Norton hasn't been to Colorado since the early 80's. Here's a shot of my Dad with it circa July 1978. He asks about it everytime I visit 8) HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DAD!

Some really nice roads in Pensyvannia, I just did a (ahem) bicycle ride trough the Allegany mountains from DC to Toronto (well, did a bit more but the rest of the roads were so-so)

Jean

Britbike200, you familiar with this group? http://gnoa.50megs.com/
Might look 'em up if your in the St. Louis area :wink:
I went to a meeting and they seem real cool.

I kinda picked my home for the drive to work. If I didn't live
in a cycler's heaven I'd not be half as crazy as I get to be.
Basically straight road regions just have drag races and stunting.
I quit cycles for 25 year in Houston for fast cages.

Come out to the Ozarks and let your bike's hair out.
A video ride on one of our more famous local reptilian routes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c6pjn1P ... re=related

http://image24.webshots.com/25/1/55/66/ ... lOC_fs.jpg


http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1056117 ... 1179ewcclB


http://image71.webshots.com/71/5/18/54/ ... rCw_fs.jpg


hobot

Hard to beat California!

http://www.pashnit.com/motoroads.htm

One of my favourite places in the North West of Scotland, a bit shaky as my GF was filming with a hand held cam on the bumpy roads, head shaking for effect...enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYKmUQQ0Vqo

Thanks for sharing the adventure road joys Ghno and crew.
So many roads to ride so few live to ride em all.

Here's a first time camera test tapped to face plate which
vibes too loud. On corner crippled SV650 soft fat tire bike
so not demo of linked or regular Commando capacity in these paths.
This un paved stuff is more scary fun to me than tarmac chicanes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx0oUUY--iI

Here's a Mt top tour on a wide smooth bus road I like to try someday.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d63rTOe3 ... re=related

hobot

Lot of great roads in New England. We regularly do four state days (generally Mass/NH/VT/NY) without trying, and it wouldn't be difficult to make it seven (adding ME/CT/RI). I'm not talking highways, but rather twolane roads with 25-45/50 MPH limits for the most part.

VT is probably the best, but all of the NE states have great places to ride.

Gosh a whole world of riding paths. Too bad the big gaps between them.
If we ever get rich enough, lets take an endless spring tour around
the world for the flowers and greenery or an endless fall for the
color change of forests.
The eager torque of Commando's make back roads a delight
to just flow along w/o spinning its little head like a sewing machine.

hobot - sometime this summer will have a real motorcycle to start again.

Instead of "Endless Summer", it could be "Endless Commando". Dream on.

Dave
69S