Eastern U.S. Motorcycle Loop - Day 01 - CO to KS
In 2013... I took on the east side of the country, and then some. The Great Eastern Loop covered over 5000 miles, from the Great Plains, the South East, North through Virginia and New York. Then it's through Ontario, Canada, over Lake Erie, back into the States through Michigan heading west. Down through Wisconsin , Nebraska and home... in 10 riding days.
The planning of a trip of this size, dictated a divide and conquer strategy; four big pieces.
The first, 3 day leg... The great plains to the Smoky Mountains.
If I were to program my GPS by simply plugging in point-A and point-B, this first leg would be 1440 miles with 21 hours of road time. But that's not the point. The point, as always, is to find eye candy (natural or man made) even along the most, seemingly, barren of routes. My routing tool of choice is Google maps.
To find the more interesting side routes and attractions required a combination of internet and various printed sources. Roadrunner magazine is one of my favorite sources for motorcycle (m/c) specific excursions. Editions 1 and 2 of the Road Atlas of North America, published by Harley Davidson, highlights the more fun and/or scenic m/c routes in all the states. Finally there is The Most Scenic Drives in America (new and revised)by Readers Digest. I just recently found that last one and it's a great scenic travel guide for the United States and a touch of Canada.
Starting from my home in Golden, CO, the first day of this leg will take me through the eastern plains of Colorado, ending at the Kansas/Missouri border. I'm taking I-70 due east for 400 miles until I hit exit 206 and take a slight S.E. detour (RANA suggested) along the old U.S. 40. I rejoin I-70, about 50 miles later in Salina, Ks. A short while later I drop, due South, about 50 miles to ride through the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. From the nps.gov website, Tallgrass prairie once covered 170 million acres of North America. Within a generation the vast majority was developed and plowed under. Today less than 4% remains, mostly in the Kansas Flint Hills. The preserve protects a nationally significant remnant of the once vast tallgrass prairie and its cultural resources. Here the tallgrass prairie takes its last stand. I, then, headed N.E to Overland Park, a small town just south of Kansas City, where I roomed for the night. But, first, I feasted on, what Zagat reports, is one of the top barbeque joints... Fiorella's Jack Stack BBQ. After 10 road hours, 704 miles and a stomach filled with smoked meat, it's lights out...
... to be continued.