Northeast Trip Advice

[Midrsv]

For the past 10 years or so my wife and I along with several other riding buddies take a "big" bike ride each summer. Always travelling west from KY. We've managed to ride in all states west of the Mississippi River. Previous trip plans were easy in that we would pick areas like Glacier National Park (twice), the Black Hills, Oregon/N. CA coast, Southern Utah, Yellowstone, Beartooth, Durango, Million Dollar Highway etc. We knew there were well known sights to see and good riding. This year we are thinking about going to the northeast for a change. Maybe Vermont, New Hampshire and possibly Maine. The problem I'm having is that I really don't know much about those states regarding their natural beauty. My group isn't much on visiting museums. We're more into riding and taking in the scenic areas. I'm looking for advice on places to visit that would offer beautiful scenery and good riding. We usually do a 10 to 12 day trip and we'll ride 400 to 500 mile days getting to and from the good stuff. That generally leaves us 6 to 8 days to slow down to 100 to 150 mile days to enjoy the area. We would like to take secondary roads from KY to the north east and try to stay out of the big cities as much as possible. I've been to coastal Maine a couple of times and I've driven through small parts of NH and VT but that was on business and I really didn't look around. Anyone have destination suggestions and possible routes? This would likely be a June/July trip.

 

Thanks,

Dennis

[bostonlawman2003]

Wow, let me see what I can give you to look into for destinations:

 

The Kancamagus Highway is a great little ride, not very long but very scenic in NH The Kanc

 

Acadia National Park in Maine is a very beautiful National Park on the Maine coast. Acadia NP

 

The Mount Washington Auto Road is in my opinion a must. It is a challenging ride, but wow, nothing I've ever done on two wheels has compared to it yet. Mount Washington Auto Road

 

This site has a lot of rides already planned out for you, for all 50 states and around the world. Best motorcycle roads in the world

 

Hope this helps you out a little bit. Sounds like you have had quite the adventures over the years. I hope to be able to say the same of my travels someday.

[steamer]

Ok, where to start? First off as Bostonlawman said, Mt Washington in NH. is a must! Scared the crap out of me when we rode it last summer. Its a shorter version of the million $$ road. Maybe a little more intense. Now for a great route for you to ride. If your coming out of KY. ride north through WV. to PA. take the 219 north to the 6 east two great roads in PA. Make sure you stop at the Grand Canyon of PA. just outside of Wellsboro. From there ride east to the 15 north, take that to the 17 east to the 414 north in corning NY. If you have time check out down town Corning. A lot of old town shops including a old style Ice cream parlor. Ok, as I was saying, head north on the 414 to Watkins Glen, another nice little town. They have a gorge walk there that is really cool. From there continue on north on the 414 up along the east side of Seneca Lake. great views all along the way, not to mention a couple of dozen Wineries and a couple of distilleries and breweries. When you get to Ovid NY. your going to need to take a couple of county/town roads to get over to the 89 north. This will take you up along the Cayuga lake to Seneca Falls, birth place of Woman's rights and the town that the movie " its a wonderful life" was modeled after. From here you should take the 20 east to Sangerfield, where you will pick up the 12 north up through Utica, continue north up into the Adirondacks. You will be on the 12/28. This will take you to Old Forge. From there continue on to Blue mountain lake to the 30 north to tupper lake, where you will pick up the 3 to Saranac Lake. from there take the 86 to Lake Placid. Feel free to stop at any or all of these great small villages and towns to soak in the local culture. From Lake Placid I recommend you make your way over to Lake Champlain and take one of the ferry's across to Vermont. From here your on your own. I got you through my back yard, you can take it from there. No matter where you head in VT. and NH. if you stay to the state and county roads you can't go wrong. I'm sure someone will take it from here. Don't forget Mt Washington in NH. and if you can make it over to Bar Harbor MA. that is also a must see. good luck.

 

p.s. Don't forget Ben and Jerry's in VT.

[Midrsv]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I've been to Bar Harbor and the Maine coast but it was many years ago and by car. I'll take the info provided so far and try to lay out a route on one of the mapping sites. This could be good.

 

Dennis

[Larry1963]

I have a friend of mine in the church that is a few years older than me, we wants to ride coast to coast this year, starting in Jacksonville FL ending CA, traveling across I-10

[Midrsv]

I've put together an initial route based on the input above. It looks interesting. I'll need to figure out how to break the days and how to get home. Any other ideas?

 

 

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zERNcDSW2hFs.kGQoK_V-xGts&usp=sharing

[Prairiehammer]

We trekked from Illinois to New England two years ago.

Day 1: Home to Cleveland area (would have gone to @Freebird's instead, but he wouldn't allow it.)

Day 2: Cleveland area to Niagara Falls (Goat Island and camped at Fourmile Creek SP. @stickhandle2 even joined us for supper)

Day 3: Four Mile Creek to Old Forge, NY (take the Lake Ontario State Parkway)

Day 4: Old Forge (you are in the Adirondacks) to Whiteface Mountain then take the ferry across Lake Champlain from Plattsburgh to Grand Isle and stay at the "Champlain Adult Campground".

Day 5: Grand Isle, VT to Noyan, QC then back into the US and take VT78 and VT 105 across to Brighton SP.

Day 6: Brighton SP to Errol, NH to Rangeley, ME to Bangor.

Day 7: Bangor area to Machias, ME on the coast via Wesley. Visit Cutler,Me and the lobster pound there, continue to Lubec with a stop at Quoddy Head SP. Cross the bridge in Lubec to Roosevelt Campobello International Park in New Brunswick. The return via US1 to Steuben and the Mainayr CG.

Day 8: Mainayr to Winter Harbor and take the Schoodic Loop Road around the Schoodic Pennisula. Continue to Ellsworth, Belfast and Camden. Have a lobster dinner on the waterfront at the Whales Tooth in Lincolnville, ME.

Day 9: Camden SP to Sutton Falls Camping Area near Webster, MA.

Day 10: Swing down into Rhode Island (just to say you've ridden in Rhode Island) and then travel across northern Connecticut to Kingston, NY and on to the Delaware Water Gap.

Day 11: It is up to you how to get back to Kentucky (we headed west toward Illinois.)

[Freebird]

NOT TRUE. You asked and I said YES. Troublemaker.

[slowrollwv]

I've put together an initial route based on the input above. It looks interesting. I'll need to figure out how to break the days and how to get home. Any other ideas?

 

 

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zERNcDSW2hFs.kGQoK_V-xGts&usp=sharing

 

I was looking at your map. If you do not want to run the interstate through WV and PA. stay on 64 east a few more miles, take 60 east to 219 north. Much better ride it you have the time.

[cecdoo]

Ok, where to start? First off as Bostonlawman said, Mt Washington in NH. is a must! Scared the crap out of me when we rode it last summer. Its a shorter version of the million $$ road. Maybe a little more intense. Now for a great route for you to ride. If your coming out of KY. ride north through WV. to PA. take the 219 north to the 6 east two great roads in PA. Make sure you stop at the Grand Canyon of PA. just outside of Wellsboro. From there ride east to the 15 north, take that to the 17 east to the 414 north in corning NY. If you have time check out down town Corning. A lot of old town shops including a old style Ice cream parlor. Ok, as I was saying, head north on the 414 to Watkins Glen, another nice little town. They have a gorge walk there that is really cool. From there continue on north on the 414 up along the east side of Seneca Lake. great views all along the way, not to mention a couple of dozen Wineries and a couple of distilleries and breweries. When you get to Ovid NY. your going to need to take a couple of county/town roads to get over to the 89 north. This will take you up along the Cayuga lake to Seneca Falls, birth place of Woman's rights and the town that the movie " its a wonderful life" was modeled after. From here you should take the 20 east to Sangerfield, where you will pick up the 12 north up through Utica, continue north up into the Adirondacks. You will be on the 12/28. This will take you to Old Forge. From there continue on to Blue mountain lake to the 30 north to tupper lake, where you will pick up the 3 to Saranac Lake. from there take the 86 to Lake Placid. Feel free to stop at any or all of these great small villages and towns to soak in the local culture. From Lake Placid I recommend you make your way over to Lake Champlain and take one of the ferry's across to Vermont. From here your on your own. I got you through my back yard, you can take it from there. No matter where you head in VT. and NH. if you stay to the state and county roads you can't go wrong. I'm sure someone will take it from here. Don't forget Mt Washington in NH. and if you can make it over to Bar Harbor MA. that is also a must see. good luck.

 

p.s. Don't forget Ben and Jerry's in VT.

 

Hey Bob, you bet me to it, I was going to type out almost the exact same route, dont forget Gettysburgh, Flight 93 Memorial too!

 

Craig

[steamer]

On your return trip, you may want to come down through Mass. and Conn. back into NY. around Newburg and take in OCC. then head west and south back into north east Pa. Run down to

Hersey, then Gettysburg.

[steamer]

Let us Know what dates you will be traveling. When you come through Watkins Glen Maybe we can hook up, we live 25 miles north in Romulus NY.

[Midrsv]

I was looking at your map. If you do not want to run the interstate through WV and PA. stay on 64 east a few more miles, take 60 east to 219 north. Much better ride it you have the time.

 

Thanks for the suggestion.

[slowrollwv]

If you take 60 east from Charleston you may want to stop at Hawk's Nest. And when you get to Hicko and US19 north. Turn south and go to New Never Gorge.

[Midrsv]

If you take 60 east from Charleston you may want to stop at Hawk's Nest. And when you get to Hicko and US19 north. Turn south and go to New Never Gorge.

 

Thanks, we've ridden the New River Gorge area. Some great riding in that area.