The following is a guest post with some great ideas.
3 Great Routes in the USA for Autumn Riding
In the United States, the fall season is one of the
most-loved times of the year. The air is beginning to chill, but the sun is
still golden with warmth during the day. The leaves paint the landscape with
vibrancy, and for motorcycle lovers, the open road is the place to be.
Temperatures and weather conditions are perfect for riding, and interstates are
often free of congestion, as school is back in session.
Bright Autumn colors (photo from www.wikimediacommons.org)
This year, find some time to take your bike out for a
peaceful ride through the countryside or down one of these three routes, which
often boast the best in autumn leaf colors and natural landscapes.
Interstate
93
New England is one of the best places in the United States
for fall foliage, and I-93 is a great road to take to see the best of what the
region has to offer. The interstate’s southern-most point is in Canton,
Massachusetts, near Boston, and its northern-most point is near St. Johnsbury,
Vermont. For most of its length, the interstate indirectly parallels U.S. Route
3, so if you feel like veering off the path and getting into more rural
territory, you have that option. With a path that runs through Massachusetts,
New Hampshire and Vermont, I-93 also goes through the White Mountain National Forest
and is just a short drive from Mount Washington in New Hampshire.
U.S.Route
23/Interstate 26
Beginning in Ashland, Kentucky, U.S. Route 23 winds south
through the Appalachian hills of the eastern part of the state. Once in
Tennessee, you’ll veer off onto Interstate 26, which will take you through the
thick of the Cherokee National Forest and the boundaries of the Great Smoky
Mountains. Keep traveling southeast through the hills of North Carolina, and
you will have followed nearly the same route of many of America’s frontiersmen.
This route is one of the best, yet least talked about, for fall colors and
natural landscapes. There are also plenty of two-road rural roads to exit off
and on to throughout the trip. Just be sure to bring along a map or GPS to find
connections back onto the interstate.
Smoky Mountains near Tennessee/North Carolina state line
(photo by Motor Oz during 2011 summer trip)
The
Scenic Byways of Yellowstone National Park
Fall in Yellowstone is quite different from the northeast
and southeast parts of the country. Foliage is sparse, but the natural
landscape as a whole is breathtaking. To get the most out of your Yellowstone
experience, book a room at a lodge and plan to take a few days to complete all
of the park’s scenic byways. Road options to travel include U.S. Route 191
(which links to Big Sky, Montana from the north and Grand Teton from the
south), U.S. Route 212 (which runs northeast through Cooke City, Montana and
Red Lodge, Montana) and U.S. Route 14 (which connects to Cody, Wyoming), among
smaller routes in the center of the park.
US 212 a.k.a. Beartooth Highway
(photo by Motor Oz during summer 2010 trip)
Stacy Holmes is a freelance blogger for www.MotorcycleInsurance.com.
She’s been a motorcycle enthusiast since childhood and loves to write about
purchasing and maintaining a bike and having fun on the open road. Please leave
your comments or questions for Stacy below!
