Need advise on riding the east coast

[groundhog105]

I’m planning on riding the 4 corners of the US tour in June.   Riding from Key West Florida to Madawaska Main the last leg.  Can You guys living back there advise me the best routes to avoid the worse traffic?  We are planning on swinging west at Richmond Virginia to avoid DC and New York.  Advise is appreciated

[elvisboy77]

I�m planning on riding the 4 corners of the US tour in June.   Riding from Key West Florida to Madawaska Main the last leg.  Can You guys living back there advise me the best routes to avoid the worse traffic?  We are planning on swinging west at Richmond Virginia to avoid DC and New York.  Advise is appreciated

Any interstate around any large city in the southeast (Atlanta and Charlotte, for example) is going to be slow and difficult.

I am sure you will get tons of great advice, but depending on your time allotment, I would try to do as many state roads as possible.  Have you read "Blue Highways" by William Least Heat Moon?

I - 95 is not horrible until DC, good catch.  If you want a place to stay in the Raleigh Durham area, PM me. What a great trip!

[Aaron D.]

DC and NYC are the congested bits, fade west through Pennsylvania . Boston is legendary as well during rush hour so if you do go through PA you could traverse the north of New England through any number of great routes.

[Ncdan]

Be sure to include the Outer Banks in your trip. Two great fairy rides and 70 miles of beautiful sea shore ridding.

[Dilliw]

Well we are talking June so hot hot hot  in Florida

Some possible waypoints are:

Ybor City
Big Daddy's drag racing museum.
Okefenokee swamp
Two Wheels of Suches
Tail of the Dragon (just because)
Willville campground Meadows of Dan
Grappa with Hagan :) (Winchester VA)
Poconos and Aqueducts of Pa
30 and 23 in NY to the Berkshire Mountain Distallary
No. 8 up the Berkshires to the Greens
National Forest 71 in the Greens.  It's dirt but well maintained and is a really cool spot.
Moose spotting in New Hampshire.  I caught a glimpse of one in VT but want to see those buggers!
Qu�bec City.  I've been to Montreal now and it's a really cool city.  Next month I'm heading up to Qu�bec though so I can tell you about it!

[Lannis]

Here's what I'd do - I'd hit the coast first, then swing west WAY before Richmond.

1) As NCDan suggested, I'd get off I-95 on US-76E and make my way to US-17N, then NC-24 to Morehead City NC, then take the Ocracoke and Hatteras ferries and go up the Outer Banks at least to Manteo - you don't want to miss that part of the world when you're so close.

2) At Manteo or Kitty Hawk, I'd swing back west to US-15N or US-501N and see a lot of rural North Carolina and Virginia, aiming for Afton and Rockfish Gap in Virginia and the Blue Ridge Mountains.   If you do that, you'll go near my house and save a bit on motels and restaurants for a day or a week ...

3) From Afton, I'd go NW on the VA state roads to hit VA-42, north to VA-259 up into WV, maybe WV-29 or WV-9 to PawPaw, then Charlie Mullendore can give you the hot tips on the good roads into PA, and Bill Hagan (bless his unsuspecting heart) can likely show you the hospitality of Moto Grappa ...

4) Then I'd head NW to Millersburg PA, take the little happy-go-lucky ferry there, and take US-209 all the way up into New England, and then ask.

That'd be a really nice ride.

Lannis

[pyoungbl]

I95 is the natural route from Fl to Richmond.  Jacksonville is a PITA but you can take the bypass and avoid the worst...I'd go west due to some construction on the east bypass.  Once you get into VA you can take US 58 west all the way to Meadows of Dan (Willvill).  Ride north on the Blue Ridge Parkway until you decide to head either into WV or Pa.  Either way you can ride north until you hit NY state, then east to Maine.  This way you miss DC, Philly, NYC, Boston, etc. 

In Va you have a bunch of run roads going north into WV or Pa.  It's a matter of how much time you want to spend.  I love US 39, US 220 is OK too.  If you have time I'd also recommend a side trip to Appomattox.  Golly, so many great choices!

Peter Y.

[screamday]

I95 is the natural route from Fl to Richmond.  Jacksonville is a PITA but you can take the bypass and avoid the worst...I'd go west due to some construction on the east bypass.  Once you get into VA you can take US 58 west all the way to Meadows of Dan (Willvill).  Ride north on the Blue Ridge Parkway until you decide to head either into WV or Pa.  Either way you can ride north until you hit NY state, then east to Maine.  This way you miss DC, Philly, NYC, Boston, etc. 

In Va you have a bunch of run roads going north into WV or Pa.  It's a matter of how much time you want to spend.  I love US 39, US 220 is OK too.  If you have time I'd also recommend a side trip to Appomattox.  Golly, so many great choices!

Peter Y.

I was going to suggest the Blue Ridge Parkway/Skyline Drive, which runs from Tennessee to Virginia, but it sounded like he wanted to ride up the coast.

[Wayne Orwig]

Miami and Jacksonville can be issues at certain times of the day.
Yes on avoiding NYC and DC.
If you have time, try to ride the Outer Banks. Also try to cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.

[pressureangle]

In Florida, make the decision early; coming out of the Keys (and going in, I assume from the West tho) you'll either wind through awful city traffic (which lends excellent food and some worthy sights) bypass some of that on the Turnpike/I-95 (awful but faster) or stay as far inland as you can; you can catch Krome Avenue (997) from Homestead up to US-27 and head straight up to South Bay at Lake Okeechobee. it's a good new road, divided 4-lane and a pretty nice ride around the lake, particularly on the East side. You can stay in the middle on 441, and head East to I-95 on US-192. You'll miss all the traffic, see some Everglades and generally very pleasant roads, if flat and straight. The price you pay, though, is that in the summer it's usually 10* hotter inland than along the coast; not so much different if you're dodging traffic on the interstate though. Take the bypass around Jacksonville; it's considerably longer, but totally worth it. Jax is full of angry drivers, construction, bridges and generally very uncool to ride through.

[pressureangle]

Also for Florida, if you want to stay nearer the coast, you can take the 997/27 route to the lake, cut east at Port Mayakka on 76, or better continue up to 714- that's one of the nicest roads in the State to ride through- into Stuart, where I'll buy you lunch and you can head north along the water, which is the nicest coast route in the State all the way up to St. Augustine. A1A/US-1 is pretty awesome riding.

[kingoffleece]

Let me know if you want to see Niagara Falls.

[blackcat]

When you get to Key West, rent a U-Haul and cart the bike(s) up to north Georgia because riding through Florida in June heat is painful and not worth traveling through it on a motorcycle.

[Ncdan]

Here's what I'd do - I'd hit the coast first, then swing west WAY before Richmond.

1) As NCDan suggested, I'd get off I-95 on US-76E and make my way to US-17N, then NC-24 to Morehead City NC, then take the Ocracoke and Hatteras ferries and go up the Outer Banks at least to Manteo - you don't want to miss that part of the world when you're so close.

2) At Manteo or Kitty Hawk, I'd swing back west to US-15N or US-501N and see a lot of rural North Carolina and Virginia, aiming for Afton and Rockfish Gap in Virginia and the Blue Ridge Mountains.   If you do that, you'll go near my house and save a bit on motels and restaurants for a day or a week ...

3) From Afton, I'd go NW on the VA state roads to hit VA-42, north to VA-259 up into WV, maybe WV-29 or WV-9 to PawPaw, then Charlie Mullendore can give you the hot tips on the good roads into PA, and Bill Hagan (bless his unsuspecting heart) can likely show you the hospitality of Moto Grappa ...

4) Then I'd head NW to Millersburg PA, take the little happy-go-lucky ferry there, and take US-209 all the way up into New England, and then ask.

That'd be a really nice ride.

Lannis

Great ride Lannis, I hope he goes the way you just laid out. Me and a few buddies are ridding the OBX this month, come on and go with us.

[MMRanch]

Once you get up in the NC area  , go west just a little and go up US-129 through the best bike road in the the Eastern USA.    Two Wheels of Suches Ga. one night and the next night at the Tail of the Dragon crossroads (Saturday if you can)  , be sure to make at least one ride out hwy 28 while you there at Dragon Central.   They have a great campground and also Cabins at both places.

A ride up the Blue Ridge Parkway will leave you with a day long grin.

[chuck peterson]

Harpers Ferry
North in central pa
North into the Adirondacks
Back south east a bit to western mass
Angle N through VT, especially rt 100, 108
Exit Vt via the NorthEast kingdom at the Canadian border
Hustle the four Ct lakes in most Northern NH
South to Mt Washington, White Mts
East to Rangely ME, where the best view is the grocery store and moose will eat you
Southeast to the Maine Coast, forget the crowded parking lot that is Acadia
Go to the Deer Isle peninsula and Stonington ME instead
Day trip to the Canada border on rt1
Rent the lighthouse in Isle Au Haut
Eat lobster
Reverse course to come home!

Here's is general map if I had time energy money. Yes there are shorter faster quicker, but New England ain't fast...you get into the woods of west mass and vt, 250 miles on those little roads will wear you out

http://bit.ly/2GFvKsj

One really awesome day ride I would pick if I had one choice?

See Motorcycle Journeys through New England...in the Vermont section the author puts you through five gaps in the high hills, turns you around and does the whole thing in the other direction...a stunning day

[sign216]

Harpers Ferry
North in central pa
North into the Adirondacks
Back south east a bit to western mass
Angle N through VT, especially rt 100, 108
Exit Vt via the NorthEast kingdom at the Canadian border
Hustle the four Ct lakes in most Northern NH
South to Mt Washington, White Mts
East to Rangely ME, where the best view is the grocery store and moose will eat you
Southeast to the Maine Coast, forget the crowded parking lot that is Acadia
Go to the Deer Isle peninsula and Stonington ME instead
Day trip to the Canada border on rt1
Rent the lighthouse in Isle Au Haut
Eat lobster
Reverse course to come home!

I live in Eastern Mass, and I like Chuck's advice to go up Western Mass, throught Vt, and then east to Maine.  Anything near Boston is painful, especially near commuting times. 

[Texas Turnip]

Check out Four Corners Tour on the net and you'l get routes of those that have BTDT. Ditto on the Chesapeak Bay Bridge Tunnel. Also, surprised no one mentioned MT. Washington. A good Guzzi fiend is here at the Oleo Ranch and he has ridden the Four Corners ride FOUR times. He lets his GPS guide him thru NYC.

Make the ride,
Tex

[Lannis]

Great ride Lannis, I hope he goes the way you just laid out. Me and a few buddies are ridding the OBX this month, come on and go with us.

April's booked pretty solid with grandchildren's birthdays and family get-togethers but I'd love to show up somewhere ... when and where you going?   PM if you prefer, or on here if other people might like to know ... ?

Lannis

[Ncdan]

April's booked pretty solid with grandchildren's birthdays and family get-togethers but I'd love to show up somewhere ... when and where you going?   PM if you prefer, or on here if other people might like to know ... ?

Lannis

It’s bike week at Nags Head. We are taking small group of retired motor cops. Leaving from Winston-Salem Friday morning and ridding all the way to Cedar Island. Hitting the 7:00 am fairy to ocraoke. Ridding the OBX St to nags head then home on sun. Most everything near Nags Head is already booked. We must get together sometime:)

[Moto]

I'm not sure what your goals are in taking this trip, apart from touching all four corners.

If you want to avoid traffic hassles I would consider crossing over/into the Appalachians/Smokies via Charlotte or Asheville to Interstate 81 and make that your route all the way up to New York State, well west of NYC. Then take Interstate 88 northeast from Binghamton.

This recommended route is rural and scenic, and passes close to a lot of well known "twisties" if you want a change of pace along the way.

If I had three months I'd take back roads on such a trip, for sure. That's if I would do the trip at all, which I wouldn't.

Moto

[webmost]

I�m planning on riding the 4 corners of the US tour in June.   Riding from Key West Florida to Madawaska Main the last leg.  Can You guys living back there advise me the best routes to avoid the worse traffic?  We are planning on swinging west at Richmond Virginia to avoid DC and New York.  Advise is appreciated

DO NOT MISS the Blue Ridge Parkway. I know you guys think your Rt 1 is a wonderful road, up along the coast of Kali... but believe a life long rider and native Californian when I tell you DO NOT MISS THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY. And note... it takes you past the DC beltway and all of that insanity. Fact of the matter, once you reach the northern end, you will want to continue right up the Skyline Drive, for that matter.

Tellin you.

[Lannis]

DO NOT MISS the Blue Ridge Parkway. I know you guys think your Rt 1 is a wonderful road, up along the coast of Kali... but believe a life long rider and native Californian when I tell you DO NOT MISS THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY. And note... it takes you past the DC beltway and all of that insanity. Fact of the matter, once you reach the northern end, you will want to continue right up the Skyline Drive, for that matter.

Tellin you.

I'd like to make a correction or two to the thread regarding the Blue Ridge Parkway.

An earlier post indicated that it runs from Tennessee to Virginia.   Actually it doesn't - it starts in Asheville NC and runs to Afton, VA, where the Skyline Drive starts and runs to Front Royal, VA.   There are other nice mountain roads in Tennessee but they don't connect with the Parkway.

Also, the north end of the Parkway does NOT take you past the DC buildup - it ends in Front Royal, and you have to pick your own way around DC.   It used to be that US-15 was a nice country road from Gainesville, VA to Frederick MD and north to Gettysburg PA, but that's long since - it's now a crowded, slow, 2-lane road from one set of "Condos Now From The $800,000s!" developments and strip malls to the next.   I'd miss the Beltway mess even further west (see above).

Other than that, there's a lot of good riding on this trip you're getting ready to do!

Lannis

[webmost]

I'd like to make a correction or two to the thread regarding the Blue Ridge Parkway.

An earlier post indicated that it runs from Tennessee to Virginia.   Actually it doesn't - it starts in Asheville NC and runs to Afton, VA, where the Skyline Drive starts and runs to Front Royal, VA.   There are other nice mountain roads in Tennessee but they don't connect with the Parkway.

Also, the north end of the Parkway does NOT take you past the DC buildup - it ends in Front Royal, and you have to pick your own way around DC.   It used to be that US-15 was a nice country road from Gainesville, VA to Frederick MD and north to Gettysburg PA, but that's long since - it's now a crowded, slow, 2-lane road from one set of "Condos Now From The $800,000s!" developments and strip malls to the next.   I'd miss the Beltway mess even further west (see above).

Other than that, there's a lot of good riding on this trip you're getting ready to do!

Lannis

What's that .. 340 to I-70 to Fredneck to... Mexico to Jarretsville to Rt 1 to...

Way I go every time

or 81 runs you to NY state inland of all insanity

[Bulldog9]

Depends what you want to see and how fast you want to go.  The east coast is LOADED with great roads, all through the Adirondacks. Too many to mention. Everyone does the Dragons tail/Cherahola Skyway, but the roads around it are better IMO. US 39 through Goshen Pass is great as well. All through West Virginia, all through the Poconos and up to the Green Mountains in New Hampshire and across to Maine.

If you want a more sceniccostal ride with some traffic, you could take 17 up the East coast from Jacksonville Florida, then the 13/301 Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, and the Ferry from Lewes Delaware to Cape May NJ and up the Garden State Parkway, and the parkways through Connecticut. But you'd miss the Dragons tail, and Blue Ridge/Skyline Drive.

If you want super slab, stick to 75 out of Florida, up to Knoxville and I81 in TN/VA line to 84 in PA and over to Boston. Takes you through the heart. Great roads all around that route.

The 95 Corridor from Richmond to Boston just plain SUCKS............  Avoid at all costs............. Here is a great source for route maps and ideas OFF the super slab. https://www.adventurecycling.org/routes-and-maps/adventure-cycling-route-network/interactive-network-map/

[egschade]

I live in NJ and have ridden/driven various routes to Richmond and Boston. Rt 95 is fine before 6am but terrible in anything close to the morning or evening rush. As others have said, avoid Rt 95 almost anywhere north of Richmond until you clear Boston (aka the Northeast Corridor).

Look at heading west towards Rt 81 but consider taking time to ride the Tail of the Dragon and Blue Ridge Parkway on your way towards Scranton, PA. From there you can go 84 on a more easterly path towards New England / Massachusetts or stay on 81 to 88 towards Albany. From there you can enjoy the southern VT & NH roads towards Concord NH and eventually Maine. Lots of cool little places along the way including my favorite: Big Moose Deli on Rt 7 in Hoosick, NY

[slopokes]

If you are up to it I can give you a guided tour of the beautiful oil refinery’s along the nj turnpike.😢

[Lannis]

....
or I-81 runs you to NY state inland of all insanity

I-81 has its own brand of insanity sometimes.   When truck traffic is heavy, it's a nightmare on a bike ... it's hard to stay far enough behind a truck in the slow lane, because someone will pull RIGHT over in front of you.

And up in the mountains, where exits are many miles apart, any of the frequent road crashes will have you sitting for half a day while they clear it ....

On the other hand, sometimes you can roll along pretty easy ... ?

Lannis

[groundhog105]

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions.  I will be sending a PM to some of you guys.  Normally I wouldn’t even consider Florida in June but the time line for my friends that are going on this 4 corners ride has pretty much dictated that we have to do it in June.  We are going to have to take the fastest route from Key West to Madawaska Main but once that’s completed we will be taking in the historic and scenic routes that several guys suggested.  We plan on doing the Key West and out of Florida north at night time to avoid traffic and heat.

[jumpmaster]

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions.  I will be sending a PM to some of you guys.  Normally I wouldn’t even consider Florida in June but the time line for my friends that are going on this 4 corners ride has pretty much dictated that we have to do it in June.  We are going to have to take the fastest route from Key West to Madawaska Main but once that’s completed we will be taking in the historic and scenic routes that several guys suggested.  We plan on doing the Key West and out of Florida north at night time to avoid traffic and heat.

I think that most of the responders are missing is that the Four Corners Tour is a timed event - 21 days or less to complete it.  Most of the route and road suggestions are great experiences but are a luxury unless you've made incredible time on the first 3 corners.  I've done the FL to DC route a few times and found that going up I-95 to I-26, then onto I-77 N to I-81 was only an hour or so longer to the DC area than straight up I-95 on its best day - and that was years ago before Richmond, DC and Baltimore got congested nearly 24-hours a day.  Baltimore, MD, Wilmington, DE, Philadelphia, PA and New York City are all potential traffic nightmares on I-95.  Staying on I-81 N up to I-84 E, and then taking I-495 N near Boston to get back to I-95 looks to me like the best route for your purposes.  I-81 does have heavy truck traffic in spots, but my experience has been that this has only slowed traffic a bit as they tried passing each other going uphill, but rarely true stop-and-go traffic.  While on I-95, especially from Richmond, VA north, you can expect stop-and-go traffic on either side of all the major metro areas just about any day of the week - unless you can hit each metro area between the hours of 9 pm and 5 or 6 am (and even that is usually already too late).

If you do have some wiggle room on time, the one "don't miss" route I'd suggest is taking the Blue Ridge Parkway for a half-day or so - it parallels I-81 closely for most of it's route and is an easy on - easy off alternative to the super-slab.  Do that on a non-holiday weekday, because it gets congested on weekends and invariably if you're in a hurry you will get behind someone who just pokes along & won't pull over to let you pass.  Be aware that although there usually isn't a high police presence, when they are around they generally are pretty anal about the speed limits - the Parkway limit is 40 or 45 in most spots, and although a bike can easily cruise safely and comfortably at 60 most of the time it could get expensive if you're stopped.