10 Day Trip - Which Direction to Head?

[Fjrtn]

First of all, I'm not sure where the appropriate place to post this question is. I'm sure the board patrol will move it to it's proper place if it doesn't belong here .

Anyway, a little help from my fellow FJR owners would be appreciated. The scenario is: My wife has lots of vacation days to take before the end of the year and I suggested she take some time off and we would go on a trip on the FJR. To my surprise she said OK :yahoo: . Now, I can't decide the best direction to go in (leaving from Morristown, TN...east TN near Knoxville) considering factors like potential bad weather, traffic issues, expense or availability of accommodations, etc.

I would like to head out west to New Mexico and Arizona and take in some of the southern Rockies if the weather would allow at this time of the year. My wife would like to head up towards the New England states such as CT, MA, RI since she has never been there before. So, if anyone has some recommendations about these two possible directions...especially the weather that we might encounter this late in the season, I would really appreciate any feedback from your perspective and knowledge of the areas. We plan on leaving 10/12/06 and returning back to Tennessee by 10/21/06.

Please give me some tips or advice. I would welcome all of the input I can get to make the best of our upcoming motorcycle adventure.

Thanks,

Fjrtn

 

[05fjrBluedevil]

Well, I would go North since your wife made you happy already by agreeing to go on the FJR.

That is all the advise I can offer, but I do hope you all have a great time and you post pictures of this grand adventure!

 

[gr8eyes]

New England foliage tour. The women love that stuff. It should be great weather too. Not too cold yet. Plus you acn keep an eye in the western part of the country to see what your weather will be like in a couple of days. If its going to get bad in a day or two you can get home in 1 day.

Glenn

 

[brazos parker]

Santa Fe, NM is a wonderful town to visit. Durango, CO is a great town as well. And, the ride from Durango to Quray is fantabulous. Did all this back in June from Johnson City, TN. Good trip.

 

[Geezer]

If you are looking for scenery then the foliage ride sounds good. You could go north towards Cleveland and across northern NY. Maybe a stop at Niagara Falls. Go east into the Adirondacks, even keep going east into Vermont and NH if you have time.

There is a nice ferry ride across Lake Champlain that takes you into Burlington, VT. I don't remember the name of the small town on the NY side, but it's near Plattsburgh.

 

[Fjrtn]

Thanks guys for all the comments so far! Please keep'em coming :clapping: .

Yea brazos, I love that area of the country for riding too. By the way, was up in Johnson City yesterday on a little jaunt with one of my Hardley riding buddies. The leaves up higher on I26 towards Ashville were beginning to turn and looks like they are going to be very nice this year. I hit all those areas you mentioned when I did an 18 state, 6,700 mile run last year with the "Geezer Glider" (GL1800 as my wife called it) and some of my Geezer Glider buddies . Wife didn't get to go on this ride but I think she would really enjoy it. I would really like to go back out there and do some Rocky Mountain riding. I just don't know what kind of weather to expect as you get up in elevation out there. Would really hate to get stuck...especially with the wife on board...in snow or freezing conditions .

Fjrtn

 

[kindofblue]

Thanks guys for all the comments so far! Please keep'em coming :clapping: .
Yea brazos, I love that area of the country for riding too. By the way, was up in Johnson City yesterday on a little jaunt with one of my Hardley riding buddies. The leaves up higher on I26 towards Ashville were beginning to turn and looks like they are going to be very nice this year. I hit all those areas you mentioned when I did an 18 state, 6,700 mile run last year with the "Geezer Glider" (GL1800 as my wife called it) and some of my Geezer Glider buddies . Wife didn't get to go on this ride but I think she would really enjoy it. I would really like to go back out there and do some Rocky Mountain riding. I just don't know what kind of weather to expect as you get up in elevation out there. Would really hate to get stuck...especially with the wife on board...in snow or freezing conditions .

Fjrtn

Weather in the Rockies (CO, NM) can be unpredictable at this time of the year. It could be just fine when you get here, it could be snowing enough to go skiing.

 

[brazos parker]

Would really hate to get stuck...especially with the wife on board...in snow or freezing conditions .

+1 on that. IIRC, the road from Durango to Ouray goes over 3 10,000'+ passes. I ran into a cold rain around Purgatory Ski Area on the way to Durango...but no snow. October might be "iffy."

 

[shokdimn]

Neat. :smilingsmiley:

"Geezer Glider" (GL1800 as my wife called it) and some of my Geezer Glider buddies .
Fjrtn

First time I’ve heard that one.

 

[mdisher]

Go where it's warm and the weather is good. North might not be such a good option, could be chilly. But if you don't mind chilly then what they hey!

I'd go west if it were me. Maybe north then west, hell you have 10 days.

 

[odot]

Go to tuscon, az. Love that town. When you do...check out lemon mt. Lots of curves. Been there twice in the last couple of months. Did the curves in a dodge durango and a chevey impala. Loved it. On the way you can stay in several places here in the dallas area. Us texans love having company that we can drink under the table. Some of us even enjoy a good chess match....but, I only speak for myself.

 

[zzkenoman]

California is a great destination, unfortunately we are getting several waves of low pressure which is bring tons of rain in our state and moving eastward. check the weather forecast and plan accordingly. New Mexico, Colorado are all my favorites, have fun.

 

[Fjrtn]

Thanks for all the feedback guys :clapping: .

Decisions...decisions...will probably just do whatever the wife says anyway (you know what I mean) .

New GPS (Magellan RoadMate 2000T) from James at Auto Nav 2000 should be here Monday. Hope I can figure out how to use it before we leave. Guess I'll check out the extended weather forecasts for each area and go in the direction that looks best. But then, the weather guessers have a tendency to guess wrong lots of the time. Just hope I guess right! The wife really hates getting wet on the bike :lol: .

Thanks again,

Fjrtn

 

[jwit6]

Blue Ridge to Waynesboro. Route 250 north to I79, to US rt 62 north through Allegheny National Forest to I-86East then take you pick northbound into Adirondak St Park, to Port Kent ferry across Lake Champlain into Burlington Vermont then route 2 all the way to Maine and Mount Desert Island to the top of Cadillac Mountain at dawn. By then you should be qualified to pick your own route home>>>

 

[twowheelnut]

Just go 'that way'. Never plan.

 

[velvet fog]

In the immortal words of John B. L. Soule, Go West Young Man.