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Originally Posted by NevadaWolf
Sweet!! You're doing it! That is awesome!
If you do decide to do Death Valley, like *now* is prefect. They are having a rare "super bloom", the El Nino storms have woken up all the wildflowers and the valley is blanketed in yellows and purples! http://ktla.com/2016/02/15/rare-supe...h-wildflowers/
Mobile AL is home to the USS Alabama, which I always see as I'm passing through and never stopped at. If you ride through the city at night, it's really colorful with all the skyscrapers lit up.
In Florida, not far from Pensacola/Destin are three cool state parks: Ponce de Leon, Falling Waters, and Florida Caverns. Beautiful parks that resemble nothing out here that I've seen. Fact, FL has a massive amount of state parks and a passport book that is as big as the National Park one. Worth looking into the parks along your route. I really liked my visit to the Everglades near Fort Lauderdale, walking feet away from the beautiful animals there was a surreal experience.
If I can offer some side trips elsewhere:
NM - If the conditions are clear in Albuquerque, take a side trip up to Sandia Peak. Short drive from the city, stupidly twisty on the way up (though slow if behind traffic), and a cute little gift shop/diner at the top with an INSANE view of the valley below.
AZ - On your map, if you look between your east and west bound routes along the AZ/NM border, you'll see Apache-Sitgraeves National Forests. The road between Clifton and Eager is Route 191, formerly Route 666 "The Devil's Highway". If you can, TAKE THIS ROAD! It's remote and very very lightly traveled so take care, but so worth it!
You will be doing a ride report afterwards, yes? I want to see your trip!  |
Ohmigawd. I love you. As silly and girly as it is, I really love wild flowers. I literally did a 600 some mile day trip last year in spring up the coast just to see all the flowers lining pch up through big sur. Might be the artist in me, but something about fields of natural vibrancy just takes me to a really special zen place
My current plan of departure is March 12, so that could be the most amazing way possible to start the trip.
The AZ/NM portion is definitely not at all set in stone, so suggestions there are good too! Little roads that aren't necessarily obvious to someone who has never been are very much what I want to hear about, so thanks! I'm gonna edit my route tacking in some of these suggestions and see what I can come up with.
The most important aspect is making sure I have somewhere to sleep each night (I'm planning to camp at the national parks for my accommodations this trip), but as long as I stay at least somewhat en route to somewhere to safely stay, then skies the limit. The only time restriction I have is I want to make Circuit of the Americas for motogp in Austin on the weekend of April 10, so I have almost a month to dick around before I have to make sure I'm back in Texas.
Definitely planning to do a ride report in some form during and after! This has been my bucket list trip since I first bought a motor cycle so I'm gonna live it up as much as I can