Well, I know this won't really count as adventure riding in the true sense, but it will be an adventure for me so I figured I would share: I'm planning to ride from Houston area Texas to Long Island NY and end up married. Yup. Already have the marriage part sorted, so now just figuring out my road trip. The trip will be on a cruiser and will be on all paved roads since I haven't settled on a adventure style scooter yet. Boring, I know. My plan is: Day 1: Leave TX for Memphis TN by way of Little Rock Arkansas. Day 2: Leave Memphis TN for Deals Gap NC. Planning to take a bit of a 'scenic' route through Decatur, Chattanooga, and the Cherohala Skyway but want to get to Deals Gap before sunset. Day 3: Ride Great Smoky Mountains Loop. After lunch, depart Deals Gap and head for Virginia Beach to visit some friends for a few hours. Day 4: Depart Virginia for Long Island NY, hugging the coast as much as possible. Arrive in NY whenever... but before the day of the wedding. Hoping for good weather and good stories. And maybe some pictures.
Have you ever ridden from Virginia to Long Island before? Not sure if 'Hugging the coast' is an option, especially for only one day. Unless you end up in Staten Island on a Sunday or Saturday morning, it'll take you quite a few hours just to cross over through Brooklyn. And that's all using the Interstate. But if you time it right, an early morning ride over the Verrazano Bridge and along the Shore Parkway (lower coast of Brooklyn) can be very cool in the AM. Although the alternative route across (Holland Tunnel, then across Canal Street then the Manhattan Bridge) also has a cool mystique about it. But again, you'll need to be there at dawn, even on a weekend. Night is also possible, but you won't be able to see potholes and other crap in the road. People also drive crazier at night, all the Suburban kids hit the city clubs at night.
Yea, I have driven that route a couple of times and I know there isn't much by way of scenic routes, but from Virginia Beach up to southern Delaware isn't bad. That was why I included the caveat "as much as possible" about hugging the coast. As far as riding in and around NY, I have only driven the area. Lived there for 5 years, and visit family for a week each year, so I'm familiar with the traffic and road conditions you mentioned. Two things I am definitely not looking forward to, but not much I can do about it. Like you said, I might try to hit the city at a better time outside of rush hour at least. But right now it looks like it will be a Tuesday evening when I get there. We'll see how it goes as it goes. I will have a week to make the whole trip, but would prefer to get there in 4 days.
You might want to change day one. I hate the run from Houston to Little Rock and then over to Memphis. Since your not planning to do any thing other that going through both do go through either and run over to Natches Ms, take the Natches Trace to Tn. where your going to be any way. But keep in mind speed limit on the trace is 50mph, but almost no traffic, no big trucks and beautiful scenery to ride through. I just did the entire Trace back in June great ride, but the speed thing was easer since I was on a KLR, it likes slow and is good at it. Came home from Kentucky in 15 hours nonstop, well almost nonstop I did stop a couple of times for food, gas tank is a 10gal IMS on the KLR.
Ok, thanks for the advice. I will keep it in mind, although I would like to check out graceland for the heck of it. The trip back though I will take a different route though so your suggestion will be helpful. Thanks!