Stretches of Slab that Don't Suck on the Bike

I know most of us would rather ride some lovely two lane back country road, but sometimes you have to get on the slab.

What stretches do you find yourself saying "this is pretty nice, for slab"?

I would say that I-395 from north of Norwich, CT almost to Worcester, MA is pretty nice. Good scenery, generally not that crowded, sweeper-ish stretches.

Also, I-190 heading towards Wachusett Mtn in Mass.

David B.

We have a Highway 395 out here on the California/Nevada border that is interesting too. High Sierra on one side, sage brush desert on the other, with lots of Gold Rush history along the way.

Another one is I-5 from Lake Shasta, CA to the Canadian border. It is heavily forested most of the way, with lots of snowy peaks and lakes to look at.

Definitely I-40 West of Asheville, way too much fun to be considered "slab"

I-70 through Glenwood Canyon on CO is probably the best I have ridden.

If you have to use it.... I-90 between Coeur d'Alene, ID and Missoula, MT is not bad. Scenic and has some corners to go around.

I-70 ^^^Gorgeous. I have done that, but only in the car. It was in ski season and I was stupefied by the beauty.

David B.

None of them. Ever.


Too many good alternate choices around here to waste time on a freeway. I'll only ride on the freeway if I have to be somewhere at a certain time and haven't left enough time to get there on the interesting roads, or sometimes towards the end of a long ride and I just want to get back home. But in neither of those cases to I think the slab is even a little bit nice.

+1. Went through there in my sports car in the rain, a few months ago. It was fun.

I-87 through the Adirondacks is pretty nice.

US101 north of San Francisco: much faster than Hwy1, but fairly pretty on its own as it winds its way through redwood forests.

I24 dropping from Monteagle into Chattanooga basin is fun at speed.

Maybe we need a definition of what "slab" means.

To me, that's a divided, limited-access highway with at least two lanes each way. Highway 101 up by Willits or Leggett is a two-lane highway and hardly qualifies as "slab" in my book.

Pretty much any "slab" through the mountains will be far better than any non-mountainous slab. No twisties, of course, but at least the scenery is better.

That said, while riding in the mountains, I'd rather be on the secondary roads because, duh, mountain roads.

I70 in Kansas is pretty for much of the year. Sure no trees, but us flatlanders see the variety in the landscape. It is not the road, it is the rider. Or maybe just riding for me is too damn much fun.

Rod

Agreed ! :

close that mind a little tighter, you wouldn't want any new thoughts seeping in.
I70 in glenwood canyon ( as pictured above)is spectacular. i also believe it's the only place where they stacked the lane to preserve the view.

I-15 between Butte and Helena, Montana would be the first on my list of favorite slab I have ridden. Very nice scenery and some nice sweepers.

I-24 between Monteagle, TN and Chattanooga, TN is not too bad for slab.

Will second the other comment on I-40 between I-81 and Asheville, NC. Great sweepers combined with elevation changes.

Second the comments on I-70 in CO west of Denver. Scenic.

I-77 between I-81 and Charleston, WV gets an honorable mention.

I-64 between I-77 and I-81 in WV/VA gets an honorable mention.

And of course, I-10 in FL....no, just kiddding!

I would say the longest Slab/Highway that is remotely interesting to ride is I 77 from NC to North of I 70 in Ohio is okay to ride on a Harley or any big cruiser,or Sport Touring bike on a pure Sport bike not to much.

Rt 89 in NH. After exit 5 not much traffic, many nice views, elevation changes, some sweepers, not a lot of "enforcement". Stay on 89 over the border in to VT and you get even less traffic and maybe better views, more "enforcement".