This topic contains 12 replies, has 7 voices, and was last updated by PaulBach 9 years ago.
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I’m planning on going up to the rally from Spartanburg SC if my work schedule allows. I did the 2006 MOA rally in Essex Junction (NW Vermont) and had a blast. There is some mighty fine riding up there.
This trip I ‘m thinking about a coastal route up. Plan A is from here to Norfolk, cross the 20 mile Chesapeake Bay Bridge, through Maryland, Delaware, The Pine Barrens of New Jersey (never been there), make a BIG loop around NYC, through Connecticut, Rhode Island (why do they call it an island when it is surrounded on three sides by land?), north through Mass, New Hampshire and into Maine where I cut inland and ride back to into New Hampshire and the Kancammagus Highway (and maybe a climb of Mt. Washington), slip into Vermont and head southwest to Pownal. I’m planning on leaving Monday morning and arrive Thursday morning if fate cooperates. Plan B is to slab it up and return on that route in reverse. Plan C isn’t there yet. Still lots of time for route refining though.
Another scenic route would be through West Virginia on HWY 219 into Pennsylvania, cut NE into The Empire State somewhere around HWY14 and up through the Finger Lakes district to HWY 20, east to Albany and Troy (or north through the Adirondacks depending on how much time you’ve got), then Hwy 7 into Bennington Vermont, hang a right and you’re there.
Lots of routes, lots of time for planning, thank goodness.[QUOTE=DaveSlash5 »]I’m planning on going up to the rally from Spartanburg SC if my work schedule allows. I did the 2006 MOA rally in Essex Junction (NE Vermont) and had a blast. There is some mighty fine riding up there.
This trip I ‘m thinking about a coastal route up. Plan A is from here to Norfolk, cross the 20 mile Chesapeake Bay Bridge, through Maryland, Delaware, The Pine Barrens of New Jersey (never been there), make a BIG loop around NYC, through Connecticut, Rhode Island (why do they call it an island when it is surrounded on three sides by land?), north through Mass, New Hampshire and into Maine where I cut inland and ride back to into New Hampshire and the Kancammagus Highway (and maybe a climb of Mt. Washington), slip into Vermont and head southwest to Pownal. I’m planning on leaving Monday morning and arrive Thursday morning if fate cooperates. Plan B is to slab it up and return on that route in reverse. Plan C isn’t there yet. Still lots of time for route refining though.
Another scenic route would be through West Virginia on HWY 219 into Pennsylvania, cut NE into The Empire State somewhere around HWY14 and up through the Finger Lakes district to HWY 20, east to Albany and Troy (or north through the Adirondacks depending on how much time you’ve got), then Hwy 7 into Bennington Vermont, hang a right and you’re there.
Lots of routes, lots of time for planning, thank goodness.[/QUOTE]I like your second route better for that time of the year. It’ll be much cooler and the roads will be fantastic Lot’s of neat roads up through W.VA, Pa, and the Finger Lakes are gorgeous then. Your eastern route will be very hot and very crowded during that time, better to experience that after Labor Day. Just a note about this part of Vermont, I find the towns in the area much more charming then the norther part of the state. This is really a great location for a rally and a great place to bring your SO!
The reason for Plan A is that I have already done Plan B. Although it will be possibly hot and crowded, the fact that it will be a new route to me makes it interesting. Autumn may well be nicer, but it is also the busiest time for my work; it must be summer or not at all. But until I’m on the road all plans are subject to change.
I did some interesting rides in northern Vermont and northern New Hampshire in 2006, and look forward to exploring the southern part of the state on this trip. I passed through Bennington on the way to Essex Junction but didn’t stop, I pushed on until got to Manchester and the Orvis shops instead. Unfortunately, they were not building any bamboo rods that day.
With your description of the small towns, I think that I will have my camera ready. Thanks for the heads up.It really depends what you want to see. If you stick near the coast you get pines, peanut/cotton farms around the NC/VA line and some maritime stuff on the Delmarva peninsula. Then you can take a ferry to NJ, cross the center of the state and skirt the city by getting to High Point and then following the river north to Hancock NY and then cut back across the Catskills.
If you want to stay a bit cooler in the mountains, you could head towards Asheville and maybe follow the BRP as far as US58 and then go farther west towards Charleston, or stick with the BRP and Skyline Drive all the way up. Once you’re in PA there are plenty of good ways to go up towards the Catskills. Or you could stay a bit farther west and go through the Finger lakes area before heading across towards Albany.
From Greenville, I’ll take the Blue Ridge Parkway and skyline drive… then just take 81 straight North. I wish I can go to the rally, I am going to MOA out west this year.
Once you reach the rally there will be plenty of available routes to ride. Maps will be available as will downloads to you Garmin GPS. You will have a great time in
[B][COLOR=”Green”]Pownal
Gateway to New England[/COLOR][/B]Paul
Paul Bachorz
Rallymeister[IMG]http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g264/PaulBach/RA%20Shots/0cebe36d.jpg[/IMG]
First Route.I’m not sure about routes through the South but if you can get to Scranton, PA use this route to get to Pownal. It even includes a leg of the Mohawk trail which is a very scenic and mountainous leg.
I’ll post a second route that just about bisects the Catskills and comes out in Saugerties.
If anyone wants the GBD file for this route for their GPS let me know and I’ll email it to you. :yesnod
I live in Frederick, MD and am looking to go to the rally. I would be happy to offer my place for camping and restroom use for anyone coming from the SE for the ride up and I could tag along. I am just off rt 340 in Frederick Co., MD and about 25 min from rt 81. Let me know if anyone is interested. Rt 15 notrh to harrisburg and 81-88 is the fastest, but going up rt 15 to the fingerlakes region and then east is nice too.
Rick
K1200GTI live in Frederick, MD and am looking to go to the rally. I would be happy to offer my place for camping and restroom use for anyone coming from the SE for the ride up and I could tag along. I am just off Rt 340 in Frederick Co., MD and about 25 min from Rt 81. Let me know if anyone is interested. Rt 15 notrh to Harrisburg and 81-88 is the fastest, but going up rt 15 to the fingerlakes region and then east is nice too.
Rick
K1200GT[IMG]http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g264/PaulBach/RA%20Shots/Maps%20Jpegs/eab94b80.jpg[/IMG]
[B](GPX File Available)[/B]The are many routes across the Catskill and onward to Pownal. This route takes you past Kaaterskill Falls, the highest falls in New York; yes, higher than Niagara but not the volume. After the Catskills this route continues north on the Taconic State Parkway. Exit the parkway and head north to Route 2, [B]The Beast Of The East[/B] more commonly known as the Taconic Trail. The route is full of twisties, a few hairpin turns and some grand vistas.
Here is the turn by turn directions. I will be happy to email the GPX file to anyone contacting me as well as attempting to attach it to this post. :wave
Summary: 215.7 miles (4 hours, 23 minutes)
Time Mile Instruction For
9:00 AM 0.0 Depart Hancock on SR-97 [E Main St] (West) 0.7 mi
9:01 AM 0.7 Turn RIGHT (North) onto SR-97 [Sands Creek Rd] 0.1 mi
9:02 AM 0.9 Road name changes to CR-67 [Sands Creek Rd] 6.3 mi
9:09 AM 7.2 At near Kelsey, stay on CR-67 [Sands Creek Rd] (North) 3.1 mi
9:12 AM 10.3 Turn RIGHT (North-East) onto SR-10 4.2 mi
9:17 AM 14.4 At SR-10, stay on SR-10 (East) 14.1 mi
9:32 AM 28.6 Turn RIGHT (South-East) onto SR-10 [SR-206] 16.9 mi
9:52 AM 45.4 At Delhi, stay on SR-10 [Main St] (North-East) 0.2 mi
9:52 AM 45.6 Turn RIGHT (South-East) onto SR-28 12.3 mi
10:07 AM 57.9 Turn LEFT (East) onto SR-28 [Lower Main St] 11.6 mi
10:20 AM 69.4 Turn LEFT (North-West) onto SR-30 [Bridge St] 0.1 mi
10:20 AM 69.5 Turn LEFT (South-West) onto Main St 65 yds
10:21 AM 69.6 At Margaretville, return North-East on Main St 65 yds
10:21 AM 69.6 Turn RIGHT (South-East) onto SR-30 [Bridge St] 0.1 mi
10:22 AM 69.7 Turn LEFT (East) onto SR-28 15.4 mi
10:39 AM 85.2 Turn LEFT (North) onto SR-42 11.4 mi
10:53 AM 96.6 Turn RIGHT (South-East) onto SR-23A 3.8 mi
10:58 AM 100.4 At near South Jewett, stay on SR-23A (East) 3.8 mi
11:02 AM 104.2 Keep STRAIGHT onto SR-23A [Main St] 2.0 mi
11:05 AM 106.3 Keep STRAIGHT onto SR-23A 2.4 mi
11:07 AM 108.6 Keep STRAIGHT onto SR-23A [Main St] 1.8 mi
11:12 AM 110.4 Bear LEFT (East) onto SR-23A 2.9 mi
11:16 AM 113.3 At 4462 SR-23A, Elka Park, NY 12427, stay on SR-23A (South) 11.3 mi
11:29 AM 124.7 Bear LEFT (East) onto US-9W [W Bridge St] 1.9 mi
11:34 AM 126.5 Bear RIGHT (East) onto Ramp 0.3 mi
11:35 AM 126.8 Keep LEFT to stay on Ramp 21 yds
11:35 AM 126.8 Bear LEFT (South) onto Local road(s) 21 yds
11:35 AM 126.8 Bear LEFT (South-East) onto SR-23 4.6 mi
11:41 AM 131.4 Keep STRAIGHT onto US-9 [SR-23] 2.7 mi
11:44 AM 134.2 Keep LEFT onto SR-82 4.8 mi
11:49 AM 138.9 Take Ramp (RIGHT) onto Taconic State Pkwy 1.7 mi
11:51 AM 140.7 Turn LEFT (East) onto Lake Taghkanic Rd, then immediately turn LEFT (North) onto Taconic State Pkwy 1.7 mi
11:53 AM 142.4 At Taconic State Pkwy, stay on Taconic State Pkwy (North) 22.0 mi
12:16 PM 164.3 Keep RIGHT onto Ramp 109 yds
12:16 PM 164.4 Bear LEFT (North-East) onto Birge Hill Rd 0.2 mi
12:16 PM 164.6 Turn RIGHT (East) onto SR-295 2.6 mi
12:20 PM 167.1 Keep STRAIGHT onto SR-295 [CR-9] 153 yds
12:20 PM 167.2 At SR-295, stay on SR-295 [CR-9] (East) 1.0 mi
12:21 PM 168.2 Bear RIGHT (East) onto SR-295 3.3 mi
12:24 PM 171.5 Turn LEFT (North) onto CR-5 4.2 mi
12:29 PM 175.7 Turn RIGHT (East) onto US-20 [Columbia Pike] 2.0 mi
12:32 PM 177.7 Bear LEFT (North) onto SR-22 21.1 mi
12:57 PM 198.8 Turn RIGHT (South-East) onto Hewitt Rd 0.2 mi
12:58 PM 199.0 Turn LEFT (East) onto CR-90 [River Rd] 0.7 mi
1:00 PM 199.7 Turn LEFT (North-West) onto SR-2 [Taconic Trail] 0.3 mi
1:00 PM 200.0 At SR-2, return East on SR-2 7.2 mi
1:07 PM 205.8 Entering Massachusetts
1:10 PM 207.3 At near Hemlock Brook, stay on SR-2 [Taconic Trail] (South-East) 2.4 mi
1:13 PM 209.6 Turn LEFT (North) onto US-7 [SR-2] 6.1 mi
1:22 PM 214.4 Entering Vermont
1:23 PM 215.7 Arrive RA RallySUMMARY
Driving distance: 215.7 miles
Trip duration: 4 hours, 23 minutesI plan on leaving Asheville, NC, riding to Labrador and New Foundland and then returning via the Rally. Scenic enough for ya??:)
Awesome, simply awesome. :hurray
What kind of a motorcycle are you favoring for this adventure?
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