Favorite Highway/scenic byway for cycling?

[rmhurley]

This road runs more or less parallel to the interstate and it’s just a two lane motorcycle type highway. You’ll see a few big rigs but it’s oh so very quiet. Also decent free or cheap camping in a few “city” (lol) parks along the way .. it’ll take you clear across the state east and west all the way from the badlands to just south of Sioux Falls, SD . If traveling across SD this is the way to go. I rode it in its entirety in 2012 on a cross country ride. 10/10 would recommend if going through the state.

[redir]

There's just so much to choose from. I'm lucky enough to be able to ride about 30 minutes and be on the Blue Ridge parkway.

The Badlands Loop Road road would be a beautiful ride.

[deluz]

This section of PCH between Ventura and Santa Barbara is pretty nice.
Part of it is on a frontage road next to ocean and part is on a separated bike path.

[old fat man]

I rode north Cascade highway, going to the sun, and chief Joseph scenic byway as part of a cross country ride in 2008. All were stunning, all in different ways. Cascade highway was probably the coolest because it took multiple days and was early in my journey so I hadn't already seen anything so mesmerizing.

I also rode nearly 100 miles on a 4 lane highway through South Dakota. That was not mesmerizing. Neither were the endless corn fields and headwinds of Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois.

[old fat man]

Originally Posted by rmhurley

This road runs more or less parallel to the interstate and it’s just a two lane motorcycle type highway. You’ll see a few big rigs but it’s oh so very quiet. Also decent free or cheap camping in a few “city” (lol) parks along the way .. it’ll take you clear across the state east and west all the way from the badlands to just south of Sioux Falls, SD . If traveling across SD this is the way to go. I rode it in its entirety in 2012 on a cross country ride. 10/10 would recommend if going through the state.

That's interesting. I was advised in no uncertain terms while touring in 2008 to avoid riding a bicycle solo through the South Dakota reservations when faced with the option of southern SD or northern Nebraska. Nebraska definitely wasn't a highlight but I chose it for safety reasons at the time.

[zzy]

Skyline/Blue Ridge and it's not even close. The lookouts are unparalleled. But yeah, lots of traffic and not a lot of room. Brutally hilly, esp if you take the turnoff for Mt. Mitchell. However the air is utterly beautiful - rich pine mountain air. The clouds squeeze over the tops of the mountain and envelope you. Just make DAMN sure you have enough water - there isn't so much as a gas station nearby in some of the sections.

[dmitrik4]

US 550/Million-Dollar Highway between Durango/Silverton/Ouray CO is an amazing ride in either direction.

[PurpleBikeChick]

Originally Posted by dmitrik4

US 550/Million-Dollar Highway between Durango/Silverton/Ouray CO is an amazing ride in either direction.

It’s gorgeous and fun to ride.

[OtayBW]

Originally Posted by dcama5

Otay,
If you rode all over Gettysburg a "bajillion" times, and the entire length of Skyline Drive, at least once, you must agree that they are great areas for rides. You may not want to repeat them, but they must stand out as top notch.

I don't know how Skyline Drive is now because, at 71, and now with 6 broken ribs, that ride has not happened recently, and is not happening anytime soon. It has always been a seasonal thing though - summer vacation time = a bunch of vacationers like BRP, but they are moving slowly on the Drive. Other times of the year are not so bad with traffic. At least, that is what I remember.

Dave

I hear ya, Dave. The Gettysburg area is indeed really nice. Having lived in MD for many years, I was always up there on weekend group rides and sponsored events. And the BRP is hard to beat for beauty. In fact, as a northern kid, I fell in love with the southern Blue Ridge on my first trip down here many years ago. It's where I hope to retire later this year. So, we'll see what the next chapter holds for riding around here.....

I tell you though: some of these pics in this thread have me about ready for a road trip!

[dmitrik4]

Originally Posted by PurpleBikeChick

It’s gorgeous and fun to ride.

The Durango to Silverton leg definitely gets your vert in, too.

[merlinmurph]

Another fan of the Cabot Trail

PICT3727_xx by Dan Murphy, on Flickr


PICT3650_x by Dan Murphy, on Flickr

[rmhurley]

Originally Posted by old fat man

That's interesting. I was advised in no uncertain terms while touring in 2008 to avoid riding a bicycle solo through the South Dakota reservations when faced with the option of southern SD or northern Nebraska. Nebraska definitely wasn't a highlight but I chose it for safety reasons at the time.

I received similar advice but took my chances and I believe I had a better time for it. That said, I can imagine where and how a less savvy, social or just plain unlucky tourist could run into trouble.

The general advice to avoid reservations extends far beyond the worlds of cycling and it deserves its own thread. Its a deep, dense and sad; a heavily loaded topic tbh; but I will say most people that offered that advice to me, a cyclist, weren't cyclists themselves and I doubt they could understand how much harder physically it could be to just go a longer distance around it.

[weisan]

Spur of the moment solo biking trip several years ago.

Unforgettable.