3 day trip...Gatlinburg to DFW

[2WheelNut]

Heading to Gatlinburg this weekend. Leaving Arlington on Saturday and arriving in Gatlinburg on Sunday. Will be in Gatlinburg Sunday to Friday and heading home Friday. I don't need to be home until Sunday so I've got 3 full days of riding to get home.

Looking for suggestions for a fun route home.

Base distance is 1000 miles, I wouldn't want to add more than 500 more doing other things so thinknof about 1500 max for the 3 days. Thinking of heading north to Kentucky and working our way across Kentucky to Missouri and then back down to TX.

We'll probably stop at a distillery or brewery for a tour, but because I don't really like to drink and ride, we probably won't do that much.

We'd like to eat at Lamberts in Sikeston, Mo for a lunch or dinner.

Aside from that, any roads or must see things I should consider for the trip.

Also...I know Arkansas, Lower Missouri and TN roads well. I could use some help with Kentucky and upper Missouri.

 

[misterk]

I have been to the land between the lakes in Kentucky, and through Missouri on the northern part.

Nothing really extravagant that you won’t experience in Tennessee. To me it all looks the same, very pretty but similar. I enjoy riding the rural areas.

Download copilot on your phone then navigate on the fly. The best roads I have ridden (outside the popular places) have been discovered while on tour. Super easy to zoom out to see where the road goes then tap and route to next stopping point.


Trees, hills, lakes, streams then repeat.

Are you taking the wing?

 

[2WheelNut]

I have been to the land between the lakes in Kentucky, and through Missouri on the northern part.

Nothing really extravagant that you won’t experience in Tennessee. To me it all looks the same, very pretty but similar. I enjoy riding the rural areas.

Download copilot on your phone then navigate on the fly. The best roads I have ridden (outside the popular places) have been discovered while on tour. Super easy to zoom out to see where the road goes then tap and route to next stopping point.


Trees, hills, lakes, streams then repeat.

Are you taking the wing?

Yep...kind of what I was planning/ expecting. Just want to do something a bit less traveled, it doesn't have to be epic or anything.

As far as bikes,, I am taking the Wing and the 790R. Not sure which I am riding though.

My son is planning on riding the 790R but I told him I'd ride it if he gets uncomfortable and he can have the Wing and be the old guy.

He's never done longer than 400 miles in a day so far and is a bit worried about it but I doubt his pride will allow him to ride the Wing....I mean...he's 23...you can't ride a Goldwing at 23

Honestly, we'll only be doing 600 miles a day max so it shouldn't be an issue. I Did over 800 on the 790R a couple weeks back and it was fine. It was surprisingly comfortable.

 

[misterk]

Yep...kind of what I was planning/ expecting. Just want to do something a bit less traveled, it doesn't have to be epic or anything.

As far as bikes,, I am taking the Wing and the 790R. Not sure which I am riding though.

My son is planning on riding the 790R but I told him I'd ride it if he gets uncomfortable and he can have the Wing and be the old guy.

He's never done longer than 400 miles in a day so far and is a bit worried about it but I doubt his pride will allow him to ride the Wing....I mean...he's 23...you can't ride a Goldwing at 23

Honestly, we'll only be doing 600 miles a day max so it shouldn't be an issue. I Did over 800 on the 790R a couple weeks back and it was fine. It was surprisingly comfortable.

What a great time you will have. So true about the wing. My 24 yr old son and I rode last year. I asked him which bike he wanted to ride the Twin or the Wing. He said “not the wing” [emoji23][emoji23]

 

[gixxerjasen]

I doubt his pride will allow him to ride the Wing....I mean...he's 23...you can't ride a Goldwing at 23

You can't ride a wing until you do, and then you see what all the fuss is about and you stop caring.

 

[copb8]

You can't ride a wing until you do, and then you see what all the fuss is about and you stop caring.

Fact.

Rode my father-in-law's and was shocked at how well it handled. He said I should take my wife for a ride on it and I'm like H*LL NO! She would've made me sell my FJR at the time.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Fact.

Rode my father-in-law's and was shocked at how well it handled. He said I should take my wife for a ride on it and I'm like H*LL NO! She would've made me sell my FJR at the time.

Years ago I went to a Honda demo day with DancesWithCurves. I rode a goldwing on a session where Chris stayed back. As I pulled into the parking lot he was just laughing at me. I told him "I am going to say two things I never thought I'd say. 1. This motorcycle really needs better speakers. 2. I could totally own a goldwing." I finally got him to stop laughing and sign up for a ride on one. He came back with the same consensus.

My advice is that unless you want to ride the 790R the whole way, don't let him ride it at all, keep up the sham that Goldwings are for old people.

 

[2WheelNut]

Fact.

Rode my father-in-law's and was shocked at how well it handled. He said I should take my wife for a ride on it and I'm like H*LL NO! She would've made me sell my FJR at the time.

Definitely true. A Wing will spoil them. I can't even get my wife to sit on another bike now.

Don't ever let your wife ride on a Wing until you are ready to own one.

 

[2WheelNut]

Years ago I went to a Honda demo day with DancesWithCurves. I rode a goldwing on a session where Chris stayed back. As I pulled into the parking lot he was just laughing at me. I told him "I am going to say two things I never thought I'd say. 1. This motorcycle really needs better speakers. 2. I could totally own a goldwing." I finally got him to stop laughing and sign up for a ride on one. He came back with the same consensus.

My advice is that unless you want to ride the 790R the whole way, don't let him ride it at all, keep up the sham that Goldwings are for old people.

Yep. Although..he's followed me enough on it to know it can perform so I think it will be all about pride of youth at this point. But I'm ok with that. The Wing is definitely more comfortable than the 790R.

Having said that...the 790 is probably my favorite bike so I won'tmind if he wants to switch. It's just so capable in just about every scenario except the hard extremes. (racing, long distance, really hard singletrack). I seem to like it more every time I ride it.