doc_cj
07-02-2006, 09:06 PM
Looks like I’ve got my ’03 VTX 1800 R sold and that means I’ll likely be going to Chattanooga to buy a new bike in the next couple weeks. I want to turn the experience into a great adventure, so I’m looking for some insight on spots to see and places to go. Plus, I’d love to know the BEST places to eat while on my trip. Here’s a basic itinerary and I’d love to hear from those who live around these areas or have been through them recently.
Ultimately the plan is to pick up the bike on Monday, head out on Tuesday, and wind my way north to Columbus, Ohio. My middle child is on a research fellowship in chemistry at Ohio State University, and I’ve never been there. I’d like to spend a couple days around Columbus before heading out again to meander my way west, south, then west again. I’m probably going between July 23 and August 7, so I’ll just list days and not worry about the actual dates.
Day 1 (Sun. July 23): Fly into Chattanooga and stay in local hotel. I’ll likely have a few hours to kill on this Sunday afternoon.
Day 2: Hey, this is my birthday, and probably the day I’ll pick up the new ride. Other than spending some time at the Honda dealer I’ll be on the road for some local sightseeing.
Day 3: If all goes well I’m headed for the Tail of the Dragon. Haven’t decided yet, but chances are I’ll spend the morning and into early afternoon on the Tail and then start more or less north. At the moment I think I’ll likely stop somewhere between the Tail and Knoxville. Depending on how the ride goes I may end up south of Knoxville or somewhere north likely along I-75.
Day 4: Long day of riding to get to Columbus. I’ll probably make stops in Lexington, Cincinnati, and other points along the way. Ultimately I want to be at OSU by this day.
Day 5 & 6 (Thur & Fri July 26 & 27): Probably hanging around OSU and the Columbus area. My kid will be working in the labs at this point so most of the day time hours might be free for sightseeing. At night we’ll want something interesting and some good food.
Day 7: This is where the trip falls apart. Part of me wants to head for Chicago and the on to Sturgis (never been, but not sure I'm missing that much) while the other part wants to go to Kansas City and then Oklahoma City to see friends and relatives. So I'll just leave this open at the moment and I'll explore it more as I get insight from you folks.
Ultimately the plan is to pick up the bike on Monday, head out on Tuesday, and wind my way north to Columbus, Ohio. My middle child is on a research fellowship in chemistry at Ohio State University, and I’ve never been there. I’d like to spend a couple days around Columbus before heading out again to meander my way west, south, then west again. I’m probably going between July 23 and August 7, so I’ll just list days and not worry about the actual dates.
Day 1 (Sun. July 23): Fly into Chattanooga and stay in local hotel. I’ll likely have a few hours to kill on this Sunday afternoon.
Day 2: Hey, this is my birthday, and probably the day I’ll pick up the new ride. Other than spending some time at the Honda dealer I’ll be on the road for some local sightseeing.
Day 3: If all goes well I’m headed for the Tail of the Dragon. Haven’t decided yet, but chances are I’ll spend the morning and into early afternoon on the Tail and then start more or less north. At the moment I think I’ll likely stop somewhere between the Tail and Knoxville. Depending on how the ride goes I may end up south of Knoxville or somewhere north likely along I-75.
Day 4: Long day of riding to get to Columbus. I’ll probably make stops in Lexington, Cincinnati, and other points along the way. Ultimately I want to be at OSU by this day.
Day 5 & 6 (Thur & Fri July 26 & 27): Probably hanging around OSU and the Columbus area. My kid will be working in the labs at this point so most of the day time hours might be free for sightseeing. At night we’ll want something interesting and some good food.
Day 7: This is where the trip falls apart. Part of me wants to head for Chicago and the on to Sturgis (never been, but not sure I'm missing that much) while the other part wants to go to Kansas City and then Oklahoma City to see friends and relatives. So I'll just leave this open at the moment and I'll explore it more as I get insight from you folks.