What Is It? The nation’s path to the American Civil War was accelerated when abolitionist John Brown led his famous raid on the federal arsenal and armory at Harpers Ferry, VA (West Virginia today) in October 1859. Some 20 miles north of Harpers Ferry, and almost three years later, the single bloodiest day of the […]

FR 242 is an unpaved road that runs through the eerie sandstone formations in the Valley of the Gods. This valley is a smaller scale (and more isolated) version of Monument Valley, some 30 miles to the southwest. Many of the helicopter flying scenes in the 1980s TV series Airwolf were filmed here. The western […]

Stelvio Pass is the highest paved mountain pass in the Eastern Alps and the second highest in all of the Alps. It’s considered by many to be one of the most challenging and exhilarating motorcycle roads in the world to ride. Be sure to put this one on your bucket list! Season: It’s generally open from […]

A laid-back cruise across the Susquehanna River through Lancaster County’s 19th-century landscape and back across the Susquehanna in eastern Pennsylvania. The Old Order Amish have forsaken most modern conveniences. Their back-in-time lifestyle, farming equipment, and modes of travel are largely pre-20th century. Watch out for the “road apples” deposited by horses pulling Amish buggies and […]

What is It? Paralleling the course of the upper Delaware River, this byway was constructed in the 1930s to link Port Jervis, NY with Hancock, NY. From the beginning it was envisioned as both a scenic highway and a means of opening up this western section of New York. Today, it’s one of the favorite East […]

A Memorable Ride in the Ozarks – Although I have ridden extensively in the Ozarks previously, I recently enjoyed an awesome section of tarmac in north central Arkansas for the first time. SR 341 snakes its way through the Ozark National Forest along mountain ridges with numerous curves, frequent elevation changes, and gorgeous scenery. It’s […]

Another Great Ride in New York – Roads navigating both shores of the Hudson River, between Bear Mountain State Park and Poughkeepsie, NY provide a scenic journey into America’s past and continuing into the present. Although the distance traveled is relatively short, riders are apt to tarry at the fascinating points of interest. Points of […]

Vermont’s State Route 100 runs north and south, virtually border to border between Massachusetts and Canada, through the state’s rural farmland and many of New England’s classic, white-steeple villages. Although the road has its curves, this is an asphalt delicacy that begs to be sipped, not gulped. The best time to go is late spring […]

What is It? Although Pennsylvania may not be as well known as some other East Coast riding venues, it has much to offer, particularly in its central region. The Bucket List Road this month is a collection of some of the best backroads that Pennsylvania has to offer for scenic beauty and challenging tarmac. The […]

What is It? Instead of just one bucket list road this month, we’re offering a whole location. The designated route follows a variety of delightful secondary roads through the Amish Country in Lancaster County, PA. Owing to their strict religious order, the Amish seem to have made time stand still. The route starts and finishes […]

This loop begins and ends in Three Rivers, CA (approximately 100 miles north of Bakersfield), and follows State Routes 198, 180, 245, and 216. Due to substantial elevation and temperature changes, riders may encounter snow or ice. Also, be alert for the possibility of wildlife entering the roadway. Scenery: Large rock formations, mountains, valleys, sweeping […]

The Cabot Trail circumnavigates the mountainous coastline of Cape Breton Island in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It was completed in 1932, joining previously isolated fishing villages along an approximately 180-mile loop. The name traces back to the Italian explorer John Cabot, who reached these shores in 1497. The Cabot Trail winds its way […]

This route is a two-lane byway through some of the most iconic red rock scenery in the West. Parks along the way include: Capitol Reef National Park, Anasazi Indian Village State Park, Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, and Bryce Canyon National Parks. Car and Driver magazine reportedly rated this route as one of the top […]

This may not have been where the west was won, but it certainly was where many of John Ford’s iconic westerns, starring John Wayne, were filmed, including Stagecoach, The Searchers, and others. Films shot in Monument Valley by other directors range from 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) to National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983). Route U.S.-163 departs […]

The Pennsylvania portion of U.S. Route 6 runs east to west near the state’s northern border with New York. The entire transcontinental length of U.S. 6 is also known as the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, named in honor of soldiers who fought in the American Civil War. This is a laid-back cruise with […]