When I was younger I dreamed of vacationing in romantic countries around the globe and visiting islands in the South Seas. Once I learned to ride I realized that you never have to leave the United States to enjoy beautiful views and amazing places. The Appalachian Mountain range is a perfect place to plan rides and take in some of the most beautiful scenery in the eastern United States. Remember when traveling to other states to know the laws of the roads you will be riding. You can always check with MotorcycleInsurance.com for helmet laws, checkpoints and legislation you may need to know about before hitting the road.
One of the prettiest rides you can find in the autumn months is along the range from Virginia to North Carolina. Taking the Skyline Drive from the Shenandoah Valley in the state of Virginia all the way up through the Blue Ridge Parkway in Cherokee, North Carolina, will leave you breathless. The ride is incredible any time of year but the fall foliage is an added attraction to the scenery and photo ops.
Another amazing section of the Appalachians is the Cherohala Skyway extending from Robinsville, North Carolina, to the backcountry of Tennessee. It is a thirty six mile ride that starts at an elevation of 2,660 feet, crosses the highest overlook at 5,390 feet and ends in Tellico Plains along the Tellico River. If at all possible, try to take a detour to Bald River Falls via Forest Service Road 210 to catch a view of the water cascades that drop over one hundred feet.
The Saint Lawrence River Valley runs approximately 300 miles through northern New York State to the Canadian Border. This route provides consistent views of the river from both sides and will take you across several large bridges; North Channel and South Channel Bridge, Ogdensburg–Prescott International Bridge and Thousand Islands Bridge which connects New York to Ontario, Canada.
While riding in the northeast and staying on tour with our Canadian neighbors, the Maritime Plain is the northern tip of and my absolute favorite part of the Appalachians. You can ride the Adirondack Mountains, also a part of the Appalachians through northeastern New York going into Vermont and up to Maine. Eventually you will take the ferry across the Bay of Fundy and over to the beautiful land of Nova Scotia, Canada. The Maritime Plain encircles the coast of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. This trip should be planned as a vacation rather than a day or weekend tour as you will want to stay and enjoy some of the lobster hunting. I personally recommend a ride to Halifax and Peggy’s Cove.