Trips for 2025
Yes, it has been a while since I posted. I have been riding but mainly rides in the local area (within 100 miles of home). Nothing really to report that I have not written about before. I have not really done anything to the bike either (it is running great). With the onset of colder weather, I began to think about next year. I did not do any long rides in 2024 but I want to change that for 2025.
There are so many coast to coast rides I would like to do but currently limited by time (and money of course). No particular destination in mind...just riding. All of these rides in this article are East-West rides (but there are plenty others North-South as well).
Just for a bit of trivia, highways that end with a Zero designates that it is a cross-country route.
US-2
As you can see from the map, there are actually two parts to this route. Going from East to West, the first section is from Houlton, ME to Rouses Point, NY. The second section is from St. Ignace, MI to Everett, WA. The middle section can be completed by riding through Canada BUT it is NOT US-2.
When I decide to do this route, I will actually start in Acadia National Park. I am riding that close to it and it is a beautiful park (I have visited it many times in the 70s). I am sure it has changed but definitely worth a stop (in my mind, it would be like skipping the Grand Canyon).
This route follows the Canadian border very closely for most of the route. There are so many places to see and visit. I am not sure how long it would take me to rid this route. It is approximately 2600 miles (not including the missing portion in Canada). That does not include riding up to Maine and the ride back.
If you have a chance, look up this route (there are many sites / pages dedicated to this route). I think many would be surprised just what you would encounter on this road.
US-20
Another East-West route but it is also the longest road in the USA. Just for clarity, in Yellowstone, there is a bit of discontinuity since there are a number of no-number roads you may take. Why? I think originally US-20 was NOT to be coast to coast but end at Yellowstone (I my need to look that up but that is what I remember reading). This path is approximately 3400 miles. As mentioned before, that does not count getting to the start or returning from the end.
This road starts in Boston, MA at Kenmore Square and terminates in Newport, OR. Interesting fact is this highway closely follows the original Oregon Trail (not exact but close). Supposedly out west you can see parts of the original along side this iconic highway.
Some of the highlights of this route Cooperstown, Niagara Falls, Field of Dreams (sensing a baseball theme here), Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone, and Columbia Gorge (just to name a few). I have never ridden this highway end to end but have traveled on it MANY times in other trips. This is just another iconic trip to add to the bucket list.
US-50
This highway I am familiar with. I used to live near US-50 (actually 8 miles from it). I used to take it to work when I live in the Northern Virginia area. This highway begins in Ocean City, MD and terminates in Sacramento, CA. This route is approximately 3100 miles.
One interesting fact is that US-50 has one section names "The Lonleiest Road in America". The section that goes through Nevada got this name in July of 1986 by Life magazine. In fact, that article said there was NOTHING to see here and warned travelers NOT to take this route unless they are confident in their survival skills. Lets say the state of Nevada was not pleased. I think I read that in Nevada, US-50 followed the Pony Express route.
There are many other things along the way that make this route interesting. You will go through 4 capital cities (I tend to go around the big cities vs. straight through them). There is a lot to see along this route. Sierra Nevada, Appalachian and Rocky Mountains, Great Plains, along with deserts. The landscape is always changing (and are most cross country routes) but this cuts through the middle of the USA going through 12 states. This is a very historic highway built in 1926 and is one of the longest in America (but not THE longest).
US-80
This is an interesting highway. First, I grew up on US-80 (Savannah, GA). I am quite familiar with this route. Originally, US-80 started in Savannah and at some point, moved to Tybee Island (Savannah Beach). It terminates outside Dallas, TX but originally it went all the way to San Diego. That made this a true coast-to-coast highway. The total length was approximately 2700 miles.
But like most things in the USA, US-80 got retired in favor of interstates. California was first. I think it was I-8 that replaced it. Then it was Arizona that decommissioned the highway. Then in New Mexico, they followed suit and cut US-80 back to the Texas state line. Then Texas got on board and got rid of the western piece of the highway from Dallas to (near) El Paso. Its too bad. These rural roads are the most fun to drive/ride BUT they are slower.
If I do this ride, I will NOT try to re-create the original road as it is nothing by interstates from the Pacific Ocean to Dallas, TX. I will only do the new route which is approximately 1000 miles now. It is sad to see these iconic highways go but I guess that is the nature of progress (I disagree with that by the way).
US-80 is the most southern of all the routes so far and will allow you to see the "true" south. Lost of small towns and mom/pop shops/cafes. I want to do just because I have ridden on this highway a lot during my youth (it was the only highway to the beach).
Summary
So those are the major East-West roads I want to travel. At some point, I will look at North-South roads as well. I figure the next trip I will combine at least two of these coast-to-coast highways. Most likely not doing the entire distance but taking a short cut south (or north) to connect. Like Route 66, many of the roads are disappearing and I want to experience before they completely disappear or get replaced by interstates in the name of progress.