Plan my trip! Madison, WI to Birminghamm, AL

[cosmoose]

Hi all!  After a vaguely baby-related hiatus, I'm back to riding again.  And that means my dad (call him grandpa, he loves it) and I are putting together plans for the Vaughan Boys' Annual (kind of) Road Trip.  This year we have a definite destination and date: Kieth Code's school at Barber Motorsports in May.  Yee ha!  

But I'm out of practice at this map-looking thing.  We need to get from Madison to Birmingham in about 3 days, preferably on pleasant secondary roads.  And we need to eat good pie and drink good beer in the evening.  So, how should we do it?  Looks like running down the river and taking a left at Memphis would be decent.  Any thoughts on that route?  We have driven the length of Illinois more times than we care to count, so staying out of "The Longest State" (- Peter Egan) would be fine.  We'll probably hit it on the way back, anyway.  

So what do I need from you?  Recommendations on roads that make one happy to be on two wheels, restaurants with stunning recipes, microbreweries that can compete with Wisconsin's finest, and hotels that aren't carbon copies of the one with the same name seven states over.  Challenging requirements?  Perhaps...  but I am certain the collective wisdom can rise to the occasion.  

This is going to be sweet...


Dave

[LoVel]

I am a volunteer at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum.  If you like bikes you need to plan to spend a minimum of four hours in the museum.  You can not do it in any less and you will still feel rushed if you only give yourself four hours.

http://barbermuseum.org/

[mxvet57]

Barber is on my bucket list. I was going to do it last year but didn't happen. I will be around Lexington Ky. in April so i may take a couple extra days and head south.

[LoVel]

Don't know if it's a positive or a negative to you but the Indy cars will be racing at the track April 9th through 11th.  Something you may want to either plan to see or plan to miss.

[cosmoose]

I am a volunteer at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum.  If you like bikes you need to plan to spend a minimum of four hours in the museum.  You can not do it in any less and you will still feel rushed if you only give yourself four hours.

http://barbermuseum.org/

Last year (two years ago now?) dad, my uncle and I all rode to Barber and spent all day wandering around the museum.  It is a fantastic set of exhibits.  But we were watching the Miatas race with some jealousy.  This trip is for the track.  But thanks for the note!

Okay, now how do I get there?

Dave

[Orson]

Here's a link to garry's motoroads page.

[MonkeyNuke]

Land Between the Lakes in Kentucky

[cosmoose]

Land Between the Lakes in Kentucky

Duly noted, thank you.  Dad and I rode down there several years ago, and it was quite pleasant.  

Is there anything worth riding through in Missouri and norther Arkansas?  

Dave

[Orson]

 

Is there anything worth riding through in Missouri and norther Arkansas?  

Southern Missouri / Northern Arkansas is where the Ozarks lie  

Should be some trip reports from when the ST.N Nationals were held down there.