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2018 MOA Rally


rickmoen

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I crossed Iowa on the way to Bloomsburg, PA in July of 2011. There couldn't have been 500 ft difference in elevation from east to west. Nothing but corn. No trees, no birds, nothing but corn. The humidity was 90% and the temp was 80+ degrees at 0630. The air was so thick you could feel and see the density, a depressing weight on everything. I swore I'd never return (at that time of year).

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Yes, anyplace in the Midwest can be pretty hot and humid in the summer, though there's a wide range of variability.

 

But, I'd suggest that you don't get a very representative perspective crossing the state via I-80. In particular, if you venture northeast, you'll find yourself in the Driftless Area, an area encompassing parts of four states that offers varied terrain, panoramic views, and thousands of miles of the best motorcycling roads in the world.

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SW Wisconsin, part of the Driftless is a sleeper in regards to good riding. Well paved, little traffic, charming small towns, good eats.

 

What's not to like?

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I crossed Iowa on the way to Bloomsburg, PA in July of 2011. There couldn't have been 500 ft difference in elevation from east to west. Nothing but corn. No trees, no birds, nothing but corn. The humidity was 90% and the temp was 80+ degrees at 0630. The air was so thick you could feel and see the density, a depressing weight on everything. I swore I'd never return (at that time of year).

 

For my whole life, I regarded Ohio as nowhere I wanted to explore. The fire on the Cuyahoga River, the monotonous drive down I75, that hated football team in Columbus, The Indians baseball club that never won anything, all reinforced that it was a necessary evil, to get through as quickly as possible when riding somewhere south.

 

Then in the early 90's I attended the Buckeye Rally in Shreve and was astounded at the beauty of the area. The rolling hills, Amish farms, incredible roller coaster roads.

 

At one point, my brother (who I was travelling with) and I, stopped to stretch out on the grass and both of us agreed, "THIS ain't the Ohio I thought I knew. This is incredible!".

 

Off the freeway, Iowa offers the same potential.

 

Just my $.02.

 

RPG

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I crossed Iowa on the way to Bloomsburg, PA in July of 2011. There couldn't have been 500 ft difference in elevation from east to west. Nothing but corn. No trees, no birds, nothing but corn. The humidity was 90% and the temp was 80+ degrees at 0630. The air was so thick you could feel and see the density, a depressing weight on everything. I swore I'd never return (at that time of year).

 

LOL ... too funny! My experience was totally different. My mom was from Kansas and every summer we would drive from NJ to Kansas to visit her family. I expected Iowa to be the same as Kansas but IMHO it was greener and had more rolling hills. But also when I revisited Kansas some 35 years later the eastern portion around the Flint Hills was really interesting and pretty too.

 

The mid-west is full of wide open spaces, small towns and friendly people. Highway 61 from Oglala to Alliance is one of my favorites.

 

Like most things motorcycling is all about perspective.

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Ed,

 

You are right of course. From my perspective, SW Colorado is a lot more interesting to ride than any road in Iowa. :wave:

 

Not saying that I don't enjoy riding SW Wisconsin.

 

One person told me that there are no bad roads when you are on a motorcycle. I do know this, people travel a long way to ride the Tail of the Dragon, no one that I've ever heard of traveled to Illinois to ride The Tail of the Mouse ©

 

YMMV

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I will concede I may be wrong in casting judgement about the country side having only viewed the state from I-80. I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken. Nevada and Wyoming fit into the same 'nothing-to-see-here' category along I-80. Other parts of those states are drop dead georgeous. However, the weather is a hole nuther thyng. I am a life long dry climate guy. High humidity with even moderated temps just kills my sense of fun. I only survived Bloomsburg because I found the local Elks lodge #436 who took me in as a distressed brother nursed me with cool beverages, fellowship, and fanned me with cold AC. I will be forever in their debt.

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My theory is and always has been that the earth is flat and that if I go beyond the Oregon/ Idaho border I shall surely fall off the other side. Salt Lake freaking City one year then Iowa the next. Out freaking standing! I drove through the midwest in seventy something and I said never again and meant it! Iowa..nothing but corn, pigs and hay seeds.

Edited by JamesW
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I will concede I may be wrong in casting judgement about the country side having only viewed the state from I-80. I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken. Nevada and Wyoming fit into the same 'nothing-to-see-here' category along I-80. Other parts of those states are drop dead georgeous. However, the weather is a hole nuther thyng. I am a life long dry climate guy. High humidity with even moderated temps just kills my sense of fun. I only survived Bloomsburg because I found the local Elks lodge #436 who took me in as a distressed brother nursed me with cool beverages, fellowship, and fanned me with cold AC. I will be forever in their debt.

 

A long time riding buddy who helped me complete my quest to ride all lower 48 (and I do mean "ride" not just stick a toe in) taught me a saying ... "all it takes is an open road and an open mind" !! There is beauty in every state and as was stated there is no bad road when you are on a motorcycle.

 

I live in Charlotte, NC just 90 minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway and about 3+ hours to Deals Gap. I am surrounded by some of the best riding in the country (no not Deals Gap as that is for tourists) and I still enjoy the midwest. Oh and someone mentioned Nevada ... I loved Highway 50! Maybe called lonely but it is really pretty!

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  • 4 weeks later...

OMG, even Burns looks good compared to Iowa, in fact Burns looks REAL good. If somebody told me I had to spend the rest of my life in Iowa I swear to god I would shoot myself! I could go on and name a few dozen other states that i would put in the same category. Come to think of it Utah isn't far behind. I'm just sayin'. :revit:

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One of the sweetest morning rides I've ever had was in Iowa. I just wish I remembered the road.

 

I'd left the Wisconsin UnRally in 2015 and was headed lazily back toward CA. After a night at the Borah Borah Lodge, my GPS route took me to a small town and directed me to a loading dock for a ferry to cross the Mississippi. I actually hadn't counted on that, and with the next ferry some 35 minutes away, I asked for directions and was routed further south and through Dubuque. From there, I found myself on a sweet, rolling two laner, between farms, where the very low morning ceiling and corners banked so that you could have rolled a marble down the road and it would have made every curve, provided me with one of the most pleasant and relaxing rides ever. It was so good, in fact, that I turned around, rode it about 40 miles back to the start, and then rode it again, this time to a spotty overcast as the sun was starting to break through in places. The few drivers that were also on that road, all waved. Farmers on tractors waved. I think even the cows waved. It was truly a special experience because I wasn't in a hurry, the road wasn't in a hurry, and it all combined for pure deliciousness.

 

The rest of Iowa wasn't that memorable. But that morning, on that road, made an indelible impression.

 

 

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Antimatter
OMG, even Burns looks good compared to Iowa, in fact Burns looks REAL good. If somebody told me I had to spend the rest of my life in Iowa I swear to god I would shoot myself! I could go on and name a few dozen other states that i would put in the same category. Come to think of it Utah isn't far behind. I'm just sayin'. :revit:

 

Don't do that! Stay where you are so our property values and traffic jams can stay low and small. In the mean time, I'll be riding the sweet roads along the Iowa/Wisconsin border, er, I mean, yes, all the roads suck here! West Coasters, don't move here, it's horrible! It's cold and dark and there are no good roads! (That outta keep em away...)

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Dave_zoom_zoom
OMG, even Burns looks good compared to Iowa, in fact Burns looks REAL good. If somebody told me I had to spend the rest of my life in Iowa I swear to god I would shoot myself! I could go on and name a few dozen other states that i would put in the same category. Come to think of it Utah isn't far behind. I'm just sayin'. :revit:

 

Don't do that! Stay where you are so our property values and traffic jams can stay low and small. In the mean time, I'll be riding the sweet roads along the Iowa/Wisconsin border, er, I mean, yes, all the roads suck here! West Coasters, don't move here, it's horrible! It's cold and dark and there are no good roads! (That outta keep em away...)

 

 

 

Oh Yeah!!! . . . And you wouldn't want to come to Canada! We have ice covering all our roads all year around. :)

 

Dave

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  • 1 month later...

I'm looking forward to it. I see a glorious 3,000 mile round trip there to home. Not to mention hanging out with 4,000 like minded souls. Will it be hot, probably, will it rain, probably, even those days will be better than the best days at work.

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I will concede I may be wrong in casting judgement about the country side having only viewed the state from I-80. I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken. Nevada and Wyoming fit into the same 'nothing-to-see-here' category along I-80. Other parts of those states are drop dead georgeous. However, the weather is a hole nuther thyng. I am a life long dry climate guy. High humidity with even moderated temps just kills my sense of fun. I only survived Bloomsburg because I found the local Elks lodge #436 who took me in as a distressed brother nursed me with cool beverages, fellowship, and fanned me with cold AC. I will be forever in their debt.

 

A long time riding buddy who helped me complete my quest to ride all lower 48 (and I do mean "ride" not just stick a toe in) taught me a saying ... "all it takes is an open road and an open mind" !! There is beauty in every state and as was stated there is no bad road when you are on a motorcycle.

 

I live in Charlotte, NC just 90 minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway and about 3+ hours to Deals Gap. I am surrounded by some of the best riding in the country (no not Deals Gap as that is for tourists) and I still enjoy the midwest. Oh and someone mentioned Nevada ... I loved Highway 50! Maybe called lonely but it is really pretty!

 

The Marty Hill suite is always open for you if you get a hankering for riding Highway 127 in S. Illinois. :wave:

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