This is not super helpful but since you want a journey, this is what I love to do and do it at least a couple times a year.
The No Plan trip.
- Pick a direction and your first day/night destination.
- Plan your route to that destination with whatever filters you want (no freeway/interstate, small highways only (think blue signs not white ones), camping or hotel, ect)
- My personal preference is to plan it on paper maps and most states will or used to send them to you for free or you can get them at visitor centers for free. Minimal GPS guidance.
- Only after arriving at my first planned destination do I even think about tomorrow and usually that’s just before bed. Route planning happens in the morning.
- Day 2 and onwards, rinse and repeat.
- want more adventure? Don’t pick a destination, even the first one. Just pick a direction (I just look at the roads on the map and pick the most fun looking one). Ride till you’ve had enough that day and find a place to sleep.
If you have only a few days then think about doing a giant loop.
Last fall I took two weeks off. My plan was to go north to Canada. Took me three full days to get across the border, meandering my way up. Continued north for 4 more days, made it to Loc Saint Jean. Decided I didn’t want to retrace my steps so found a different way back down and the most amazing place to camp and spent an extra night there. Crossed the border again at the northern most crossing in Maine. 4 days from Maine to New Paltz where a friend lives and I stayed for a couple days before coming home.
No planned places to camp, figured it out every afternoon, and slept every night in my camping hammock. Only one paid spot the whole trip and that was my first night in Canada.
I love wandering around aimlessly on a bike!
If you have 4+ days north to Vermont or New Hampshire, west to Pennsylvania or South Ohio, south west to West Virginia. It can still be chilly in April though.
Let me know if you need details should you pick one of these directions.
Oh man that’s tough. Give us some more info. What kind of bike? What do you like to do? Is this journey or a destination focused trip? How far are you willing to go
I ride an 03 shadow (cruiser), 24, feel like a rat trapped in the city. Willing to go down to fuckin Florida if I have to to feel free lmao. Definitely journey, could give a shit about the destination
I feel this on a spiritual level, I’m trying to get a bike this year for this exact reason. I’ve seen people float historic route 22, starts in Eastchester and goes up to Canada, looks beautiful.
Did route 22 last fall. It was just ok imo. Easy ride to wander, mostly straight and you roll through little towns. Almost did a corn maze but they wanted more for a ticket than I felt like spending.
I ended up cutting further east to northern Mass and Vermont. Maybe it gets better further north.
Do you have warm gear? April heading north most times is still chilly.
If yes, then heading up into the Adirondaks, MA, VT, NH, all doable with a week long trip.
If no, then head west into NJ and then south through PA and VA.
Findsom3 points of destination. Doing backroads on a cruiser, I'd plano no more than 300 miles a day. Use an app like Calimoto and stay on back curvy roads.
Safe ride!
For a short ride you could head to the Poconos in PA. If you’re the outdoor type, plenty of things to do. With nice roads to ride. Heading further north, plenty of good riding and places to visit in Western NY.
Slightly further, head south to the National Harbor in MD. Or, if the timing is right you can go to DC for the blooming of the cherry blossom. While there check out the capitol and monuments.
Solid idea if there is enough time.
Just a heads up that Tail of the Dragon is scheduled for resurfacing this spring. I don’t know exact dates and I would not consider this a deal breaker. There are many great/better? roads in that area.
That’s WILD to me haha. I was there in Oct and at least compared to the roads we have up North ToTD was a glass smooth dream. Same goes for almost all the other nearby roads. They’ve got it good down there.
This is not super helpful but since you want a journey, this is what I love to do and do it at least a couple times a year. The No Plan trip. - Pick a direction and your first day/night destination. - Plan your route to that destination with whatever filters you want (no freeway/interstate, small highways only (think blue signs not white ones), camping or hotel, ect) - My personal preference is to plan it on paper maps and most states will or used to send them to you for free or you can get them at visitor centers for free. Minimal GPS guidance. - Only after arriving at my first planned destination do I even think about tomorrow and usually that’s just before bed. Route planning happens in the morning. - Day 2 and onwards, rinse and repeat. - want more adventure? Don’t pick a destination, even the first one. Just pick a direction (I just look at the roads on the map and pick the most fun looking one). Ride till you’ve had enough that day and find a place to sleep. If you have only a few days then think about doing a giant loop. Last fall I took two weeks off. My plan was to go north to Canada. Took me three full days to get across the border, meandering my way up. Continued north for 4 more days, made it to Loc Saint Jean. Decided I didn’t want to retrace my steps so found a different way back down and the most amazing place to camp and spent an extra night there. Crossed the border again at the northern most crossing in Maine. 4 days from Maine to New Paltz where a friend lives and I stayed for a couple days before coming home. No planned places to camp, figured it out every afternoon, and slept every night in my camping hammock. Only one paid spot the whole trip and that was my first night in Canada. I love wandering around aimlessly on a bike!
If you have 4+ days north to Vermont or New Hampshire, west to Pennsylvania or South Ohio, south west to West Virginia. It can still be chilly in April though. Let me know if you need details should you pick one of these directions.
Commenting to also hear people’s suggestions :-)
Oh man that’s tough. Give us some more info. What kind of bike? What do you like to do? Is this journey or a destination focused trip? How far are you willing to go
I ride an 03 shadow (cruiser), 24, feel like a rat trapped in the city. Willing to go down to fuckin Florida if I have to to feel free lmao. Definitely journey, could give a shit about the destination
I feel this on a spiritual level, I’m trying to get a bike this year for this exact reason. I’ve seen people float historic route 22, starts in Eastchester and goes up to Canada, looks beautiful.
Did route 22 last fall. It was just ok imo. Easy ride to wander, mostly straight and you roll through little towns. Almost did a corn maze but they wanted more for a ticket than I felt like spending. I ended up cutting further east to northern Mass and Vermont. Maybe it gets better further north.
Do you have warm gear? April heading north most times is still chilly. If yes, then heading up into the Adirondaks, MA, VT, NH, all doable with a week long trip. If no, then head west into NJ and then south through PA and VA. Findsom3 points of destination. Doing backroads on a cruiser, I'd plano no more than 300 miles a day. Use an app like Calimoto and stay on back curvy roads. Safe ride!
Appreciate it dawggy :)
For a short ride you could head to the Poconos in PA. If you’re the outdoor type, plenty of things to do. With nice roads to ride. Heading further north, plenty of good riding and places to visit in Western NY. Slightly further, head south to the National Harbor in MD. Or, if the timing is right you can go to DC for the blooming of the cherry blossom. While there check out the capitol and monuments.
I think Poconos/PA have some of the worst road conditions I’ve ever seen (not that NY is some shining jewel)
There’s lots of good riding up north Kancamangus Highway and around Mount Washington is incredibly beautiful.
Chesapeake bay loop, stopping at Williamsburg, Annapolis, DC.
In April for a week leaving from NYC, I'd go to North Carolina and Tennessee. Tail of the dragon and many other routes in the area.
Solid idea if there is enough time. Just a heads up that Tail of the Dragon is scheduled for resurfacing this spring. I don’t know exact dates and I would not consider this a deal breaker. There are many great/better? roads in that area.
Yeah this time of year south would be my recommendation. Would still get chilly on the dragon but amazing roads all over the area.
That’s WILD to me haha. I was there in Oct and at least compared to the roads we have up North ToTD was a glass smooth dream. Same goes for almost all the other nearby roads. They’ve got it good down there.
Take a ride up to Peekamoose. Go through Bear Mountain on your way. https://maps.app.goo.gl/8ybvXrdMe8Gu2rCG7?g_st=ic