SS1000 without Interstate, hopefully in-state, planning

[MidTNJasonF]

I would like to get a ride planned for later in the year. I am a bit burned out on Interstate travel for the year so I would like to take on the challenge of doing an SS1000 completely off of Interstate highways. I may very well do this on a scooter so I wish to limit the maximum speeds to 55mph, although some sections of 65mph would be acceptable. If I can do this as an instate saddle sore that would be even better.

Obviously this will come with challenges including lower speed limits and the subsequent lower average speed will make for a more time consuming ride. I would certainly need more of the 24 hour period than a 75mph+ rip across Oklahoma, Texas or Arkansas on I-40.
Probably the largest added challenge is avoiding towns or cities with further reduced speed limits, traffic lights, and additional traffic in general. It will be hard enough to make the miles at 55mph~60mph without having to drop down to 45mph or even 35mph for a small town every 10 or 20 miles. Catching a series of red lights would not help either.

I am in Tennessee so the more wide open and sparsely populated areas of the southwest are not an option for me on this particular ride/plan. I could do this in Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, or Kentucky fairly easily.

I am just beginning my ruminations about this ride so I am more than open to ideas on successful routing.

Do you have a non interstate highway route you have planned and/or ridden that was successful?
If so please share your thoughts or your route, if you are able, with me especially if it was in the South East US.

 

[Dave28117]

I found the roads in S GA very wide open 2 lanes. Alabama might be similar. Not sure what part of TN you're starting from, but might be options.

 

[MidTNJasonF]

Middle TN is home, just outside Nashville, but I would likely make a few hundred mile ride to a start point so I can finish closer to home. Maybe go into MS, AL, or GA and have my in-state finish point close to the TN border. I can be to the Chattanooga area in less than an hour and 30 minutes. via interstate. Probably closer to 2 hours on parallel highways.

I generally avoid GA as I never seem to have a good experience avoiding central state traffic as it radiates from the hell that is Atlanta. North GA has some great roads but every time I travel further south in the state I regret my decision to do so.

 

[EricV]

Keeping it as an In-State SS1K does add a challenge for a non-interstate ride. I did a Scooter SS1K all on the Natchez Trace Parkway, but that was not an In-State ride. 22 hours, 1078 miles, on a 150cc scooter.

Remember, a SS1K is only maintaining an average speed of 42 mph over 24 hours. Average 45 mph and you're down to 22 hours.

This is rough and not quite 1k, but gives you an idea. LINK + LINK2 + LINK3 That's about 950 miles and needs a little stretch, but stays off larger roads and is a loop inside TN.

 

[MidTNJasonF]

I had not thought of the trace. That is actually an excellent idea for a scooter ss1000. Wildlife can be a significant problem at dusk and dawn on that road but if I planned my start, turn and arrival right the worst might be avoidable.

Sure not in-state but a great road with very limited traffic cross streets or interruptions.

I once rode it from Natchez back home but took my time with multiple stops to see some of the road side sights.

It is certainly doable at lower speeds but it will take a little longer than I typically take, 17 to 18 hours for a 1000.

 

[EricV]

Keep in mind that there are no gas stations on the Trace, nor any signage for them. There is currently a fairly short detour at Tishamingo heading North to hwy 72 at Iuka, MS.

I chose to do my Natchez Trace 1000 with only miles on the Trace itself counting towards the SS1K. All detours for gas or other stops were discounted from the final mileage of the cert.

Also, at 444 miles long, you have to run the complete Trace twice, and a bit more. I chose to start around 10 pm in Clinton, MS, run North, turn around and run to the Southern terminus, then back to Tupelo. The end was challenging with oncoming headlights between dusk and when I finished at ~8pm.

I ran a 125 watt light bar for aux lighting. Lots of deer, but not in the road. Green eyes on the smaller ones and red eyes on the larger ones. Raccoon, fox, bear, possum, dogs and a wildcat, plus some owls. I also used a 2 gal fuel jug to offset the fuel stops.

 

[LeMaitre]

Jason,

A two lane SS1K is do able. I have two rides that were primarily two lane.

My first SS1K was around Lake Superior. Total Miles was 1040 with less than 100 on interstate. Took the ride before Michigan raised the speed limit on two lane roads so the average max legal was 55mph. I took 21 hours to do the ride. This included two border crossings.

The advantage that I had over Tennessee is that the population is more spread out so I rode through fewer towns. The disadvantage is that one stretch had a long distance before you could get gas.

Take your time in planning and you will succeed.

-Mark

 

[MidTNJasonF]

Keep in mind that there are no gas stations on the Trace, nor any signage for them. There is currently a fairly short detour at Tishamingo heading North to hwy 72 at Iuka, MS.

I chose to do my Natchez Trace 1000 with only miles on the Trace itself counting towards the SS1K. All detours for gas or other stops were discounted from the final mileage of the cert.

Also, at 444 miles long, you have to run the complete Trace twice, and a bit more. I chose to start around 10 pm in Clinton, MS, run North, turn around and run to the Southern terminus, then back to Tupelo. The end was challenging with oncoming headlights between dusk and when I finished at ~8pm.

I ran a 125 watt light bar for aux lighting. Lots of deer, but not in the road. Green eyes on the smaller ones and red eyes on the larger ones. Raccoon, fox, bear, possum, dogs and a wildcat, plus some owls. I also used a 2 gal fuel jug to offset the fuel stops.

If I am not concerned with all 1000 miles being on the trace it would be fairly easy for me. Home is just far enough from the northern terminus that I was just over 500 miles when I started in Natchez, rode the length of the trace, and continued on to the house. I could start at a station near home, ride to Natchez then return and probably be at about 1010~1020 miles depending on the distance to fuel off the trace as you mentioned.

I did not run into any issues finding fuel near the trace save one choice on the northern end near Hohenwald that was further from the trace than I had anticipated. I would likely throw a few gallons in a jug or possibly rig up a temporary fuel cell if I do this on a scooter with reduced range though, just for a safety margin.

If I wanted to do something similar to your ride with all cert miles on the trace the middle and southern sections seem to have a little less wildlife. One of my more significant animal strikes was on the Trace near the Tennessee River. Some Buzzards/Vultures were feasting on a fresh deer carcass roadside and took flight as I approached. Two crossed my path. One struck my top case and the other hit my helmet as he tried to gain altitude. I have also hit deer twice on a motorcycle and do not wish to repeat it a third time.