KC to LA is a beast. Drove the southern route during the winter one year. Took 3 days and 2 of us teamed up to never stop other than for one dinner.

Why did it take so long if you never stopped? Does the southern route cross the equator? :p

KC to Moab and then to a National Park.

Stuff like this from near Moab

It was January and there was a winter storm right behind us but the bridges were icing up and we could only do about 45 so we didn't hit a patch of ice.

I'm rolling through there in my way to KC on Saturday. I prefer to drive at night but not this time. PHX-Morrison-Dodge City-KC. Southern route coming back. I can do that nonstop but it's dangerous for other drivers for the last few hours. Once I hit Flagstaff though, I come alive.

Good luck and be safe.

I am planning out my longest road trip yet (not on a bike) for next fall. Going to try home-Denver-Grand Junction - Durango- Moab - Zion - Grand Canyon - Flagstaff (or someplace better)- Albuquerque - home.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

We may see each other. My wife and I are doing a road trip in the fall from Denver to Mesa Verde to the Grand Canyon to Sedona to Abiquiu (Taos area) and back.

Moab and Zion will be great for you, and be sure to go into Arches National Park, which is spectacular. If you have time, you should definitely stop at Bryce Canyon along the way since it's in between those two parks. You won't be quite on the right route for Monument Valley, but it's close. Instead of Albuquerque on the way back, you should consider cutting northeast and going through Monument Valley, Mesa Verde, and Telluride. But if you prefer east, I'd recommend Santa Fe or the Taos area. Sandia Peak is kind of the only cool thing in Albuquerque.

I'm looking forward to Mesa Verde. I've been meaning to go there for years and it's never worked out.

Thanks for the suggestions! I am planning on going early September and do some backpacking\hiking in Arches and Zion so I am really looking forward to this. Looking at the map I misspoke I am going to Sedona instead of Flagstaff. I heard that area is nice.

Also after re-reading your post I looked at my plan and I had us going to Telluride\Durango\Mesa Verde after a stop over in Grand Junction.

It sucks driving through winter storms. I drove from St. Louis to Kansas City in Feb 2015 during one of the worst ice storms of that winter and a couple of interstate closings later, it took me over 8 hours to get home.

Mesa Verde is a really neat place.

I would suggest making your way through north west Arkansas. You should be able to do it between Nashville and Wichita. The biways through the southern Ozarks are amazing roads to ride, and the locals treat bikers like royalty. You won't be sorry.

I've actually been thinking about that since google maps gave me NW Ark as a possible route. One route had me going through Springfield, another through KC, and the last through Ft. Smith.

Nashville to Springfield to Wichita is 673 miles and about 11 hours.

Nashvile to Ft Smith to Wichita is 792 miles and about 12 hours.

I have concerns regarding the number of twisties that deep into a ride but something to consider for sure.

I wouldn't take the extra time to do interstate. Sounds like its got you taking I40 across the state. If you were to take the extra time to cut through Arkansas, you'd need to go up the scenic byways route, and pick up I49/US71 west of Eureka Springs. Lots of twisties though, and I didn't think about it being the end of the trip.

If you are travelling through Springtown, stop in and we'll play some guitars.

Check your rep.

Dinny

Springtown? I did mean Moab, UT.

Hitting the road in the morning.