maybe from new orleans you can head to high island on the texas coast.between lous. and galveston tx.you might be able to stay in the coastal areas to get there or you might have to cut downward from I10(my old texas map i keep on the wall showed the road to be temporarily closed from lous. to high island---i would imagine that its open as its a very old map but i cannot say for sure) and then continue on from high island to galveston.there is a free ferry ride that will take you across to galveston(30 min??) and then head on towards freeport.there is a toll bridge to go through past galveston a ways ..no problem just a heads up.if that lous. to high island road is open you should have about 100 miles of coastal riding.from free port i couldnt tell you the best way to go.just head NW.plenty of routes.there is an area west of s.a and austin called the hill country.personally i would ride up through there before i would take the interstate to el paso.from there just head west.
bring some snacks.bring water.bring some skin lotion as well.i dont know what you wear when you ride but if its just a tshirt i would wear a long sleeved one.i do.it will be getting pretty warm around here by then.i would try and get a tan before i leave ohio as well if at all possible.i would bring a blanket in case you decide to rough it.thats better than riding around a city looking for a bed.
just verify those roads on the coast...thats gotta be a better ride for you than I10.if you want me to find a more specific route throughthe hill country email me.i havent ridden there but i know that alot of people like to.if not call a couple of hd dealerships around austin and they will help you im sure.--shiny side up.

 

A lot of good info. Im thinking about doing this same ride soon now that I got a chance. Like to take my tent and camp out but it maybe to much trouble.

 

I'll have to look for my DeLorme's to give you some specific routes in the next couple days... right now I'm going backwards from TX to N.O. since it is simpler.

The only coast you're going to see in Louisiana is on LA82 from Abbeville to Port Arthur, TX - but I would check on this route since I haven't been by since Hurricane Rita totally devestated this area. Before hand it was a nice ride considering how flat the whole area is. My friend's brother graduated from Pecan Island High School in a class of 7 people.

Going east from Abbeville on LA14 to U.S.90 at New Iberia, you can go just a few miles south to Avery Island & a tour of the Tobasco factory & the Jungle Gardens & bird Sanctuary if you would like that. From there going NE (remember I'm going backwards just for now), you could take several backroads that I need to find the Delorme's to get numbers for & pass through Lake Fausse Point St. Park in the Atchafalaya Spillway. Then north to the one exit in the middle of the 18 mile bridge between Breaux Bridge & Grosse Tete (If you like crawfish & cajun food there are many places in this area - shrimp & crawfish boudin *****!) I'd then do LA77 from Grosse Tete to Plaquemine (this will be your curvy paved bayou ride that still isn't overloaded with traffic). In PLaquemine, I'd take the little river road loop for a few miles to White Castle (old time rural & plantation). Continue on LA1 to Donaldsonville and cross the Mississippi River at the Sunshine bridge (LA70). Once on the east bank, I'd swing back to the river road on that side on LA 44 going east to N.O. (although about 5 miles west is Houmas house - immaculately beautiful plantation)... east on 44 you pass through my old home town of Convent & through Hester where I am now (right across river from Oak Alley plantation) up until Gramercy. Here I would go north to I-10 & go towards N.O. - but I would exit in La Place to follow the frontage road (old US51) which runs along side I-55 up to Manchac & eat seafood at Middendorf's (If you're fancy I could recommend some high scale to gourmet casual N.O. restaraunts where I personally know the chefs... but if you're not city & hootsie-tootsie, I would go to Middendorf's). Then you could check N.O. if you want to party, go high class, or whatever you would do in New Orleans. U.S. 90 out of N.O. to Pearlinton, MS would be your choie rather than interstate.

Grand Isle is an island on the coast down LA1, but will take a few hours since it's just one road with no other outlet after a point. If comong from Mississippi north of B.R. & Natchez... there are some roads into Louisiana from extreme southwestern Mississippi that are pretty decent off the main map, even waterfalls right above the LA border a couple miles believe it or not (not like out west obviously), but the best thing you'll find in all of Mississippi. LA22 from Springfield in the north to Burnside (if skipping N.O.) will take you across LA 44 a couple miles north of Sunshine bridge. This is an extremely curvy road for a flat area following old bayous and rivers with various take-your-pick places for good food & drink... great road but getting more traffic than ever - still not bumper to bumper though.

There are some intrigueing middle of nowhere roads north of Alexandria with good hills & twists & a hike or 2 between Natchez, MS and Texas if you bypassed south LA. If LA 82 on the coast was bad now you could skip I-10 west by taking LA10 near Opelousas and Ville Platte through Oakdale up to Leesville and cross into Texas & end up in Jasper ready to go west on US190 instead of I-10. Further north I'd give you different ways.

All depends on what you'd like to do. I know a decent amount about southern Mississippi as well. Either way you'd do well with a DeLorme's of you want to guided where you want to go around here real rural skipping traffic routes & to take the best roads... let me know what you prefer and around where you want to enter and exit this area. Keeping in mind that other than LA 82 in the extreme west, Grand Isle on LA1, there is no road by the coast in LA, people go on boats. There are out of the way places by lakes, bayous, etc...

 

As was said earlier, I wouldn't even consider the Bear Tooth Highway in May. It usually isn't even snowplowed through until the first week of June. This is a late June shot in 2006:

I crossed it on Labor day weekend a year later at 33-35 degrees and the only thing not covered in 1/4" of ice was fortunately most of the road. Crossing the top was probably the most carefully ridden 35 miles of my life. 40 miles later it was 87 degrees. Rode through Yellowstone one year Memorial Day weekend and got hit by a fast moving hailstorm. Popped over a hill and there was sudden 40 mph wind and 1/2 inch hail. By the time we got off the road under a tree it was done but left a layer of hail on the road as thick as snow for about the next 1/2 mile.

I love it out here, I'm just sayin, prepare for quick weather changes.

 

Agree with earlier post I-10 from Mobile to Houston is the most boring ride you can take. I'm not going to go over the entire route, but maybe suggest this route. It will cost you some time but there will be much more to see and do. From the west side of Mobile Bay take Hwy 90 to N.O., Hwy 90 will follow the coast and you will be traveling the beaches in Biloxi and Gulfport (nice riding along the beach and newly paved). Take either I-10 or Hwy 61 from N.O. to B.R., in B.R. jump on Hwy 190 to the Texas line, you will be passing through cajun country and most if not all is 4 lane hwy. Visit N.O. but if you want to stay a night, suggest outskirts as hotel prices are expensive in the city. I agree with Mindenoff's in Manchac, but it will take you about 10 miles one way to get there from either I-10 or 61. But if you would like you can also catch 190 just north of Manchac near Hammond and go through B.R. on 190. Depending on when you are going through, traffice can be heavy on 190 going through B.R., but I guess that is the way in most big cities. If I knew when you were passing through, you decide to eat at Mindenoff's, I'm only about 10 miles from there and would have lunch dinner with you. Oh, Mindenoff's is closed on Monday's for sure and maybe Tuesday. Let me know if I can help in this leg of your trip, I'll be glad to help in any way. Hope you don't need any, but if you have problems in this area there are Harley shops in Mobile, Biloxi, Slidell, N.O., Hammond, B.R. and Lafayette and Lake Charles. Have a safe trip and let us know how it was. Our next trip will be Sturgis, first tiime and can't wait.

 

Almost forgot, while you are passing through the Lafayette area stop by one of the little stores and try the boudin. I'm sure you heard of all the other cajun food (andouille, gumbo, jambalya, etc.), but you don't hear too much about boudin and the Lafayette area has the best. Personally I pefer the smoked boudin if they have it, but either is worth trying.

 

I'll check into Nebraska rt 2 or 20. Thanks for mentioning those.

Thanks, Ralph

 

Thank you Wildman for all of the route mapping and extensive research. Now I don't want to make you mad, but now I'm considering bypassing NO and do what the one guy suggested which was just do the Nachez Trace and head west to Texas. Again... If I'm just going to drive through New Orleans is it really worth going there?

Thank everyone so far... man there is so much information here that I think my head might explode trying to cover everyone's points.

You folks are great, Ralph

 

I +1 on all the previous posts concerning I 10 across LA and TX. The truck traffic is very heavy, the road is usually either slow with lane closures for repair or slow because it needs repair. Not much in the way of alternative routing. I 10 will NOT afford much in the way of scenery, essentially none of gulf. Another post discussed Beaumont to Galveston....called it High Island..actually Bolivar Peninsula Rte 87. The road is still closed where noted...remainder of road is devastated due to Hurricane Ike...wasteland and limited service/food/ferry schedule very light. If you are looking for alternative routing from Mobile to West of Houston I would look NORTH of I 10. Do avoid Houston area during rush "hour" from 0600-0930 and again from 1530 to 1900 no matter what you decide. Ditto Dallas if you end up that far north. John

 

your map looks like alot of fun, especially out west. i like backroads better and could give you some ideas through alabama but it looks like you'll be pushing for time (and i'd rather spend the time out west). the nathez trace is beautiful, but very slow, we stayed on for about 150 miles then jumped off, hard to keep slow speed on a perfectly maintained curvy road. if your coming thru alabama on 65, not gonna see much, watch for animals (deer) and if you have time, stop in b'ham at barbers motorcycle museum, its only about 8 miles from 65 and it's unbelievable. they say everything in the museum will start and is operational. hard to believe.