I read that the city of Baton Rouge is finally embracing the motorcycle community and "hosting" the Red Stick Rally the last weekend of October. Any riding in the area that is worth the trip from Houston? Obviously, not much scenery between here and there. And the Lone Star Rally is the following weekend, if I recall correctly. So, your thoughts on pro or con on attending?
Thanks in advance...

 

No, it's not worth it. I live 45 miles from Baton Rouge and I'm not even going to waste my time. Their price packages are ridiculous. In order to even ride your bike onto the rally grounds they want to charge you an extra $10 on top of their entry fee, but you can't park, that's a ride-through only. It's a phucking bike rally for chrissake! If they are trying to start up a new rally they are going about all the wrong ways. I don't see this event lasting. Downtown Baton Rouge is not the place for a bike rally. I'll be at Lone Star the following weekend, where you can enter and ride or park for free.

 

I used to go into Baton Rouge and all over south Louisiana on business for years. Believe me that's got to be the sorriest place to do any riding...flat, rainy, humid, traffic and crappy roads. Some of the finest food though.... Even if you've been to the Hill Country and Big Bend a thousand times, go there instead.

 

I gotta disagree, there are some good rides, you just gotta know where to look for them. But the Texas Hill country, this ain't.

 

Thanks, all. Guess I'll save the money and time and head 30 miles south to the Lone Star Rally the next weekend.

 

For future reference, what are "the good roads"? Just wondering...

 

LA 1 north west of BR out toward Alexandria has some good sweeping curves, no hills till you get up around Alex. Old river road follows the Mississippi River and a few places you can cross on a ferry and there are some old Plantation homes to tour. Just north of BR going into MS there are some good roads and hills not sure of the Hwy #'s. You gotta get out of the city.

 

All of the roads you mentioned above are roads I enjoy riding, especially the River Road along both sides of the Mississippi River.

I also like LA 77 north from Plaquemine all the way beyond 190, LA 76 and LA 78 both spur off and are great rides. These roads are a mix of woods and open pasture with some nice homes scattered among oak trees and farm land.

Another route I like is leaving French Settlement(east of Baton Rouge) on LA 16, then turning left on LA 22 all the way to Ponchatoula. Nice and curvy following a bayou most of the way.

A ride I did just this last weekend takes LA 10 north/west from Ville Platte(north of Lafayette) all the way to Leesville, then onto 171 north to Anacoco, then 392 over to Toledo Bend Reservoir and north on LA 191. This ride was nice, had rolling hills(well, what we call rolling hills here in S. LA) through forests and nice sweeping curves.

These are some routes that are in the forefront of my mind. You might have to take some straight, bumpy roads to get there, but there are some hidden gems if you look hard enough. This weekend some buddies and I are taking the route I mentioned on LA 77 north, then cutting across the new Mississippi River bridge at St. Francisville, heading north on U.S. 61 and over to Angola State Prison for the inmate rodeo. Been before, but never on 2 wheels. Nice plantation homes and newly resurfaced roads on the route, and it even gets hilly the further north you go. We also like to go this way to get to Natchez, MS, now that is a good day ride!

 

Sounds like a couple good options... I plan on heading out of Houston about 6a.m. Saturday to meet a friend at BR HD, then to the rally to walk around a bit, then ride some in the area. We then plan on riding some on Sunday a.m. before I head back to Houston. A quick trip for sure, but our schedules dictate our free time...

 

I live just outside BR, planning on going to the rally Saturday just to check it out. Local HD dealer is promoting it, but there doesn't seem to be much enthusiasm for it -- first year, high prices, not the best venue.