Hey all, first things first, this is my first road trip. We are leaving on a thursday morning maybe 4am (?) and returning to Chicago sunday. I need recommendations on what to pack and places to hit while in Tennessee.

I'm riding a 08 Street Glide and we will have 8-9 guys in our group... any suggestions would be awesome!


Thanks in advance!

 

I live in Memphis. If I were you I wouldn't even stop for gas in this sh@t hole of a town.

 

took the wife to Graceland 2 years ago, I live in northwest Indiana between the southside of Chicag and Gary In. was there for days and was scared to stop at redlights, as far as packing pack lightyou can always do laundry everything we take on a 3 week trip fits in both bags we keep the tour pac for rain gear, jackets and tools, as far as stopping hit the Makers Mark distilery its about 30 miles south of Louisville so is Jim Bean but they don't have tours, also in Bolling Green is the Corvette musem thats if you are going I65

 

What part of Tennessee are you visiting? It's 550 miles across the state and there's plenty to see everywhere. Here in East Tennessee you will find the Dragon, Cheriola skyway, the Snake (US 421), the start of US 28 (moonshiner trail or more popularly called Thunder Road from Prohibition days) Bristol Motor Speedway (thunder Valley) Oak Ridge Atomic Labs, Great Smokey Mountans National Park, Fontanna dam and village, Ocoee TN. ( where the movie Deliverance was filmed and has world class whitewater rafting) and more backroad riding than you can see in several visits. In middle Tennessee you'll find Music City (Nashville), Barrett Firearms, Music Row (LOTS of bars and old style honkey tonks) Jack Danials Distillary in Lynchburg TN. (A DRY county BTW and in West Tennessee you will find Beale Street (Memphis), where Rythm and Blues was born and still going strong, Graceland (Elvis Presleys home) along with plenty of paddle wheel steam boat tours on the Mississippi River. Memphis is the least tourist friendly town I've mantioned, but MUCH more friendly than Chicago or Gary IN!! Get a little more specific and maybe we can help a little better!

 

littled62, did you make it to Graceland in one day? Were gonna or at least were trying to make it a straight through trip, hang for two days, and then straight back home... I know those are long days of cruising, but the guys I'm going with are on a mission! hahaha

So, pack light, and obviously I need a helmet, Tennessee is a helmet state (damn them!)

 

Definately head to east Tennessee and ride the dragon! Go to Gatlinburg / pigeon forge then through the national park to Cherokee. East Tennesee has alot to offer.

 

TN houndog, I think we are open, There are so many guys going, you know how that goes, no one will ever agree on where or when to go somewhere... we decided Tennessee and a few guys said hey lets hit Memphis, and others said Nashville. Hell the one guys just said he wants BBQ. So about all I know is we are leaving Chicago, and heading to Tennessee more or less nomading it, no real plans, no reservations, and we will stop when and where we decide to stop.

Other than highlights from your state, I was hoping some packing ideas, on what to bring, as I have never been on a road-trip I just usually do day trips, so with 8-9 of us I think it should be a blast... hopefully

 

Stay in the middle and east. Nashville to Gatlinburg. And don't be afraid to hit the back roads. Some of thee most awesome riding in the United States is found in the back-roads of Tennessee.

Carl

 

no we took our time stop in Alton Il. for the night, just outsid St. Louis, wanted to go to Fast Eddies Roadhouse there, we came home in one day, we stayed at Motel 6 by the airport, from here in Hammond it is about 550 miles with fuel stops took just over 11 hours

 

BBQ http://www.17thstreetbarbecue.com/Home.aspx