Do you have places you avoid?

Okay, so planning to go for a long trip as to get over depression.
Just wondered amongst other things if you avoid certain places, for example cities towns or even whole countries?

Also why do you?

Many thanks
A2od

I can say now that my unannounced visit to camp David on my r65ls was not warmly received, so I would avoid that place

Ha ha!!! I tried visiting also on my beemer, the guys with machine guns were NOT very friendly! years ago at the square route rally, Bush sr and Gorbachev were there, secret service was checking out the rally, no stopping anywhere along the road through the park, and there was NO way to go up the road to the camp. at the end of the day the prez's helicopter took off and flew right over the rally grounds, we all saluted with beer.

back to topic, I avoid large cities. Why? they suck, they are hot, smelly, and have people, whom I have discovered I really don't like in large quantities.

Places to avoid when on a motorcycle;

California west of the Sierra and south of Red Bluff.
I-15 thru Utah,,,Salt lake City
Denver
I-5 Seattle to Portland OR
Spokane WA
Tijuana

These all have traffic snarls and/or kamikazi drivers. I've come close to dying in 4 of these places

any Interstate hwy that has major construction happening: boring, ugly, dangerous

Thanks I was just looking for a reason to take the eastern route through oregon/ Washington to AK.


I try to avoid highways, big cities, thunderstorms, and dear.

Chicago.

I avoid Chicago.

Go through the Upper Peninsula instead!

Take the long way round....

Just me I bet.....

That rules out all Interstate highways. They all have major construction going on someplace......and when you are in a place where major construction is going on they will be anything but boring.

Exaactly!

Kansas
Large metropolitan areas
Interstates
ADV riders

I certainly understand the aversion to Interstates, but consider the positives. Everyone is going the same direction at approximately the same rate. There are no cross streets which is where most accidents occur. There are no traffic lights, there are frequent places to stop, get gas, eat, restrooms, you can cover a lot of distance quickly. That's about all one can say.

I think you meant "deer" unless that was a subtle hint at avoiding your g/f.

I-5 from Portland to Tacoma isn't horrid at all. Boring slab, maybe, but far from horrid. Now further on gets downright, this-is-no-spit scary starting at Tacoma up through Seattle proper and into Everett. Stupid bimmer drivers, citified rednecks, hordes of employees in Priuses, and plenty of Yuppie Urban Assault Vehicles (Escalades, Yukons, Expeditions). Nothing a panzer couldn't solve.

Take the scenic route and hit 101 up the coast. Cross at Astoria, hang a right and head for Naselle where you flip a quick left onto 4, and thence 101. 185 mi from Astoria to Forks, and another 57 to Port Angeles. The views are great on the edge of the Olympic National Park, and on the coast you've got a couple of hidden-access beaches no one visits. Aberdeen makes for a decent pit-stop. Top up the Airhawk, grab food, and yer off. There's a ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria BC four times a day. Costs $34 for a bike, but you avoid the entire Seatac area and get to see Vancouver Island.

https://www.cohoferry.com/reservations/ferry

As for me, I won't do any of the known twisties around here. Too many cops and too many @$$holes who end up in the paper every weekend. Blackbird rider makes eternal love to 75-foot evergreen, retiree on a Goldwing tries a Dunlop impression and dumps bike in river, tribe of new CBR/Gixer owners see how many can hit the same spot on the guardrail. Darwin Award winners, all of them.

From experience, I avoid visiting France as they still don't seem to have forgiven the Brits for saving them from the Nazis. A UK registered vehicle seems to attract undue attention from the Gendarmerie, the French don't seem to want us there so I am happy to comply.

By reputation I would avoid Detroit, it doesn't get much of a write up by anyone who has visited.

This. There are also two ferry options across the lake. Both are fun but the badger is better.

Places where it

is currently/will be raining
is currently/will be windy
is currently/will be muddy
is currently/will be cold (snow inculded)
currently has steel bees (Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria..)
is currently/will be crowded

When making a route for a trip (generally mid-trip) I almost universally avoid interstate highways and cities. Sure, I've done a few miles of interstates during a trip, but far and away, I stay off them.

As for cities, I'll visit a city if I have a specific purpose--for example to visit a friend, or like I did a few years ago, attend a major league baseball game--but most often I route around them.

It's not because of any safety concerns, which is what I think your question is getting at. As AceJones pointed out, interstates are generally safer than any alternative route. But the added safety isn't worth it to me in lost scenery, twisty roads, and meeting average people.

Jamie

Suburbs - Country side is nice and central urban areas are a great place to stay over night and meet some interesting people and get good local food. But suburbs? It's the worst of both worlds - neither natural beauty/open space, nor interesting meeting venues/eating options.

Interstates and straight roads - I'm not in this to check off some mileage goals. Quality over quantity. When faced with interstates and boring roads, I would rather take a car, or - ideally - not do it at all.

Restaurant chains and developed countries - Developed countries are a bit like restaurant and fast food chains. Everything is pretty much the same. The old buildings may be more ornate in one place or the people may speak some different language, but everyone is basically on the same page. Very small differences for the most part. Instead, I want to visit as many developing countries as I can as fast as I can before they all turn into tourist traps and become as boring as a Maryland suburb.

My trips are pretty damn loose.

I generally avoid highways (boring, but quick miles) and big cities as big cities (with the exception of a few iconic cities like New Orleans, NY or Boston) generally give a very skewed view of the general culture of the area.

Those aren't hard and fast rules (what's hard and fast is if I'm near Boston I'm seeing a baseball game at Fenway and getting drunk on Irish whiskey), but general and typically followed.

You make your own rules.

Ghettos.

I wish there were some way to skip Ohio.