Motorcycling on the Great River Road
Designated as a National Scenic Byway, The Wisconsin Great River Road can take you places that will open your eyes, mind and heart. There is no better way to do that than on a motorcycle. Nothing is more alluring to the motorcyclist than the feel of the road, the breeze on your face, the scent and scenery of the outdoors and the gathering of friends.
A constant flow of fresh asphalt that offers a smooth, carefree look at sparkling blue water, high wooded bluffs, riverside villages and attractions of all sorts. Its at these riverside towns where many motorcyclists meet for a cold one, to take in some of the local cuisine, to compare stories and suggest “must do’s” offered all along the Great River Road.
While there are many junctions to start your adventure, I prefer my River Road experience to start in Prescott, where you’ll find many who feel the same way. Prescott is the gateway for riders coming from Minneapolis/St. Paul and Northwestern Wisconsin looking for a short escape.
The road will beg you to put the miles on, to see one more bend, one more majestic view of the Great River. Stop. Visit with the locals, ask about the “must sees”. You might get more than you bargained for. Whether its about more attractions than you have time for in a day, an unusually tasty ice cream cone, or a sassy bartender sliding you something cold. You’ll come to see why some of the best riding is because of the stops.
Spend the day along the Road. You won’t regret it. My return North usually consists of one or two stops, deemed secondary to my agenda of nothing. I always seem to see one more thing that catches my eye. For this writer, with the day drawing to a close, my favorite part of this ride back is the fresh perspective. How everything seems to change simply due to the weening hours of daylight. The setting sun over that long run of river, softens the glow of everything it reaches. The cooling of the air on sun stressed skin, reddened by the day, just feels better on a bike and the road truly is great.
Maybe next time I’ll make it all the way to La Crosse or Prairie du Chien, Cassville… It is, after all, the Great River Road.
Meet the Writer
Scott Sweere is an avid motorcyclist who enjoys riding the Great River Road.
