Written Directions
A 43-mile/1 hr route from Decorah, IA to Locust Road to MN Highway 44 to IA Highway 52 to Decorah to Locust Road and vice versa.
Scenery
A scenic ride through the pastures of gods country. Decorah, IA is one of the most unique towns in the Midwest. Complete with two of the best breweries in Iowa, Decorah sits in an ancient meteor impact crater with the Upper Iowa River flowing through town. The town is lined with gorgeous limestone cliffs, frequented by many local bald eagles. It's also home to Nordic Fest, Giant Sea Scorpions and many more quality views and venues.
Once out of Decorah you will be greeted by gentle hills, pastures, valleys and farm life. Several Historic sites along the route are the Locust Schoolhouse, the Laura Ingles Wilder Museum in Burr Oak, IA and the steam engines of Mabel, MN.
Drive Enjoyment
IA Highway 52 is a flat stretch in great shape with a very minor amount of "tar snakes" on the road. MN Highway 44 is in similar great shape with a few hills. Locust road is a winding, concrete road with several small valleys. It's in better shape than the two highways. Riding this route at night is a bad idea due to the high concentration of wildlife on these roads at night.
Tourism Opportunities
Decorah has gas stations, restaurants, hotels, stores etc. Mabel has a gas station and there is also a gas station along IA Highway 52. It's a short ride so you probably won't need to stop in the middle of nowhere.
Motorcycle Road Additional info
The route carves through an agriculturally dominant area. During certain times of the year there is more machinery traffic making travel more dangerous. But as long as you are going to speed limit you should be safe.
