Alabama Tourism Department - Best Ride Loops in Alabama

[Graham.Roderick ATD]

Hello Bama Riders,

My name is Graham Roderick and I work with the Alabama Tourism Department. We want to put together a motorcycle brochure that highlights the best routes in Alabama and the cool and fun, interesting places to stop and eat and sleep, etc.

I am not a rider nor do I know much about what riders are looking for in regards to pleasure and relaxing rides. From what I have gathered, the main thing that riders are looking for are anywhere off the major highways.

So what I am asking is for anyone and everyone to give me their best ride loops in Alabama. I have David Haynes, "Motorcycling Alabama" book as a guide, but I figured the people on these message boards know more details about these loops than a book can describe.

My email address is:
Graham.Roderick@tourism.alabama.gov

I would love it if y'all would email me your recommendations. My goal is to have a printed piece (Brochure/ Booklet/ Rac Card) by the end of the year.

Thank y'all so much and looking forward to hearing from everyone.

[klaviator]

I was at the speech you gave at the NAVMC breakfast several months ago at the Blu Plate cafe.  Let me add a few things, correct me if I am wrong.

You are doing this to try to attract out of state motorcycle riders to Alabama, correct?

Do you just want stuff in writing or do you also want some pictures?  We have some pretty good photographers on this forum and as has been said "a picture is worth 1000 words".

I recommend you ask for replies in this thread instead of your Email.  The reason I say that is it will stimulate much more response than Emails that no one but you sees.  It should be easy for you to copy anything posted in this forum.  It will require that you check this forum but if it's all done via E mail then this thread will soon drop out of sight and people will forget about it. 

[Graham.Roderick ATD]

Yes you are correct. We are trying to generate more tourism through motorcycle tours in Alabama. States such as Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, and North Carolina have printed pieces highlighting motorcycle loops that have been very beneficial to their tourism numbers.

Yes, I just put my email on there in case anyone wanted to send me anything, but I imagine everyone on here will reply via this forum.

Yes, pictures are worth a 1,000 words and that is something that we do not have. We are in the process of acquiring a Data Asset Management (DAM) software program that will allow our department, from what I understand, to give out log-ins to industry partners which allow them to upload and pull photos from the database.

I really appreciate everyone on here giving their replies and hope that in the near future Alabama will have some of the best motorcycle routes in the southeast.

[renchinrider]

Graham, I also was at the Vintage Motorcycle Breakfast, and I noted that the "Best Routes and Stops" portion of this forum contains a number of routes you may wish to incorporate in your promotional products (thought I sent some of them to you via email, but a lot has happened since you came to visit, and now I can't remember for sure). 

I'm sure more forum members, (including some new members who've joined since you came to Huntsville) will continue to offer recommendations for you to include.

Please continue to post feedback so we can all see where you're going and what you still need to complete your mission.

Best of luck!