RoadRUNNER Magazine Features Serpent of 62

In an article published in RoadRUNNER Magazine, Charlie Rohlfing, a Madison native, shares his love for motorcycles and local trails.

This is a story about a lifelong love of motorcycles and an appreciation for curves. It’s also a tale of how I was lucky enough to end up living in the midst of some of the best roads in the country.

Madison, IN, is known for a lot of things, from its historical architecture to boat racing and a lively music scene. What it’s not as well known for (although that’s about to change) is its wealth of twisty and scenic riding routes, traversing everything from smooth sweeping highways to rugged gravel country lanes.

I’m a lifelong motorcycle fanatic. I have never not owned at least one bike my entire life, starting with that first obligatory mini bike at age of 12. Today, I have a vintage BMW road motorcycle and a Honda dual sport.

To be a devoted motorcycle rider with a taste for adventure, you need two things. First, you need roads that will challenge and inspire you. If you can’t lean your bike through the curves, you might as well be in a car, I always say.

The second thing you need is like-minded gearheads to share the ride and help tell the tale.

Fortunately for me, I’ve found both things in and around Madison.

The Route to Know

Without a doubt, the flagship route in the area is a 100-mile northeasterly loop. From Madison, it passes through the towns of Cross Plains, Friendship, Dillsboro, Rising Sun, and Vevay (pronounced “vee-vee”) before looping back to the starting point.

This ride features probably a thousand curves, from tight switchbacks to flat-out high-speed sweepers. The whole route takes about four hours to run. I’ve ridden it so many times over the years that it’s like an old friend—familiar but still full of fun and surprises.

Now, this amazing loop is being branded and marketed by our local tourism office, in hopes of attracting motorcyclists and sports car enthusiasts. It’s called the Serpent of 62, and I can attest it’s one of the best motorcycle routes I’ve ever ridden.

Just What the Doctor Ordered

This might be a good time to introduce a few of my riding buddies, and get their take on our favorite paved road loop. Dr. Kevin Watkins owns a Triumph, and he’s been riding the Serpent for nearly two decades.

“The natural thing to do, whenever you want to describe the quality of a great motorcycle road, is to compare it to the most famous road in the eastern U.S., the Tail of the Dragon. I’ve ridden the Dragon several times, and it is super tight and twisty,” says Kevin.

“But I’ll tell you what else it is. It’s crowded. By any measure, there are just too many people on that 11-mile stretch,” he adds.

Kevin also points out that the Dragon is in the middle of nowhere, with little to do after you’ve spent 20 minutes on the road. With the Serpent of 62, you begin and end in downtown Madison, which the good doctor titles one of the prettiest and most fun towns in the country.

“Another thing I like better about the Serpent is that there’s so much more variety and interest spread over 100 miles and a full afternoon of riding and taking refreshment breaks in the towns,” Kevin explains. “There are twisties and curves and some straight sections, spanning every kind of terrain from valleys to ridge tops to river’s edge.”

“Whether you are looking for a relaxing scenic drive or a thrilling and challenging blast, you’ll find exactly what you are looking for with the Serpent of 62,” he concludes.

Oh, the Places You’ll Go

Another of my riding friends is Wayne Stearns of North Vernon, IN. He’s one of the most devoted and experienced motorcyclists I’ve ever met.

Wayne logged some 35,000 miles in one riding season recently, covering virtually every corner of our continent you could access by road. From Alaska to Mexico and California to Labrador, Wayne has been there. That makes him uniquely qualified to judge any road or route.

“The thing I like about the Serpent route,” explains Wayne, “is the many attractions and historical points of interest along the way.”

The Serpent of 62 goes through Canaan, which has an amazing pioneer history, before proceeding to Cross Plains, which was founded in the 1820s. From there, the route proceeds to Friendship, which is the home to the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association. Friendship has a great little tavern downtown, which is a nice spot to take a break.

“Next up is Dillsboro, with an old abandoned Nike missile base at the edge of town,” Wayne says. “Then, you’ll roll down into Rising Sun, which has undergone a kind of renaissance since getting a casino boat some years ago.”

There’s also a museum in Rising Sun that houses an antique racing boat outfitted with a massive Packard engine.

“Finishing out the ride with the last of the curves is a run along the Ohio River to Vevay and then on back to Madison. I’m a huge Madison fan. I’m here just about every weekend, enjoying the restaurants and the vibrant music scene,” Wayne finishes.

Not Just Pavement

Another one of my moto posse brethren, John Gray, phrases things more succinctly. “I’d put our roads around Madison up against anything else in the country,” he declares bluntly.

And John should know. He’s been up to the Arctic Circle on the Alaska Highway, and he has crossed the country on his way to Redmond, OR, for the big national BMW rally.

I’m also glad John put his comment in the context of “the roads around Madison.” The fact is, while the Serpent of 62 is a great route, there are so many more fun roads out from downtown Madison.

However, as I mentioned earlier, I also own a dual sport in addition to my vintage BMW, giving me the ability to tackle gravel roads as well. Jefferson County has many miles of gravel and wet creek crossings that make for perfect dual sport riding.

Some of my favorites are Comely Ridge near Brooksburg, alongside Barbersville Rd and Bloody Run out beyond Canaan. But the best is the granddaddy of all gravel, the famous Bee Camp Rd on the way to Vevay, with six creek crossings in a one-mile stretch!

If you have a small motorcycle, these roads deliver some of the most stunning scenery in the county, a true glimpse into the past before everything was widened and paved.

I guess I write this article with mixed emotions. On one hand, I want to share this treasure with other riders who would surely find these roads as enjoyable and exciting as I do. On the other hand, it’s been something of Indiana’s best-kept secret for many years, and we often ride with very little traffic.

I suppose in the end, if there were a few more hardcore enthusiasts out there with us, it would make the whole thing more fun. Just not too many!

This article first appeared in Get Out!, a publication of the Madison Courier.