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About Us

We are Dale and Renee, a couple of empty nesters who set out on a new adventure. One of our passions is motorcycle riding…we are a 2 up couple and our current ride is a BMW R1200GSW.  Originally from Wisconsin, we now reside in Illinois.  Missing the beauty of the Driftless Region of Wisconsin (and searching for any road that wasn’t flat and straight) we started returning to our home state on motorcycle trips.  The beauty of the Driftless Region, and the fun roads that it provides, is a secret treasure that we wanted to share. So, Driftless Road Adventures was born!  As we keep saying, we do the work so you can simply ride.  Please, try out the site, download a route, take a trip and don’t forget to leave some feedback when you have completed it.  Until then, follow along on this adventure we have embarked upon and have your own Driftless Road Adventure.  For more information, please see the FAQ's below.  

Frequently asked questions

What are "Lite" Routes?

We have created 33 new routes that we are calling “Lite” Routes. For those who want an adventure that is a little bit shorter, these are perfect. These routes utilize many of the same roads as the original routes, but we have included some new roads as well.



Are paper maps of the routes available?

Yes, just go to the Driftless Store to purchase the paper map of your choice.



Which is better, a GPS, or paper maps?

We have had a lot of discussions with many different people over which is better: GPS devises or paper maps. As you can imagine, everyone has a preference and there is not universal agreement. We actually use both GPS and paper maps. We rely on the GPS to give us the timely turn by turn directions and we use the paper maps prior to the ride, and during breaks in the ride, to review where we are and where we are going next. We have also used our paper maps to get a quick overview of the area in order to find the nearest gas station or rest stop. So if you were to ask us which is best, a GPS or paper maps, we would say both!



Are the roads all paved on these routes?

Yes, all of the roads are paved to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting. Keep in mind that we cannot account for temporary seasonal road construction or changes made to the roads since we traveled them.



Are these routes car friendly?

Absolutely! These routes and roads can most definitely be explored in a car…the amazing scenery is there for all to enjoy.



How do I view my downloaded route files on my computer?

For detailed instructions click Here.



What are the technical requirements for using these routes?

A GPS or a smartphone with a GPS app (Google Maps and WAZE will not work). A little working knowledge of how to load and use .gpx files. A device to download the file to be able to transfer it to your GPS unit. We recommend some sort of trip planning software. I use and have tested these on BaseCamp, a free product.



What are Wisconsin Rustic Roads

Please go to this site for more information: Rustic Roads



What is the difference between a route and a track?

A Route is a file that is saved as a series of via points and way points. Because of this, the way your GPS interprets these points, and creates the route you see, could be slightly different than the route I created. We tried to add as many points as possible to account for this variation in GPS’s. A Track is similar to a route, but it is made up of many more points. The track is going to be displayed exactly the same way on every GPS.



What phone apps do you recommend?

For Android we recommend Kurviger Pro. There is a one-time fee for Kurviger Pro, but this upgrade to the free app will provide turn by turn directions. For iOS we recommend Scenic, OsmAnd, and Rever. All of these apps are free to try, but will require either monthly or annual fees for all of the advanced features.



Does it matter which direction I ride the routes?

Absolutely not! Some GPS units and phone apps have a function called “Invert Route”. This will reverse the direction of travel along the same path.