The formula for finding the best undiscovered motorcycle roads

But what about those roads that are well kept secrets? You know, the ones only the veteran locals know about, the ones that aren't crowded with tourists.

I made the rounds at the RevZilla office and found that a few of us have the same strategy for finding those secret gems. First, look up a popular road on the map, and then branch out farther. The same conditions that make those heavily trafficked roads great for riding will also be present on many nearby off-shoot roads.

Second, follow the elevation. Hairpins, switchbacks, cambered corners — these entertaining features are often necessities of building a road on elevation. Look for routes that climb up and down the mountains.

Satellite imaging is also your friend. It may help you see that the asphalt ends in a bumpy dirt road you weren't expecting, or you may spot convenient pull offs and scenic overlooks you might miss in a regular map setting. It doesn't always work where there are overlying trees, but it's a start.

I asked my coworkers for suggestions and we came up with three examples of those lesser known routes not far from the more crowded and famous ones.

Brandon Wise: Beyond the Dragon in North Carolina

There are quite a few phenomenal roads surrounding Boone, North Carolina, but sometimes they can get overpopulated, riddled with speed traps, or the roads aren't well maintained. Cough-cough, Tail of the Dragon, cough-cough.

I don't think this route is much of a "secret" anymore, but it used to be one of my favorite routes for taking a ride when I had to an hour to kill between classes back when I as a student and I rarely saw riders on it. Even more rarely did I see cars.

You leave the heart of Boone, making your way to the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway. Yes, everyone is familiar with the Blue Ridge Parkway and that can get crowded really quickly. But shortly after crossing the Linn Cove Viaduct, you'll connect with U.S. 221 and that's when the real fun begins.

Smooth pavement, enormous boulders hanging over the road, and curves for days. Warning: There aren't many guardrails but you'll find plenty of steep drop-offs. I've had a few close calls pushing the limits on this road.

The road itself is the attraction, but 221 takes you through Blowing Rock, which is a nice area for poking around if you want a break. When you've had enough riding, kick it back to Boone on the same route for a replay and have a bite to eat at the Dan'l Boone Inn. If you're from out of town, it's just one of those places worth going to at least once.

The best part is that you'll probably have the road to yourself while everyone else is over on the BRP. Suckers.

Lance Oliver: The other Arkansas

I used the formula described above by Jen to identify one of my favorite roads in the middle part of the country, Arkansas Route 123 in the Ozarks. It shares territory and even intersects with Arkansas Route 7, a popular ride that's labeled "Arkansas at its best" on one motorcycle roads website. Sure, "Scenic Seven" is a fine ride, but I skip over to less famous Route 123 instead. It's been a few years since I’ve been down that way, but I still recall it fondly.

Pick up 123 just off Interstate 40 in the town of Lamar. You'll want to gas up because we're about to enjoy 70 miles of Arkansas just as nature made it, except for a string of really nice manmade asphalt. Before you get very far north, you'll enter the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest and things really get interesting. The road hugs the Ozark hills, throwing everything from hairpins to sweepers at you as you ride through the green forest and past fragrant farm fields with freshly cut hay drying in the summer sun.

I see more people canoeing and tubing on the rivers and streams than I see on the road. Last time I rode 123, I stopped to shoot some photos and take a water break. Before I knew it, I'd spent nearly 20 minutes at the roadside and not a single car had passed.

By the time you get to U.S. Route 65 at Western Grove, you'll have enjoyed more curves than you can count, and that's my idea of a good ride.

Jen Dunstan: Mesa Grande

For many riders in SoCal, it's all about the famous canyon roads — Mulholland Drive, Angeles Crest, and Ortega Highway near Los Angeles, and down here in San Diego it's Palomar Mountain. But not far from Palomar there's another twisty road that few know about. It is called Mesa Grande, and it is full of delights and frights.

Mesa Grande is not for the faint of heart. From the busy two-lane Route 79 leading out to the popular town of Julian, the turn onto Mesa Grande is the site of many car crashes. Zoned-out tourists don't realize this is a road with potential traffic and drivers often misjudge the speed of the motorists on 79. As a motorcyclist, I stop here to double- and triple-check before pulling out.

Once on Mesa Grande, at the top of the road you are greeted with an absolutely peaceful scene — abandoned but beautiful barns, green hills, lazy cows. The road is pretty straight here so it's tempting to get on the gas, but beware. Those lazy cows find themselves on the road quite often. Many motorcyclists have been spooked by a rogue cow, so exercise some caution.

As the cows begin to fade in your mirrors, the road gets windier and open fields give way to some pines. Before you know it, you are getting a workout from the tightest of hairpins down a deep descent. You are tempted to admire the A-frames and other cute cabins tucked in the pines at this elevation, but this twisty road demands you pay attention or you might send yourself off a steep cliff.

By the end of these switchbacks your heart will be pounding and you might be short of breath, but luckily for you the perfect respite is waiting at the bottom of the hill. Josie's Hideout Saloon is a popular haunt among the motorcyclists in the area, so go ahead and pull in for a refreshing cold drink and chill out at the bar or in the outdoor beer garden. Here you can contemplate the pressing question of the day: Do Mesa Grande again, or ride out to the next amazing road of the San Diego back country? Take your time to decide.

Where there's one good road, there's usually another one nearby, waiting to be discovered.