| Author | Message | ||
     Sanjuro |
Finally, I’m planning on taking more than 3 days off work to ride long distance; we’ll be taking two weeks to travel to Memphis, TN from Portland, OR and back, see family and friends. I just got some hard luggage and a taller windshield on order. I already own a Garmin ZUMO GPS with the latest US map. My girlfriend is still reluctant, and I reassure her weekly that we’ll take this trip at a reasonable pace; I do not yet have to reassure her on a daily basis as we’re about a month out on the trip. Now, the reason for this post: 1) I would be particularly interested to hear from anyone that has done a similar route on places to stay, best roads, places to visit (and avoid), etc. 2) What are some lesser-thought-of items that I should consider taking on this long of a journey? I’ll be working up a list soon; I do not plan on camping on the way. 3) Travel route planning resources: Your personal recommendations, books, and related websites. I’m a fairly well seasoned rider but a newbie in long distance trip planning, riding; I am open to your advice and things to consider. Thank you! Nick | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Main problem? You have to cross the big suck to get to Memphis from OR. Once you get past the Rockies, the terrain get's markedly unattractive and uninteresting. It really doesn't matter the route you take. I would google every odd thing you can see, giant balls of yarn, petrified forests, concrete dinosaurs, Car Henge, etc. It'll be about the only thing that will take your mind off the abject straightness. I would highly recommend that you take a detour through Mexico, MO and meet Diablobrian. If you're running through Colorado Springs along I-70 to St. Louis, you'll run pretty close. Check with Jlnance (Jim Nance). He did just the opposite trip just a few months ago. I'm sure he has some tips. Then again, I think he froze his butt off. | ||
| Luftkoph |
ground floor motel rooms | ||
| Ratbuell |
Find a place to download POIs into your GPS, included but not limited to your favorite restaurant chain, hotel chain, HD/Buell dealers, fuel stops, and department stores / Wal-Marts. Sunblock iPods for driver and passenger chargers for both cell phone(s) and at least one charger if you don't have roadside assistance thru either an extended warranty or insurance...get it. under-armor clothing - you can wash it in a hotel sink and wear it the next day, and your spare set doesn't take up any space at all in the luggage rain gear - I recommend the Buell packable rain suit that fits (the whole suit) in the hood of the jacket when packed. Works great, takes little to no space when not being worn. layers. might be cold..might not. be prepared. Put as many miles behind the tall windshield before leaving as possible. I trimmed mine to reduce turbulence/wind noise, you may find the same is needed. ...and when all else fails...MasterCard  Have a great trip! | ||
| Bartimus |
Get a small bottle of hair spray, empty it, and rinse it out. then fill it with windex, to wash your faceshield and windscreen with. make sure you bring a few old socks for rags. | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
Advil is your friend. Consider using a camelbak type hydration system. Nothing sucks the energy out of you like being dehydrated. Also carry some high energy snacks. I am a firm believer in using a throttlerocker/crampbuster throttle assistance device. It helps take the strain out of fighting the throttle springs all day. Frogg Toggs makes really light and packable rain gear. Bring a cellphone. Get yourself a small airpump and tire repair kit (string type is convenient and easy to use). Flashlight is a must have. Bring a service manual and tools. Have an extra ignition and luggage key hidden somewhere. Carry an extra quart of oil and a roll of toilet paper. Zip ties and duct tape are indispensible. | ||
| Helmetbolt |
Checkout this site. http://www.advrider.com/forums/ | ||
| Jlnance |
Then again, I think he froze his butt off. I did, it was still good. Here is a link with the details. You're got the same issue I did, which is a lack of time, though you will have a bit more than me. You're going in June, so the weather should be excellent. Plan to get rained on though, it's just part of the experience. I did my trip solo, so I don't have first hand experience with a passenger. I'm a bit concerned that she will find the required pace kind of grueling. You might want to consider flying her to Memphis, while you haul ass out there on the bike. Then you can ride back home with her at a more leisurly pace. Riding across the country was one of the most eye opening things I've ever done. I wouldn't trade that experience for anything. But it is a lot of hard work. It's more of an "I ran a marathon" experience, than an "I sipped marguritas on the sand" experience. Make sure you are both on board with that. I ran Continental Road Attacks, which made the trip with life to spare. I pressed in Koyo rear wheel bearings before I left, for piece of mind, though I'd never had any problems with the originals. You'll probably be on the road at night, and Uly headlights suck. There are a zillion solutions to that problem. I carried a belt which I didn't need. I made a kit of all the tools needed to change a belt or a tire. I needed none of those. I had a $0.94 pack of allen wrenches which I used to change a blow headlight bulb. I have AAA with the RV package which is required for motorcycle towing. Be aware that cell phone coverage is non-existant over much of the west. Have a good time and blog it here if you have a chance. My favorite part of the trip was posting the pictures and knowing people were following me. (Message edited by jlnance on May 11, 2008) | ||
| Tipsymcstagger |
This comes more from motorcycle camping experience, but the two most important items I can think of for long road trips are: (1) a good headlamp like one from Petzl and (2) a few flat travel packs of both hand wipes and baby wipes. There's not always a bathroom around when you need one Tipsy (Message edited by tipsymcstagger on May 11, 2008) | ||
| Hughlysses |
Take lots of digital pics and post a ride report here and at advrider: http://www.advrider.com/forums/ | ||
| Ulywife |
PM me for a personalized copy of the BRAN. Tell me what states you want and I'll send it back to you. As a passenger, I have found that I can ride longer between stops when I have riding pants on versus jeans. Best of luck and have fun. | ||
| Adrian_8 |
about 5 more days | ||
| Jlnance |
Not being a camper, I sort of lucked into this. I bought this jacket for my trip, which I found at REI:  Click the picture for a catalog link. The thing weighs 8 oz and rolls up into nothing. Yet is is quite warm, wind and water proof, and well vented. You're going to hit a lot of temperature extremes. This is particularly severe when you cross mountain ranges, but it just happens because of the distances you'll be going and the times you'll be riding. I found it was really nice have that jacket, which I would put on under my riding gear, when the temps dropped. And when I didn't want it, I could put it in the tail bag,and it didn't take any space. | ||
| Sanjuro |
An understatement: I’m glad I posted here seeking advice. The forum’s close-knit spirit which drew me here in the first place seems alive and well. I’m on page 3 of Jim’s travels – wow, just awesome. It’s now confirmed; a plane ticket for her would be wise. Thanks, Nick | ||
| Sanjuro |
Thanks for the link on the jacket. I'll need to add REI to my list of destinations today. | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
Get the best most-comfy earplugs you can find. Use a new set every day. Wind noise on your helmet will tire you out, and in the long run destroy your hearing. Check your oil regularly and make sure you keep your tires inflated properly. You never know where you are gonna stop or spend the night, so invest in a decent chain and lock, or cable-type lock. | ||
| Ulywife |
Nick - e-mail back to you. | ||
| Rotorhead |
I'll let you know about the OR back to MO I'm headed out next week!!! I'm doing a lap of the US almost. AL, to Grand canyon, to PCH, to OR, to Pikes Peek, to Maryville Mo, to Syracuse, NY then home to AL. Got 12 days to do it with my father-in-law. lots of riding not alot of looking around. I'm using Microsoft streets and trips to plan with and then use a converter over to Mapsource. S&T gives you a good idea how to plan the day and shcedule stops and ride length for the day. Also has construction info and plan in fuel stops and gas cost EST, hotels fuel stops. great LD ride tool!! Check out the folks on MTF for some route plans. http://forums.delphiforums.com/n/main.asp?webtag=M CTourer&nav=start&prettyurl=%2FMCTourer%2F They are very friendly to new people and will get more feed back than you might be looking for. I'll post a trip report when I get back or along the way with GPX of the route | ||
| Csg_inc |
You might want to look into getting a SPOT Satellite Personal Tracker. They work when and where your phone will not. Great for check in and emergency call. Not affiliated yada yada yada. But the boss loves that I have one. | ||
| Chris_socal |
Consider getting a gel butt pad. My brother and I ran around the southwest for a week or so and my only real complaint was my butt getting sore. If you don't get one for you, get one for her. She will have less surface on the rear seat and may get uncomfortable. You may want to find one that has a heater in it. Even if it is warm out, the added heat helps to relax the muscles and makes the ride more comfortable. Remember to check your oil. On long days I found myself adding oil every other fill-up. Check wind advisories. If you want I can txt you weather updates and wind advisories. PM me and I will give you my cell phone number. I think google has a service that will do it, but it helps to have someone look at the radar and other data. If you are not going to wear riding pants, take a couple pairs of long underwear. It really helps when you are getting pelted road debris. Sun screen. Sport kind so it doesn't start getting into your eyes. Take a camel back. Make sure you wear it and not her. That way you only need one and it can easily be shared between you. Get her used to leaning back on the backrest. There is no way you will make it out of OR if she isn't comfortable on the back. Boots are a must. I had my foot knocked off the peg by something in the road. Yes, on the Uly. I don't know what it was, nor did I see anything, and it was in broad daylight. Had I been wearing a soft shoe I probably would have been in some serious pain. Make a list of your allergies, specifically to medications, or anything else a doctor might need to know, and attach it to your medical insurance card. You should also create a list of emergency contact phone numbers on the same sheet. Weigh your bags, you in gear, her in gear, and apply the appropriate suspension settings. You will surprised as to how much you will need to adjust. | ||
| Chris_socal |
Rotorhead, Go ride the fire break roads to the west, provided you are headed up to the south rim of the Grand Canyon. They are Uly-perfect. We rode them fully loaded with our stuff. The only issue was the Scorpion Syncs did a lot of slipping. The roads go on forever and were a blast! I wish we would have had more time to ride them. -Chris | ||
| Nevrenuf |
the only recomendations i have is with the windshield. can't stand the tall one so i traded with chrisgant for his stock lower one and i would rather be without wind protection than listen to the noise. it drove me nuts when i brought the bike up to greenville sc from tampa. | ||
| Ulynut |
Tank bag to keep your windex, wallet, earplugs, candy bars, and whatnot handy. +1 on the tire plugs and compressor. Just used mine yesterday. +1 on changing wheel bearings, just for peace of mind. It will make your trip more enjoyable. Paper maps for a backup. | ||
| Fubar |
I have been doing a long solo ride for the last 11 years and I seem to add more technology every year. So +1 on the SPOT www.findmespot.com. It makes my wife a lot more comfortable when she knows I'm riding through BFE. +1 on the paper map back-up. Nothing like a map on the tank bag to give you perspective as to where you are. And throw in a light weight fleece vest. Saved me when the main zipper on my jacket broke. | ||
| Chopped58 |
+1 on the gel pad, nice thing is, you can remove it, or put it back on, it feels like a new seat every time. Compression shorts are great for long days in the saddle, wicks away moisture, and no seams, to prevent the dreaded monkey butt. Bring several credit cards, and phone them to tell them you'll be traveling, and making purchases through different states. Hide a spare key somewhere on the bike, maybe in a tankbag just in case. Also, if you're riding a Uly with the factory bags, I'd bring some tie downs, in case the latches break.... | ||
| Chris_socal |
Oh yeah, +1 on calling the CC companies. Amex has been really good about it, but I have had horrible experiences with Visa. Not sure on Master / Discover. It really sucks to have your card declined when you are tired, hungry, out of gas, and cranky. -Chris | ||
| Ward |
Imodium AD. Take only when needed. When it wears off, it wears off, not just shuts down with the runs, like others. (Message edited by ward on May 11, 2008) | ||
| Hooper |
The credit card issues are interesting - I've never run into that. Does it happen only if you're in "the sticks"? I've ridden all over the country and world, but never had an issue with credit cards being refused. Is it only a function of how your credit card agreement goes? | ||
| Chris_socal |
I think they flag certain businesses, or changes in spending habits. I am sure the algorithm differs between the vendors. I recently bought some groceries and 15 mins later bought some booze from the liquor store. The liquor store and the grocery store were the same company, and Amex viewed it as potentially fraudulent and declined the transaction. I called the number on the card, answered a few questions, confirmed the transactions, and my card was reactivated. On the other hand I have been in 3 different countries in 24 hours making purchases in each and there were no problems. -Chris | ||
| Jlnance |
I'm glad you're enjoying my thread. I look forward to reading yours. You wrote: I’m a fairly well seasoned rider but a newbie in long distance trip planning, riding; You might want to hop on the bike one Saturday and ride down to Mt Shasta, which would be a 720 mile round trip for you. You will learn countless little things, and you'll get a chance to spot problems and find solutions before your "real" trip. Long distances get easier with practice, and it will be nice to have a little before you start. |
