Heading out for my motorcycle trip this week!

[Andrewsyc]

I have a map of where I will be traveling on my motorcycle trip. If anybody is interested in pictures and so forth give me your email. I will gladly send you pics and an edited diary of my travels

I head out this week!!!! I can't wait!!!

I have one month to complete this journey!!!!

[demenshea]

Wow Andrew, that is some ride!!! I too am heading out this week but on a much abbreviated version of your adventure.

You are riding a rebel, I see. Is it a 450 or a 250?? Which direction are you riding?

Are you blogging your journal somewhere?

You ride with the utmost care, sir and have a wonderful trip!!! I look forward to reading about it.

cheers,
donna

[Grissom]

I am jealous


But seriously ride safe and post pics/report

[matthewp]

Awesome ride plan Andrew. Please feel free to "blog" it on Pashnit. I'm sure there are many of us who would like to read about the experience. Do you have a specific route plan with dates? There may be members who would ride with you for sections. It happened for my wife and I on our honeymoon and it was a great experience.

Good luck and ride safe!

[kluts]

Have a great time. Just remember if something mechanical looks dicey stay in the town you're in or get to the nearest one to resolve it RIGHT NOW.

More often than not roadside breakdowns occur..... on the roadside, middle o' freakin' nowhere. Wonder why that is....

Take pictures, take notes, your report is due a week after you get back if you can't post along the way.

[Andrewsyc]

Hey everybody!!! Thanks so much for your advice. I’ll make sure to let everyone know how the trip went.

If everything goes according to plan I’ll be heading out this Wednesday.

The bike I’m going on is a Honda Rebel. Alas, it is a 250 but I’ve taken it on 700-800 mile trips and it has never given me any trouble. I just changed my oil, put new tires on the bike, changed the spark plugs, and checked the air filter. The bike can cruise at 70-75 fine, I don’t like taking it much past 80.

I’ll be taking a lot of back roads along my trip. I’ve made some rules in regards to methods of travel. I will not ride on back roads during the night (I’m terrified of animals (deer) I’ve had some close calls with the creatures). I’ll will travel at odd hours but it’ll be on the interstates.

Even when cruising at 70-75 I still get 55+ mpg. I’m taking a 1 gallon reserve tank to strap on my back fender. With that I’ll have a range of 200 miles. I’m a little worried about traveling through texas and Utah. Will I have enough gas to get between stations? Another thing I’ll have to take into account is I’ll have to travel through some of those area when normal business hours are on. That way I’ll be able to get gas. I just hope I don’t learn the hard way.

I’m confident my rebel won’t breakdown mechanically. People have laughed at me because it is a 250 (233cc if you want to get technical) but no one has debased the reliability of my bike.

I’ve got my one man nylon army tent for nights out. I will stay in a few hotels though. I have some tourist stops along the way. Since I am on a motorcycle, I will just be passing through for the most part. My windshield should help me for the hundreds of miles I cover on some days. I’ve made it a goal to cover 1000 miles during one day (that’ll be a 24 hour event).

I’ve got a digital camera with a 2GB card in it, so I’ll have plenty of room for thousands of pics.

I don’t know exactly where I’ll be when, but when I catch a computer terminal I’ll post on this site and give updates. I would like to ride with some people if that is possible, that’d be cool.

I’m ready to go… I’m pumped…

[kluts]

I'm glad you are taking this trip! Great opportunity.

You asked about gas in Utah, etc. Yes there is a problem. But no, you won't have trouble if you have a 200 mile range. Yes the gas stations close at night, but if that is the case you can camp it somewhere not too far from town and wait it out. Plus some stations have card pumps on, but even those are beginning to close up at night. Not sure why.

(Edit) Oh yeah-- just because the countryside in Utah/Nevada and other arid Western states is wide open, don't assume there aren't any deer at night. Not only are there deer, there are coyotes, and some can weigh around 45 lbs-- or more if well fed on cats and living in Topanga Canyon (That's an LA joke). You don' want to hit either.

[akfxdl]

Cool....

Remember to keep the shiney side up and the rubber side down. Also the time you spend battling the elements i.e. Rain, wind, hale, snow, heat, and will be the most memorable. Anyone can ride on a perfect day.
I will be starting a 6 week trip from Colorado Springs around the 16th of July. It will take me through Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and Northern California so I will keep an eye out for you.
Also keep in mind something I tend to forget, it is not about the destination, but all about the journey. Unless you have to be in a certian place at a certian time, stop and sniff the roses, if you don't make the entire route you planned on, because you were enjoying the moment, don't sweat it, there will be time in the future.

Enjoy

[Law Dawg]

Originally Posted by akfxdl

Also keep in mind something I tend to forget, it is not about the destination, but all about the journey. Unless you have to be in a certian place at a certian time, stop and sniff the roses, if you don't make the entire route you planned on, because you were enjoying the moment, don't sweat it, there will be time in the future.

Enjoy

Great piece of advice right there! Anybody can cover miles, an explorer will get the feel of the territory. They will talk to folks in small towns, accept hospitality from strangers, and taste the journey instead of seeing it as a blur.

[matthewp]

Originally Posted by akfxdl

Also keep in mind something I tend to forget, it is not about the destination, but all about the journey. Unless you have to be in a certian place at a certian time, stop and sniff the roses, if you don't make the entire route you planned on, because you were enjoying the moment, don't sweat it, there will be time in the future.

Enjoy

My wife taught me this on our Honeymoon! We had a blast the second half of the honeymoon even though our mileage was much less! Also, Jeff is dead on about dealing with the weather. Our rainy day in Yosemite was the first time Kristy rode in the rain and it was a truly emotiona experience for her. She was beat by the end of the day, and she was only riding pillion.