First Cross Country Trip

[ab]

+1 ear plugs

Stop every hour and give that engine some rest and your arse.

rain gear.
 
i hated riding interstate on my way from OH to D.C (only 8 hours but).  Next time, it's the back roads if i got other riders.
(disclaimer :  I was by myself and starting taking back roads.  honestly, I thought I was in the middle of a horror flick.  If something happen to me, I thought some nut case was gonna skin me alive in middle of nowhere.  Yep, I hoped on back to the interstate and resumed a boring ride).

[jc.cyberdemon]

got a gps? and how about a nice place to mount it so you wont be struggling to see it.....

[Goodbrush]

Wow, so much great advice.  I'm starting to realize I've got a lot more planning ahead of me if I want to make this ride go off without any big hitches.

For those who want to meet up and ride a stretch, I know I will be leaving towards the end of July and coming back the second week of August.  If you are up for it let me know and I'll send PMs once I get the dates finalized. 

Also whats the logic behind the earplugs?  They reduce fatigue somehow?

[ian48th]

Also whats the logic behind the earplugs?  They reduce fatigue somehow?

Yes.  Noise causes fatigue.  It's also simply more pleasant.  Try earplugs on your next ride.  I wear them almost every time I get on the bike.

You should also try to do a weekend trip before going cross country.  It'll give you a chance to get used to a couple of longer riding days and is good practice for packing your stuff on the bike, especially if you'll be carrying camping gear.

[Buckethead]

They reduce fatigue, and they also reduce the likelihood of winding up with permanent hearing loss. Helmet noise is louder than most people think.

Food for thought:

http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-helmets/helmet-noise.htm

http://www.msgroup.org/forums/mtt/topic.asp?topic_id=90

[needtorque]

I live about 30 min. from Simpsonville, SC in Spartanburg, SC.  If you need anything when you get here shoot me a PM maybe I can help.  Thats a big trip, plan well.

[techno]

For the sake of those of us outside the USA, what is the distance of the proposed trip and how long are you allowing to get there?

Seems like a pretty big one.  [moto]

[DW]

For the sake of those of us outside the USA, what is the distance of the proposed trip and how long are you allowing to get there?

Seems like a pretty big one.  [moto]

Mapquest is your friend.

Over 2,600 miles each way taking the shortest route possible.  Obviously, on a bike you are going to want to take a lot of side roads, so figure at least 6,000 miles round trip.  My body aches just thinking about spending that much time on a Monster...  I did 1,600 miles in 4 days on a VFR and was ready to see home.  Of course two solid days of rain didn't help.It was really fun though.  Especially camping through a tornado warning in Hot Springs AR.  Ended up spending the night in the ranger station due to my tent trying to swim away.

[Slide Panda]

Mapquest is your friend.

Or google... you could create a public map showing your route and set it up to allow folks to add info. Like good/bad places to stop, things to see, etc

[akmnstr]

Mapquest is your friend.

Over 2,600 miles each way taking the shortest route possible.  Obviously, on a bike you are going to want to take a lot of side roads, so figure at least 6,000 miles round trip.  My body aches just thinking about spending that much time on a Monster...  I did 1,600 miles in 4 days on a VFR and was ready to see home.  Of course two solid days of rain didn't help.It was really fun though.  Especially camping through a tornado warning in Hot Springs AR.  Ended up spending the night in the ranger station due to my tent trying to swim away.

Like all good sports, there is a pain component to long distance touring on a moto.  There is the disappointment of finally getting to your campground and finding out it is full and then having to get back on and ride for another hour. 

[pennyrobber]

Like all good sports, there is a pain component to long distance touring on a moto.  There is the disappointment of finally getting to your campground and finding out it is full and then having to get back on and ride for another hour.  

Speaking of which, some campsites in state parks have reservations available. When we did a 4 day trip the summer before last, we reserved spots (including at Arches National Park) through this site.
http://www.reserveamerica.com/campgroundSearchResult.do?context=CampingSpot&topTabIndex=CampingSpot

[justinrhenry]

earplugs = no ringing in your ears after a long day of riding. 

[jc.cyberdemon]

i need a good set of earplugs, after about an hour of riding and i take my helmet off everything sounds weird and garbled.   

[rideserotta]

I live about 30 min. from Simpsonville, SC in Spartanburg, SC.  If you need anything when you get here shoot me a PM maybe I can help.  Thats a big trip, plan well.

I'm in Spartanburg too. Give me a shout if you need anything.

[bikepilot]

I've ridden across the country a couple of times - long solo bike trips are huge fun.  Things I'd consider essential are few.  I'd take at least two credit cards and carry them in separate places in case you loose one or your wallet, wear ear plugs and stay hydrated.  My favorite method of hydration is to toss a camel back bladder in a tank bag so I can drink on the go without having weight on my back.

Travel light, you don't need much stuff.  

I don't care for padded shorts, but many like them.

Stand up on the pegs every 30-45 minutes for just a few seconds to keep circulation going well.  This makes a huge difference by the end of the day.

Sport touring tires will be needed if you don't want to deal with getting new tires en-route.  My favorites are the Avon Storms, but I  haven't tried the new Pilot Road 3s.

Plan for an extra day or two in Colorado as the mountain riding there is truly awesome.

I really like using a Garmin Zumo so I don't have to deal with paper maps along the way.  I don't normally plan a route out, I just strike out in the general direction and use the zumo to find whatever looks to be the twistiest way of getting there.

If you plan to camp, note that in the western half of the country you can usually find a secluded spot to toss up your tent and get a lot more peace and quite then you'll get in an official camp site. It helps if you aren't averse to riding your bike down a dirt two track lane a bit.

My last long street bike trip was summer '09.  I posted pics and stories from the trip here
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10889861#post10889861



I've also done long trips (and 1k+ mile days) on my TLS and 919. A high tolerance for discomfort and even greater enthusiasm for riding is key.

Don't stress over the planning much - you really can just wing it as you go.  Ear plugs and a couple of credit cars and you can leave in an hour and have a great trip if you need to.  Remember you can always buy stuff along the way (tires etc). 

If you need tires in the Denver area TFOG tends to have good prices and are usually willing to swap rubber on the spot for a traveling rider.