I'm thinking of taking a road trip too!!

[MsTek]

I really like to listen to music.  I see people riding with their iPhone cords... Always wondered about that.  I had a helmet with bluetooth in it but over 70 it was hard to hear music and and forget about phone calls- I can drive and do phone calls, but not ride and do phone calls... Would be nice to have a mic in my helmet though- the commentary that is coming out of my mouth sometimes at people can be pretty colorful when I'm on a roll.

Which.. by the way, I have a girlie boner over this:

http://www.skully.com/#smartest-helmet

So happy I quit my old job... less than 24 hours and I have felt like a new person and so much more excited about things!

I do need to replace my helmet before I go.

And the kevlar cargo pants were a bust... they don't fit and feel like they would be uncomfortable.  I think I'm better off in jeans- I've done that before. I've worn armor over my jeans before but... meh.

[S21FOLGORE]

but over 70 it was hard to hear music and and forget about phone calls-

It is because at that speed (above 65 MPH), the wind noise is over 103 db (which is “chainsaw, pneumatic drill” level), which is loud enough to cause TTS (Temporary Threshold Shift) in your hearing, tinnitus, and permanent hearing damage.
Maximum allowable exposure time for such noise level is 1.25 HR PER WEEK. Less than 11 minutes per day.
If you wear earbuds and crank up the volume in order to overcome the windblast, you will damage your hearing.
The scary part is, that you don’t notice the damage to your ear(s) until it’s too late.

I always wear ear plugs. I’m with Stopintime. I don’t listen Music while riding but occasionally I’d sing inside of my helmet. (I am banned from singing in the public because I’m a certified tone-deaf. The only place I can do without harming amyone (including myself) is inside of my helmet, with ear plugs.)
 
You can Install helmet speaker and wear earplugs, if you really need to listen to something.

[koko64]

Wear Kevlar jeans with armour, that's the advice nurses I know tell female riders. Perforated leather pants or textile pants with shin/knee armour are options too. I've crashed with knee  armour and without it and felt the difference.   With knee armour, you can save the bike with your knee like at the track when you have a close call.

[OT]

Passport ()

If your cell phone has location feature (like "Find my iPhone"), make sure someone important at home can use your account to see where you (your phone) are located at all times, just in case.

[eric]

I've found that the silicon wax type earplugs are the best at sealing out sound. Sometimes too good. But I'd probably be deaf at age 29 without them. You can get them at CVS or any equivalent.

[Howie]

I use an older version of these  http://www.leeparksdesign.com/s-plug  on road trips.  Good sound reduction and you can listen to your GPS and music if you want to.  Always use plugs when riding.  Wish I did.

[S21FOLGORE]

Wear Kevlar jeans with armour, that's the advice nurses I know tell female riders. Perforated leather pants or textile pants with shin/knee armour are options too.

+1

Here's a great thread started by Slide Panda.
http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=60190.0

Kevlar reinforced jeans with armored underpants (at least). Dedicated leather or textile pants with armor would be better.

[Monsterlover]

I really like to listen to music.  I see people riding with their iPhone cords... Always wondered about that.  I had a helmet with bluetooth in it but over 70 it was hard to hear music and and forget about phone calls- I can drive and do phone calls, but not ride and do phone calls... Would be nice to have a mic in my helmet though- the commentary that is coming out of my mouth sometimes at people can be pretty colorful when I'm on a roll.

Which.. by the way, I have a girlie boner over this:

http://www.skully.com/#smartest-helmet

So happy I quit my old job... less than 24 hours and I have felt like a new person and so much more excited about things!

I do need to replace my helmet before I go.

And the kevlar cargo pants were a bust... they don't fit and feel like they would be uncomfortable.  I think I'm better off in jeans- I've done that before. I've worn armor over my jeans before but... meh.

That helmet is pretty cool.

The price, however,

[Barney]

I also enjoy riding with music, and even if i'm not listening, i've got my headphones in - i set up a "custom" headphone setup with a set of shure sound isolating earbuds paired with a set of memoryfoam type cushions i found on amazon that work really well - i can hear music from my iphone at ~60% volume over my bike at speed - and my bike is loud...i can't hear wind over the exhaust on the highway without ear plugs in, so i don't do that.

[pitbull]

Last year, at the Toronto motorcycle show, I saw a booth that makes custom ear buds. I'm usually very cheap, but I sprung for them ($200 ish) and they were worth every penny. I find my Arai signet helmet lets through a lot of wind noise. I usually wear ear plugs, but on long trips I like music, but have to jack the volume up with conventional ear buds.

With the custom ear buds, I can lower the volume significantly and listen to music at a pleasant volume. If I don't want to listen to music they make better ear plugs than any you can buy.

My only complaint is that they are a pain to get out. Once they're in, they create a bit of a suction and you have to pry them out of your ears.

[Dochunt]

Ear plugs are a must. Makes a huge difference in fatigue and focus while riding long distance.
I block out everything but my sight.
There is nothing like seeing the world from on top a motorcycle.
Also read "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" if you can,  just the first few chapters if you want.

[MsTek]

Great tips.

And yeah, that helmet is pricey... but I kinda want to save up my pennies- but I think I need to buy the alum tank first.

Plus I want to add an S4r to my collection if I can find one.

DECISIONS!!!   

Great tips everyone.

[Dochunt]

So did you take the trip?