Bucket list road trip

[Sittingduck]

Great post! I hope the mc crowd will report back on some of their trips.

I am looking forward to ER later this year and my goal is to visit as many National Parks as I can the first couple of years. 1st trip will be from Illinois to Tucson to visit some friends.

Any suggestions of places I shouldn't miss would be appreciated. The more obscure sights off the beaten path - the better.

Wish the DW would join me, but she has an annoying habit of falling asleep on the back after a couple of hours. I keep feeling her helmet hit me between the shoulder blades...

[bingybear]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sittingduck Great post! I hope the mc crowd will report back on some of their trips. I am looking forward to ER later this year and my goal is to visit as many National Parks as I can the first couple of years. 1st trip will be from Illinois to Tucson to visit some friends. Any suggestions of places I shouldn't miss would be appreciated. The more obscure sights off the beaten path - the better. Wish the DW would join me, but she has an annoying habit of falling asleep on the back after a couple of hours. I keep feeling her helmet hit me between the shoulder blades...

you know with that bike... the correct application of bungee cords could keep her sitting up right! Would be more difficult is you had a dual sport.

[Sarah in SC]

We did a nice 6,000 mile route over 6 weeks this past summer, starting in Seattle and going up the Canadian Cassiar Highway (which was incredible) to the Yukon, then back down through Alberta into Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado before heading pretty much straight back to SC through Kansas and Tennessee.

Our route is here: Team Dixie Chickens | Team Dixie Chickens Bus

We stayed at State Parks (called Provincial Parks in Canada) except for a couple of nights at friends' houses and one in a hotel (very exciting to do laundry).
Highlights for us were the aforementioned Cassiar (if you go that way, be sure to also hit Liard Hot Springs up by the Yukon...awesome!) and and the two lane from Wyoming into Utah that goes by the Flaming Gorge recreation area. We stayed at a random Forest Service campground that was stunning!

[fritz]

The drive trips that I found great and remain my favorites over the years are -
Driving the bridges to Key West
Alt M89 from Flagstaff, AZ to Cottonwood, Jerome, and Prescott, AZ
Rt1 along the coast of California (LA up to Santa Cruz)

[RS53576GG]

Another vote for the Ride Reports forum at Adventure Rider Motorcycle Forum. Lots of good reading and great pictures. Well worth a look, whether you're a motorcyclist or not. "Underboning the World - 2 Symbas, 1 Couple, No Sense" and "Borneo Equator Expedition - Jungle , Swamps and Heatstroke" are among my favorites.

[Donzo]

Im leaving on a 3 week mc trip next week with 3 friends. We are leaving norCal thru Lake Tahoe to 395 south and down to Rt 66. We will ride on as much of old 66 as possible. We are going thru NV, AZ and New Mexico. Then North to CO for some exploring and then west to home.....very excited to get on the road, like a kid at Christmas! The guys Im riding with are old/good friends. Who you travel with can make or break a trip - Ive logged many miles with these guys and always have great times. 10 days to launch

If you have not ridden the west coast from San Diego up to WA state.... Its a must do

[Bikerdude]

When I first retired in 2000 I took a 10,000 mile 35 state cross country trip from CT to CA. Spent 40 nights on the road. I went the southern route out and Northern route back. I had planned on camping but in the end only camped 3 nights. Super 8’s, Mom & pop motels and Motel 6 were so cheap that it wasn't worth the effort to camp. Got one speeding ticket in Oregon and replaced a rear tire in Sturgis. If your traveling in early May a heated vest is a life saver especially in the high desert and Mountain passes. I met many interesting people along the way. Overall a great trip. Good luck.

[Donzo]

I forgot to mention that we plan to drive thru Death Valley! The plants should be blooming and temps not to hot ( 1st week in April ). We have several spots in the valley we plan to check out.

[Ronstar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bingybear Is that the motorcycle before the invention of the motor?

I think so. I'd like to get a motorcycle, but I wouldn't take it on a long trip. I like to travel during the winter/ early spring and a motorcycle won't handle weather out of the Chicago area.

[Dash man]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronstar I think so. I'd like to get a motorcycle, but I wouldn't take it on a long trip. I like to travel during the winter/ early spring and a motorcycle won't handle weather out of the Chicago area.

I'd like to get a motorcycle too, but they're too dangerous. DW would kill me.

[mh]

http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/camping.html

Kirk creek , Julia pfieffer , and lime kiln referred to in the above page are good spots , you probably can't go too wrong with any of them though.

Kirk creek is what I'd pick if I had to pick one...


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

[bld999]

I second the recc. on the Adventure rider forum. There are several regional forums included there that frequently get requests such as yours. The responses will vary depending on the bike you choose, of course.

There are >280,000 members, so plenty of experience there.

Also, I ran across a campground app that looked useful:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/camp...370820516?mt=8

one is available for android, too.


Have fun, and don't forget the cramp buster...

[RobLJ]

Blue Highways is a fine book, as is Steinbeck's Travels with Charley. Highly recommended, both.