I've been from Sth Carolina to LA in 16 days and while it was a great ride and great memory it was too quick. I would have liked to add another week to take the pressure off and stop a few more places. I've also gone from New Jersey up to Maine, then across to Niagara Falls, across to Chicago, up to Minneapolis and onto Sturgis for a week and then home via the Beartooth and Wyoming into Las Vegas and onto LA. When you are an Aussie, these are all lifetime memories. That was 4 weeks but again probably covered too much in the time allowed. If you can get more time add some. And take more pictures than you think you should.

 

I would have to agree with most you are going to be pushed for time, there is way too much to see. We rode from South Illinois to Ca. up the PCH to Eureka, down to 50 and then back home 5600 miles in 17 days. There were sights that we didn't see because we didn't feel like we had time. You definitely want to come back on 50 it is beautiful!
Take your time and enjoy it those 600-700 mile days ain't all they are cracked up to be.
RB

 

I think that the plans will change. I want the trip to be something I enjoy, not just jumping from pump to pump. I think from Nashville we will head to some of the local hotspots in eastern TN and western NC then BRP, Skyline and on up to NH. Maybe hop over into Maine or west to Niagra Falls. Who knows?

 

Here's another option, still keeping with your quest for the west. Head out to Colorado. There are 22 paved passes over 10,000 foot forming a double figure eight with very little back tracking. Six days for travel, 3 out and back and the rest touring the high mountains which is a good place to be in the summer.

I've toured from NJ to California and the thought of cutting back on Rt.1 aka PCH because you were worn out from getting there and having to get back is just plain
stupid. Doing a couple of 700 and 800 mile days while on a 5 day trip is NOT the same as two straight weeks.

I've been long distance touring for 47 years now and my recommendation of cutting the mileage and luggage in half comes from riding not theory. I would bet the other posters to this thread who also said it was too long a ride for the time allowed are geezer's themselves.

Do you want those two weeks to be a vacation or an iron butt ride? Answer that first. Then ask, do you want a road trip or an adventure? A road trip has a bunch of reservations for motels and X amount of miles per day. OK, but still sucky.

An adventure you head west or south or wherever. Maybe Colorado or Maine is the goal. But the ride goes from day to day only driven by weather or whimsy. If you find an interesting museum, take it all in. What's your hurry? Or you could make another 15 minuet stop at a McDonalds. But what if you pass a church having a fund raising BBQ on the side of the road. You might end up spending two hours having the best meal of your life. And cheaper than Mickey D's too.

I've found that the joy of motorcycle touring is not the drone of the most miles flashed by. But the experience of finding curvy back roads, interesting people and the small towns where the real America lives.

If you want details on the 22 passes, PM me. If you have not been on the BRP, Skyline Dr. and all the side roads around the Smokey's try there first. Two weeks is not enough. It's that good.

If you want to crank out endless 800 mile days on an interstate, please ignore anything I ever write.

 

We did 6000 miles in 12 days, saw a ton of stuff (Million Dollar Hwy, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, PCH1, Golden Gate, Sonoma, Redwood Hwy 101, Crater Lake, John Day Hwy, Yellowstone, Big Horn Mtn Hwy 14, Sturgis, Rushmore, Black Hills), and had a blast.

Link - https://www.hdforums.com/forum/road-...000-miles.html

I would say maybe half the loop was interstate, which imo, is a necessary evil when leaving the Midwest to go anywhere fun. That said, I think your plan is totally doable. Sometimes the challenge is half the fun.

 

Buzzard and Nevada... Two great write ups. We are looking for something in between an adventure and vacation.

 

Two weeks is not enough. Weather, sight seeing, brake downs? 500 a day? No problem if your just doing it to say you did it I guess.

 

The first HOG sponsored ride......the Posse Ride, had 300 of us riding from Portland OR to Portland ME in what, twelve days, maybe 14. Two days free of riding, essentially on Rt 2 the whole way. Northern route excels in every way.
Am hoping to ride the same route ten days from now but in five days.
Optimistic.....yes
Crazy.....undoubtably
Nuts......will post if I make it...... 3500 miles......?

Did Key West to the Arctic Circle Alaska in 98.....and was quite proud of my 17 day ride. Only to meet Asa McFadden in Fairbanks who had left Key West five days before!
He did 6,500 miles in 5 days 10 hours......

 

Wow! I know the trip itself is completely doable. It just comes down to how much we will enjoy it. If I'm burning 2 weeks vacation time and the $$ of the trip, I want to enjoy it, not just burn asphalt. I want to see all this country has to offer, but maybe a 3 week vacation next year will allow it to be done properly.

 

Stay off the Highways! Unless simply using them from A to B.
Rt 2 in the North was pretty boring. The best roads are in the Northwest, the Northeast and Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, the Carolina's.....

Otherwise, you will wear only the center inch of your tires!!!!!
Head for the Tail of The Dragon, research on YouTube and be damn careful.
Rubber Side Down.
Have a fantastic trip!