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Our longest was 8K in 26 days, This was for the Iron Butt 'National Parks' Patch. We visited 62 National parks & National Monuments - Had to get the 'Stamp' from each area and we had to do in in at least 25 states - we did it in 26 states.. It was an adventure... Wife wanted to spend more time in the parks or NM's LOL.... I wanted the stamp and move on. She won out about 50% of the time.. Still, not much time.
Check out Iron Butt association - bottom rung on the ladder of adventures is 1K in 24 hours or less - I did it on my 61st birthday, I did it in 15 hours... got some rest and did another 500 to get the 1500 miles in under 36 hours... I did it after the rest with 4 hours to spare...
Congrats...can feel your excitement in your posts; infectious. I actually took my first overnight (Laconia) and first multi-night this past summer. We did Nova Scotia - 2600 mi in 8 days. More riding than I ever thought I could do, and....now, I too can't wait for the next trip.
Also, I gotta say- this is THE weather for long distance, at least for me. Low humidity, 60-70 during the day and mid 40's at night... man I want to ride and camp bad!
Welcome to the addiction. Cheryl and I do at least one "big" ride every year, with several 2/3 day rides in between. Our 1st trip together is linked in my sig.
Couple of things -
Planning vs spontaneous - I'm a planner. I like to find out what the best roads are in an area well ahead of time. For me it's part of the fun. I used to plot routes into my Garmin. But know I familiarize myself with routes, do a simple cheat sheet, and let the Infotainment GPS do the rest. It's worked very well.
Tourpack - pricey but worth it. I need to have the ability to lock everything up when I'm off the bike at lunch, or even just using the restroom. You will want the locking quick releases for a reovable tourpack setup. Secondly, I've seen enough luggage scattered along the roadside to not want to lash something to an 80 MPH wind tunnel machine. There certainly are soft systems out there that work. Just not for me. PS - the tourpack is huge. It carries a lot of stuff.
Other than that, don't overthink it. Plan a long ride every year. Before you know it you'll be an old hand at it.
Nothing I like better than just pointing the bike towards a general area with no plan. I just allow 2-3 days to get back home before I need to go back to work.
I found my tour pak indispensable when touring as well as running errands around town. I have a Saddlemen BR3400 backseat bag which sits nicely between me and the tour pak and as a bonus works for a backrest. I did add a Kuryakyn tour pak relocator under the tour pak to fine tune it as a back rest. The BR3400 has more than enough room for a 2 week trip its room for a few purchases on the way. I also use a Harley rack mounted bag filled with backpacking camping gear for when the mood hits me to pitch a tent.
Last edited by Sparkee...; Nov 6, 2016 at 02:39 PM.
Try a trip with no plans. My wife and i do it every summer for a week. we pick a state and just go there and ride around ! so far great smokies , carolinas, west virgina ,maine the upper peninsula of michagan , kentucky , and a 2 week trip to sturgis just to name a few
i pick my one place i want to go plan my way there and when i get there I decide whats next while im on the road while talking to locals they will usually tell you of good rides in the area. The only way to go. Get there pretty quick and you have all that time to make it back home the way you want.
Also, I gotta say- this is THE weather for long distance, at least for me. Low humidity, 60-70 during the day and mid 40's at night... man I want to ride and camp bad!
I agree 100% that this is the time to ride, no way my 1st long ride would be in South Georgia heat and humidity. If I can remember the last time I camped I preferred colder weather, less bugs and critters
Start planning for Sturgis now. Be a great ride from where you're at, whichever way you go.
I'm not sure I'm ready for that distance, and call me crazy, if I ever get to ride in that area I want to really be able to enjoy riding in the black hills etc. Not sure if that's possible during a rally.
MY wife and i went to sturgis last year 3 days from nj , we did not spend a lot of time in sturgis but a lot of time in deadwood, we did the badlands custer park was great , the buffalo was awesome ! if you plan sturgis you need to make plans well in advance , we do not camp and cannot afford the prices the motels charge , but we did book a room at the black hills college , it is a dorm room with 2 beds and a great price . i think it was 720 for 9 nights but you must book just before christmas 24 hour security and you share a bathroom the bathrooms are super clean and they use the money only to improve the dorms !! as far as riding during the rally surges is a zoo but out side of that we had no issue ! look on the net at the needles highway f,in awesome plan it and do it you will not ever forget it !!!! SHINY SIDE UP
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