I'm curious about something...
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Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 704
Likes: 0
From: Orlando, FL
I'm curious about something...
So many people take long trips on their bikes. Trips cross-country to Sturgis and Daytona, hitting up the Mother Road: Route 66, 17-day trip through 13 states... how freakin' awesome would any of those be from the seat of a Fat Boy instead of my van?! Dumb question.
But my question is... what do you do for a living that allows you to take such extended trips all the time? First, correct me if I'm wrong that most of you take such trips all the time. The occasional trip is obviously doable, let alone very, very necessary. My wife and I about due for another little vacation ourselves soon. But not everyone on here is retired or rich as kings, either! Make sense?
DISCLAIMER: I'm definitely not trying to make any of you sled-heads look like a bunch of lazy rubber-riding fools, either, just to be as crystal clear as possible.
I'm just curious about your vocation and how it allows for the essential roadtrip.
But my question is... what do you do for a living that allows you to take such extended trips all the time? First, correct me if I'm wrong that most of you take such trips all the time. The occasional trip is obviously doable, let alone very, very necessary. My wife and I about due for another little vacation ourselves soon. But not everyone on here is retired or rich as kings, either! Make sense?
DISCLAIMER: I'm definitely not trying to make any of you sled-heads look like a bunch of lazy rubber-riding fools, either, just to be as crystal clear as possible.
I'm just curious about your vocation and how it allows for the essential roadtrip.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,522
Likes: 1
From: Douglasville, GA
RE: I'm curious about something...
All it takes is planning and commitment. My longest trip was work related, New Orleans to Key West and the military paid my gas and food along the way. Most of our trips (the wife and I) are day trips, looking for new roads and people to meet. Sure we want to take a "vacation" on the bike, and will, but it will take proper planning and budgeting. I'm with you, I'd love to take off and just ride to wherever the front wheel takes me, but that's not in the picture yet. Maybe someday.....
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 119
Likes: 0
RE: I'm curious about something...
yea, there are some lucky dogs in this forum (or should i say hogs). in the corporate world, i get 5 weeks a year but that includes time for sick day, dr appnt, personnal errands, etc.. so that leaves about 4 weeks. out of that, i sometimes just get sick of work and take a half day or a day here and there. so then i'm down to about 2 1/2 weeks. so i can only manage about 2 somewhat lengthy trips a year. tacka day on to a holiday weekend and do a shorter trip.
one thing that helps a little is to plan the vacation around holiday so you save a day. ie: we plan on takin off the week after labor day. since labor day is a holiday, i only use 4 days vacation to get 9 consecutive days off (including weekends). we got the big trip planned for that week.
gw
one thing that helps a little is to plan the vacation around holiday so you save a day. ie: we plan on takin off the week after labor day. since labor day is a holiday, i only use 4 days vacation to get 9 consecutive days off (including weekends). we got the big trip planned for that week.
gw
Banned
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,008
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From:
RE: I'm curious about something...
Well, that is how some people spend their entire vacations, like chief said "Proper planning". By the way, I would never disagree with the Chief, even if he is wrong you loose 
.
Now, with me a my friends it works like this. I have a friend who works for GM and he gets 5 or 6 weeks paid vacation per year and another friend gets 30 days per year. I'm a contract software engineer and in between contracts I may be out of work for up to 2 months before getting another job. We plan our big trips around my "unemployed" times, the problem is I don't always know when the contract is ending. So, we have to be ready on a relatively short notice to go.
. Now, with me a my friends it works like this. I have a friend who works for GM and he gets 5 or 6 weeks paid vacation per year and another friend gets 30 days per year. I'm a contract software engineer and in between contracts I may be out of work for up to 2 months before getting another job. We plan our big trips around my "unemployed" times, the problem is I don't always know when the contract is ending. So, we have to be ready on a relatively short notice to go.
Guest
Posts: n/a
RE: I'm curious about something...
Don't worry your not alone on being a working stiff with a mortgage[&:]Mostly it takes planning and restraint.
I'm planning Strugis next year...I will need to take at least 2 weeks cause I'm not an iron butt rider (and I like to enjoy my time on the road...plus we wonder a lot).
I have never taken 2 weeks off for a vacation, in fact until the last couple of years I hadn't had a vacationin about 8 years.For alot of folks2 weeks isall they get for the year. So I am carefully using vacation right now to make sure I still have 2 weeks vacation available in August and I have already notified my boss. If there are no emergancies I'll be saving $$ and ready to roll by next year.
I know folks around here that save so they can take a month off (4 weeks is all we are allowed to accrue). It's all about planning.
I'm planning Strugis next year...I will need to take at least 2 weeks cause I'm not an iron butt rider (and I like to enjoy my time on the road...plus we wonder a lot
). I have never taken 2 weeks off for a vacation, in fact until the last couple of years I hadn't had a vacationin about 8 years.For alot of folks2 weeks isall they get for the year. So I am carefully using vacation right now to make sure I still have 2 weeks vacation available in August and I have already notified my boss. If there are no emergancies I'll be saving $$ and ready to roll by next year.
I know folks around here that save so they can take a month off (4 weeks is all we are allowed to accrue). It's all about planning.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 9,335
Likes: 13
From: MA
RE: I'm curious about something...
It's a case by case thing. If you're retired, you can go away for years. Someone that has one week of vacation a year obviously has to plan around that the same as someone with five weeks. Also dependsif your wife enjoys the long rides and wants to come.If she doesn't you'llhave a problem. My wife and I mix it up andwe doa bike vacationone year and thendoher type of vacation the next year.
Or just quit your job and ride till the money runs out.
Someone that has one week of vacation a year obviously has to plan around that the same as someone with five weeks. Also dependsif your wife enjoys the long rides and wants to come.If she doesn't you'llhave a problem. My wife and I mix it up andwe doa bike vacationone year and thendoher type of vacation the next year. Or just quit your job and ride till the money runs out.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 8,129
Likes: 1,981
From: Ottawa, CANADA
RE: I'm curious about something...
ORIGINAL: guitarman777
So many people take long trips on their bikes. Trips cross-country to Sturgis and Daytona, hitting up the Mother Road: Route 66, 17-day trip through 13 states... how freakin' awesome would any of those be from the seat of a Fat Boy instead of my van?! Dumb question.
But my question is... what do you do for a living that allows you to take such extended trips all the time? First, correct me if I'm wrong that most of you take such trips all the time. The occasional trip is obviously doable, let alone very, very necessary. My wife and I about due for another little vacation ourselves soon. But not everyone on here is retired or rich as kings, either! Make sense?
DISCLAIMER: I'm definitely not trying to make any of you sled-heads look like a bunch of lazy rubber-riding fools, either, just to be as crystal clear as possible. I'm just curious about your vocation and how it allows for the essential roadtrip.
So many people take long trips on their bikes. Trips cross-country to Sturgis and Daytona, hitting up the Mother Road: Route 66, 17-day trip through 13 states... how freakin' awesome would any of those be from the seat of a Fat Boy instead of my van?! Dumb question.
But my question is... what do you do for a living that allows you to take such extended trips all the time? First, correct me if I'm wrong that most of you take such trips all the time. The occasional trip is obviously doable, let alone very, very necessary. My wife and I about due for another little vacation ourselves soon. But not everyone on here is retired or rich as kings, either! Make sense?
DISCLAIMER: I'm definitely not trying to make any of you sled-heads look like a bunch of lazy rubber-riding fools, either, just to be as crystal clear as possible.
I'm just curious about your vocation and how it allows for the essential roadtrip.
Cheers!
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 7,090
Likes: 3,882
From: Murfreesboro , TN
RE: I'm curious about something...
I wish I could take that kindof time! I only get 2 weeks a year for now (plus about a week of floating). Every other year my wife and I take a week to visit my parents in Colorado Springs, so a long trip is out those years (at this point).
One of these days though.....one of these days......
(I'm staying positive that I will take a long bike trip!)
One of these days though.....one of these days......
(I'm staying positive that I will take a long bike trip!)
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,754
Likes: 4
From: GA
RE: I'm curious about something...
For me, it is about priorities. When we are able to take time off, we take a motorcycle trip because that is what we want to do with our time. We took a week off in January so we rode down to Key West. We are taking a day off next month so we can leave after work on Friday and go up and spend a couple of days riding the Blue Ridge Parkway and those glorious West Virginia Roads. We are going to Daytona for Biketoberfest. We are planning on riding up to New England next summer.