Thanks for the tip, I might screen shot this and save it. I knew about the 107mile stretch from "driving" on google maps. Im for sure going to carry a 1/2 gallon or a large Gatorade bottle with spare fuel.

 

WTG man, that's awesome, you definitely got the bug, Enjoy, your wife is a real trooper too !

 

You have a double blessing, a new Harley and a wife that likes to ride it with you.

 

If you don't mind, I will 2nd this. That piece of (awesome BTW) highway is a little tight on fuel for a Sportster. I used to carry a little 1/2g can with me if I was going out in the desert or some of those off-the-freeway roads east of Salt Lake.

I think you are going to have a great trip! Adventures will present themselves, and that's always part of the fun.

Assuming I-80 West through Utah will at least be a part of your trip, give me a holler if you want, I might be able to come ride a piece with you.

 

The next best thing to a friends yard is camping in National Forests and National Grass Lands. For some there is a nominal fee to access camping areas and others are completely free, primitive camping (no facilities whatsoever).
I discovered the National Grasslands last summer and spent three days camped in a prairie field above the S Dakota Badlands. What a view to wake up to every morning!

I've had my '06 Sportster 1200 for 3 years and 3 trips to Sturgis (from Indiana). Foregoing Sturgis this year for a 17 day trip of my own via I-40 across the southwest to LA and back, (although as others have recommended, I'll be jumping off from time-to-time to cruise Rt 66 and other scenic routes).

Enjoy the summer!
Tom
Get high on grass. Discover your National Grasslands!

 

Old school bike .... old school attitudes ... love it.

Enjoy

 

I would like to run 15N to 80, I'm hoping to check out the salt flats and see where the speed runs happen, grab a few pics and such.

Where are you in location to those plans?

 

Well you already have some miles on her and a good attitude,as does the wife, for your cross country trip.I would think a sporty is a little small for the kind of adventure,but if your happy and enjoying life,go for it brother.Be safe have a great trip and post many photos.I love the photo of the bike inside you truly do have an understanding wife

 

I work in Salt Lake City proper, close to the junction of I-15 and I-80. My home is about 30 minutes West of Salt Lake City, about 10 minutes South of I-80.

If you are willing, and the circumstances are right, I might run with you out to the salt flats/Wendover.

 

The above photo was taken in Catoctin Mountain NationalPark, after our Myrtle Beach trip it was decided (mainly wife) that we needednew camping gear. A few weekend ago we went to wedding near Tarrytown NY. Therewe talked to a pretty serious cyclist who also does cross state road trips, weexpress our concern about camping gear and what we are looking for. For examplesize is more of an issue than weight, the sissy bar is only so tall lol, mostsaddle bags require turn signal relocation that I am interested in.
The cyclist mentioned a store called REI (real expensiveitems, its known as on the west coast). The wife looked into it, turns out the stuff is pretty nice…mostly forbackpacking. Turns out a local store in Maryland was having a “garage sale” whichwas just simply a sale on returned items. The store has a great return policyand many items get returned because “did not like it”. At the sale we were ableto score two new down sleeping bags, that roll up super small, two sleeping pads ( yah yah make funny jokes now).We also looked at a few retuned tents but decided against……(wish we would of,in market for a tent now)

A few days before the above picture was taken my wifesprayed and sprayed and…..sprayed our 15yr old tent with “water proof” stuff.She swore the tent had to be water tight. While camping in Catoctin MountainNational Park (above photo) and some light trail hiking we decided it was bedtime.
AROUND 3am I awoke to me choking and feeling similar to what I imagine waterboarding would be like.The tent’s flywas leaking so bad (and I guess I sleep with my mouth open?) that the experiencewas less than enjoyable. My wife also woke up and had a pretty crusty altitudelike mine. It rained for several more hours and all I could do was find formsto read on my phone and just get rained on.
Below is a picture of the amount of water that collected inthe tent in just under 60mintues….the rain didn’t stop for another few hours.

The very next day we went to REI and started to get seriousabout tent shopping. We set up tents inside the store, crawled in them, movedaround , folded and put the tent, then again set them back up. Judging thetents on how much room ( remember this will be our home for 3 weeks, bookbag,boots, backpack, helmets, jackets and possible pair of throw over saddle bags similarto what is used on a horse), how easy it is to set up, how many poles, numberof zippers, doors on both sides? How large the fly is and venting. Also ifthere is any storage pockets….
Wife is being silly while setting up tents.