Need advice on riding home from Sturgis
 

I'm riding TO Sturgis with one other girl and 2 guys...4 bikes. Because of my groups' time constraints, the plan has been for us to ride there...fly ourselves and ship the bikes back. This was to be a 2 week trip. I don't "work", so I'm the only one who hasn't had to deal with a time constraint. WELL, the other girl has had some work changes and told me a couple of days ago said she'd like to ride home. YEAH!!!

We're leaving from Santa Fe NM and are riding up through CO, UT, WY, MT and into SD...~1600 miles - mostly through the mountains. Taking it nice and slow to enjoy the mountains and all the sites/scenery.

As soon I heard riding home was an option, I immediately mapped out a tentative return route, with the Harley ride planner, to bring us home to Dallas TX, going up through ND...into WI,MN, over to the HD Museum and basically following the Mississippi River down through IL, Iowa and MO and cutting over into Arkansas and finally into TX...this is about 2700 miles. I'm taking a guess it'll take 7 - 8 days including the H-D Museum. (how long will it take to go through it?)

I have ZERO knowledge about those states...MN, WI, IL, Iowa, MO, ND, and don't have time to research and plan since I'm flying out to Santa Fe on Fri morning and leave for Sturgis next Tue. I don't even know what to expect in that part of our country. I've traveled out west most of my life.

Can anyone give me suggestions/advice on an easterly route home from Sturgis to Dallas TX. I'm looking for suggestions...anything to avoid, good/bad roads, what the riding is going to be like, wind, weather temps, about how much mileage I can expect to cover in a day based on topography & traffic. Advice on scenery, sites, weather..etc???

Anyway, we're fairly new riders, but are pretty gung-ho about it and are capable, independent types. I am thinking we can pretty easily cover about 400 miles/day w/o killing ourselves. I ride an 09 RKC and she rides an 03 Fatboy with new Arnott air shocks.

If this helps, I'm most comfortable at 60 - 70 mph...Kim doesn't like to ride much over 65 mph because she says it's a chore on her 03 Fatty to keep it over about 60 - 65 mph as her bike tends to vibrate more and she doesn't have a 6th gear or cruise control.

Oh, and she and I both like the idea of hitting several states...that's why the Mississippi River route seemed logical as it borders several states and it'd be easy to hit 2 states at a time (if that makes sense). We do not want to come straight down through NE, KS, OK and into TX...ZZZzzzzz!

Also, keep in mind, I'm a chick as is my riding buddy. Just us 2 girls. The guys aren't able to ride home with us. ( the big pu**y's :D - j/k, they'd love to, but can't because of work). I know many of you regularly ride 500 miles at a pop, but I'm not sure about that since I've never done it. After all, I'm a delicate flower! :icon_angel::icon_wink:

Thanks in advance...any advice will be appreciated as I'm truly ignorant about this part of our country...

Cant give you any advice on your route, but I wonder if you've done a long trip like this on a bike before. Over the years I've done a lot of long distance crusing on a variety of bikes, and although I've done lots and lots of 4 and 500 mile days, I can't help but wonder if you're being a little over-ambitious with multiple days in a row.

400 miles at 60-65mph is 6-7 hours in the saddle per day, not counting rest stops, gas stops, food stops, traffic, etc. You won't have a ton of time to see anything...when you add the riding time and the stops, you're going to eat about 10 hours out of each day on the road.

If it were me, I think I'd want to trim off some distance, or lengthen the time frame...you may find it more enjoyable

That's the kind of advice I'm looking for. I tend to get over-zealous at times. Having never done a multiple day ride, I am at a loss as to what to expect. So many of you have experience with this type of ride.

I would be fine to scrub off some miles...just need advice on a decent route...without coming straight down from SD into TX as mentioned. We have flexibility if we get tired and need a day off. Even so, I am hoping to max out at a week. Seems your advice af scrubbing off miles makes the most sense. We are both able to be flexible, though, if we find we need to add a day or two, esp if it means our safety/sanity...just would prefer to keep it to 6 or 7 days if possible.

I'll have a pretty good idea of what I can handle after the 6 day ride to Sturgis...if it kills me...we can always stick with the original plan and fly home. I do know that I can handle more miles in the saddle if it's not miserably hot/rainy and or flat, boring un-interesting terrain for miles and miles (think west Texas).

Thanks....

me personely i would come back similar to what your going up. just pick a dif route and diff part of wy, co, nm, reason i say that is some beautiful country.

From experience once you go east from SD it turns into nothing but boring flat lands until you get to the east side of ohio and the foot hills of the appliachian mtns it can be some of the most boring riding.

Where if you came back south through wy and co you would have some great views. and little more time to stop and see some sights and take some pics etc.

I was worried about you gals until I read the part about the "Arnott air shocks"...that somewhat alleviated any pre-conceived concerns I may have had...have fun...oh yes...I recommend ,in addition to the Arnott air shocks,carrying large caliber handguns and knowing how to use them...:icon_munching:

There are a lot of things to consider with a long trip, a lot of them obvious like how far can I ride safe in a day, am I prepared for mechanical problems etc. I am sure you will be perpared for those, so just to mention one thing people often fail to take into account... luggage weight. A long trip is different to a long ride thanks to the luggage weight you carry. People sometimes forget luggage can make a heavy bike just a little bit more effortful to handle, especially when you start to get tired. Long day in the saddle, maybe trying to make up a little time, is when people drop a bike. Apart from that, I think if you take your time, enjoy the ride (as opposed to sweating it) take sensible precautions with your personal safety (as opposed to worrying excessively about it) then you should have a great ride and emerge from it an even more confident and robust rider. Last general point just have 'check in times' with people when you arrive safe at a particular point, although that is more important if you ride alone can't see it doing any harm to make the odd call. Hope you have an awesome time and ride safe.

Sounds like a great trip! We've been up to Medora in the ND Badlands. Very pretty. I-94 across ND was pretty good with not much traffic. I've always enjoyed MN backroads (but that just might be me).It might be out of the way but Fargo to Duluth is nice. LaCrosse, WI to Praire du Chien and then cross into Iowa might keep you closer to the Mississippi River than the IL. side. At Dubuque, IA a short side trip to Galena, IL is a nice ride. If you need a day to rewind, one of these little river towns would be great. Sit and watch the boats for a day. Trips like this don't come along very often. I hope you enjoy every minute of it.

If you hate long flat streches...DON'T go east. its nothing but flat and boring thru 3 states. Might see some hills in Minnesota, but that all depends on your route. Northern is better, but will add lots of miles, and time.

As for distance in a day, I personally ride 600+ on any given day, HOWEVER, if the wife is riding, we average about 350 - 400 MAX. an occasional longer day does happen, but its not something that we want to plan or be forced to do.

Following the Missippippi is a great idea, but the milage might be a bit high for the time alloted. Make sure that you carry a good atlas or maps for each state, or a good GPS so you can find your way if things have to change.

I don't know how long you have been riding, but your plan is very ambitious even for someone that has ridden a few years. Please ride safe, and take your time. Racing thru the country is the same as going a direct route, you won't see a damned thing along the way. Slow down, and take in this great country and get home with some very good memories.

Looking at the mapping program that I use, riding from Sturgis, to Milwakee, then to Memphis, and then Sante Fe, you will have about 2500 miles. thats at least 6 full days of riding from 9 am till 5 pm each day, and that equates to over 500 miles each day. A bit over ambitious for most riders. Be careful, and good luck.

I think you two will be fine doing 400 a day *as long* as you get an early start. I like to get in 100 miles before breakfast, makes the rest of the day pretty easy.

You've heard of Annie Oakley? She's got nothing on us...both are quite proficient w/ handguns & have our CHL's...I've got a Sig .40, S&W .38, Ruger .380 (not lg caliber)...will probably travel with the Airweight (hollow-points) although I love the Sig. Definitely DON'T expect to ever need or use it...more piece of mind than anything.

Yeah, she was fine with her Fatty until she rented an 09 SG on a trip to Calif...since then, she realized how "rough" the Fatty rides compared to a touring bike. The air-shocks have apparently made a big difference in her comfort though...that and a new "Ultimate" seat w/ a backrest...less bitching. She'll probably be getting herself a 2010 SG this year. That Fatboy is a great bike though.