Best route for all the lower 48 states in 30 days?
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From: Nomad
Best route for all the lower 48 states in 30 days?
I'm in the initial planning stages of a month-long trip for next summer and I'd like to hit all the lower 48 states if I can. If that means taking in a few Canadian provinces, too, cool! Always dreamed about seeing the whole country on a bike. I've seen a lot of America, but have only *ridden* in six states. A trip like this would be a dream come true.
There is a bunch of info online about best routes, etc., but the stuff I've found is mostly car-oriented (or GS oriented). I wonder if anyone here has planned a similar trip for a bike or actually done it.
Want to start and finish in Bozeman, MT, which is right on I-90.
Any thoughts or suggestions will be appreciated!
Thanks
There is a bunch of info online about best routes, etc., but the stuff I've found is mostly car-oriented (or GS oriented). I wonder if anyone here has planned a similar trip for a bike or actually done it.
Want to start and finish in Bozeman, MT, which is right on I-90.
Any thoughts or suggestions will be appreciated!
Thanks
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From: Nomad
Enough to make my chiro retire well 
Prolly a dumb idea, but I'd like to give it a shot. Can take 6 weeks if I have to. I can comfortably ride 500-600 or so in a day, but I've never done that for more than 6 days in a row.
Like Shrug, I'll have to get myself in better shape to prepare. But, his ride inspired me, as well as Doug over on advrider.com.
Never had an interest in riding to Tierra del Fuego or anything like the BMW crowd. But I've always wanted to ride in all 50. I know I'll get to ride in AK and HI on family vacations. But the 48 is something else entirely. Something I always wanted to do.
Prolly a dumb idea, but I'd like to give it a shot. Can take 6 weeks if I have to. I can comfortably ride 500-600 or so in a day, but I've never done that for more than 6 days in a row.
Like Shrug, I'll have to get myself in better shape to prepare. But, his ride inspired me, as well as Doug over on advrider.com.
Never had an interest in riding to Tierra del Fuego or anything like the BMW crowd. But I've always wanted to ride in all 50. I know I'll get to ride in AK and HI on family vacations. But the 48 is something else entirely. Something I always wanted to do.
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2011
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From: South Carolina
Since reading this, I started thinking... I know, scary.. lol.
Check it: - includes pics, descrips, etc.
http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum...-Geography-101
Check it: - includes pics, descrips, etc.
http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum...-Geography-101
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Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Indiana
That's almost 2 states per day, considering you ride every day with no day's off. Between gas and break stops, I would think what you are mostly going to see is major highways and interstates.
Doing 48 states...that is amazing, just hope you spend some time actually looking around instead of doing nothing but avoiding potholes and outrunning rain storms. Have you thought about breaking the trip up into 2 or more different trips...so you can actually spend some time at different things to see?
Good luck!
Doing 48 states...that is amazing, just hope you spend some time actually looking around instead of doing nothing but avoiding potholes and outrunning rain storms. Have you thought about breaking the trip up into 2 or more different trips...so you can actually spend some time at different things to see?
Good luck!
Road Warrior
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From: North Carolina
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Thread Starter
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Nomad
Since reading this, I started thinking... I know, scary.. lol.
Check it: - includes pics, descrips, etc.
http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum...-Geography-101
Check it: - includes pics, descrips, etc.
http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum...-Geography-101
Well, then doing it in 30 or 40 days doesn't sound bad at all.
Thanks for posting that link. His route looked pretty good. I was thinking of doing more two-lane time out west (you can go just as fast as on the interstate, but see some different stuff), but I think what I was considering for east of the Mississippi is pretty close.
So if I try for 30 days, and give myself a rest day every five days, that means 25 days of riding with an average of 348 miles per day. That doesn't sound too bad--I think.
Although, unlike that guy, I wouldn't do it for any Iron Butt recognition, or for the Hoka Hey, or whatever. Just want to do it.
So it's got you thinking, huh?
That's almost 2 states per day, considering you ride every day with no day's off. Between gas and break stops, I would think what you are mostly going to see is major highways and interstates.
Doing 48 states...that is amazing, just hope you spend some time actually looking around instead of doing nothing but avoiding potholes and outrunning rain storms. Have you thought about breaking the trip up into 2 or more different trips...so you can actually spend some time at different things to see?
Good luck!
Doing 48 states...that is amazing, just hope you spend some time actually looking around instead of doing nothing but avoiding potholes and outrunning rain storms. Have you thought about breaking the trip up into 2 or more different trips...so you can actually spend some time at different things to see?
Good luck!
Next month I plan on riding from Seattle down the coast, then over to NM, and up the Rockies to MT, and back to Seattle. Riding in the west is easy for the most part. Once you get off the coast, the roads are good, speed limits are high, traffic is non-existent, and the scenery is good even from the slab. I've done a lot of great multi-day rides from MT to WY, SD, UT and ID.
It's east of the Mississippi I'm worried about. Slower speed limits, congestion, bad roads, etc.
As far as seeing stuff, I've been fortunate to see a lot of the country already, just not from a bike. So I have a pretty good idea of where I want to go back to and where I want to go yet, but always open for suggestions. America is one of the most diverse and interesting places on earth. Basically I'm interested in eating good, finding some good fishing here and there, finding good local brew, and eating good