That sounds like you had a great time. Glad you in joyed it!!!! Next one LOL

 

Perry:

Hmmmm - I dunno, the whole ride was just so many different facets... I quite enjoyed Bisbee and New Mexico. But the question is the riding or the area? If that makes sense. The going to the sun was great, but busy and slow. Idaho was good, but there was an urgency to get to Nevada, [I think I was excited to get to Vegas.] The Loneliest road was cool but god awful windy. I think with out wind, this would have been a good one to slow down. Reno was pretty good, but it seemed like Vegas needing a sprucing up, Virginia City was cool, quite the ride up too! Vegas was a bit of a blur [for obvious reasons] and Laughlin was repulsively HOT!! [hello August...] Bisbee was a nice ride in, slow and easy corners. New Mexico was as well, straight shots, and LOTS of border patrol. We got garden hose rained on once we got to the gulf. Galveston was neat, but slow going. We took the ferry and planned on Baton Rouge. Unfortunatly we were on the interstate and the road shut down for around 5-6 hours. A local couple came over and asked if we wanted to ride some northern loop to get to Baton Rouge. It was fun, and cool to do some night time riding. We got in late, and didn't get to experience Baton Rouge. New Orleans we got some more rain, but rode in and stayed in the French Quarter. I never have to go to Mardi Gras, after going to Bourbon Street... The Swamp boat tour was great, and we enjoyed the time. Pensacola Beach was perhaps the best -time- on the trip. We stayed at Margaritaville resort [albeit expensive] and enjoyed the parrot-head lifestyle. Orlando was a bit of a haul, but the sunburn from Pensacola was lingering on. Key largo and key west was quite scenic, and I wanted to buy a sailboat - again. Key West [old KW] basically flooded, and we rode through water up to the floorboards to get the picture. I'm glad the rain sock did its duty. Back up to Orlando via the turnpike. Florida has a lot of toll roads, get the sun pass in hind sight. The road to the Dragon was more fun than the Dragon itself. Perhaps a loaded down touring bike isn't the best on the Dragon itself. Although I did find out it was the #2 in the USA. Nashville was a timecrunch, and basically a stop over to Milwaukee. I fell in love with a CVO Breakout at the demo ride, and maybe had a little too much fun at the demo. The Black Hills were fantastic, and I was glad to experience the Badlands and the Needles Highway without the chaos of the Rally. I missed them in 2010 so it was nice to get them.

In my limited experience - I think I like the west coast, namely Washington down to Oregon. Whitbey Island is pretty cool, although not on this trip.

I know I heard I should go to Colorado, and maybe I missed out - this time. I'll keep an eye on the forums for more ideas. I think Colorado, cross Canada and the west coast are on the potential list for 2014.

Sorry if I'm vague, I couldn't really canyon carve with my wife 2-up.

--Every part of this trip was worth seeing and doing.

I hope that helps a little. I used the HD ride planner and shot for ~350 mi per RIDING day. You need rest days to keep the wife happy. Happy wife - happy life right? I think if you have a destination, you ride there, time off a bit, and ride a different way back. My way isn't everyones way, but...

TTYL
Harry

ps - now I gotta go back to work to pay off the excess...

 

Wow, sounds like an awesome time - That sounds like a lifetime trip! I agree that next time you should fit Colorado in. Did your wife ride her bike, or with you?

 

Sounds like you had a good time. I will have to go down and check out Rosa's Cantina now!

 

The wife was gonna ride, but opted for pilon instead. She figured I'd be to ile hungry for her to keep up...

Anyhow, she also needed to go back to work for ~three days~ which cost me three flights... Orlando home and then back to Milwaukee return.

We thought about leaving the motorcycle[s] in Las Vegas or something over the winter, but I knew it would end up being June - July before we got them picked up...

As far as a trip of a lifetime - No. I hope it is the beginning of many trips in my lifetime.

 

So I'm a knotthead. I already erode a ride report. Haha. Memory loss at 38.

 

Harry,
Thanks for the information, now I have more fuel to drive my pasion for a west coast trip! I am glad you liked the dragon, I ride that area a few times per year, it's a super area. I just hope that when I go west I am not disappointed considering I am spoiled riding the smokies so often.

 

What a great way to spend a month off! Sounds like you had a blast.
I'm planning a similar trip next summer. I'll have July and August off and plan to spend 6 weeks on the road. I'm heading east, though.

 

Perry,

Yeah the Dragon was quite the ride. There is a similar ride coming in from the north to Fort Bragg, Ca. Yep, California - I was really surprised how twisty the road actually was. I guess I should have taken some more time, and stripped down the "touring mode" as the Dargon could have been a lot more fun...

Al,

I'd say there is some great riding out west. Some that I've done is in Washington state. Highway 20 through the Cascades and then there is Whitby Island. You also can loop the Olympic Pennsula, its quite the ride. Oregon has great roads, I peticularly like Crater Lake, and Newport [Oregon Coast]. California is pretty untapped potential, but I rode through Bishop to Lone Pine and then through Death Valley.

One thing is if you're a non-helmet guy, the west is full helmet. I am a helmet wearing guy, but occasionally I'll let my hair blow in the breeze, but I try not to get too used to it. Just besure to check up on it.

Summertime along the gulf can be wet, but I think that is more south / central area isn't it?

I was hoping to do an Iron Butt ride across Canada from Vancouver to Halifax in under 90 hours. But I don't believe I'll have the time this year...

Ride safe - I'm reaching the last rides of 2013 - winter is verrrrrrrrry close.

Harry