Need advice on Americade long ride
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,640
Likes: 9
From: Staten island NY
I do it for the day and from SI NY... 5 and change straight up....have lunch and back by 730 pm.. just watch the truckers... two up>> 3 rest stops and use them, around Albany traffic builds as expected/// be safe and have fun
Road Captain
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 563
Likes: 0
From: Kansas City, MO
I live in Kansas City, MO and my wife is originally from upstate NY. About 40 minutes from Lake George.
I've made the journey from KC to Lake George / Granville NY twice for Americade. The ride is just over 1300 miles each way.
The first time I went I ended up with just a tad over 5000 additional miles on my bike for the 8 days we were gone. The second time we went, I ended up riding about 3500 miles.
Americade is a great event. Riding around Lake George and the surrounding areas is simply awesome. I'd highly recommend going on some of the guided tours. However, if you're not yet comfortable with group riding, you may want to hold off on that.
The key to long rides (in my opinion) is taking lots of short breaks (10 minutes). We generally stop about every 1 - 1.5 hours. In doing so, my wife and I can easily make the 1300 mile trip each way in 2 days.
Although I'm not going to Americade this year, I'm planning on attending next year. It's hard to pass it up when we've got free food & room / board at my mother-in-laws 40 minutes outside of Lake George.
Hope this helps and have fun!
I've made the journey from KC to Lake George / Granville NY twice for Americade. The ride is just over 1300 miles each way.
The first time I went I ended up with just a tad over 5000 additional miles on my bike for the 8 days we were gone. The second time we went, I ended up riding about 3500 miles.
Americade is a great event. Riding around Lake George and the surrounding areas is simply awesome. I'd highly recommend going on some of the guided tours. However, if you're not yet comfortable with group riding, you may want to hold off on that.
The key to long rides (in my opinion) is taking lots of short breaks (10 minutes). We generally stop about every 1 - 1.5 hours. In doing so, my wife and I can easily make the 1300 mile trip each way in 2 days.
Although I'm not going to Americade this year, I'm planning on attending next year. It's hard to pass it up when we've got free food & room / board at my mother-in-laws 40 minutes outside of Lake George.
Hope this helps and have fun!
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
From: Long Island
Been going for 15+ years from LI NY. as someone stated, hydrate and have resupply on hand. It's 5 hours up with one fuel stop. Only go as fast or as long as you feel comfortable. I can't enough about the area. It's simply awesome riding. I've done the guided tours and am not a fan. I like the unguided self paced rides better. Don't know how kind you're going for but try to do the week. It's an experience. Can't wait till June. Enjoy and be safe.
Tourer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 450
Likes: 2
Same day, different stop sign, group goes through a stop sign, guy in front of me stops, so i stop, must be a reason he stopped, right? Guy behind me goes between us, through the intersection and a van came about 5 feet from what would have been a real bad accident. It shook me up a bit.
Later in the day, the woman with the smoking, no rear brake, clutch slipping bike, her husbands bike shorted some wires, started smoking, and then wouldn't run. Had to wait for someone to come and pick him up, wasn't gonna leave him.
After that day, no more goup rides. I knew everyone in that group, but put em on a bike, forget it. I would much rather be in the back rather then have someone come up from behind and take me out.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,727
Likes: 6
The last (stress last) group ride I was involved in, there was a woman whos bike smoked pretty bad, so she was in the back. Was about a dozen of us, I was near the back. Guys up front were speed demons, I am really not, especially on the roads we were on. Anyways, as you can guess, the rubber band effect comes into play, we come over a hill, and there they are, waiting at a stop sign for us. I didn't have any problem stopping, and for some reason I moved over as far as i could to the right. Well, the woman in the back who's bike smoked, also did not have a back brake. To top that off, her clutch was slipping pretty bad. Well, she hit the guy in front of me, didn't do much damage, but if she would have hit me, would have been different.
Same day, different stop sign, group goes through a stop sign, guy in front of me stops, so i stop, must be a reason he stopped, right? Guy behind me goes between us, through the intersection and a van came about 5 feet from what would have been a real bad accident. It shook me up a bit.
Later in the day, the woman with the smoking, no rear brake, clutch slipping bike, her husbands bike shorted some wires, started smoking, and then wouldn't run. Had to wait for someone to come and pick him up, wasn't gonna leave him.
After that day, no more goup rides. I knew everyone in that group, but put em on a bike, forget it. I would much rather be in the back rather then have someone come up from behind and take me out.
Same day, different stop sign, group goes through a stop sign, guy in front of me stops, so i stop, must be a reason he stopped, right? Guy behind me goes between us, through the intersection and a van came about 5 feet from what would have been a real bad accident. It shook me up a bit.
Later in the day, the woman with the smoking, no rear brake, clutch slipping bike, her husbands bike shorted some wires, started smoking, and then wouldn't run. Had to wait for someone to come and pick him up, wasn't gonna leave him.
After that day, no more goup rides. I knew everyone in that group, but put em on a bike, forget it. I would much rather be in the back rather then have someone come up from behind and take me out.
Exactly
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 333
Likes: 0
From: Western New York
Been there a few times traveling from Buffalo. Groups over 4 bikes can be tricky. Not everyone has the same riding skills, and some ride faster and harder then others. Keep your distance and pay attention. Getting everyone thru traffic lights can be a pain.
Get an Easy Pass for the tolls. It can rain ,snow, or be 70 and sunshine during the week. Enjoy the the ride.
Get an Easy Pass for the tolls. It can rain ,snow, or be 70 and sunshine during the week. Enjoy the the ride.
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 867
Likes: 79
From: Bridgewater, NJ
Been going for over 17-18 years now. Same basic group of guys. We make a week of it. But don't get there till Thursday. Last year we went to Nova Scotia 1st. This year Ohio. After awhile 4-5 hours is...well ...just 4 or 5 hours.
Americade isn't what it used to be, but you can still have a good time riding the roads around the Adirondacks.
Americade isn't what it used to be, but you can still have a good time riding the roads around the Adirondacks.
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