Crazy Motorcycle Trip!

[Ted]

For the past few months I've been wanting to take a vacation of some sort. While I had a few potential plans with friends, those all fell through. While sitting on my couch meditating on life, the universe, and everything on Sunday, it came to me: crazy motorcycle road trip! Jesse's not the only one who gets to do these things.

It's perfect. I love road trips. I've wanted to do one on a motorcycle for years. I want to go see friends of mine in various parts of the country. It's been close to two years since I've done any kind of real road trip. Yep, perfect. This is what I'm going to do.

This is the general plan: I will depart Williamsport, PA probably on Friday, July 25th after work and that will be the beginning of it. I am taking two full weeks, with the expectation of getting back home on Sunday, August 3rd. This trip will take me from here to California and back, north on the way there, south on the way back. It will include Osh on the way out, even better. The tentative schedule is as follows:

July 25th: Williamsport, PA -> Chicago, IL
July 26th: Chicago, IL -> Oshkosh, WI (EAA AirVenture - awesome airshow)
July 28th: Oshkosh, WI -> Ames, IA -> Omaha, NE
July 29th: Omaha, NE -> Fort Collins, CO
July 30th: Fort Collins, CO -> Boise, ID
July 31st: Boise, ID -> San Francisco, CA
August 2nd: San Francisco, CA -> Los Angeles, CA (Pacific Coast Highway)
August 4th: Los Angeles, CA -> Phoenix, AZ
August 5th: Phoenix, AZ -> Grand Canyon -> Albuquerque, NM
August 6th: Albuquerque, NM -> Dallas, TX
August 7th: Dallas, TX -> Oklahoma City
August 8th: Oklahoma City -> Missouri Somewhere -> Jasper, IN
August 9th: Jasper, IN -> Williamsport, PA

Yes, it's a tight schedule, but compared to the sorts of road trips I'm used to doing, it's actually not bad. I've got a number of stops planned already.

While on this trip, I'd like to get the chance to meet anyone on here who'd like to get lunch with some yuppie hippie on a motorcycle and likes to fly planes. If you're on the route (or off it) and interested, let me know!

 

[Ted]

I'm having trouble trying to get the actual picture from Google Maps to work, so here's the link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=...99.71026&sspn=48.075979,81.914063&ie=UTF8&z=4

 

[Missa]

What he fails to say is that... "currently I don't have a motorcycle but and nuts enough to plan a trip and then gp buy one for the trip"

Is Ft. Collins, Co near Mari... She's well worth the detour if she's home.

And if "Missouri somewhere" doesn't turn into the Diana and Tom's Farm, you truely are nuts

 

[ScottM]

Let us Chi-towners know for sure when you are passing through and we can do a PoA hook up. Also plenty of beds available if you need a place to stay.

 

[Ted]

What he fails to say is that... "currently I don't have a motorcycle but and nuts enough to plan a trip and then gp buy one for the trip"

And how is this any crazier than anything I've done before? Come on, I walked into a BMW motorcycle dealer at Christmas with no intention of buying a bike and walked out with a Honda Interceptor. Some people say I'm a free spirit, others say I have ADD. I don't think either one would be an incorrect statement.

Is Ft. Collins, Co near Mari... She's well worth the detour if she's home.

I was hoping to get to meet the queen of FlashChat, yes!

And if "Missouri somewhere" doesn't turn into the Diana and Tom's Farm, you truely are nuts

Well, if I receive an invitation you better believe I'll be stopping!

Let us Chi-towners know for sure when you are passing through and we can do a PoA hook up. Also plenty of beds available if you need a place to stay.

Thanks, Scott! I definitely will. Maybe we can organize a PoA dinner in Chi-town.

 

[Missa]

And if "Missouri somewhere" doesn't turn into the Diana and Tom's Farm, you truely are nuts

Well, if I receive an invitation you better believe I'll be stopping!

Ask to mow the runway... I'm sure you will get an invitation.

 

[RogerT]

While on this trip, I'd like to get the chance to meet anyone on here who'd like to get lunch with some yuppie hippie on a motorcycle and likes to fly planes. If you're on the route (or off it) and interested, let me know!

Ted .. I'm in Lincoln, NE .. which is right on your route. If you're overnighting
in Omaha .. that's only about an hour away .. I can always come up and
we'll go do dinner. Lots of good places to eat up there.

RT

 

[etsisk]

Sounds like fun! PCH is a slow-y kind of route, so be prepared for that. The problem is, it's beautiful, so you want to look out over the scenic vistas , but it's also curvy, and has a tendency to want to curve out from under you as you look out over scenic vistas. So you make an omygosh fast turn and tell yerself you won't ever do THAT again, and a couple miles later, same thing happens. So be careful!

Ride the skyline drive in San Jose outside of SF. You'll enjoy it. Really.

 

[Ted]

Roger, I've got you written down! Right now it's gathering info and such for me to make my plans more definite.

I've never been on the PCH before, part of why I want to take it. I'm expecting it to be a long trip, which is why I'm allowing a whole day for taking it down to LA from SF. I haven't been on the skyline drive before, but there is a request for me to ride over the Golden Gate Bridge.

As of earlier today, I bought a Honda VTX 1800 for the trip. I'm going to go pick it up tomorrow, and then ride it around some (probably a few trips to NYC, etc.) to see what I want to get for it additionally before my jaunt. Pictures will be posted after pick-up.

 

[Shipoke]

As of earlier today, I bought a Honda VTX 1800 for the trip. I'm going to go pick it up tomorrow, and then ride it around some (probably a few trips to NYC, etc.) to see what I want to get for it additionally before my jaunt. Pictures will be posted after pick-up.

Somebody has too much money look at all the toys he has and is still buying

Just kidding Ted, have fun, wish i could go along.

Dave G

 

[jesse]

Let me know when you pass through Omaha Nebraska. Lincoln is the next city west on I-80 (about 50 miles from Omaha). I live about six blocks from the interstate and would have a place for you to sleep if you needed it.

 

[Everskyward]

Is Ft. Collins, Co near Mari... She's well worth the detour if she's home.

I wouldn't use the word "near" when talking about Fort Collins. It's about a 2-hour drive but I could possibly manage that if I have the day off. Unfortunately if I'm "standing by", my leash is quite a bit shorter.

 

[Ted]

Mari, I hope that we'll be able to work something out. Like I said, the schedule is in all kinds of limbo at the moment, but I think that it is coming together nicely.

Oh, and an update: I now have crazy motorcycle for crazy motorcycle trip!

A 2003 Honda VTX 1800. 10,900 miles on it as of this morning when I rode it in to work. Need to put on a new rear tire before the trip, and that'll be about it. I also will just need to adjust a few things to make them more suitable for me vs. the previous owner (6'2" 160 lbs vs. 6'6" 275 lbs).

 

[CJones]

Let us know when you're near Ames. There are several of us PoA'ers stumbling around the cornfields around here.

 

[Ted]

Gracias Chris y Nick.

I think I may make Ames a bigger stop on my trip than I had initially. My friend in Omaha hasn't responded, and I'd like to meet y'all in Ames!

In other notes, last night I adjusted my highway pegs and put the lager windshield on. Also got the luggage rack installed on the thing. I need to ride the bike a bit more at higher highway speeds, but I think this will be the general setup to go with (after tweaking the right side highway peg a hair more). I'm probably going to pull out the radio he had installed, the thing is useless to me. I'm just going to go with earphones.

 

[vontresc]

If you don't mind a bit of a detour, skip chicago, and go to OSH via the Macinaw Bridge and the UP. Much prettier drive than dealing with the horrible construction on the IL tollway, and Gary IN

Pete

 

[Ted]

Pete, taking the scenic route would be nice. My boss did the trip on his Goldwing through Canada last year and loved it. The thing is, this trip has two goals:

1) See people
2) See places

That's the order of importance I'm going with. As much as I'd love to see scenic Michigan, I'd rather go to Chicago and see a buddy of mine from HS and meet the Chi-town crew. Sometime, when I have a month or two rather than two weeks, I'll go for more detours.

 

[gprellwitz]

If you don't mind a bit of a detour, skip chicago, and go to OSH via the Macinaw Bridge and the UP. Much prettier drive than dealing with the horrible construction on the IL tollway, and Gary IN

Pete

No, because that would interfere with the CHI area get-together! And we've got a room for you, if interested!

 

[vontresc]

Hmm I may have to bring down the mighty R-65 Grant let me know when....

 

[Ted]

I'm supposed to get my throttle lock and extra luggage bag tomorrow, and the back rest I ordered ought to arrive next week. I removed the radio that it came with, and am going to have to figure out something for mounting my satellite radio and the GPS.

The Chicago section of the trip I am thinking will be on July 25th/26th. I'll probably ride out on the 25th after work, and then spend the night at a friend's house. Maybe plan on getting a group together for lunch on the 26th?

 

[jesse]

Depending on the days that you pass through this area--I might be interested in joining up and riding with you for a day or two.

 

[Ted]

Depending on the days that you pass through this area--I might be interested in joining up and riding with you for a day or two.

Definitely! After passing through your area I was going to head out to Colorado and hopefully getting to see Mari. Before I'll be in Chicago to Osh and then through Ames on the way towards you.

 

[Ted]

Current updated schedule:

July 25th: Williamsport, PA -> Chicago, IL
July 26th: Chicago, IL -> Oshkosh, WI (EAA AirVenture - awesome airshow)
July 28th: Oshkosh, WI -> Ames, IA -> Lincoln, NE
July 29th: Lincoln, NE -> Fort Collins, CO
July 30th: Fort Collins, CO -> Denver, CO -> Salt Lake City, UT
July 31st: Salt Lake City, UT -> Boise, ID
August 1st: Boise, ID -> San Francisco, CA
August 3nd: San Francisco, CA -> Los Angeles, CA (Pacific Coast Highway)
August 4th: Los Angeles, CA -> Phoenix, AZ
August 5th: Phoenix, AZ -> Grand Canyon -> Albuquerque, NM
August 6th: Albuquerque, NM -> Dallas, TX
August 7th: Dallas, TX -> Oklahoma City
August 8th: Oklahoma City -> Missouri Somewhere -> Jasper, IN
August 9th: Jasper, IN -> Williamsport, PA

 

[steingar]

The modifications on the bike sound like what you need, and the bike sounds appropriate for the trip. Of course (as I always say) don't forget your gear. Maybe I'll catch you at OSH.

 

[gprellwitz]

I'm supposed to get my throttle lock and extra luggage bag tomorrow, and the back rest I ordered ought to arrive next week. I removed the radio that it came with, and am going to have to figure out something for mounting my satellite radio and the GPS.

The Chicago section of the trip I am thinking will be on July 25th/26th. I'll probably ride out on the 25th after work, and then spend the night at a friend's house. Maybe plan on getting a group together for lunch on the 26th?

Presuming I haven't already headed up to KOSH myself! Sounds good!

 

[flyingcheesehead]

July 26th: Chicago, IL -> Oshkosh, WI (EAA AirVenture - awesome airshow)
July 28th: Oshkosh, WI -> Ames, IA -> Lincoln, NE

Uh, Ted? Airventure doesn't START until the 28th. Even if you only spend one day there, you won't want to leave until at least 6:30 PM when the airshow is over. Okay, maybe 6 PM to beat the traffic rush.

Of course, once you see one day of the show, you'll want to stick around for more and you won't leave until Aug. 3rd when the show ends.

 

[gprellwitz]

Uh, Ted? Airventure doesn't START until the 28th. Even if you only spend one day there, you won't want to leave until at least 6:30 PM when the airshow is over. Okay, maybe 6 PM to beat the traffic rush.

Of course, once you see one day of the show, you'll want to stick around for more and you won't leave until Aug. 3rd when the show ends.

I just purchased my tickets (online). Tickets are required starting Sunday the 27th, but that ticket is also good on Monday the 28th. I don't think we'll be staying past Wednesday this year.

 

[etsisk]

You've got a lotta riding crammed in there, so this won't likely do ya any good, but if you're going to the Grand Canyon, you should really go around it up to the North Rim. It's about 15 degrees cooler, LOTS of beautiful ponderosa pine forests and about 10% of the traffic and misery. My wife and I rode out there on my Harley about 14 years ago (I had just been out there the year before). We had such a good time that we thought "Why not go to the South Rim for a couple of days?".

We were there for 40 minutes and simply FLED the area. It was horrible - noise, cranky drivers, bumper to bumper... everything the North Rim is NOT.

 

[RogerT]

Current updated schedule:

July 28th: Oshkosh, WI -> Ames, IA -> Lincoln, NE

Be sure to give me a heads up when you're in Lincoln.

RT

 

[Ted]

I just purchased my tickets (online). Tickets are required starting Sunday the 27th, but that ticket is also good on Monday the 28th. I don't think we'll be staying past Wednesday this year.

This is some confusion, then. Do things start on the 27th or on the 28th? This could alter my plans somewhat, but I don't intend on staying much time in Osh regardless. I like these kinds of shows and such, but only for a limited period of time usually.

 

[gprellwitz]

This is some confusion, then. Do things start on the 27th or on the 28th? This could alter my plans somewhat, but I don't intend on staying much time in Osh regardless. I like these kinds of shows and such, but only for a limited period of time usually.

From the Advanced Ticket Sales site:

[FONT=arial,helvetica]Daily tickets allow for admission on any single day of the event. Tickets are required for admission beginning Sunday, July 27th, but Monday’s ticket may be used for both Sunday, July 27th and Monday July 28th.[/FONT]

And the official start is listed as Monday, July 28th.