21,569 km of North America solo on a sportbike: Summer 2011

[revrandy]

Pretty much 365 days of the year... He lives there.

Pretty close. Not quite 365 as I do head to Vegas a couple of times a year and usually Toronto once. Oh yeah, I also went to Argentina earlier this year - let's go with 340 to be safe

[vrus]

eighty six days away from home! and job! oh man... envious

[oomis]

Awesome. My personal productivity at work is about to take a nose-dive!!

[BeastieGirl]

I hope you see the Grand Canyon. I went to the South Rim, but I'm fairly sure the North Rim offers just as sexy a view. You can see the whole thing from both sides anyway, so it's not like you'd be missing out on much if you chose one over the other. Aside from that, I hope you ride through Colorado and Utah, and I hear the north end of New Mexico is incredible, though I only went across the south, which was really nice, too. If you go into Colorado->Utah, check out Arches National Park in Moab, UT. That whole area is insanely beautiful.

I did that area in June this year too - Utah is indeed insanely beautiful - add Bryce Canyon to the list if you can - didn't get to Zion National Park for time reasons and New Mexico was just a drive-through but gorgeous view from the Interstate In Arizona I really enjoyed my trip to Jerome - a "ghost town" built up the side of a mountain and Petrified Forest National Park - who knew the desert was so stunning?
It actually doesn't add much travel time to go the northern route to Denver, through the mountains and down through Utah - I took that route down and came back through New Mexico and Texas - its only a little over 2 days to Denver.

[Wheelieboy]

In Arizona I really enjoyed my trip to Jerome - a "ghost town" built up the side of a mountain .

The roads in Jerome were amazing! If only I had daylight to do it in so that I could actually enjoy the scenery...did it in pitch black darkness.

[shanekingsley]

Agreed, I did the 89A from Flagstaff to Prescott a few years ago and it was incredible. If I had more time, I would have turned around and did it again back up to Flagstaff. It was 25deg and sunny down in Sedona area and snowy and cold up in the higher elevations like Flagstaff and Jerome.

Awesome trip report and glad you had a fun trip making back home safe and sound.

[nfq]

eighty six days away from home! and job! oh man... envious

teacher? self-employed? retired?

or just awesome?

Great trip and write-up!

[BeastieGirl]

Still reading my way through your blog - too interesting to just skim through, but what an incredible experience - feeling a little jealous!

I was only able to experience a small sample - out to Colorado, down through Utah to AZ - only as far south as Prescott - then back through NM, Texas (panhandle - sucked - dry and smelly).

Will keep perusing the blog - at east the weekend is coming up.

Thanks for sharing!

[Flatliner]

I quickly looked at your very detailed blog and in a word WOW!. That's some trip. It'll take a while to read everything you posted but I'm sure it will be worthwhile. Live the life when you can, live vicariously when you can't.

[viper84737]

Argh, sorry I haven't responded, guys, for some reason I'm not getting the e-mail updates when you comment. I'll look into that.

I'm self-employed, yeah. Far from rich. Certainly single. Even if I were working for The Man, I'd flip him the bird for this kind of trip. You have to, life's waaaaay too short! I waited 15 years to get a motorcycle for my 30th birthday last year, and I wish I had done so sooner in life. I know it can be tough with bills to pay and kids and obligations and such, so I won't ever talk down to you if there are legitimate life-reasons why you can't, but I would seriously hope it's not simple fear of the unknown holding you back from an adventure like this! So many people could put that in better words than I could. The stuff I saw was indescribable in every way, and ridiculously awe-inspiring, worth the price I paid in money and the time I took away from making more money. Screw money, life can't be about that. Life's about adventures like these. They're all you get to take with you when you go.

What would I do differently? I'd toss the camping equipment and carry more t-shirts and underwear. I wasn't planning to stay in LA for as long as I did, and I did have access to laundry facilities there, which was great. I was originally planning to wear my clothes, toss them, and get new ones from Wal-Mart along the way, but I'm glad I didn't, because that would have eaten up precious time. I'd also spend more time exploring cities more. I was in Dallas just overnight, and I didn't really get to soak in the city itself, thinking during my planning stages that this part of the world would somehow be less interesting. Far from it, everywhere was fascinating in its own way. I would say spend at least one full day in each city. That's a tough sell for places like Lincoln, NB, or Roswell, NM, but I wish I had more time in Dallas and San Antonio. Austin, too, and yes, even Atlanta could have used one full day to soak in (which I have some interesting thoughts on in the blog).

Which brings me to my most important change: I'd plan legs that were under 800 kms for sure, wherever possible. Why 800? Somewhat arbitrary. The leg from Salt Lake City to Bozeman was impossible (1100 kms, with photography stops at Yellowstone, which I never reached due to weather). I overplanned the distances, and from Bozeman to Chilliwack, too, which was right the next day. Actually come to think of it, all my plans getting to LA were a exceedingly ambitious. This caused stresses at more than one point during the adventure. For example, I arrived in Denver after dusk, and there wasn't much time-wasting on days like that one. I missed the whole ingress from the Nebraska border, climbing up the foothills to Denver itself, which is right at the base of the Rocky Mountains I couldn't see until the following day.

Coming back it was ok, not as rushed. I would have loved to spend just a little more time soaking it in on the way for sure. Fuel/food stops take up more time than I had anticipated, and I'm no lolligagger. I'd also affix my Canadian Flag stickers sooner. Some people noticed them and they were good conversation starters. My bad for being lazy on this one. I'd also carry a DSLR camera with me. My Fuji S1000 has amazing optical zoom, but crummy capturing capabilities and was unable to capture things like a higher end DSLR with some good lenses would have. I'd also probably eat a little healthier. Gas station food and McDonald's kinda wears on you after a while.

Would I do it again? Hell effing yes I would, in a heartbeat. I need to do an "inner loop" of the big M I carved, and to see Yellowstone and Zion National Park, as well as the eastern parts of Cali and the stuff in between Colorado and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Y'all are welcome along, if you'd like. I know Frankie went on a trip to Cali, and we've talked a bit about going on another trip like this, and I'm sure other people out there would love to come, too. I also made a friend from Italy along the way in Arizona, and he said should I ever want to do Europe, he'd be willing to join. I'm highly, highly interested in Europe as it is, so this appeals to me greatly.

Also of note (hilariously and perhaps scarily), I just took my bike in for its 24,000 km servicing, and I'm STILL running the OEM front tire haha. There's still a biiiit of tread on the center, and still some decent amounts on the outer edges. I'll take a pic before I remove it, with my final distance travelled. I should mail it into Bridgestone and let them know :P

Mike

[bluerider]

Very nicely done. I just finished reading your enitre blog and I must say I am a little jealous. I am doing a small trip into NY,Pen,NC, WV and who knows where else. You did an awesome job with the report and pictures.

Would you do it again on a super sport?

Just a question where did you go in Mexico? I must have missed it sorry.

Again good job and thanks for the reports.

[viper84737]

Hey thanks for taking the time to read it! I didn't actually go to Mexico, I just went to the San Diego - Tijuana border and snapped some pics of the Tijuana side. I didn't feel like getting the shake-down from US Border Patrol on the way back and having a hard time that way, with all my stuff back in San Diego at my host's house.

Would I do it again on an SS? Hell yes. I plan to do an "inner loop" of the big M loop I did on this adventure, sometime, and to go back to Yellowstone cause I really, really wanted to see it.

Then Europe.

As of writing this response to you, my bike has a little over 26,700 kms on it, and I'm still on the OEM front tire!

[Maverick95]

I love the details! Thanks for sharing!

I especially love the part about 95% tread on the front tire, we could compete for the Guinness World Record, my tread was so low, it just crumpled/collapsed when i swapped it, thought for sure it was going to blow out on my way to swap it and had to aviod every possible line and bump in the road to keep extra pressure off and mostly use my rear brake...:P Tons of fun

[bluerider]

Hey thanks for taking the time to read it! I didn't actually go to Mexico, I just went to the San Diego - Tijuana border and snapped some pics of the Tijuana side. I didn't feel like getting the shake-down from US Border Patrol on the way back and having a hard time that way, with all my stuff back in San Diego at my host's house.

Would I do it again on an SS? Hell yes. I plan to do an "inner loop" of the big M loop I did on this adventure, sometime, and to go back to Yellowstone cause I really, really wanted to see it.

Then Europe.

As of writing this response to you, my bike has a little over 26,700 kms on it, and I'm still on the OEM front tire!

LOL can't blame you for not wanting to get hasseled by the BP agents.

Ok I have been told by a lot of people that they would never do a trip on a SS but thats what I am taking.

Did you have your stock seat? How did your wrist ( throttle ) feel hurt at all?

Good luck with your future trips and thanks again.

[viper84737]

I have my stock seat, yes. I have a throttle master like the one seen here: http://www.bikebiz.com.au/product_im..._09502_std.png -- it likely made life much easier. I did have a tank bag which I leaned up against, and I'm maybe 167 cm tall. These Japanese crotch rockets were made by people that size for people that size. I can literally ride all day long and never have a single complaint about my back. Most people I talk to also question my sanity when I tell them I rode a race bike that far.

[bluerider]

I have my stock seat, yes. I have a throttle master like the one seen here: http://www.bikebiz.com.au/product_im..._09502_std.png -- it likely made life much easier. I did have a tank bag which I leaned up against, and I'm maybe 167 cm tall. These Japanese crotch rockets were made by people that size for people that size. I can literally ride all day long and never have a single complaint about my back. Most people I talk to also question my sanity when I tell them I rode a race bike that far.

Awesome thanks

[Ikan]

Good lord you did this on gsxr 600? My back would've given out on me past London and I'm in my mid 20's!

Lol.
I have ridden a GSXR750 for up to 17 hours none stop recently except for gas and pee breaks and only had an uncomfortable bottom at times. It just works for me and the arched back position on a ss bike is great as all the energy from bumps is not directed up my spine like it would be on a cruiser for example.
.........................

Thanx for telling us about your ride. I am jealous also. Sounds a lot more fun than doing what so many do which is test their luck with the police in their own backyards every weekend.

I hope to do a few week long rides next summer in the U.S., to see places and sites. I once did a ride from Calgary to Toronto with only a 2 hour nap along the way, a few years ago on a GSXR750. Could not do that again. I recall it being 3,200 kms in 42 hours. Having so many gas stops is what adds to the time. If there is a next tme I will stop and see more along the way.

Riding is therapeutic!

[adri]

So I guess you got a little bored and decided to go for a little ride eh?

Bookmarked this.

[dragonrider]

Thanks for sharing. Will look into it.

[djez]

Thanks for sharing, hope to complete my trip too.