What Would You Suggest (long and NON POLITICAL)

[LandElephant]

t looks like in a few months I am going to be RIF'd (reduction in Force) from the project that I am on right now.  I have over 14 weeks of TOWP (time off with pay) and can only take a block of 8 weeks.  There is a good chance that another project in my future but I like the time to re-energize before going back to the grind.

So here is I am leaning toward doing.  I though I would take these 8 weeks and visit 6 states with a week in each state.  I am headquartered out of the Panhandle of Texas so I could use up to a week to get to my start destination and a week to get back home.

Equipment will be either my 2014 Ural Retro M70 Solo, or my 2012 Ural Yamal side car.  They don't go fast but that's okay with me.  Average miles between 200 and 300 but not everyday

Let me state that for those who have ridden with me I am very much like DDT.  I aim my front tire down the road.  I may know where I want to be but I don't always know how I am going to get there. So an example could be New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado. Or, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas.  last time I did something like this I did a roadside history ride.  Stopped at the various roadside historical markers.  Actually did a good part of the Blues Trail through Mississippi this way.

So now you have an idea what I'm considering.  Tell me what you would recommend in your state if you had the time to ride like this. They can be quirky places (for example Cadillac Ranch in my hometown of Amarillo Texas), museums, roadside attractions, or events.

Looking forward to the information.

Charlie Morse
Land Elephant

[Serk]

Not in my home state, but if the weather was warm enough, I would LOVE to just randomly wander around the Rockies in Colorado/New Mexico/Colorado/Utah/Colorado/Wyoming/Colorado for a few weeks, just randomly going and checking it out and going down any roads that caught my interest...

In fact, just such a trip is one of my "bucket list" rides...

OR, if you're up for a long ride to and from, one of my other BIG "bucket" rides is to ride to Deadhorse Alaska and dip a toe in the Arctic Ocean...

In your situation, I'd be very tempted to aim north and keep going until I got there, wander around Alaska with any spare time before I limped home...

[Moonshot_1]

Nail the time frame a bit more.

Are we talking mid Spring, early Summer, next month?

If early Summer I could suggest (Assuming you start in Texas and end in Texas) ride across Arkansas to the Mississippi, run the Great River Road up Ark, Missouri, Iowa and to LaCrosse, Wisc. then take I-90 or other parallel series of back roads west across Minn. (or northern Iowa), across South Dakota and the Badlands, Black Hills then to Wyoming and south through the mountains of Colorado then New Mex. and then back to Texas.

Got no idea what the milage on such a trip would be but there are a number of variations that could shorten or lengthen it as you could choose to break west at any time.

[DirtyDan]

Alaska in January aint gonna fly. When I do my long trips I keep my eye on the weather. Stay dry keep the sun out of your eyes. If you go to Alaska bring MOSQUITO NETTING!!!

Dan

[Valker]

I'm neaby in Pampa. Without getting very far away to start, I understand (means I may be wrong) that US Highway 83 entering Texas just north of Perryton and ending near Brownsville is the longest highway contained in a single state. I've ridden large portions of it and found lots of interesting stuff a great food. Just one idea.
I also do what I call a "Penny Tour". I get $1 worth of pennies. Every time I come to a stop, I flip a penny into the air. Heads: I go right. Tails: I go left. Can't see the penny: I go straight. Never know where I will end up. It might be Hereford, it might be Deadhorse.

[DDT (12)]

Careful, my friend... you're cracking the door open to some planning here! You've already ridden to all of those places, so... I think what you need more than anything is exactly what I also need... a Coddiwomple!

I got that term indirectly from Super Santa (Early Bird), and if you aren't familiar with it, I'll be explaining it in a separate post... Anyway, that's my offering to you. Good luck with whatever you decide... And, I'll look forward to hearing about your adventure as it unfolds or after your return...

DDT

[3fan4life]

Of course weather and time of year are the biggest factors.

I hope to do such a ride someday.

My plan is to just ride and end up wherever I end up.

If Isee something that I want to take a look at I will.

My thought is also to let the weather guide my route.

If it's raining to the north then I'll ride south that day and vise versa.

There's fun in just wandering sometimes, I think that's part of the reason that I admire DDTso much.

[Serk]

And while it sounds like you're doing a far better job of it than myself, always remember these wise words (This is my 2nd tattoo)



English translation - Not all who wander are lost.

Wherever the compass ends up blowing you, please remember to take us along as much as possible, no matter how much non-bike crap is happening here at the time! I look forward to following along on your adventure!!

[Wizzard]

Alaska in January aint gonna fly. When I do my long trips I keep my eye on the weather. Stay dry keep the sun out of your eyes. If you go to Alaska bring MOSQUITO NETTING!!!

Dan

I keep hearing that but I was there last summer in July and had no netting at all and I did not get one single mosquito bite. And they don't hate me as I get bit here at home all the time.

[GiG]

Alaskan skeeters just have better taste! 

[Wizzard]

Alaskan skeeters just have better taste! 

Well,, I know I have good taste,, cannot speak for the skeeters though

[The emperor has no clothes]

Alaska in January aint gonna fly. When I do my long trips I keep my eye on the weather. Stay dry keep the sun out of your eyes. If you go to Alaska bring MOSQUITO NETTING!!!

Dan

I keep hearing that but I was there last summer in July and had no netting at all and I did not get one single mosquito bite. And they don't hate me as I get bit here at home all the time.

You were just lucky . Some years they are unbearable and some years you don't even notice them. I am not a big fan of nets, because if they are so bad that you need one they are still going to drive you nuts buzzing around your head. 100% DEET is where it's at for me. 

[baldo]

Alaskan skeeters just have better taste! 

Well,, I know I have good taste,, cannot speak for the skeeters though

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CdVTCDdEwI

[LandElephant]

Coddiwomple - an interesting term.  That's right up there with yamerin and yick yacking. Ah yes that planning thing that seem to get us all.

I was reading some past journals (some good and interesting reading) from my very young adventurist days when I was touring the back roads on my brand new 1975 Goldwing.  The days where I had a small ditty bag, a single man tent, and a stolen military wool blanket strapped on to the back seat.  A couple pair of underwear, a few pair of socks, pants, couple shirts and a jacket.  Forty five days of open road touring the far west.

How did we ever survive Bruce.  So now I have a slow, fairly safe mechanical motorcycle and the desire to once again wander like the old times.  Am I planning.  Nah, but having the information stored in the back of the older, more forgetful brain could be that key when heading down a road and you see a sign that says world largest underwear factory and some one happen to mention it as a destination point.

Weather is a factor.  If I get close to mid to late spring I may head to the Canyonland's and do a large bit of off road adventuring.  Got plenty of time to see and enjoy Colorado.  Just bought a summer place in 2015.  Spent a good part of my weekend trips home this past summer there. Best year I had trout fishing in a long time. 

Serk, if you are looking for a free place to stay in SW Colorado let me know.  Got a brand new 10 x 12 shed set up as a camp with all the comforts a man could want.  At 7800' elevation and only a couple hours to the top of the Million Dollar Highway.

But guys keep the ideas coming.

Charlie Morse
Land Elephant

[Moonshot_1]

And while it sounds like you're doing a far better job of it than myself, always remember these wise words (This is my 2nd tattoo)



English translation - Not all who wander are lost.

Wherever the compass ends up blowing you, please remember to take us along as much as possible, no matter how much non-bike crap is happening here at the time! I look forward to following along on your adventure!!

I believe it could also be translated into "If I wanted directions I would have brought my wife"