Distance Traveled

[DIGGER]

I have done quite a few long distance trips.   Usually when I leave Houston TX it is a VERY boring trip for the first 600 miles when headed North and West.    I'm rested and me and the Valkyrie are rearing to go so I usually try to pump out 600-700 miles the first day on major roads and interstates.  Then on back roads and scenic areas I'm comfortable doing 350-500 / day depending on where I am.  What distances do you guys like to travel on a long trip both leaving out and during the trip?

[Ken Tarver]

Depending on total distance and if I have limited myself on time; 1st day, 500-700 miles, subsequent to that 300-400/day to reach a destination. If sightseeing along the way may only get 200-300.

Ken

[Pete]

I usually just ride til I want to stop, 1st day, last day or any other day, unless there is a destination or stop where I need to do something.

Normal day 400 to 600 miles, long day 800 to a 1,000. If just exploring roads, 150 to 300. Just a day trip 150 to 300.

[Chrisj CMA]

400 miles is a day ride not much over that or it’s the NEXT day ride (for me)

[..]

I've done 3 unplanned Iron Butts when headed for home after multi thousand mile ride vacations.

Other than that I have a destination in mind and when I arrive there, there I am.

[Oss]

Depends on the time of year.

Most of my rides to events tended to be 650-850 miles the first few days.  That is fun for me, not so much fun for my riding buddy as I like rest stops to be 10 minutes or less.

10-12 hours but I have done more as long as the sun hasn't gone down yet.

Just don't see well enough on the bike at night anymore. You think I ride slow during the day, (except for the Taconic where I know every curve) wait till it gets to dusk.  

I pretty much know about where I want to stop on trips and usually make plans to have dinner with a member along the way just to have an opportunity to catch up on things.

[..]

You think I ride slow during the day, (except for the Taconic where I know every curve) wait till it gets to dusk.  

Some riding friends know roads as well as I do and they treat them with a little less respect.

My butt puckers at the thought of being fully committed and to not have 100% sight around a curve.

Apart from normal hazards like gravel and other road crap I've had a variety of animals from a squirrel to a bear to a couple of horses to a HERD of f'in black and white cows at night. How I go through them I have no idea.

I've had an ambulance on my side of the road.
I've had a fire truck on my side of the road
I've had a f'in police car, no lights or siren coming at me OVERTAKING a gas tanker.
I've had other bikes on my side of the road.

Then there's other vehicles going in my direction but at a snails pace.

Plus a variety of inanimate objects like Lazy Boy chairs.

I'm a firm believer in TSWHTF and I'd better be ready.

[Jess from VA]

I used to be good for about 9hrs of combat ride (mostly freeway) on bikes.

Now, (65) that's about as far as I can stand in my truck. 

In either, I only take short breaks for gas (no food.... water, tobacco, chewing gum).  I love coffee, but I don't love having to piss every hour.

I could probably still do it, but I don't want to.

[carolinarider09]

Generally, when I get to where I went to ride, my daily trips are 200 to 300 miles.  Sometimes less if I plan on stopping for some sight seeing.  Those days are 150 to 175.

To get to where I am going to start my ride (as in enjoying the sights) and if I am traveling the interstates, 450 to 500 miles. 

So if I am headed out west, first three days are 500 miles more or less.  Than, when I get there 250 a day.

[Rams]

Well, until my recent incident, I would stop for fuel every 250 miles, a 750 to 1,000 mile day was no big deal on my fat lady.   Now, it's hard to say...

Rams

[DirtyDan]

500 a day

Solid day

Dan

[3fan4life]

If riding Interstate about 500 miles is my comfort limit.

I can do 600 miles and have done 700 miles in a day but 500 is more comfortable.

One thing that I have started doing when leaving out for a long ride is to try and get a little bit of a "Head Start".

When I can I'll leave out after work the day before instead of waiting until the next morning to leave.

My goal is usually to get the first 250 miles or so knocked out and find a hotel room just before dark.

This head start lets me start the next day a little ahead and not feeling rushed.

This has worked well for me, especially since I can't ever get to bed before 11pm or so anyway.

[Black Pearl's Captain]

"What distances do you guys like to travel on a long trip both leaving out and during the trip?"

I like to ride. Best ever was on the Valkyrie Interstate back in 2006, 1308 miles. I do like to ride and found my Interstate was just as good at long rides as my ST1300 is now it just took more gas! I usually ride until I'm there if I'm alone.

Sometimes it's not how far you can ride as how long. You can't ride as far in Tennesse-Virgina or the anywhere in the upper eastern US as you can "out west" but you can ride a long time.

I had a 1200 mile ride home from a camp out just a few weeks ago, Minnesota to Florida. I do still like to ride! But, most trips I seem to ride 600-800 mile days as I'm often riding with someone.

[DIGGER]

"What distances do you guys like to travel on a long trip both leaving out and during the trip?"

I like to ride. Best ever was on the Valkyrie Interstate back in 2006, 1308 miles. I do like to ride and found my Interstate was just as good at long rides as my ST1300 is now it just took more gas! I usually ride until I'm there if I'm alone.

Sometimes it's not how far you can ride as how long. You can't ride as far in Tennesse-Virgina or the anywhere in the upper eastern US as you can "out west" but you can ride a long time.

I had a 1200 mile ride home from a camp out just a few weeks ago, Minnesota to Florida. I do still like to ride! But, most trips I seem to ride 600-800 mile days as I'm often riding with someone.

Thats a lot of riding.    See it from the hyway numbers.

[Quasi (fmr. GHSTDG)]

Usually depends on the purpose.

If I'm out exploring back roads, taking in scenerey and/or just burning a few days I'm under 500-600. 

If I'm trying to get somewhere I've been known to do 1-1.1k/day.  This is usually after I've been out a week or two and I'm ready to head home.

I'm currently planning for Iron Butt's 48 in 10 next summer.   That's going to require about ~800/day x 10 days.

[DIGGER]

Usually depends on the purpose.

If I'm out exploring back roads, taking in scenerey and/or just burning a few days I'm under 500-600. 

If I'm trying to get somewhere I've been known to do 1-1.1k/day.  This is usually after I've been out a week or two and I'm ready to head home.

I'm currently planning for Iron Butt's 48 in 10 next summer.   That's going to require about ~800/day x 10 days.

Thats a biggy.      When you get your plan together I would be interested in your route.    I think the border to border one would be fun to try.   Mexico to Canada in 24 hrs I think.

[DIGGER]

Usually depends on the purpose.

If I'm out exploring back roads, taking in scenerey and/or just burning a few days I'm under 500-600. 

If I'm trying to get somewhere I've been known to do 1-1.1k/day.  This is usually after I've been out a week or two and I'm ready to head home.

I'm currently planning for Iron Butt's 48 in 10 next summer.   That's going to require about ~800/day x 10 days.

Thats a biggy.      When you get your plan together I would be interested in your route.    I think the border to border one would be fun to try.   Mexico to Canada in 24 hrs I think.

Actually the IBA Border to Border ride is 36 hrs.    The Border to Border Gold ride is 24 hrs.

[Quasi (fmr. GHSTDG)]

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1_q-2009dtwMcpbT5jrfRzuduGEs&ll=38.79433066896306%2C-94.6366865&z=5

The link above is supposed to be the fastest/shortest route - 6500 miles.  The trouble is that the map above isn't actually using gas stations to count as being in the state.  The other problem is that most of us aren't starting in one of the extremes (Maine or WA).  

The above is from this article:
https://www.howderfamily.com/blog/shortest-48/

The route I've worked out for leaving from home (WV) and hitting the 48 (at a gas station for the proper receipt)is below.

Sheetz, 4401 MacCorkle Ave SW, South Charleston, WV 25309, 0
Marathon Gas, 506 US-23, Weber City, VA 24290, 198
Love's Travel Stop, 4238 Old Dobbins Bridge Rd, Fair Play, SC 29643, 389
Marathon, 10481 FL-97, McDavid, FL 32568, 776
Love's Travel Stop, 227 Hwy 65 S, Tallulah, LA 71282, 1069
Pump'n Petes, 202 E 12th St, Baxter Springs, KS 66713, 1549
Clarence's Truck Stop, 7116 US-287, Campo, CO 81029, 2041
Allsup's Convenience Store, 425 US-87, Texline, TX 79087, 2112
Chevron, 810 E Broadway St, Needles, CA 92363, 2921
Sinclair, 230 E Wendover Blvd, Wendover, UT 84083
Love's Travel Stop, 1041 NW Washington Ave, Ontario, OR 97914, 3756
Cenex Zip Trip, 1227 Bridge St, Clarkston, WA 99403, 4000
Frontier Travel Center & Piccadilly Pizza, 705 US-12, Bowman, ND 58623, 4833,
Sinclair, 5930 Old Highway 14, Beulah, WY 82712, 4970,
Rauks Hilltop Stop, 501 E 6th Ave, Beaver Creek, MN 56116, 5389
Sams Gas Station, 801 Dakota Ave, South Sioux City, NE 68776, 5498
Southwest Mart, 3525 N Percival St, Hazel Green, WI 53811, 5821
Speedway, 600 S Centerville Rd, Sturgis, MI 49091, 6129
Cumberland Farms, 317 Marlboro Rd, West Brattleboro, VT 05301, 6885
Irving Oil, 103 US-1, Kittery, ME 03904, 7014
Flying J Travel Center, 221 Belle Hill Rd, Elkton, MD 21921, 7445

Putting those in, in that order, to google maps hits me all 50 states in 7445 miles.


I'm still going to go through and plan the 'in-between' gas stations to try to maximize ~150 miles/tankful.

[Quasi (fmr. GHSTDG)]

I've thought about adding a gas tank (I have a belly tank for sale in the classifieds) but I decided not to because I'd be tempted to ride, like I do now, from full to reserve everytime.  That would change being able to stretch my legs every 2 hours to every 3.5.

The only advantage to the tank would be some of those long stretches out west.  With google maps though, I'm able to plan the actual gas stations so on the trip there won't be any "I've just hit reserve and now need to hope there is a gas station in the next 30 miles."


To stay on the post subject - the 48in10 IBA challenge requires you to run in excess of 800 miles daily - more if you want to make a bit of a cushion for 'unforseeables', i.e. blowout, deluges, bad sushi (lol), etc.

[Kokomo Kevin]

When I plan my trips, I like to just pick a direction and then break the ride up into 400-500 mile increments. Personal preference is to start trip around 4-5 AM first day and get a good distance in before looking for a good breakfast, lunch is a grab and go then start looking for a decent place to bed down around 3-4 PM. Grab a good nights rest then good breakfast the next day before start. To me each night I am looking for a good bed, decent price and a pool/hot tub. Most of the time I am not in a hurry lke tro savor the sights each day.

[DIGGER]

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1_q-2009dtwMcpbT5jrfRzuduGEs&ll=38.79433066896306%2C-94.6366865&z=5

The link above is supposed to be the fastest/shortest route - 6500 miles.  The trouble is that the map above isn't actually using gas stations to count as being in the state.  The other problem is that most of us aren't starting in one of the extremes (Maine or WA).  

The above is from this article:
https://www.howderfamily.com/blog/shortest-48/

The route I've worked out for leaving from home (WV) and hitting the 48 (at a gas station for the proper receipt)is below.

Sheetz, 4401 MacCorkle Ave SW, South Charleston, WV 25309, 0
Marathon Gas, 506 US-23, Weber City, VA 24290, 198
Love's Travel Stop, 4238 Old Dobbins Bridge Rd, Fair Play, SC 29643, 389
Marathon, 10481 FL-97, McDavid, FL 32568, 776
Love's Travel Stop, 227 Hwy 65 S, Tallulah, LA 71282, 1069
Pump'n Petes, 202 E 12th St, Baxter Springs, KS 66713, 1549
Clarence's Truck Stop, 7116 US-287, Campo, CO 81029, 2041
Allsup's Convenience Store, 425 US-87, Texline, TX 79087, 2112
Chevron, 810 E Broadway St, Needles, CA 92363, 2921
Sinclair, 230 E Wendover Blvd, Wendover, UT 84083
Love's Travel Stop, 1041 NW Washington Ave, Ontario, OR 97914, 3756
Cenex Zip Trip, 1227 Bridge St, Clarkston, WA 99403, 4000
Frontier Travel Center & Piccadilly Pizza, 705 US-12, Bowman, ND 58623, 4833,
Sinclair, 5930 Old Highway 14, Beulah, WY 82712, 4970,
Rauks Hilltop Stop, 501 E 6th Ave, Beaver Creek, MN 56116, 5389
Sams Gas Station, 801 Dakota Ave, South Sioux City, NE 68776, 5498
Southwest Mart, 3525 N Percival St, Hazel Green, WI 53811, 5821
Speedway, 600 S Centerville Rd, Sturgis, MI 49091, 6129
Cumberland Farms, 317 Marlboro Rd, West Brattleboro, VT 05301, 6885
Irving Oil, 103 US-1, Kittery, ME 03904, 7014
Flying J Travel Center, 221 Belle Hill Rd, Elkton, MD 21921, 7445

Putting those in, in that order, to google maps hits me all 50 states in 7445 miles.


I'm still going to go through and plan the 'in-between' gas stations to try to maximize ~150 miles/tankful.

Looks like you are serious about the challenge.    Lot of planning there .   I only knew one guy tried that ride.    About halfway he ran into a freak snow storm that shut him down.     I really hope you try it.    If you do be sure to keep us posted as to how it's goiing.  That's probably one of the most extreme riding challenges the IBA has.    The only one tougher to me would be the IBA Rally.....1000 miles per day for 10 consecutive days I think it is.   I really wish you luck.