Adventure road trip across America.

Even if you opt for motels, I would recommend to take a small tent.
It will give you an extra option, just in case.
My Vaude Refuge tent weighs 900 gr .
All my camping gear( tent, thermarest, sleeping bag, inflatable pillow) combined is only 2.5 kg
I do at least one 2-3 week trip every year for the last 40 years.
Like Stephen says, touring is addictive.

This bike carries everthing I need for 3 weeks on the road:

Adventure road trip across America.


Voodoo: churchyards are filled with 'indispensable' people..
 
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ludwig said:
Even if you opt for motels, I would recommend to take a small tent.
It will give you an extra option, just in case.
My Vaude Refuge tent weighs 900 gr .
All my camping gear( tent, thermarest, sleeping bag, inflatable pillow) combined is only 2.5 kg
I do at least one 2-3 week trip every year for the last 40 years.
Like Stephen says, touring is addictive.

This bike carries everthing I need for 3 weeks on the road:

Adventure road trip across America.


Voodoo: churchyards are filled with 'indispensable' people..
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Very cool pic Ludwig, very cool! And I don’t mean the snow!

On my next trip I will cut my gear down by a good 40%, maybe more. I really did’nt need a tent that the bike could sleep in as well, nor a tiny folding chair (made of aircraft grade ally or otherwise)!!:rolleyes:

A light bike is a fun bike. By the way, was most of your carriage there for tools!?;)
 
I remember going up this road but 300 kms later still no Motel.
At least there was no need to carry a fuel load beyond 34 litres.

wa.jpg


I would add, don't over complicate/organise it but do some online homework as far as things you might want to see along the route or you might simply ride pass what is just out of sight (Don't always stare at the horizon)
 
Clive said:
Often this can be a good opportunity to learn that the World really can get along without you for a few weeks......

And if it turns out it can't then you need to do longer trips until it learns that it can.
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That’s a great point of view.
 
Sounds like you came to your senses just in time! Probably a good idea to start with a list of must do's and then join the dots. When I moved back to NZ from Europe I shipped my Lotus Elise to Jacksonville and drove it to L.A, hell of an adventure with a few (serious) breakdowns along the way. Often it's the unexpected events that really make it memorable.

You probably have it already but The Tail of the Dragon in Tennessee is a bucket list road (esp. if you can manage it on a quiet day).

I had a great time despite the weather at times!
Adventure road trip across America.
 
Read a book by Neil Peart m he was the drummer for the rock band RUSH .
thatguy was a long distance rider . He spent years riding around North America . He had written 2 books on his rides , I have the second but have not read it yet .
when his band was on tour with the buses , he would ride his bike and meet them at the next venue .
I think he wore out a couple of bmw bikes.
 
Knucles said:
Read a book by Neil Peart m he was the drummer for the rock band RUSH .
thatguy was a long distance rider . He spent years riding around North America . He had written 2 books on his rides , I have the second but have not read it yet .
when his band was on tour with the buses , he would ride his bike and meet them at the next venue .
I think he wore out a couple of bmw bikes.
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Regarding this touring malarkey (not RTW)
Does anyone use the chuka method!
Nearly worn out t-shirts,socks,sub trousers (underpants) t-shirts and any clothes that you are bored with.
Mixed with a few core clothing items or non chuka’s when the socks and shirts are beyond wearing Chuck them away.
Thus your luggage gets lighter as you travel.
Be careful because you can get obsessive about collecting things so you can Chuck them on your travels.Hotel toiletries is a good supply.
Not massively a green solution but if it has been made you might as well use it.
This method has served my wife and I well for over thirty years of travelling on my little F1 Sport.
Every country on the continent and most of the time carrying a tent.
Seems like a distant dream now!
 
A neat trick is to take only one spare sock (3 total) and rotate them.
Wash one (pull it over your hand in the shower) and dry it on the bike.
Each foot gets a clean sock every other day or two.
Usually, I look for a place to stop 6 pm at the latest.
This gives me plenty of time to get out of my riding gear, have a beer and enjoy the rest of the evening.
Every possible thing I may ever need is on a packing list.
Before each trip I go over the list and decide which items to take, depending on the kind of trip, or the time of year.
 
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I dont have much to add to all the good advice. I've only done NYC to Canada when I was 20 and to Blue Ridge Pkwy in Va.
I really would suggest again a windshield. Those tractor trailers on an interstate occasionally toss of a piece of ballast that can fly for a mile before it hits something. That can be deadly. I admire your zeal.
 
Only time I’m behind 18 wheeler is at night in deer country our entire province , they sure can clear the way , a little rough back there but no chance of hitting a deer .... I have used my Griso on couple long overnight tours , no shield and truthfully really no more tired than usual after 2 or 3 long days in saddle .... to each his own or different strokes for ... you know how it h go ....
 
I wonder how many people who say they want to go off-roading on a cross country trip actually do? All that happens is 99.9% of the time you’re on the wrong tires. If your goal is to see the countryside then maybe. If your goal is to get across the country then just get a road bike. If the trip is an excuse to get a Scrambler then carry on.
 
I've done some 5/6 day trips with just a tank bag. Basically one change of clothes and some rain gear. Stayed in Hotels, washed clothes in the bath, Ironed them dry or dry enough, Had the free breakfast provided. Nearly every gas station has a map. Eat at places where parking lot is busy is my general rule of thumb for dining on the road. Carry a wad of cash hidden somewhere (Emergency money) and a smaller amount for sundries but plan to mostly use credit cards. Up early and dock early enough to enjoy your night time. Park outside reception, lots of cameras there. Need anything, ask the bartender they know everybody.
 
Voodooo said:
Until 2020, I worked 7 days a week, 12-14 hours a day for the past 22 years that I’ve been in business, not taking any days off, no vacations, only taking a week off this past August
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Good god man that's insane o_O

In addition to other comments, you may want a good anti-Waze app where the journey is more important than the destination

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TomU said:
Good god man that's insane o_O

In addition to other comments, you may want a good anti-Waze app where the journey is more important than the destination

scenicapp.space

Scenic Motorcycle Navigation: The #1 App for Adventure Riders - Scenic

Plan, ride and track your motorcycle adventures with Scenic, the best sat nav app for adventure bike riders. Download free on iOS or join the Android waitlist.
scenicapp.space scenicapp.space
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I question your ability to keep a Commando running with so little time. :oops:
 
Scott if I was in your position I would absolutely go for it.... credit card, motels, lightweight tent and rations for remote areas, tank bag for essentials. If you can (I would say you SHOULD) then don't set a time limit, some of the most fun stopovers could easily keep you off the bike for days on end lol, if you do it in 4 weeks and enjoy it then great, if it takes 4 months then what the heck :)
 
Maybe you can not play golf in jeans, but you can ride unpaved roads with road tires, no problem.
99.9 % of all roads can be done on the 'wrong' tires and with the 'wrong' bike.
Just take it easy. It is not a race.
 
Just this morning I got mail from my younger brother and riding partner on countless trips.
He has several bikes to choose from : BMW, Triumph, KTM..
Now he is preparing a 50cc moped to ride to his place in Algarve, Portugal, as soon as the travel restrictions are lifted.
3000+ km on slow roads through France, across the Pyrenees, Spain, Portugal :

Adventure road trip across America.


A short clip of him on his Bonneville, following me coasting down a forest road in the French Pyrenees.
Engines off, enjoying the scenery:



(klonking noise is something loose in the toolbox next to the camera) :
 
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This guy sells maps of non paved roads. Supposedly you can go coast to coast without using any paved roads.(don't know how he gets across the mississippi) I am not suggesting you avoid all pavement but I suspect there will some things of interest.

https://www.transamtrail.com/
 
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