Hi all.
My original plan to truck the bike down to NC fell through, since the guy with the truck can't make it.
So, while letting me down, he suggested tat I just ride down there. Why, it's only 800 miles after all rolleyes.gif
So, I figure 800 miles @ an average speed of about 65 will take roughly 13 hours plus 2-3 hours for food and gas for a total of 15 hours.
The current plan is to leave NY around 5AM on Thursday. This puts me at Robbinsville at around 8pm on Thursday. This leaves me enough time to soak my soar extremities in a bathtub and have plenty of beer with the gang. Coming back, I plan to leave from R-ville on Sunday at around 5AM and be back in NY in time for dinner.
Now, I have never traveled on bike for more than 5 hours at a time... On the other hand, I do have a Sargent seat to keep my behind happy for a longer ride.
So, I have two questions for those of you with more long-range experience than I have:
1. Do you think this schedule is realistic or am I fooling myself?
2. Is anyone as crazy as I am and wants to join me on this trip?
I, personally, don't think it's a good idea, especially if you're not used to long days with lots of saddle time. Besides, what if the weather doesn't cooperate?
I went on a trip with my vfr last year, and rode over 7000 miles in 13 days. My first day was about 600 miles from my house in upstate NY to Claytor Lake State Park, Virginia, and I was dead tired when I got there. As the days went on, I got more accustomed to the mileage, and it got easier, but 600 miles is still a good number for a day. My highest-mile day was the last day of the trip, I rode from Indiana back home, that was 785 miles, and I was real sore when I got home. I have a Sargent seat and an NEP throttle lock that are worth their weight in gold.
A trip like this is really a two-day affair on a bike, it's just a better idea all around.
Having done some 700+ mile days and twice to Daytona from Tn in a day........I agree with SEB. Since you are not accustomed to long stints in the saddle, I would recommend splitting it into 2 days. You will enjoy the trip a lot more and enjoy the riding more when you get there.....just my 2 cents....Hope to see you there....................... fing02.gif
Seems like no fun to me. I enjoy the trip, take nothing but backroads/no expressways, I dont have time constraints or fixed plans, I stop at places that look interesting and make detours, you are on a bike...not in a car ...relax...enjoy the trip. I am going there and looking for riders that think like this. No solid plans..am on vacation. Thanks Doug
If you can relate and want to ride backroads INDY to DALE HALLOW/TN to KNOXVILLE to Robbinsville...twisties ...pm me
im with the rest of them. if i can make the event ill be putting the bike in the back of the truck. heck, with my lack of long distance saddle time i may likely do the whole event with the bike in the back of the truck. tunes and a/c !
Me and a couple of friends are riding down, leaving thrusday morning. From Ottawa thats 1700 km.
I hope to ride 1000 to 1200 km the 1st day. We are heading straight down I-81 so if you like we could try to meet up some where.
Rice, Feb 7 2007, 02:53 PMSo, I have two questions for those of you with more long-range experience than I have:
1. Do you think this schedule is realistic or am I fooling myself?
2. Is anyone as crazy as I am and wants to join me on this trip?
I think it's very doable, but I would be more concerned with your trip home. Your first day is always your strongest day and assuming you're in decent physical shape as well as ride your bike on a fairly consistent basis, should be no problem. I didn't say it would be "fun", but it's doable. I much prefer taking the backroads as well, but I find when I have limited vacation time and an end goal in mind, I'll bust out a big day one and then gradually cut my miles back. I would even suggest you leave earlier so once you arrive you have more time to recoup for the next day.
Where most folks go wrong is pushing themselves on the last couple of days. Depending on the amount of time I'll be out, I usually hit a wall the 3rd or 4th day and I plan accordingly by making it a short mileage day and take time out, off the bike to rest and relax. You figure you've got 800 miles to get there, you're going to be riding maybe 2-300 miles a day at T Mac and then 800 miles home. That's a lot of miles if you haven't ridden anything like that before.
I'd suggest that the day before you go home, you make that a short mileage day, and it wouldn't hurt to have a fallback plan for the return trip where you can break it up into two days.
I must say that I am a little disappointed to hear what I already suspected to be the case. After all, it is the voice of reason... I totally agree with you guys that 800 miles is a bit much for one day. You can probably tell that this was not what I wanted to hear sad.gif , but I can't say that I expected any other response.
However, it looks like riding would be my only option if I were to get down to the meet. I considered buying a hitch for my cage and renting a trailer from uhaul, but my wife said something like : So, you wana disappear for 4 days AND take the car with you? pissed.gif So I guess the car is not an option either. Renting a truck means spending a little more than I am "allowed to" as well.
So, Poncho's offer sounds pretty good to me fing02.gif
Poncho, do you want to exchange cell phone numbers and meet up somewhere around Harrisburg, PA?
Let me know what your plan is once you settle on the itinerary.
Rice, Feb 8 2007, 01:15 PMI must say that I am a little disappointed to hear what I already suspected to be the case. After all, it is the voice of reason... I totally agree with you guys that 800 miles is a bit much for one day. You can probably tell that this was not what I wanted to hear sad.gif , but I can't say that I expected any other response.
However, it looks like riding would be my only option if I were to get down to the meet. I considered buying a hitch for my cage and renting a trailer from uhaul, but my wife said something like : So, you wana disappear for 4 days AND take the car with you? pissed.gif So I guess the car is not an option either. Renting a truck means spending a little more than I am "allowed to" as well.
So, Poncho's offer sounds pretty good to me fing02.gif
Poncho, do you want to exchange cell phone numbers and meet up somewhere around Harrisburg, PA?
Let me know what your plan is once you settle on the itinerary.
Riding down with others sounds like a better idea.................... fing02.gif
I am riding up from St. Pete which is around 630 miles or 12 hours with stops. I've never done that many miles in a day but I have ridden for that many hours (don't ask). My plan is to pull straight through on the trip there but plan on splitting the trip on the return because I figure I will be tired.
I am beating on one of my buddies to ride up with me but if not I am going solo.
Synaptic Misfire, Feb 8 2007, 01:04 PMI am riding up from St. Pete which is around 630 miles or 12 hours with stops. I've never done that many miles in a day but I have ridden for that many hours (don't ask). My plan is to pull straight through on the trip there but plan on splitting the trip on the return because I figure I will be tired.
I am beating on one of my buddies to ride up with me but if not I am going solo.
I will be heading up from Rockledge,FL (on the other coast) on the 3rd if you are looking for a riding partner.
PAt
Synaptic Misfire, Feb 8 2007, 01:04 PMI am riding up from St. Pete which is around 630 miles or 12 hours with stops. I've never done that many miles in a day but I have ridden for that many hours (don't ask). My plan is to pull straight through on the trip there but plan on splitting the trip on the return because I figure I will be tired.
I am beating on one of my buddies to ride up with me but if not I am going solo.
SM,
Once the event gets a bit closer, and we know who all's going, I'm sure we'll try to put a ride up together with all the Conch Town crew... just depends on when folks are going and what not.
It's definitely more fun when you have others along on the ride and all are riding the same pace...
Synaptic Misfire, Feb 8 2007, 01:04 PMI am riding up from St. Pete which is around 630 miles or 12 hours with stops. I've never done that many miles in a day but I have ridden for that many hours (don't ask). My plan is to pull straight through on the trip there but plan on splitting the trip on the return because I figure I will be tired.
I am beating on one of my buddies to ride up with me but if not I am going solo.
I rode there are back for the fall meet and it wasn't fun, but not terrible. Just make sure to time your departures to avoid Atlanta during rush hours.
In September I rode down to Boone, NC which is about 90 miles north of Asheville from Sag Harbor which is on the easternmost end of Long Island. I can do maybe 650 miles a day comfortably so doing 800 some odd may be pushing it especially on the VFR. I did it on my FJR which has a few more creature comforts to it. The thing you have to remember, is if you are slabbing it from NY you are kind of relegated to taking either 95 or 81. 95 can have horrendous traffic in areas and 81 is loaded with truck traffic, very heavy at times. So not only is your forward progress somewhat hampered, but it is mentally tiring also to be dodging semi's. If you could allow yourself a couple of days you could also do a nice portion of the BRP which is probably one of the nicest motorcycle roads in the US but is a road you DEFINITELY don't want to get caught speeding on.
My .02 cents.
I wonder if that 8 foot of snow that you guys got this week will be melted by then?
Hobie1dog, Feb 9 2007, 05:59 PMI wonder if that 8 foot of snow that you guys got this week will be melted by then?
Yeah, uh, that wasn't us... unsure.gif
But living in western NY near the big lakes has got to suck right about now... goofy.gif 5 inches an hour I heard! blink.gif
Sondance, Feb 8 2007, 01:23 PMIt's definitely more fun when you have others along on the ride and all are riding the same pace...
would that be the "Trace Pace"?
End of thread · 17 posts recovered Wayback Machine snapshot 20 Feb 2007