25 bikes 2 riders 9 wheels

I'm just east of Sacramento, CA and would be happy to put you up for a night or two on your way to San Fran. If I can get a link to your Google map I could suggest some routes coming up through the Northern California Sierras. There's plenty of us VFRD'rs up this way that would enjoy riding with you on a portion of your trip. Sounds like an epic journey!

West coast in June? Damn. You'll just miss Laguna Seca. haha.

Looks like the ride of a lifetime. Definitely head up through Malibu and visit The Rock Store.

If you decide to head south, I'd be happy to take you through Palomar and buy you a slice of Apple Pie in Julian. =)

Looking forward to the ride report next year. :lurk:

Ok, so you have seen the back story, 6 years on and a lot of support from people across the USA and the world and so soon hopefully we might get a chance to share a meal with a few of you over a beer or 2, or maybe get the chance to ride shoulder to shoulder as we cross the great land.

We have been talking and dreaming about achieving this for some time now, and it's time to either bite the bullet and try it, or regret it forever.

Is it stupidity to think a couple (one a paraplegic) could cross the USA on 2 & a half bikes? Well we are planning to find out. The plan is to take 10 weeks to criss cross and zig zag our way from LA to NY, to see the sights and enjoy the freedom and those unique views and sensations that only a motorcyclist understands.

So a bit about the bikes and riders, well I can confirm one starter will be the heavily modded KTM 690 SMR, prep'd with wheel chair rack, also fitted with one paraplegic wife pilot which most on this board know quite well. Wild, reckless, noisey and stunningly beautiful.



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Second bike unknown at this stage, but I can assure you it will be piloted by yours truly.   :wheel:

The whole idea of the trip is see the main sights and attractions and but also to experience and see the many wonderful natural settings.  For the most part I assume, with a wheelchair in tow, the views you get from the roads surpass where I can get her in a chair. Hopefully mix all that in with meeting a lot of friends from international forums and getting a chance share stories and experiences on an amazing trip.

Here is a very rough map basically outlining our planned route.

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We are planning to be in LA for 1st week of June or as close as flights allow.  Mostly you will note it tries to incorporate the sights as well as some of your most amazing riding roads, but please feel free to add input to the route as local knowledge is always a bonus. We are semi flexiable on the route and can adjust to the left or right if you're maybe located to either side of the squiggly line and would be keen to met us and it ties in with an end of day stops, we would love to meet you too and will do our best to try and make it happen where possible.  We do have certain places were we would like to spend a few days/nights and in other parts it will just be an overnight stop. We are slowly starting to work out these parts so again some knowledge on approx times to ride some passes would be great.

To try and keep the cost down we are looking at varous options from carrying camping gear with us to couch hopping (in lenna's case couch rolling, haha) as well as mixing that in with the hotel accommodation

Anyway, we look forward to your input and please post up your approx area if you're keen to try and catch up with us as we pass through on what should hopefully be an epic ride.  

Reckless? Noisy? Fibber! :pinocchio:

Yep, this tour has been on the back burner for a while... Years ago when we first started to look at ways of getting me riding again we had thought that if we could succeed in that, then it would be great to get over to America and travel around and meet the VFRD'ers. I personally felt so supported by the community of this forum after my accident in 2006 (as well as Netrider, an Aussie forum). I had cards and letters coming in from VFRD members from all over the USA and many from VFRD members in other parts of the world too. Those cards covered my wall through my 9 month stay in rehab. I even recieved care packages, it was humbling... and phenomenal.

We got married earlier this year and decided that this trip would be our delayed honeymoon, yay!

The more we look into this, the more excited I get about it.

*does a little dance*

We need to talk a bit more about your NY route. I can keep you quite entertained in the area 100-150 miles north of NYC.

[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 10 October 2012 - 08:08 AM, said:

We need to talk a bit more about your NY route. I can keep you quite entertained in the area 100-150 miles north of NYC.

:+1: .............there are plenty of great, accessible attractions and nice riding roads just a couple hours north of NYC.
I hope you can find the time to spend a couple of days in the Hudson Valley !!

I see your route brings you through Louisiana. I live between New Orleans and Baton Rouge and would be happy to supply a comfy bed and a nice meal if the timing works out. Good luck on your adventure

I see your route skips Arkansas... You'll regret it if you don't go!

I for one would LOVE to meet up with you guys for a stint and show some of the sights of the middle-ish US.  I also noticed you skipped Kansas.  That is wise.

Going to have to follow this thread... you guys are in for a GREAT time.

Something like this would be a BALL from New Mexico to Louisiana.

You gotta go to the BEST fried chicken in the area... Okarche, OK.  HispanicSlammer can vouch for this... :ph34r:

Some of the best riding to be had in the central US is in Arkansas.  This is a bit of a loop-the-loop to catch a few of the prime spots.

https://maps.google....mrsp=7&sz=8&z=6

Your route is a little South of Oklahoma City but as our daughter just moved out and we are remodeling her room you are welcome to a good meal, shower, and comfortable place to stay if your route changes. If not, we would still be interested in riding down to Texas to get a chance to meet you guys and ride for a while.

So you're in the deep south in July? Ouch. Hot, muggy and flat. Bring your hot weather gear.

I think this is so awesome. Epic seems to inadequately describe this trip. Have fun and be safe. I imagine you'll be staying for free in lots of nice peoples homes. Too bad you'll miss New England, some great riding in VT and NH. You could stay with us for sure. Look forward to the pics.

I really like that KTM!

The route sounds fun, you'll be absolutely tired with motorcycles when you're done haha

-Drew

If the schedule for Colo Springs is doable, I'll be a drop by visitor. It's only 265 miles for me.

See you in Niagara Falls, at the very least. Should you get north of the border, there's a room in the igloo... :tongue:

Looks like you're doing both the Natchez Trace and the Blue Ridge Parkway? Should be outstanding. You should enjoy central Oregon as well - I think it's underrated.

Going to do the Dragon or the Cherahola?

Glenn

I'm an hour and half north west of LAX if you slab it, or you can take Mulholland and PCH up to Ventura. I know it maybe a bit out of the way, but I got two couches, a BBQ, and a refrigerator full of beer.

[image: gold-national-park-teton-historic-grand-142776.jpg] This trip would make a great road movie!
I would suggest that you cross into Wyoming south of Jackson and ride North through Jackson Hole and Teton National park to Yellowstone. The eastern face of the Teton's is far more beautiful than the Idaho side and well worth the trip.

If you're starting in LA, may I suggest visiting 'The Rock Store' and also experience the 'Snake'. Regardless of those two spots, the roads up in Malibu are some of the best MC roads you can get. It would be a shame to be so close to some iconic roads and scenic locations and not at least get a quick view. You can always ride up PCH to Mk2Davis after ward.

Cheers

Shoot, I'll go down to LA and ride with you back if it's on the weekend.

Looks like you're doing both the Natchez Trace and the Blue Ridge Parkway? Should be outstanding.

I agreed that both of those make for good riding. However, it looks like you will get LOTS of good riding in.

IMHO, during that part of the trip between Louisiana and the smoky mountains (the area with the Cherohala Skyway / US 129 Tail of the Dragon / and the southwestern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway), I would skip the Natchez Trace (especially in summer). I would instead aim for the Barber Motorsport Museum near Birmingham Alabama http://www.barbermuseum.org/ [EDIT] IMHO, that is a must-see.

I'll second what so many others have said - this looks like a great trip! Yay Riot Grrl and Stewy!

Ron

I'm with Ron. Skip the the Trace. It's nice to look at but very low speed limit and highly patrolled. Also very hot as it's not high like the Blue Ridge. I live about an hour north of Barber and would be glad to meet with you for your trip through Alabama if I can. If you want to route through this way, I will be glad to put you up and buy you a meal and a drink or two.

Randy

wow, thanks for the feedback, you guys have given us a ton of information to rethink. will start adjusting maps and re-checking comfortable day distances (cdd) to see if we can make this work.

trying to keep days mostly around the 300miles mark (450km) as from past expereince it makes for a nice flowing day that allows for stops photos (which there will be a few) without having to rush and miss what we have come to see and enjoy. That and places to visit along the way take a bit longer to get the chair packed on and off, though am working on a quick release system to hopefully make it easier then the current system where it gets bolted down.

Will be in LA, SF and NY for possibly 2-4 days each, as there is are quite a few places that we want to check out, so am sure we will find a way to get through most things and then a few more, ad what the hell, worest case we can sleep on the flight home and then we have the rest of our lives to recover :laughing6-hehe:

Also Lenna does school speakers to mostly secondary school kids here in Victoria Australia about life in general over coming lifes obstacles, risk taking etc (not that she warns them off it as we all know life is full of risks, and it wouldn't be living without it), just to be sure to think through the the possible outcomes of your decisions/actions. Anyway recently found out they do also do this in some area's of the US so thought it might be great to try and add something like this into the trip.

Anyway am sure this will be a work in progress over the next few months. Can't wait :wheel:

opps that was stewy signed in under the wifes user name :p

IMHO, during that part of the trip between Louisiana and the smoky mountains (the area with the Cherohala Skyway / US 129 Tail of the Dragon / and the southwestern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway), I would skip the Natchez Trace (especially in summer). I would instead aim for the Barber Motorsport Museum near Birmingham Alabama http://www.barbermuseum.org/ [EDIT] IMHO, that is a must-see.

Abso-tively. I'd completely overlooked non-riding activities...

Glenn

OK guys so planning is still happening, though I have run into a small hitch with clashing dates I think.

We are (well it's probably mostly me, am really keen to ride Pikes Peak, it's a bucket list thing you know) but I was looking at dates and looks like it going to get close to the dates we will be in the area.

Has anyone got any info on road closures etc....do they close down the whole area a few weeks either side of the event, is it just pike peak, will the road be in a condition to ride so close after the event?

If anyone has traveled through the area around the time the event has been on in the past any feedback, experiences from your lessons?

Wondering if it might be better to push the start back by a 1 week or so, to try and make sure we (I can do this section)

Also realized we will be there for the 4th of July, so we would love to experience the celebrations, what sort of things/where would be idea to try and be, for such a day? and before you say it it yes I know the place to be will in somewhere in the states :p

Damn this planning is doing my head in, any other big events on that anyone can think of that might effect the route or should try and work into the trip.

Cheers stewy & lenna

Stewy, you never make clear what dates you'll be there and why you feel that Pikes Peak will be closed. ??? Be aware that both of these roads are subject to seasonal closures due to extreme weather at altitude. Those who live up there will tell you that it can snow any day of the year and that no type of weather should be ruled out just because the calendar is turned to a certain page.





Ride Mt. Evans.... it is also paved all the way to the top.... oh and by-the-way.... it's taller. I believe it is the highest paved road in North America. There will be less crowd than Pikes Peak would have had if it were open. All you'll miss out on is a store full of kitschy junk at the top. (there is a store and resturaunt full of souvenirs at the bottom of Mt. Evans)

I've been lucky enough to ride both and found Mt. Evans to be more exciting due to the higher speeds that could be maintained due to lesser traffic. (and the more fear inducing shear drops) Going up Pikes was sometimes at a walking pace due to traffic. I also don't remember having to pay to ride on Mt. Evans but you do have to pay to ride up Pikes Peak. (someone correct me if I'm wrong about a fee for Mt. Evans)

You'll be giving up on a little name recognition.... "Mt. Who?" But other than that, Mt. Evans would be my choice.

Mt. Evans ---
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(you would be able to climb a little ways higher than this marker, Stewy. But there is no paved path higher than this point for Lenna, sorry to say. Still, you would both be higher than Pikes Peak at this point)


Mt. Evans ----
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Mt. Evans (in the background) ---
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Mt. Evans road ----
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Pikes Peak ---
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Pikes Peak (in the background) ---
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You can see that Mt. Evans is just north and a little to the west of where Pikes Peak is.

https://maps.google....#38;t=m&z=9
Edited by Lee 2002, 18 October 2012 - 04:06 PM.

Sorry for benig vague, am tring to sort out how to transfer hand sketch notes etc to a forum format that sorta makes sense....basically the way it looks atm it hopefully be around pipes area at end of June 30ish which i believe will clash with the actual event. I am trying to bascally break the trip into 3 parts so if you divide it into east middle and west but also need to plan day distances and how that ties into the sights in areas etc, so i have notes like 1.5 + 1.5 + 1? 3 days etc then other -1 skip etc....and i am struggling to follow my own work lol

So you're in the deep south in July? Ouch. Hot, muggy and flat. Bring your hot weather gear.

I think this is so awesome. Epic seems to inadequately describe this trip. Have fun and be safe. I imagine you'll be staying for free in lots of nice peoples homes. Too bad you'll miss New England, some great riding in VT and NH. You could stay with us for sure. Look forward to the pics.

I agree with Kel that the Southern roads can be real hot & muggy during the summer months....

I live the next town over from Kel and he has any conflicts, you have room at our house anytime! P.S. we have some nice local beers here in NH.

Hi guys, sorry haven't forgot this thread/trip.

About 4 weeks ago we went away for our first multi day ride and en-counted a few issues (which might put the trip in doubt, as distances for lenna sitting on the bike seems to be a problem atm along with with a few other minor issues that we need to sort), so I been busy to trying fix the issues before xmas as it's the last large amount of time I have off before our planned trip, so am trying to have it all ready for the retest, and unless we get this sorted might have to change the planning so been working overtime trying to get everything right for the xmas test (hopefully better then the last one) then we will know a bit more about what we can except.

We are still actively talking about it, and both still crazy keen to at least try it if it's at all possible.

I hope you can work out those issues and make it happen. Keep at ir and I wish you the best of luck.
C

By planes, trains, automobiles or hopefully Motorbikes, we are coming. Tickets are booked. Fly in to LAX on the 14th of June and fly out of NYE on the 24 of Aug.

No turning back, while we are working flat out on fixing the little niggles on her bike if we can't we will be 2 up on the dl650 (yes i know it's not a vfr but i don't own one,) and she can sit quite comfy on the back of my bike for 600km of solid twisties per day, so if worse case happens that is how we are going to do it...should still be a hoot. But we have a few months left to get hers sorted and am pretty confident it will all come together.

So the route, which i know you have all been waiting on.

Wahey!!!!!!!!!!!!!


If you think you can no more, you have 40% left....

You two epitomize "perseverance".

I think New York is nice, especially this time of the year. I hope you are liking it!

Adam and Lenna are safe at my house, rolled in a bit later than planned but I can't blame them for enjoying themselves. :biggrin:

Bit of a late evening too as we ended up celebrating Adam's birthday... We will be going out for breakfast and then meandering the countryside all day... Just as soon as I kick them out of bed. :goofy:

Betty's Bigmouth Burger for breakfast? Still get the t-shirt?

They still have the tee.

Maybe not exactly what you want to eat before going out for a ride...

Man. Taking a weekday off to go riding sounds good right about now. Have fun.

Have a good time, guys!

Had a nice ride today and just now sent them off to their hotel for the night. A good time was had by all.

:worthlesswithoutpics:

Thanks seb and Brian for the spin yesterday we had a blast, also to seb and his family for putting us up for the last couple of days, we are so glad we got to met you guys.

Dutchy photos and full ride report are coming with up and down stories pictures and amazing people and places, though might take us another 10 weeks to retell it lol......

Think we are headed back to ny today, still haven't been able to confirm where bikes need to leave from so could be a busy sunday night monday morning

Did Seb play some Cold Chisel for you? :goofy: