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Lock up the farm animals Goat is on a trip. Plus commentary


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[/img]thought I'd start a rambling thread for a trip myself and my better half are planning next year. Will be our first big bike trip.

Have got three months paid off work (I say paid but on my salary its borderline an insult) so our vague plan is ride from Florida Keys to Prudhoe bay in Alaska. Neither of us have been to North America and obviously a lot we want to see. Work has only recently ok'ed the leave so planning in early stages. Happy for any advice, info, polite suggestions etc. Here is my list of stuff to do which I'll add to as things progress.


Dates are early June to early Sept. No flexibility in this as have had to fit in with work and the like - Leave approved

Esta applied for - approved

Flights to book (watching prices on Kayak and ready to book when happy) - flights now booked

Kit - (will do a full kit list in time for review and critique). We plan to camp a lot and I have a lot of camping stuff some of which will be upgraded as my better half won't suffer the same level of discomfort that I'll put up with and rightly so. Will have to get some bike kit but hopefully not too much and will likely just get some stuff whilst there as we go.

Bike - I've said it before but I'm not struck on the Bandit and its not comfortable for my pillion so a new bike is in order. I like adventure style and we would like to do some trails so hunt had become, as per my wanted ad I've got a thing for a BMW r1150gsa or Guzzi Stelvio. I'd like to get one here so we can get some saddle time and get familiar with the bike. Not yet decided whether to ship the bike there or buy one there and sell at the end? shipping a bike. shipping booked. bike droped off for shipping

International driving licence - need to apply for this (or do I?) sorted

Route - Going to list all the places we want to see and then plan a route. I'll update this as well for suggestions of nice roads, trails and the like.


So there it is very little progress made as you can see and lots to sort but already rather childishly excited.

Edited by goat
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The Bonneville salt flats are amazing but you will want to refuel at the last big service stop on the highway. You then have an hour or so of nothing but pretty much untouched land till you get there.


Be warned it is windy as hell out there though.

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The Bonneville salt flats are amazing but you will want to refuel at the last big service stop on the highway. You then have an hour or so of nothing but pretty much untouched land till you get there.


Be warned it is windy as hell out there though.

 

salt flats are on my list of things to see so thanks for the tip.

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As you'd be going to Utah there is a great drive up burger bar in Roy called Burger Barn just above Salt Lake city. It features on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives.


The joys of having a partner from that area means I also have valid locals knowledge. I also know a good Mexican place up that way.


I can also recommend Mariposa if you go to Yosemite (stay there, had a good Mexican there too and a couple of good bars) and if you visit San Francisco, pat's café does a great breakfast.


Also hoover dam and grand canyon have to be on any list. My mind was blown by both, the grand canyon actually left me speechless.

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Wow. What an amazing opportunity!

Here's my tuppence worth: once you're up out of the Florida panhandle - or soonish after- then turn left and go west, young man. Don't give up too much time to crossing the prairie - the vast space to the east of the Rockies. Broadly speaking, from the Rockies to the Pacific is where it's at in terms scenery.

June is a great time to go; the mountain passes should all be open before the end of the month and summer will just be beginning. And by September, Alaska will be in the full throes of Autumn.

Camping: know about what to do to avoid encounters with bears, and what to do if you bump into one.

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As you'd be going to Utah there is a great drive up burger bar in Roy called Burger Barn just above Salt Lake city. It features on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives.


The joys of having a partner from that area means I also have valid locals knowledge. I also know a good Mexican place up that way.


I can also recommend Mariposa if you go to Yosemite (stay there, had a good Mexican there too and a couple of good bars) and if you visit San Francisco, pat's café does a great breakfast.


Also hoover dam and grand canyon have to be on any list. My mind was blown by both, the grand canyon actually left me speechless.

 

we're both love our food and are fans of diners drive ins so will certainly look that up. grand canyon is on the list but forgot about hoover dam so that's now been added as well. thanks again for the info.

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Wow. What an amazing opportunity!

Here's my tuppence worth: once you're up out of the Florida panhandle - or soonish after- then turn left and go west, young man. Don't give up too much time to crossing the prairie - the vast space to the east of the Rockies. Broadly speaking, from the Rockies to the Pacific is where it's at in terms scenery.

June is a great time to go; the mountain passes should all be open before the end of the month and summer will just be beginning. And by September, Alaska will be in the full throes of Autumn.

Camping: know about what to do to avoid encounters with bears, and what to do if you bump into one.

 

that's pretty much our extremely vague early stage plan. Up from florida, head west to new Orleans, carry on west through texas up to Colorado, west to Utah and then down a bit to las vegas and across to California then up. Giant redwoods are definitely on the list as I'm a committed tree hugger.

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that's pretty much our extremely vague early stage plan. Up from florida, head west to new Orleans, carry on west through texas up to Colorado, west to Utah and then down a bit to las vegas and across to California then up. Giant redwoods are definitely on the list as I'm a committed tree hugger.

That sounds awesome :thumb:

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  • 2 months later...

Going to make this my kit list post which I'll update as it progresses and as I remember things I've inevitably forgotten, feel free to make suggestions or rubbish what I have. This is really for my planning benefit but thought others might be interested to see it. Will take pics at some point if it interests folks:


Camping

- Tent - Golite hex 3. good tent, light, one pole, packs small, inner nest can be used on its own, fairly roomy, never let me down in wind or rain. Central pole in the way for two people wanting to get close :wink:, no porch

- Sleeping bags - Alpkit Skyehigh 700 down bags and airlock 35 dry bags. Not used yet but looking forward to down bags as always find the synthetic bags uncomfortable and bulky

- Sleep mat - Alpkit dirtbag self inflating mats. Don't pack the smallest. My old mats have both died so needed upgrading

- Dry bags - Exped in different sizes and colours. used these for years with no issues, having different colours allows me to stay organised.

- Stove - Alpkit brukit, looking to get something else to allow better cooking for two but this stove is great, all packs in neatly, brilliant for boil in the bag.

- Headtorch - old alpkit one I've had for years, will get another for the good lady and a small fenix or similar (definitely something that uses AA or AAA batteries).

- Water - Sawyer mini, puritabs

- Lighter - normally have a cheap bic and some matches in a waterproof case

- Compass - Silva (thinks its a ranger or something)

- lifeventure 9l collapsible bowl/ bucket for washing



Bike kit and tools

- Motopressor tyre pump

- tyre plugger kit

- Lomo dry bags to strap on top of panniers

- second hand garmin satnav just got to sort us maps. US maps now sorted

- Tankbag all wired up for charging things

- Not using a topbox strapping a rolltop drybag on instead.

- lots of rok straps and a couple of lockable cut proof straps for securing things or locking helmets to bike if we mooch off.


Other kit

- Camera - have got a micro 4/3rds Panasonic with a couple of lenses but not sure if I want to take that or something more compact. Now got a small super zoom compact

- Maps - Michelin road atlas


Bike Clothing

- I've got a set of Revit Neptune textiles I'll probably use. Need something for the lady. Decided to go with a mesh vented jacket as likely to be hot for much of the trip. have got a goretex jacket and I can put on over if cold or raining. Bike jeans which I can wear on and off the bike and textile bike trousers. Good lady is taking a revit mesh jacket, bike jeans and Kevlar motogirl leggings and a leather jacket.


Kit still to get/ considering getting

- travel towels

- torch

- cheap reliable unlocked phone we can put a sim in in the US

- Few bits of bike clothing for me and the lady

- better stove

- 2nd head torch

- straps

- cable ties

- duct tape

- Tank bag

- Ziplock bags (great for storing odds and sods and keeping them dry

- helmet cam? would have to be cheap

Edited by goat
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Reserving this as my route planning post. Again all comments welcome, will be reviewed and updated as I go. Mainly to help me but might be of interest to peeps.


Early June fly into orlando. Early September fly out of Anchorage via Dallas. Flights booked.

Air bnb bookedin orlando for a few days.

Pick up bike from customs on 13th June in orlando, take back to airbnb.

14th ride off with possible tentspace stay near miami (pompano beach area)

15th ride down to homestead near everglades, tentspace stay.

16th day drip to key west and back

17th leave homestead and head north to port charlotte area (possible tentspace stay)

18th continue northish and stay somewhere.

19th head west to pensacola area (possible tentspace stay)

20th head in to new orleans (airbnb)

22nd leave new orleans

23rd to late July explore Utah, colorado, arizona, california etc. We are keeping this fairly open at the moment


July


August

Early August will be ride up through Canada and into Alaska. There is a nice chap on another forum running a trip in the opposite direction and we will likely follow roughly his route in reverse

20th Fairbanks (need to sort accommodation)

21st Wiseman (Boreal lodge booked)

22nd head back to Wiseman or possibly consider continuing to Prudhoe.

23rd onwards, explore Alaska


September

3rd drop bike off for shipping by boat to Germany

4th fly out of Alaska


starting to take shapeish

Edited by goat
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Worth keeping in mind that the US is the great land of consumer shopping. If you choose to pack light, you won't be short of opportunities on the way to pick up stuff you find you need.

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Worth keeping in mind that the US is the great land of consumer shopping. If you choose to pack light, you won't be short of opportunities on the way to pick up stuff you find you need.

 

definitely keeping that in mind, was wondering about shipping stuff back home as well.

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IIRC, shipping - like with USPS - isn't that cheap, and there's no avoiding the import duties. Better to stash stuff away in your suitcases and get the duty-free allowance. The luggage allowance on the flights is often absurdly large, and you'll be able to buy Texas-sized suitcases in Anchorage if you need.

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  • 2 months later...

Starting to get somewhere with this now so updated my route section for those who might be interested. Lots left to plan. We are trying to keep the main part of the trip fairly open as we don't want a rigid itinerary where we have to be places each day. Hoping to make good use of tentspace and camp in people gardens and wotnot. We're not sure about the dalton highway section. Have booked one nights accommodation in the arctic circle. All depends on weather. If the going is good we might press on a bit but well aware that if its wet the mud road can be a nightmare and it might not be possible for us to practically do. we're shipping a bike and that's mainly booked in now, just got to sort US insurance. Couple of bits of kit left to sort but that's largely there as well.

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  • 1 month later...

thought I'd update this again, mainly for my own peace of mind organising.

this is where we are at logistically

1). leave approved from work

2). Esta applied for - approved

3). Flights booked

4). International driving licence is needed and now sorted. Didn't realise that not many post offices can issue these so a bit of a pain. Endedup getting it in Norwich whilst visiting family rather than trekking into central London.

5). Kit mainly there with kit, anything else we'll get as we go. Girlfriend seems to have an advantage in being small as all her clothes take up hardly any room so she can take more choice. Just my bloody size 11 trainers take up a load of room. She can take two bike jacket for my one, etc.

6). Bike has been dropped off to be prepped for shipping at motofreight (really lovely people). Return shipping is through a company in anchorage. Everyone has told us you can't ship out of Alaska. We've found a company who say they can and are bike guys, often shipping mates bikes and the like. Will be a container of their own stuff so not consolidated which is good. slight hitch is they can't get it to the UK. Will be coming in by sea freight into Bremerhaven where I will collect and then ride home or sort something else. Not ideal and fraught with issues but part of the adventure (well I bloody hope it is :shock: ).

There is a queue of people ready to say I told you so when this goes wrong, feel free to join them :popcorn:

7). EPA exemption - you need to apply for an non-resident temporary import EPA exemption to import a foreign vehicle. We've sorted this bit took longer than expected because we put the wrong bike age on the original application letter :oops:

8). bike insurance - bike now insured for the trip in USA and Canada through Dairyland insurance. More expensive than I expected but don't want to skimp on insurance.

9). Travel insurance - sorted including insurance to ride in a foreign country 2up on a large bike and off road should we need to


Route mainly sorted up to North of New Mexico, largely staying with tentspacers, a KOA campground and an occasional air bnb type thing. From there we will head to Colorado and Utah where we're hoping to get a bit of wild camping done as we pass through the canyonlands areas. We'll sort the rest on the road somehow so we can keep flexibility in what we want to do.


Two weeks now til we leave. Will feel less apprehensive when I've got the bike and we are moving I think. It might be the distance is all too much or we're having too much fun in the lower 48 and just want to spend more time there, in which case we will look at rearranging our flight home. Apparently return shipping can be arranged without much notice.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well we are here now. Clearing bike through customs was a pain due to Orlando customs making up their own rules. Finally got it picked up wednesday. Orlando to pompano beach then on to key largo today. Key west and back out to homestead near Everglades tomorrow. Only 300 and something miles so far including some serious Florida thunderstorms, very straight roads and riding in 35 degree heat with 95% humidity. Sitting at traffic lights is pretty brutal. Enjoying every minute though

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  • 4 weeks later...

We'll still here. 4800 miles so far. Currently in California near sequoia. Have passed through Florida, vaguely through Mississippi/ Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado briefly, Utah, Arizona, Nevada. Seen monument valley, valley of the gods, the Everglades, Grand Canyon, Zion, Roswell and loads of other stuff. Endured 50 degree heat, humidity, vicious cross winds, ridden through dust devils, nearly hit by deer, shot guns in the desert, eaten doughnuts with bacon, drunk moonshine, met some amazing people and pretty much hit the wall of wanting to ride. Still going somehow but not sure how. Keep safe out there people.

 

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Went to sequoia today. Came back went to a bar. Got chatting to the owners son. He disappeared a few drinks later, (personal chap, reminded me of a character from a Kerouac book, jazz pianist working as a labourer). We get our bill, guy comes over and pays for it. Offers us to stay with him tomorrow and maybe go with his family to Disneyland come the weekend, never met him no idea who he is. Do We

a.) go along and find he's ace and have a great time

B.) go along and get murdered and sodomised.

C.) go along and get bored

D.) go and stay in a hotel/ air bnb?

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I’d go with what your instincts are telling you. Then if it turns into option B or C remember you have crappy instincts and don’t trust them again, unless you’re dead of course which would be a shame because I like this thread :D

 

WE woke up this morning and decided there was something not right. Guy seemed overly keen for us to turn up at his place. Guessing either religious nutcase, swinger or psycho. None of which interests me. Why would you approach two people in a bar and pay their food and drink bill, then invite them round. Plus he had a fascination we were a mixed race couple and a chip on his shoulder about English colonialism of days past.


Strange country this America. Toilets are very low down, urinals often lower than your knees. They make you stop at junctions even when you can see 2 miles down the road that it's clear. They have very few roundabouts and call them traffic circles. The food is by and large tasteless but available in massive portions covered in yellow rubber they call cheese. They whip butter to remove flavour. Salad is expensive but massive bottles of flavoured corn syrup is very cheap.

My fear of heights is starting to hinder me. Had a couple of freak outs, one in Utah up a dirt road of switchbacks with shear drops and one in Colorado. I'm sick of wind particularly crosswinds and glad of days off the bike. Off on the bus to Yosemite tomorrow for a relaxing day as a tourist then hopefully spending a few days in San Francisco to relax a bit before heading towards Oregon and Washington. Think I need a few days away from slogging it in the heat on the bike to regain perspective.

Also need to remember to look around and remember why we are doing the trip. Easy to get into a routine and forget what it's all about.

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Yep when those alarm bells start sounding and that weird feeling creeps over you you are always best listening to them and backing off. I hear there are nice folk about who may pay for your meal or invite you in for the night when you’re on the road but from what you’ve said he does sound a bit dodgy. Food sounds very disappointing but for no apparent reason I’m not surprised, I think that would wear me down more than anything else!

A decent break will refresh the soul and probably sort out some of that vertigo!

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