2012

Revised Jan 23.

Just realised I had not posted anything for a month. I guess between my laptop packing it in and holiday season the time just got away. I have been doing some travel as well as changing work so busy times. 
Todays desktop on my new laptop is an inspiration. This is the Troll Road in Norway which I was at the base of a long time ago but unable to ascend as the waterfall you see was still frozen solid over the road.



Currently trying to firm up my plans for this years motorcycle tour and have switched from the big USA ride plan to a smaller USA ride due to health and changing work thus losing the opportunity to take longer holidays.

I want to ride four areas I am calling the West, Northwest, Southeast and the Northeast. I have chosen to put the Northeast on hold and focus on the Rocky Mountains in the Northwest and the Smokey Mountains in the Southeast.

I have actually already been to California (and Texas). I traveled many nice roads in a rental Ford Mustang quite some years ago and the scenery is very similar to the countryside here where I live. Whilst the ocean road is famous it is also busy with slow cars (like our ocean road). So I would like to revisit however I also want to visit Colorado and hard to do both without lots of time. (Edit - I just have to ride California) 

So meanwhile 50 different planning scenarios later on the Ride with GPS site I think I might have a bit of a plan. (Edit - actually I am back to square one ...)  I had been thinking to rent from Fly Ride USA in Bend Oregon but once I try to include CA and CO it goes from under two weeks to over three weeks without trying plus you seem to loose a full day getting into and out of Bend with the flights. I was leaning towards a one way rental from Eagle Rider but would have to be LA or perhaps Denver as many of their depots only have Harleys and I need a sport tourer for the curves.

My original route was to go via the Grand Canyon, then Monument Valley and into Colorado but alot of straight roads until the good stuff...  Through Colorado and on to Yellowstone then over the Beartooth highway rated best motorcycle road in the USA but again a lot of straight road before and after. Then north over more ranges then Flathead lake and Going to the Sun road. Crossing into Canada I want to ride some of the Kokanee roads.

I have driven a car around some of BC Canada and especially would like to ride the roads east of Whistler but will see how the miles add up.
 
That sounds a lot but it actually would be about 11/12 days at a very conservative average daily distance of 450km. That sort of distance on the New Zealand tour worked out well with easy starts each morning, plenty of time for stopping and still be off the road by around 4pm each afternoon. I would add on an additional day rental as a contingency as well to try manage weather or health as needed.  

After this the plan is fly to Knoxville and rent for a couple of days from Sportsbikes4Hire to do an over night loop covering parts of the very famous roads nearby. Cherohala Skyway, Blue Ridge Parkway and of course the Tail of the Dragon.

I really want to ride North American this year but sure is hard to string good roads together. A few people have suggested I should go for the twisty roads of Europe again but I am not ready to quit on this plan just yet.