Planning on a long trip

Discussion in 'Trips & Events' started by NWA_VFR700F, Feb 23, 2012.

  1. NWA_VFR700F

    NWA_VFR700F New Member

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    Well, as the title says, I'm planning on taking a long trip on my Viffer. Usually for my birthday, I take a cruise to some exotic place, but this year, I want to spend it on the bike. I'm starting to get everything prepared now so that there are no setbacks. I currently have Dowco Rally Pack Deluxe saddle bags, and yesterday ordered the matching tank bag and tail bag. I want to do it right, so I'm looking into a good backpack tent to stay in instead of hotels. Figure that since I have a Love's rewards card, I can use all of my credits on there for showers along the way or just hit up any other truck stops that I can find. The tent setup that I'm considering is the Napier Sportz X-Plorer Pac tent. Comes with a couple stools, 2 sleeping bags, and the tent, and all folds up nicely into a bag that can strap to your bike. Now comes to the point of this thread...

    I'm wanting to spend 7-8 days on the road, so my trip has to be somewhere that I can get to and back home in that time, while taking plenty of time for sight-seeing and local festivities, etc. Being that I'm in Northwest Arkansas, and the planned trip is going to be around the end of May, does anyone have any ideas as to where I should ride and what I should plan to do along the way? The only times that I have done any long riding has been planned/needed, never just for relaxation. Would prefer to roadtrip along backroads and hit up small, historical towns instead of riding interstates and hitting major cities. And I plan on riding off of the roads into open fields and throwing my tent up for the night, so I don't need any fancy hotels to be along the path, either.

    Any suggestions/ideas/routes would be greatly appreciated!
     
  2. reg71

    reg71 Poser Staff Member

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    Up into Misery there are lots of lakes and lots of those old mills that are pretty cool, you could take back roads pretty much all over it to historic places and lots of bridges and such. I grew up there but I never got to ride a motorcycle in all the places that looked like fun. Kansas pretty much sucks because it is 'out west' and the roads are straight. As you get further west when the terrain forces, the roads get curvier. Oklahoma I don't really know. Texas is ok, but can get hot. San Antonio has the Alamo, but it's kind of a let down and I don't remember a ton of great roads there (of course I was mostly in basic so I didn't get out much). Uh lets see, you aren't far from Louisiana. I think it'd be cool to traipse around there and get some good cajun food and see a few gators. Maybe run down to New Orleans, then cruise the coast towards Miss, Ala, and all the way to FL or Georgia if you feel like it. Lots of back ways through Tenn but you only have a few places to cross the Miss river. Ky has lots of windy back roads through lot's of overgrown kudzu that I always found fascinating. You'll see what looks like a barn made of plants sometimes because it's been overtaken. Southern IL is ok, but in my day they liked handing out tickets if they saw a bike or an out of town plate. Also, there is no helmet law there (or at least used to not be) so I didn't like riding where people didn't wear helmets. Just seemed weird. I know freedom and all, I'm just sayin...
     
  3. NWA_VFR700F

    NWA_VFR700F New Member

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    I've considered a scenic drive down old hwy 71 thru western Arkansas, stop for a day at the diamond mine, down into Louisiana, make my way across the old Parishes, spend a day in Nola, then back up thru Mississippi, thru Memphis, and then back across hwy 412 thru northern Ark back home. Just not sure I can make a good solid 8 days out of that. Guess if nothing else, I could just hit locals up along the way and get info on the going-ons in each area I decide to camp out at lol.
     
  4. eightangrybears

    eightangrybears New Member

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    Last year me and my buddies did a 2100 mile trip from New Orleans to Natchez, up the Natchez Trace, into Tennessee (which is awesome for nice little twisty backroads), into North Carolina (where everyone and their brothers take their cars and bikes) through Parts of the Blue Ridge, into Northern Georgia (also some great riding there) and then back. It took us 9 days because we had a rain day and did light riding so we could sight see but it was AWESOME. Great little roads all the way there, very light traffic, lots of places to camp (we camped 7 out of the 9 days due to weather and being tired of sleeping on the ground at the end). I also would suggest the middle of alabama. It sounds lame, but there were some truly great roads I hit up last time I rode to Atlanta from New Orleans. I think you could make a nice loop out of some of the alabama, tennessee, North Carolina (as long as you go midweek), northern Georgia and back again and not even touch the highway. Just my 2 cents. I am not sure at all what is west of you that you could make a loop out of but to the east of Arkansas is some mighty fine riding, historic towns, awesome parks, etc.

    Enjoy your trip!
     
  5. GreyVF750F

    GreyVF750F Member

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    I've been doing trips like that for years. 7 to 10 days 1500-3500 miles. I have found that planning a trip step by step never really works if you want to run good secondary roads and meet people. Some people you'll meet will point you to some great back roads or sites to see. What I do is have an idea of a direction to go and an area/city to shoot for. I also carry an up to date Rand McNally road map book. This gives me not only exact routs but also an overall idea of the states I'm going thru. The bad thing about this way is finding camp grounds if you don't plan for them. Motels are easy find.

    From where you are you could do a loop trip. Up thru Tennessee to Smokey mts, down thru Sc to GA (northern mtns great!) then across the top of Al,MS to home. There a lot great riding around those areas on back roads. Plenty of campgrounds along the way I'd bet. Just pin point those and ride towards those areas on any old back roads. Great way to see the country and meet the people.

    Having the map book will let you see highways to use to by pass an area or if you have to make time getting home. Or what ever. Make sure you use a NEW map book. I've used old ones and the road I was on, the state/county Marked road was not the one that the map showed. They rerouted the routs at a later date. So I'm on Rt40 literally and the maps RT40 are two different roads and I'm making my turns from the map. That makes for a fun day riding in circles or ending up else where from where you think you are. That's why I pick a direction instead of an exact rout. Gives me time to get lost and enjoy the scenery.

    Enjoy your trip!
     
  6. NWA_VFR700F

    NWA_VFR700F New Member

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    Thanks for the ideas...and I don't need a stinking campground. Just give me an open, level spot of ground 100ft off the road where I can pitch the tent and sleep a few hours lol. And I agree about not making an itinerary, just thought maybe someone would have some great attractions that could be worked in that I should check out. Like I said, I've thought about western ark to LA, thru Miss (there's a famous steakhouse in Greenville that's just an old house that has been made into a restaurant that I would love to hit again), maybe hit Tunica...just a few ideas since I don't know where to go haha. Usually when I've traveled places, it was a straight line there, spend time there, then straight back home. This time I want to do the opposite...get lost along the way, see the back country, then make it back home.
     
  7. reg71

    reg71 Poser Staff Member

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    well, if you are planning on doing it around memorial day, you could always hook up with 82ndgreasemonkey who is planning on riding all the way from Georgia (I think) to here in Cali. We are having a little shindig.
     
  8. NWA_VFR700F

    NWA_VFR700F New Member

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    That's actually when I'm planning it, as unfortunately, my bday is May 27th, so I'm almost always stuck celebrating it Memorial Day weekend lol
     
  9. BWeiss

    BWeiss Johnny Partseed

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    Reg has a great idea there. Make the trip out to Cali with 82nd, wrestler and probably one other.
     
  10. MapMaster

    MapMaster New Member

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    I'd head to New Mexico and explore.
    A return from the Santa Fe area is about 725 miles direct - which means you can return from the area in two easy days.
    A few days getting there and a few days exploring, or slab it there quickly to allow more time to check out more from the following menu:
    If you haven't been through Queen Wilhelmina St park and into OK on Route 1, do so on your way out.
    Wichita Mtns Nat. Wildlife Refuge near Lawton, OK is a cool place - longhorn steers wandering around.
    The UFO museum in Rosewell is a worthwhile funky stop.

    South/central attractions in the state worthy of visits include:
    Carlsbad Caverns - just awesome.
    White Sands Nat. Mnmt and the missile museum are both great stops (just make sure you have a plate to put under your sidestand if you go there).
    The country around the solar observatory at Sunspot east of White sands has great riding and the run up to the Apache Ski resort (Sierra Blanca Peak) will have you screaming in your helmet.

    Depending on how many miles you want to pack on, the Very Large Array in the western part of the state is a very cool for astronomy geeks. Gila Cliff Dwellings Nat Mnmt south of there is also in the midst of some great country.

    If you loop north in the state, or just head there directly, the country side around Taos is beautiful with lots of great roads as well.

    Sandia Peak near Albuquerque is also very impressive both from a road and scenic standpoint.
    Santa Fe and Taos both have extensive artist populations which lends itself to interesting cultural interactions (you know you're not in some generic piece of suburbia).

    I'm jonesing for another trip out west just listing these possibilities.

    Regards,
    Greg
     
  11. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

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    Go to Reggies if at all possible It is a hoot. And he always has a great Saturday ride planned for the Pak. Sounds like a great trip regardless. I am about to embark on a one month tour myself about the same time. All I know is I will be in Mexico, or at least get gas there so I have a reciept, and in Atascadero. The rest of the trip realy is just riding. If the light is red, I turn right. If it is green, i go straight.Yellow...I turn left. Haven't really thought much about stops signes though.
     
  12. reg71

    reg71 Poser Staff Member

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    Sounds like you'll be doing circles.
     
  13. Austin

    Austin New Member

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    I'm also from Siloam Springs! If you have the time, Colorado is a great place to ride to. The ride out there isnt a lot of fun, but it's worth it.
     
  14. NWA_VFR700F

    NWA_VFR700F New Member

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    Yeah, that's where I'm originally from, so I'm all too familiar with the riding there lol
     
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