Thinking of putting together a VERY long ride, need some advice.

Has nobody mentioned duct tape and WD40 yet???

If it moves and it shouldn't ... duct tape.

If it's stuck and it should move... WD40.

Partially joking, but they're both very helpful!

 

TAKE a spare voltage regulator, a volt/ohm meter, aspirin and a tube to transfer some fuel cuz some do-do will run out of gas.

 

I've heard that a Stack of pre-folded one dollar bills is useful in some situations. I have no personal experience with this survival method though.

bug repelent would seem useful, as well as sunscreen if you don't have a tinted face shield on your helmet that blocks UV.

 

Already own several.

Great advice so far, keep it coming!

 

Not having a plan is an adventure. Not being prepared is a disaster. Make sure everyone is aware of the necessary gear essential to efficient travelling is packed so the only thing you have to stop for is gas, food, and sleep. Losing half a day for someone's 4 year old battery going bad, a chain replacement, tire replacement, or "this new jacket I got yesterday is unbearable" could turn a nice few days in the Keys to a nice couple days in crappy small hotels along some desolate inland interstate.

Travelling with a group could become tedious. Everyone has different wants and needs. For this reason you may want to have predetermined destinations/activities agreed upon ahead of time. If it were just you and a bud you could wing it more.

Minimize the slab to keep things interesting. Stay away from I95! There is nothing to see between Maine and Florida on this road. But get as far away from home as fast as you can into unexplored territory. I personally recommend visiting Deal's Gap in NC/TN and the motorcycle museum at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham. The route to get to those places is mountainous and scenic. Not hot, flat, and boring like the route would if you stuck to the coast.

 

+1 on Deals Gap and avoiding I-95. Did an ~18,000mi X-Country trip this past summer, half solo half with at least 1 other rider. Almost entirely avoided freeways.

For what it's worth.........
Patch Kit-- Had a flat 100mi into the trip! Luckily simple puncture, fixed with standard tire plug and pumped it up w/ bicycle pump I carried. Checked it every gas stop for a few days and ran on it for 10k miles until the tread wore out. Fix-a-flat might get you to the next tire shop, which is hopefully open and hopefully has your tire in stock.

Siphon tube was already mentioned.

Mini Jumper cables-- Not essential, but came in handy once when friend had dead battery.

GPS-- personal preference, but I really enjoyed using "old fashioned" road maps. Kind of fun to follow back roads routes chosen in the morning or at each gas stop.

If camping, mosquito net or tent is a must for bug season. Small 6x8 tarp came in very handy

Have a great trip! Make sure the bikes are ready and don't plan too much!

 

Didn't read any where saying make sure you have the infamous Swiss army knife. that and Carry your debit/credit card.

 

Mass to Maine to Florida and back to Mass seems real aggressive for a week. This would be more like an Iron Butt. You may want to set your sights a little shorter and enjoy it more. Leave some time to stop and enjoy things. There are a lot of sights between here and there, but do your own ride.

Maggot

 

Perhaps you're right. It being spring break, there's no reason this can't be a 2 week trip. Those in our group in school get the summer off (of course), but I have to check with the people with jobs to see if they can get 2 weeks off.

The consensus is that we have to get to Florida. The Maine leg of the trip can be cut out, but everyone wants to get to Florida.

 

Hey Turbo- I just went from CT to Las Vegas last September and October. I camped about 75% and hit tiny,dirty, and cheap motels 25%.
Planned general route, but picked roads and stops each evening. Had some 100 mile days and some 600 mile days.
If you are camping, you have to get off well before sundown to shop for beer, food, firewood, and set up camp. AND they don't build a state park every 300 miles for your convenience. Sometimes you have to stop short or travel long to make it to a nice park with something you want to see- like a river gorge, waterfall, a mountain you want to hike, or an historical marker (don't stop for every Civil War battlefield. Most are a cow pasture and a single old house). I know this is illegal, so I've only heard of people doing it, but if you come in to camp after dark, many times, the ranger station is empty. If you leave early in the morning, the ranger is still sleeping and you don't have to pay the 15 dollar fee to lay on the ground in the woods. Criminals tell me this works best on weekdays. If you stay in a motel the cheapest ones are near the interstate. If the motel is empty and it is a weekday, ask the clerk to knock off 10 dollars. It works about 90% of the time.
The GPS is invaluable for searching for stores, motels, services, bars, attractions, etc.... A paper, state map is also invaluable for planning route and looking ahead. On the GPS you only get a 5inch by 5inch picture of your location. It's like looking at a map through a toilet paper tube. Make sure you have power to your GPS, or a way to charge it daily.
Make sure your riding boots are your walking boots.
Research state liquor laws. The fine, God-fearing people of the great state of fucking Arkansas do not allow any alcohol sales on Sunday. So if it is a rainy day, and you want to get a motel room at noon, and get a 12 pack of Bud, and watch the NFL after being on the road for 3 weeks, and watch your Beloved Chicago Bears, IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN ANYWHERE IN THE FUCKING STATE OF ARKANSAS. And getting in a shouting match with the convenience store clerks won't help either.
If you have one week, plan distance with about 300 mi a day average. You will go more, and you will go less. If you are dawdling, and stopping, or you spend a day somewhere, you can jump on the Interstate to make up mileage for a couple of hours or an entire day. But then you need to spend time and mileage to get off it and find good roads.All those IronButt stories are Interstates.
I never used my bug spray or mosquito net. But I travelled in the fall.
I didn't use my rain gear while riding because my jacket and pants are nylon and gortex and I scotchguard the shoulders and arms. I did use my raingear while camping in a park for a week. I could have gotten away with other jackets and my hat. If you are staying in motels, rain gear may not be needed.
Used all my cold weather gear. Including an electric vest. Saved my ass in a rainy cold front across OK/Tex.
Wish I had more socks. Think I took 5 pairs. Dirty underwear or clothes don't bother me.
Leave room in your bags to pick up stuff. Snacks, water, beer will come and go from your pack.
I never used an I-pod before this trip. Picked up one for 40 bucks, and used it on the way back. Freakin' sweet. Alleviates boredom, but you need a way to charge it.
Aerostitch/Rider Wearhouse is the best one-stop travel gear store. Look for it on-line.
Are you going to Daytona? Can I come along?

 

You need the following categories - how to stock them is up to you.

1. Money
2. More money than you thought
3. Tools - just the basics
4. Air pump - bicycle is fine
5. Maps
6. Clothing - rain and at least some layering capability
7. Phone/comms
8. A plan for sleeping
9. A plan to keep water out of your stuff
10. Medicine/first aid - Ibuprofen and earplugs are non-negotiable
11. A plan to avoid windburn, sunburn and eyeburn

Finally - I think you'd have more fun leaving out the drive to Florida part - that is going to be awful and boring. Hours and hours of boring interstate riding. It won't matter what's on your ipod. If I were in Mass, I'd be planning a trip to Nova Scotia. Ride some ferries, etc. I'd plana route that takes me through the mountains as much as possible. I'd go through Green Mountain and White Mountain National Forests in VT and NH, US#2 through Maine, then US#1 along the Maine coastline. That's a good full two days right there. Here's a link:

Holyoke, MA to Calais, ME - Google Maps

On the morning of Day three, I'd probably follow the coastline and cross into Canada. YOU WILL NEED A PASSPORT to get back into the US without a tremendous hassle. Everyone in your group needs a passport. It's easy to get at the post office. From there, I'd make my way into Nova Scotia and spend the night in Halifax. I'd ride Nova Scotia for as many days as I could afford, then head home. It'll take a good two days to get home again, even using the interstates.

 

The CO2 cartridge bike tire fillers are pretty nifty..

http://www.genuineinnovations.com/street-tire-repair-and-inflation-kit.html

I have one of these that I use for serving beer at parties when I bring along a keg (easier than pumping, and doesnt introduce 02) and I believe the "technology" is popular in the road cycling community. They're small and have a surprising amount of air in them.

EDIT: found a motorcycle kit on their website...

 

I always bring along a large ziplock baggie with chain lube, paper towels and several disposable gloves in it. It keeps them together, and I hate trying to get chain lube overspray off my hands. Could be a personal problem, though.

 

Don't forget the Slick... Oh, nevermind.

 

Wow, excellent info, Thanks!

Don't know about where we plan to stop just yet, Daytona may be a possibility. Anyone that wants to meet up with us along the way is welcome to, the road is not our property.

Pretty soon a few of us are going to try to establish a base plan for the trip, and go from there.

Thanks!

 

Also I love polyester shirts - like Under Armour but off-brand - I buy Russell poly t-shirts and shorts to go under my riding gear - the key being they do not hold moisture like cotton, they weigh half as much, and they pack down really small. Polyester and earplugs will change your whole outlook on touring.

 

Again, if you go to FL you are in for two full, hot, straight, boring, expensive, painful 10-hour interstate days each way.

 

There's no reason we can't take 3 or even 4 days to go each way.
Right now I'm looking at routes that will avoid interstates at all costs.

 

I remember reading this in one of Peter Egan's articles: Bring along your old ratty underclothes and just throw them away as you use them. That way you don't accumulate dirty laundry.

I've never done it, as I treasure my old underclothes as shop rags. Just a thought.

 

read a good traveling book soon. good reading will get you excited about seeing parts of america before they change into samesville, usa. i recomend 'blue highways' by least-heat moon, 'ghost rider' by neil peart, 'travels with charlie' by steinbeck or 'jupiters travels' by ted simons. ghost rider and jupiter's travels are about traveling by motorbike. the other two are about seeing the usa they way it used to be.
oh yeah, have some well understood hand signals in case you don't have other forms of communication. this will prevent unnecessary pull-overs for things like, "i think i forgot my underwear!"