Thinking about a Long Tour in the Spring

[V7Goose]

While my brother and I were out riding this year we started kicking around an idea about doing a 4-corners tour come spring. Not the 4-corners area in the Southwest, but the four corners of the US! Touching the bike tire as close as possible to the US border in the SE, SW, NW and NE corners of this country.

 

We haven't actually planned anything yet, but the general idea was maybe to hit Daytona again in the early spring, then swing on down to Key West again, scoot along the southern boarder to San Diego while it is still relatively cool, then up to Washington and over to Main. Lots of other options too, but that will give you some idea of what I am talking about.

 

I don't even know yet how many miles it is, when we might start (if we don't do the Daytona thing), or how long it might take. I can map it out on the computer pretty quick to start answering some of those questions, but I just thought I'd throw the idea out here and see if anyone might be interested in joining a trip like that? Or even part of it?

 

I'm not talking about anything formally planned and pre-scheduled with reservations or anything - just an ad-hoc ride were we throw the leg over the bikes and go. I could actually put together a formal tour with plans and prices if enough people actually wanted to do something like that, but I doubt it.

 

So what say you? Anyone interested in joining up for a long tour?

Goose

[Freebird]

Very interesting. I would love to do that but don't think I would have the time off. A quick mapping on Microsoft Streets puts it at about 7,230 miles from Miami to San Diego, to Seattle to Maine. A total of 9.239 miles if I route you back to the Dallas area.

 

I would think you will need at least a week.

[Rich99]

But I guess you can say I'm mostly a maverick and it gets to the point where I do just that, throw my leg over the bike and go. Too bad you were thinking about 4-Corners at that time. For the first six years after buying my bike, I was going to the 4-Corners Rally every other year but that rally is put on during Labor Day. It's about 1,100 miles one way with alot of desert in between, but once you get up there, it's a site to behold. It also has one of the best 10 train rides in America from Durango at 6,300 ft. up to Silverton at 9,300 ft., so it you get the chance to ride it when you go to 4-Corners, it's well worth it. :080402gudl_prv:on your trip and have a great safe ride.

P.S. Most miles I did in one day was 630.

Edited October 30, 2008 by Rich99

[mini-muffin]

Don you're funny. It would take a little longer then that. What about their pee breaks? Not to mention some stops for food. I'd give them at least a week and a half.

 

Sounds like a fun trip. Good luck with it when you get down to the planning stages.

 

Margaret

[Rich99]

Very interesting. I would love to do that but don't think I would have the time off. A quick mapping on Microsoft Streets puts it at about 7,230 miles from Miami to San Diego, to Seattle to Maine. A total of 9.239 miles if I route you back to the Dallas area.

 

I would think you will need at least a week.

Only the time I did it, it wasn't on the bike, it was in my little 83 Nissan. But wish I could have done it more slowly, I went a hair over 10,000 miles in 23 days. Was suppose to do around 7,000 miles, but decided to take a detour down to Florida because I was doing this tour right at the time that John Glenn went up in the space shuttle so I watched him take off and also got a chance to visit my anut and uncle in Melbourne. I'm too far up in age to try that again, staying in only three towns for 2 nights and just one nighter's the rest of the way is what wore me out, too many miles too fast.

[sarges46]

Something I want to do when we both retire.

 

I woulnt be surprised to see Lowell running tail gunner with you!

[Venturous Randy]

Years ago there was a book that was put out by William Least Heat Moon called Blue Highways. He started in, I believe MO, and came down thru the middle of the country to the east coast, dropped to the south thru cajun country then across the Rockies to Wash state then all the way to Maine. He called the book Blue Highways because old maps used to color the small roads blue and he specifically tried to stay off the interstates.

These books can be found in book stores and libraries and it is a great read.

RandyA

[Seaking]

tell you what, if you actually DO get on this trip, and I do hope so, lets us know the wheres and whens of your stops.. I would be more than happy to travel to Maine from Halifax to come shake your hand and wish you on your way out again.. Hmmm or continue on with you

 

Sounds like a fun trip!!

[friesman]

Don you're funny. It would take a little longer then that. What about their pee breaks? Not to mention some stops for food. I'd give them at least a week and a half.

 

Sounds like a fun trip. Good luck with it when you get down to the planning stages.

 

Margaret

 

 

Yeah, Don I think you could be a bit light on the estimate. JUST THE PEE BREAKS AND FOOD could take a week for these guys...:rotfl:

........Without any riding time.

 

 

Brian

[Freebird]

Yea...and with ice cream breaks for this bunch...we are talking MONTHS here.

 

My wife and I did do a trip a few years ago. A little over 6,000 miles. We were gone for either 13 or 15 days, I don't remember for sure, but almost a week of that time was spent at the destination. So....I could see doing this trip in a couple of weeks if just doing it was all that mattered. Taking your time and enjoying it fully would require quite a bit longer of course.

[VTirelli]

That is something I have always wanted to do, but it's definitely not in the picture til after retirement, kids' weddings etc. I would definitely be interested in doing at least part of it, meet you somewhere and bop around Maine. Keep us posted, you might not get people for the whole thing, but you might pick up stragglers for a few hundred (or thousand) miles.

[Brake Pad]

If you decide to, Call me up, I'm In ft. lauderdale, fl. will love to travel with you to Key West

[treeman]

If you go on a long trip & on a Bike Whats the Rush ( on the road 9:00 ) off the road 5:00 ) if you camp State Parks, its no fun if you are doing 80 M p r Can't stop becaurse you got to do 500 miles today.Take 3 to 4 weeks & have fun.Your not out there to set a record

[rod]

That is a great trip. I had 2 friends do that a few years ago, they took 4 weeks. When the time comes let me know. I can help you out in San Diego. Rod

[RedRider]

The SCMA - Southern California Motorcycle Assoc. sponsors a 4 corner tour similar to the Iron Butt Association. There are specific locations at each corner to get pictures and a time limit of 3 weeks. The route is wholly up to you.

 

Check out http://www.usa4corners.org/.

 

We plan on doing it in 2010.

 

RR

[V7Goose]

If you go on a long trip & on a Bike Whats the Rush ( on the road 9:00 ) off the road 5:00 ) if you camp State Parks, its no fun if you are doing 80 M p r Can't stop becaurse you got to do 500 miles today.Take 3 to 4 weeks & have fun.Your not out there to set a record

Fun to you may or may not be fun to me. I like it both ways. When just touring for fun I much prefer to stick to the smallest two-lanes and get lost; 200 miles a day can be a long day. And that is fun.

 

But then again, I also love pointing my bike toward a destination and just getting there. If I am not just poking around on the back roads, 500 miles a day is kind of a weenie day to me. 1,000 mile days are nothing in the average mix of things - I comfortably do 1,400 mile days on the RSV. And that is fun too. It all depends on my frame of mind at the moment and whether or not I am focused on a destination. I could do this trip either way, but defining "fun" is going to be in the butt of the rider, not the kibitzer!

 

If I am riding with others, I know that very few want to do the miles I do, so happiness depends on us all having the same goal in mind. It's good that I can so easily switch between modes. The only thing I can't take is sticking to the super slab and still intending to only do 300 miles - I'd go NUTs!

Goose