Bonneville America Forums Forums General Motorcycle Forums Rides, Rallies, & Events NW or bust!

So...the time is near. Near for what? Near for me to get on the bike and get the ****** off the east coast.

Sometime right around 8/22, I'm taking a 2 week road trip across the great US of A. I have no itinerary, nowhere to be...just ride north and west until I feel like heading back to Brooklyn. There is only one guarantee. And that is that I will NOT get home a minute before I absolutely have to.

The plan is to pretty much haul ****** across the midwest, head thru Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Northern California (I soooo can't wait to actually LEGALLY lanesplit). Then I'll make a U-turn and head back thru Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, and Iowa.

So...now you know what, when and where. If you ask why, I think I'll break this beer bottle and stab myself. My question for y'all is "who". There's tons of you guys across the country and I've met a ton on this side of the Misssissippi...I'd like to meet some of you guys on the other side.

If you want to meet up and ride between destinations with me, outstanding (as Uncle Fill would say). If I can be so bold as to ask for potential couch or floorspace possiblities as well...it would most greatly help the trip financially. And don't worry...I can pay my way doing odd jobs such as getting rid of those old cans of Busch your neighbor brought over 3 years ago and are still sitting in the garage. Or burning stuff...I'm quite good at that one too. If you're weary about having some stranger you met on the internet into your home...absolutely no worries...I'd still like to meet up and eat some food or drink some beers with you when you get off of work.

So...let me know if you're interested in getting together, and I'll do my best to make it happen. Just remember that this will be a 6000+ mile trip, so anything can happen along the way.

Also...seeing as I've never been out this way before, any advice on weather patterns during late August and early September would be most helpful. Also if you can fill me in on any must-see attractions and cheap roach-motels I'd be much obliged.

Keep us updated on your route through Montana. I should be able to meet you along the way. My house is a wreck but I have a spare bed.

Id like to meet up and ride a bit too. Ill talk to Karen about floor space but we are in a 1bdrm condo.
PM sent with contact info.

Friar...if he doesnt kill you let me know...

What's that supposed to mean?

it was a serial killer joke...if you survive then Ill be ok...if we dont hear form you then we know who to look for...and I wont let him stay here

Maybe only funny to me...

Let me know when you get out here to Oregon.

Hey Mark,

Good News & bad news. I sm off work the next 4-8 weeks rehabbing. Bad news my ba is lying in s heap in some British Columbia boneyard that only friarjohn knows the whereaouts of.

I have a 2 bedroom home, my mom will be taking care of me (Mommie!!), but you are very welcome to stay.

jh

Alright guys...the trip's a go. I'm heading out of Brooklyn this Friday morning. One question for you guys is...what's the weather typically like out in the Northwest? Besides raingear, obviously, what type of jacket should I bring? My summer partial-mesh textile, or a solid leather jacket?

Can accomodate ya, if you're comin this wqy. PM sent.

I'm off! See y'all shortly.

Good Luck!

Have a great trip. Don't miss mount rushmore and yellowstone.

Mark - sorry I missed you before you left - I am assuming you will have some internet access along the way.

If you make it to southern Nevada/Utah/Colorado, I'm not too far away. Have an extra room in Flagstaff. I'll PM you my phone number. I will stand you a beer if you get close (I get up to Cortez CO in the Four Corners area many weekends). I think I owe you at least one beer!

Things to see??!? obviously depending on time - the Grand Canyon - the north rim is pretty cool. Zion and Bryce Canyons; Colorado has lots of nice roads and mountains.
Have a great trip!!!
Becky

Mark's a good guy-just a little scary is all!

Does that mean I shouldn't clear off the spare bed? "Aw, sorry man, I just don't have anywhere else to put this stuff. I've got the number for Motel 6, though."

I can personally vouch for Mark,

He's one of the good ole boys I met on my Georgia adventure a few years ago. They don't come any better, just a little different is all , ask Phil

jh

Aren't Mark and Matt the 2 original "YOUTS" from ages ago when BA.com was new????

I know you're on your way. We got a spare room too, just let me know.

If you are through Portland at the right time, I might be able to show you around a bit.

Take Care,
Brent

The only thing he will destroy is your liquor cabinet!

Uh oh. I better drink up what little I have before he gets here. It's going to be an interesting week...

I see how it works...as soon as I leave everybody starts talking ******.

Anyways, I've survived so far...but barely. Friday evening, I met up with Matt (the other yute) in Toledo, OH for a night of drinks on the house (kinda). Saturday, we hightailed it over to Keith's (airguy) house in Romeoville, IL, where his neighbor almost got us arrested. I hope she's happy. This morning...actually almost noon...said farwell to Keith and Matt and got on the road, where I decided to stop in Alexandria, MN. Absolutely beautiful countryside up 'round these parts. Wanted to make it out to Fargo today, but the sun dropped and the deer started popping out, so decided to call it a day. Tomorrow...head into Fargo, then south into South Dakota, where I'll get on I-90 and get as close as I can to Rapid City. Anyone know any good bars in SW SD?

Becky...I'm heading thru northern NV, UT, & CO. Riding Rte 50 thru the high desert, into Park City to stay with a buddy of mine, then thru northern CO. Won't be able to hook up with you this time...but I am planning on a SW trip this upcoming spring!!

John (freedom)...I'm 28, not 45. Don't make me slap you when I show up on Friday.

FJ...well...don't worry. I'm completely harmless.

Brent...thanks for the offer, but I'm just going to be heading thru Portland. I'm crashing with Zmilin (Seattle suburbs) on Saturday, and on Sunday, I'm headed somewhere around southern OR or northern CA.

Mark -
Sounds good. I don't know if you consider mid-May spring, but that is the usual time for the SWTF in Prescott - in central AZ - and we welcome visitors!!!

Just let me know.
Have a safe and awsome trip!
Becky

PS there are a couple guys in northern CO - "FCTush" Mike in Montrose and "wrwallpi" Bob in Grand Junction.

hahahaha Mark are you blogging about your trip?

Bubba called me from Red Lodge, MT, this evening. He's going over Beartooth Pass and through Yellowstone tomorrow, ending up at my house tomorrow afternoon or evening.

Well, now I'm p!ssed. Came down with a fever today and had to leave work early. I'm in bed with my netbook. Had to bail on Mark. Don't want to risk him getting the flu on a roadtrip.

Okay,I'm going back to sleep now.

Dont knwo what the next stop for Mark is but he has departed this morning with a full belly and as far as I know rested up.
It was good to meet him. I can say hes a low maintenence guest and the boy can drink some beer . I think that was what enhanced the "Last Cake Standing" marathon Karen and I made him watch .

Z,

That sounds very similar to the guy that stopped by here Friday night.

jh

Yeah...but the guy that was here didnt need to take us to the post office

Beer makes the world go round...

Anybody know the whereabouts of this young man? I figure by now either he's home or sleeping among the sagebrushes in red rock Utah.

If you're still in the area Mark, I could use some things from the local grocery store

jh

Yo Mark I figure by the time you hit NJ you'll be burning it straight home, but if not youre welcome to stay at my house. I'll take a ride with you up north to NY if it falls on a weekend. PM me and let me know whats up.

Tom

I thought he should have made it home by now...
maybe hes just tired...he only rode 7000 miles in two weeks

Geez...I wasn't even really drinking those nights!

Tired...heck no! The trip ended up being 8,007 miles in 18 days. I'd do it again tomorrow if I had the time off.

Anyways...the trip was awesome.

Left Zdenko's abode...headed down the coast till I hit McKinleyville, CA, then took 299 & 44 across the state. Jumped into Nevada and rode highway 50 (The Loneliest Road in America). Cut over to Park City, UT to see an old friend there, then off to Steamboat Springs, CO to pick up a new pair of boots.

The fun started there, when I tried to break my personal record of 1250 miles in a day, but pussed out and only made 1200 miles to just shy of Chicago...hey, it was freezing out and I was still wet from the rain I hit almost all of the way thru Nebraska. The next day, rode 800 miles to my old man's house in PA. Took a breather and headed on east. Since I was making great time across the country, I decided to head up to MA instead of NYC and had some fun with an old flame for a day...the perfect end to a perfect trip!

As I said earlier, my only goal was to make it home no sooner than I had to...and I rolled into Brooklyn this afternoon at 1pm, took 5 minutes unloading my bike, then went straight into work.

Thanks to Keith for supplying the Tyskie and bourbon as well as a bed (that came with a cat with one of those cones aroudn its neck).

Thanks to John for making me chauffeur his crippled butt around...and for the beef stew!

Thanks to Zdenko and Karen for inviting some kid they've never met before into their house. Oh...I mean...nobody should ever talk to those freaks. They're a couple creeps that watch nothing than stupid cake baking shows on TV...weirdos...

And extra special thanks to Melissa...the bartender in some bar in Red Lodge.

Dang...this country is big.

1200 miles in a day?