Bonneville America Forums Forums General Motorcycle Forums Rides, Rallies, & Events Vacation Decision.

I have just had an offer on some land that I have for sale, and I accepted it.

Jo & I were thinking of a holiday in Canada or the USA on the proceeds sometime in the next couple of years. That is before I get to old to enjoy overseas travel. We have toured Europe 3 times in the last 8 years and we were thinking of Canada or USA for a change.

When is the best time to visit Canada or the USA. Please bear in mind that we don't like cold weather. Where we live in Australia we never get a frost and our Winter temperature at night never gets below zero. (Sorry to mention that guys but that is the way it is).

I was thinking that I would like to hire a bike while we were there. What would it cost?

I have a friend who shipped his Guzzy to the USA 2 years and rode route 66, he had a ball.

Any information or links to websites would be appreciated.

It's cold in the higher altitudes but if you are coming to the US I recommend Yellowstone, I can't wait to get another trip together to go there.

Lake Tahoe in California/Nevada is one of the most beautiful places I've seen on the Mainland. Of course you'd wanna go in the summer if ya wanna ride and dont like cold...

Vacation? What's a vacation?

Like your country, North America has lots of magical geography and from our late spring to early fall cool temps aren't a problem. The people are pretty much like the people I've met from Oz, very friendly and helpful. Keep us advised to your plans so we can welcome you.

Well, the SWTF is June 3-5. Then you can find out more about Arizona, other than Dwight lives there.

Well, I've been to or through all 4 corners of the U.S.A. including Alaska and Hawaii. Now I'm back where I started, in the Portland, Oregon area. You just can't beat the Northwest (Oregon, Washington, B.C.) for using up the memory in your digital camera. Summer climate is not too hot or too cool. If you're looking for "green" - this is where it all comes from. We didn't invent it - just made it better. Mountains, lakes, deserts, rivers, ocean; all within a bunch of great roads and a few miles from where ever you are. I'll leave the rest of the great points to others, good luck.

I'll get back to ya on this one too, Frank!

Here's a link for you Frank

http://www.pashnittours.com/motorcycles.html

It'll mean downgrading to a Thunderbird though

Still, better than a Hardley

I would second yellowstone and western north america in the summer.

I've been cross-country a few times and I would recommend the Black Hills and Yellowstone in particular. I did this in August but probably anytime after May will be fine.

Mike from NZ did a bang up trip a couple of years ago featuring sturgis and points west - you could look for his photos and descriptions here.

The part of Canada where I live(eastern ontario), is nicest in May but you can't beat the west for dramatic scenery.

I'd come in the Fall or Spring to the US. In some places the summers are brutal (eg: Tx, OK. Fl, Southwest) unless you are going to the mountains of CO or Canada. These guys are renting Triumphs now so you don't have to lower your standards.
http://renttriumph.com/default.aspx?language=en

When you go on vacation and what you want to do on it are big determiners.
If you want to ride, anything in the northern half of the US
needs to be done in summer.
If you want wide open and rugged, the West is the way to go.
The east is more riding through forests.
If you want to see the leaves turn (very pretty sight), it can be a tricky scheduling for the right time.
Check out the Discovery channel and Travel channel websites
to give yourself an idea of what you want.

"If you want to see the turning of the leaves"

early to mid fall anywhere the Blue Ridge Parkway hits. Asheville NC is a favorite destination off the parkway. Home of the Vanderbilt house (largest house in America),GrovePark Inn, great NC BBQ, Bluegrass, and a total melting pot of music and art. (I lived there 6 yrs) not to mention PLENTY of great routs. If you saw the film Dirty Dancing You saw Western NC. The lake used was Lake Lure.

http://lakelure.com/ I stayed here for my Honeymoon.
http://www.chimneyrockpark.com/ great hike up to the top.
http://www.groveparkinn.com/Leisure/AshevilleArea/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asheville,_North_Carolina

Just check with any bike shop and they will give you the best roads to hit.

NAAAA Im not partial

Then again Texas Hill country is great also. check the Texas rally link for Rons links about the 3 sisters run.

If you want truly wild forest and beauty any back road in WV is great. Its not called WILD AND WONDERFUL for nothing. Oh and John Denver Loved it, Take me home country roads!


nope 1 month wont be long enough! your gonna have to visit us longer.

Hope you have a great time where ever you go! If you hit FT Worth let me know!

When you are talking fall foliage, Brown County , Indiana is among the best in the U S A, great twisties and not flat as a lot of the surrounding areas. I remember that the latitudes for the leaves changing was advertised weekly as they moved South, so folks would chase to the area as their schedule ordained. Here in the Pac. NW, the Doug Firs Stay green and the Alders turn yellow. Our roads, mountains, deserts, and ocean make up for a lack of temp. color visuals one time a year.

Well first of all Frank, I'd like to meet the man who does all the ribbing about winter and cabin fever and such. And secondly you can't go wrong by heading out to my neck of the woods. It can't be understated... I live in paradise! No, I'm not boasting or jaded or bias... it is just simply true. It is quiet here with no big towns or cities. It is remote... just 10 minutes from my door and I can be in absolute wilderness. Scenery is breathtaking, wildlife is abundant (including those friggin' deer). There are lakes, rivers, mountain peaks, valleys, hot springs, forests, ghost towns, Alpine, glaciers, meadows and vista views... all with a surprisingly small tourist population considering how beautiful it is here. Come to visit here and you're also not far from the Rockies, the US (Washington, Idaho, Montana, Oregon) and the West Coast with it's own brand of beauty with the Coastal Range and Vancouver Island. If somehow you could know in advance what it is like here and didn't come, you'd kick yer own ass for the rest of your life.

Best time to come? July, August or September. Here's some interesting stuff for you. The province I live in, British Columbia (BC) is about 1,000,000 sq. km. with a population of around 4.5 million. Two million live in one place... Vancouver with another .5 million in Greater Victoria. For the rest of the province, only 4% is inhabited, and that means a lot of unspoiled wilderness which in turn means a lot of natural beauty. Sure riding is AMAZING but I could take you on one or two hikes that would BLOW YOUR MIND!!

I'm not trying to sell this place to ya Frank, I'd just hate to think you came all the way over here and missed the wonderful area I live in. Ya wanna know why I put up with winter Frank? 'Cause this place is so, so worth it in the summer months. Oh, and worthy of mention is the fact that we have hardly any bugs such as mosquitoes and black flies so ya don't have to pack bug repellent.

Just get yer butt over here so I can show you I wasn't kidding!!

Can't be much of a place Keith.

No mosquitoes, black bugs or cane toads.

How about death adders, brown snakes or red belly black snakes, they would really make me feel at home.

Only kidding Keith, Canada is top of our list at present with a few side trips into the USA.

Now all I gotta do is practice driving on the wrong side of the road.

I better rephrase that statement John. Driving on the right wasn't to bad, the following was the problem.

We had a 8 week holiday in Europe 3 years ago, we leased a car direct from Peugot (manual not auto) Biggest problem was they actually built it with the steering wheel on the left.(where they got that crazy idea from I don't know).

It wasn't to bad untill I had to change gears. Using my right hand instead of my left did cause some confusion.