Bonneville America Forums Forums General Motorcycle Forums Rides, Rallies, & Events Route info help - USA SW to Pacific Coast

My Dad's 80th birthday is coming up in mid May 2013 & I thought it would be a great opportunity to do some real touring on ol Black Beauty.

That said, after putting together what seems like a pretty good route I thought I'd ask if any of the BA members in the SW US could provide some idea of road conditions (rough/poorly maintained US highways & Interstates) along my planned route re:

from Whicita, KS to Liberal, KS via US54 (super 2 lane)
from Liberal KS to Grants, NM via US54 (super 2 lane)
from Grants, NM to Needles, CA via I40/I66
from Needles, CA to Bakersfield, CA via I40/I66

I have heard that I40/I66 West out of Oklahoma City is in terrible condition & also that US54 from Greenwood, KS to Tucumcari, NM is also pretty rough.

Any additional info would be a help in my trip planning.

A couple of summers ago I rode I40 mostly from Los Angeles to tucumcari nm. It was typical interstate but fun because of the places you go through. You're within reach of the grand canyon and four corners for example. You'll pass meteor crater and the petrified forest! The old route 66 is pretty much obliterated but there are commercial and commemorative pieces of it that are worth a look tucumcari is excellent for example.

(Meteor Crater)
from tucumcari to dodge city I was on us54 & 56. It was fine but nothing remarkable.

I'm sure it's no news to you but watch the weather. I rode it in early-mid may and it was COLD in places, -5C in Gallup. Also, seriously windy on I-40 and tornado/thunderstorms and warnings kept me skittering thru kansas.

Enjoy the trip and the company.

I'm sure I must have posted pictures here if you look back in 2010, maybe you'd get some ideas.

Bill, thanks for the feedback. Yep, I am looking forward to taking road breaks at the scenic spots & points of interest along the way for sure. I have to admit I thought -5C (23F) was a bit cold for Gallup, NM in mid May...but such is the nature of weather. I figured the trip (one way) would take me 4 days @ a minimum of 450 miles per day average. But if I do run into some wooly weather I have an extra day built into the itinerary if I have to do an unscheduled lay over. Kinda wish I didn't have to push it so, but I have to be in the San Simeon/Cambria, CA area by the evening of 5/22 for sure as my Pop's BD is the next day.

I don't mind the wind so much now that I have the taller shield & was counting on running into it some pretty hard from Liberal, KS until I got to Flagstaff, AZ.

My return ride will be much more relaxed as I'll be bike camping mostly and have more time (8 days) to see the sights as it were.

I search through the older posts & see if I can find your pics too.

Ride On!

So....It looks like I might be meeting up with the SW BA members for the ride to the Grand Canyon on 6/1 as part of my return journey if I kin work out the logisitcs.

I'll need to find a low cost primitve camp spot (w/potable H2O) some where between Needles, CA & Sedona, AZ (preferably close to Sedona,AZ) where I kin layover for a from 5/28 to 5/31.

I figger I'll cruise into Sedona on the 31st & lay over with the BA members grouping for the SW rally and then join their planned ride to the Grand Canyon. I'll layover that night @ the GC and then head East to wrap up my adventure.

5 days to go before I haed up on my SW/Pacific coast adventure. My route is set, I'm all geared up (with equipment as well as anticipation), & the weather forecast looks to be changing for the better. Is it Friday yet?