Long Trip Planning and Report

PhotoAl · August 3, 2021

This is a ride report on my recent trip from Birmingham AL to Vernal, Utah, Monpeltier Utah and Wyoming. I'm going to post it over several days. First I'm going to go over how I do a long solo motorcycle trip in hopes it will help those dreaming of taking a long trip but not sure how to start. Yup stuff a change of clothes and a tent into a duffle bag and go - well not quite.

Where am I going to stay at night. I've not reached the place where I'm comfortable just riding a while then finding a spot to pitch my tent. I want a place with a reservation so that when I get there I have a place to sleep. On my very first trip I started by staying in KOA campgrounds. They are nice, friendly, clean and safe. I stay other places ranging from AirBnBs to independent campgrounds but only occasionally.

Planning the route. Usually have a general idea about where I want to go, then I look at a map and find the KOAs where I want to go and along the route I want to take. I look at how many miles between overnight stops. Every 4 to 6 days I'll stay two nights in the same spot to take a break from riding. The exact route for each day is usually not decided until the start of that day but do have a general idea. Big thing is be flexible. Other than the start and end of the trip I avoid interstates where possible and also avoid major cities like Kansas City. I have tried several mapping/routing programs but haven't found anything I really like. I'm slowly building a collection of paper Butler maps. They do a very good job of showing good motorcycle roads and helping identify gravel roads.

My trips are not expensive luxurious trips but are fun days of riding my motorcycle and seeing the country. I primarily tent camp as it is inexpensive and adds to the adventure. Most KOAs have tent sites and cabins. The cabins are one room with an AC unit (and heater) and some even have refrigerators but you can't cook or eat in the cabin. My plan is to camp but I'll stay in a cabin if it's going to be hot or stormy. Since the south is hot and humid in the summer I always get a cabin the first night and usually the second night and after that tent camp. If possible I get a site with electricity. I travel with a fair amount of electronic gear that needs to be charged: cell phone, GoPro batteries, bluetooth comm, airbag vest and some other devices that I charge nightly. I also carry one or two batteries so that in a pinch I can keep my phone charged and the airbag vest will make it a couple of days.

Tent and bedding. I have a small 2 man tent (Hyke n Byke Zion). There are numerous choices of tents available. I dont have a lot of space so small and light are key. Mine is a middle price point and had a rain fly the completely covers the tent and also has an entrance on each side with a small covered area that is big enough for me to leave my boots in. Tent came with a ground cloth. To set up the tent its a simple process, put the ground cloth on the ground and place the tent on top of it. Assemble the tent poles and connect to the tent. My tent is basically suspended from the tent poles. On top of this goes the rainfly. My tent is mostly mesh and rainfly gives privacy and keeps the rain out. In a windy rainstorm having a rainfly that goes all the way to the ground is good. Last year in Fort Collins CO a story system went thru with 30 to 40 mph winds and 60 mph gusts. My tent shook and vibrated but was bone dry and never a hint of a problem. Folks next door with the traditional Coleman tent slept in a lake in their tent.

Bedding: Air mattress is essential, I have a nice one from Costco but also have one from Amazon that works well. Key is to get one that is sturdy and has multiple pockets instead of the old fashioned ones that are like 6 long tubes side by side. A good down sleeping bag is also important, some places in the west it cay be 80 or 90 at sunset but in the 40s at dawn. I also carry a cotton sleeping bag liner - if it's warm I just sleep under the liner and on top to the bag. The liner and bag give me to ability to survive a pretty cold snap. Pillows are tougher and I've accumulate a couple of foam pillows and one of the blow up ones. A couple of inflatable pillows in a stuff sack works well as does the back pack with my clean clothes. Last trip I used a packing cube for my clothes which worked very nicely. At night i put it with and air pillow in the stuff sack for a descent pillow. KOA cabins have beds with foam mattresses but no bedding. I carry a queen sized fitted sheet for that and then sleep under the sleeping bag and liner. Key is to be flexible and some items do double duty.

Food: I take snacks but don't cook. I usually carry some snacks like trail mix so that in a pinch I can skip a meal. Breakfast and lunch are on the road and dinner ranges from pizza to fast food to a nice restaurant depending where I am and how tired I am. Some KOAs have Hunt Brothers Pizza which can be vey good to incredibly good. Last year at Grand Island Nebraska there was a young woman who made some of the best pizza I've had. Since it's a long road trip, at a minimum I'll have 2 to 3 bottles of water.

Clothes and other stuff: I take clothes that I'll ride in and also clothes to wear around the campground. Usually pack enough for 5 to 6 days and plan on washing. 5 to 6 days works well around the days when I'm somewhere for more than a night. KOAs have laundry facilities and soap can be purchased - just takes lots of quarters! My trips are summer trips and usually have hot weather but can also have a day or more in rain with temperatures in the 50s or lower. For riding I usually wear a t shirt over an undershirt and always long pants. If it rains I have a rain jacket that goes over my jacket - keeps the jacket dry and lighter. My riding pants do a pretty good job of keeping the rain out. I also carry a fleece jacket that is very lightweight but warm. I also have a Warm and Safe heated jacket that is good in the rare situation I were to encounter a long cold day. In June on the way out thru Kansas rode a 3 hours in 105F temperatures - can you say hot! Later in the trip going over the Bighorn mountains it was rain and dropped to 42F. Ive seen it as cold as 34F in the rain and that was the day after it was 99F! A good rain jacket on top of everything with a t-shirt under a long sleeve shirt under a fleece jacket or the heated jacket makes for a comfortable ride. I have a small top case which is where I keep my rain gear and fleece jacket. I have several times ridden all day in the rain with temperatures in the mid 50s.

Other stuff: KOAs have good shower facilities that are clean. I take shampoo in a small bottle and soap in a soap dish with a tight lid. Another essential is a pair of flip flops to wear in the shower. A pair of lightweight shorts is also very handy as it easier to get dressed in the small spaces and not get long pants wet from the floor. I towel is essential and I take a medium sized one that doesn't take up too much space. For the tent I have a small rechargeable LED lamp that I hang from the center so that it illuminates the whole tent and can range from a dim light to bright. Charging electronics: I have a lot of stuff that needs charging including Apple Watch, iPhone, bluetooth headset, GoPro batteries, camera battery, airbag vest, iPad and computer. I take a charger brick that has 4 or 5 usb ports and even a USB C port so that everything can charge off of a single 120V outlet. I also take a 12 foot extension cord - I look for lightweight, doesn't need to be big as I'm not using much power. A USB fan is also nice when caught in a hot tent.

Change of plans: Always keep and eye on the weather and don't be afraid to change if bad weather pops up. Ive changed plans on more than one trip due to weather. On this trip I moved a day from Devils Tower to Greybull so that I could ride in the Bighorn mountains for a day - a very good move. I am a KOA value plus member and have stayed enough that I'm a VIP member and get better cancelation rates. However when doing a trip via KOAs it is not so expensive if you need to change plans.

Tomorrow will update with the first days of the trip

dazzler24 · August 3, 2021

Nice writeup PhotoAI. Some good tips. Looking forward to following the trip and how your preparation works out over time.

Thanks.

fjrchuck · August 3, 2021

Way to go PhotoAL! Keep us posted on your adventure!!

PhotoAl · August 3, 2021

Being in the middle of Alabama and wanting to somewhere like Wyoming means a hard day or two before getting to different scenery. This time I did very well and had the bike packed and ready to go the night before and got a good nights sleep. Was a threat of rain but got away without encountering any. After getting thru Birmingham on the intestate then pick up I22 to Memphis TN. Yup that place were the bridge is out. Thought a lot about alternate routes but decided to just go thru Memphis. Pretty uneventful set the cruse control to the unofficial speed limit of 79 and went. Would thing I would leave with a full tank of gas but no had a little over half a tank so high off it's the how far can I go and where can I stop. Roads are good and traffic is good so made it to Memphis without any drama. Best route thru Memphis is to take I22 to I269 west to I55 north. Memphis is like a lot of big cities - what speed limit! They have signs but those are generally disregarded and traffic enforcement appears to have been disbanded. I try and make a rest/gas/food stop just before I get into places like that so that I am refreshed and alert. West of Memphis take I555 northwest thru Jonesboro where they have road construction. North of Jonesboro it goes from interstate to 4 lane highway then two lane as it snakes thru the Ozarks. Some fun to be had in the turns but generally a somewhat pleasant ride with a slowpoke or two plus the a couple of folks who are impersonating Lewis Hamilton but forgot to get the Mercedes F1 car 🙂 Once in Missouri it gets better with more uniform traffic and a good road to Springfield MO. The KOA in Springfield was a welcome sight where I had a cabin reserved. Total miles for the day was about 560 and the temperatures got up to the lower 90s F. The KOA is owned and operated by a young couple and all of the folks are super nice. They make good Hunt Brothers pizza. My cabin was on the back side which is quieter. My goal is always to arrive in time to get a pizza. It is nice after a long hot day to get a pizza and coke and relax. Route 66 goes thru there so lots of folks traveling Route 66 stay at the KOA. There is also a place in Springfield which does custom work for CanAm Spiders and over the years have met a few CanAm owners there for work on their machines.

Next morning get up and head west. If possible I avoid Kansas City so go west from Springfield to Pittsburg KS. From there picked up KS400 then went north on KS77 thru ElDorado and north of Florence KS took 56 west to I135. Stopped at the Loves truck stop at the intersection of 56 and I135 for gas food and liquids - lots of liquids. When I stopped the temperature was 103F! As I got on I135 north temperature was 104 then 105!!!! Took I135 thru Salina. I135 turn into 81 which I took all the way to I90 in Nebraska. Had a great tailwind out of the south so gas mileage was wonderful and made it the 170+ miles to the interstate just north of McCool Junction which wasn't very cool at 105F. Got gas and rode the 38 miles west on I80 to the KOA exit at Grand Island. Grand Island is owned and operated by super nice folks and it's always a pleasure to stay there. Thankfully I had a cabin but the AC was struggling to keep up with the heat but kept it cool. Campground was very busy with lots of folks stopping for the night. I decided to skip pizza and go into town for dinner. Went to a place called Tommy Guns and had a steak which was good. Rode back after dark which was one of the very few times riding at night. I generally avoid evening and night due to deer. At this point I had covered 1,100 miles in two days but now starting to feel like i was out west.

Day 3 was riding to Laramie WY. Could be just a cruse west on I80 but I took a few of the roads that parallel the interstate for a while and arrived in Laramie without issues. I did stop in Cheyanne to get a Chick-fil-A milkshake. Have to send pics back to those at home. Laramie is a nice KOA and the folks are nice but haven't stayed there as much and dont know them as well. It is a more arid environment but one that cools at night. My first night in the tent. After setting up the tent many times it is stiff fun and easy to do. Put the ground cloth down and stake the corners then put the tent down putting the corners on the stakes holding the ground cloth down. Put tent poles together and in place and clip the tint to them. Finally put the rain fly on top and secure it. A couple of years ago I bought a plastic tent stake mallet from Amazon. Doesn't weigh much and actually fits into the tent bag. I pack the tent and all it's stuff into the bag then carefully insert the mallet handle into the center of the tent and I'm ready to go. It's heavy enough to drive the stakes but doesn't add much weight. You will quickly learn to keep unzipping and zipping the tent doors to a minimum to keep mosquitoes out. At some point I bought insect repellant and sunscreen. I had a tent site with electricity and water which also had a wall around it to keep wind down. The KOA didn't have food so wound up going to Wendys nearby for dinner.

At this point I'm 3 days into the trip and just about to get to some fun mountain roads and scenery.

redfjniner · August 4, 2021

Pictures, we want pictures. For all we know, you are just making all this stuff up. Also a map would be great to follow you. If you have allowed Google to monitor your location, you can get a copy of your daily ride in that account. Then you can share it and we can load it onto Google Maps or even Google Earth. Relive app is also available and really easy to use. You could share the link in your post here. Rever also can track you and make a map. Pictures will bring the ride to life, so we want pictures or it didn't happen.

2and3cylinders · August 4, 2021

What he said

daboo · August 4, 2021

I agree. Pics or it didn't happen. We were going to meet up in Greybull, WY, but he didn't show.

Chris

angrygirafe · August 4, 2021

52 minutes ago, daboo said:

I agree. Pics or it didn't happen. We were going to meet up in Greybull, WY, but he didn't show.

Chris

Being from Wyoming, if you asked me to meet in Greybull, I wouldn’t show either 😂

daboo · August 4, 2021

I asked him before we both left, why Greybull? I stayed a night there in the seediest motel ever a few years ago. There was nothing I could think of to make me want to stay there. But...he had it picked out as a place to stay for a few days.

He'd better get busy and update this thread, or it'll all be about pictures and hot lonely places in Wyoming.

Chris

PhotoAl · August 4, 2021

OK, I'll digress and answer the Greybull question. Decided to stop there as it was a good waypoint. then spent 2 nights there so I could spend a day riding highway 14 in the Bighorn Mountains. I really enjoyed Greybull, stayed in the KOA and spent first night in a cabin and 2nd in a tent. Found a couple of good places to eat. A surprise and certainly unexpected but probably the best all round food of the trip. One place on highway 14 in town was BoBs. A sandwich place where I had lunch and breakfast twice. The other place was Lisa's had a great mac n cheese with chicken. Just a little spicy but delicious. I only ate the sausage once with breakfast but it was delicious, next day just pancakes.

Edited August 4, 2021 by PhotoAl

texscottyd · August 5, 2021

On a motorcycle trip through beautiful parts of the country, and we have no pictures of (a) motorcycles, or (b) countryside.

The food looks pretty tasty, however!

PhotoAl · August 5, 2021

OK, here are some pics from the first 3 days. I use a GoPro to record parts of the ride and don't take tons of photos but have lots of video. These are frame grabs from the video. Didn't have any on the first day - it's all familiar territory to me.

Western Missouri on my way to Pittsburg KS. Beautiful country with wheat ready for harvest and a wonderful day. It was already getting hot and didn't shoot any video, just tried to keep cool as it went to 105F! After arriving in Grand Island rode into town for dinner. Photo of sunset with the really nice glow over the rolling flatness of Nebraska 🙂 Very different from here so I enjoy seeing it.

Next morning got on I80 and headed west. Can see a long way so therefore have lots of time to spot potential rain. This looked interesting for a distance and as I rode thru it a good bit later was hit by 5 or maybe 6 drops of rain.

Further west abandoned I80 and took parallel roads - tis is somewhere on 30 east of Lodgepole. Nice straight and open road.

Somewhere along Hwy 30 saw a car train. See lots of trains in that part of the country.

Cannot forget traffic lights. Saw a number of these in construction zones. Had not seen them so much before but were nice to have. I80 is to the left and at this point I'm just riding parallel a little north but much more relaxed.

Went thru a small town names Lodgepole Nebraska. Typical small town in Nebraska.

Went thru the big city of Sidney Nebraska. For those who are in a big city hurry there is the Get'N Split gas station and for those who want good food at a relaxed pace there is Grandma Jo's which serves Pepsi. A nice small town. When hustling down the interstate sights like these are missed.

Got back on I80 and getting closer to Cheyenne and the wonderful state of Wyoming.

Coming downhill into Cheyenne where I stopped by Chick-fil-A to grab a milkshake and just to say I've been there.

West of Cheyenne it gets more interesting and some hills. The pickup and trailer I'm passing had passed me earlier doing 85+ mph but slowed down on the somewhat steep descent.

This catches my description up on photos. Next to come is the start of the really fun part of the trip the ride from Laramie WY to Vernal Utah.