"Stop and smell the roses" touring tips for a beginner.

[Lannis]

Well, I usaually guts myself around lunch time and sometimes leave evening meal out.
But to respond in the same spirit that you asked. The only thing I really PLAN is to be somewhere decent (Agostini's), when the bike is going to need something (oil change), and sorta' just let the rest of it "happen". At least that's how it feels...

What I really meant was, for the sort of touring you do (and I follow your treks in some detail) do you use a GPS or Smart Phone or something to plan ahead for the day, or just take it as it comes ...?

I've never used one on a trip, and don't have any sort of schedule to meet, but ....

Lannis

[Chuck in Indiana]

What I really meant was, for the sort of touring you do (and I follow your treks in some detail) do you use a GPS or Smart Phone or something to plan ahead for the day, or just take it as it comes ...?

I've never used one on a trip, and don't have any sort of schedule to meet, but ....

Lannis

Lannis, once you join the 20th century  and get a smart phone, there's nothing you can't find, etc. It can be very handy to know if there is a gas station in the little town that you'd like to visit, etc.
What it *does* do, however, is take away the "adventure" somewhat. You're never really lost, for instance. Used as a tool and not a toy it can be valuable.

[Testarossa]

If the timing is right (Sept 7-10 in southwest Colorado), join the gang in Ouray for a day, or for dinner.

http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=89216.30

[groundhog105]

A smart phone takes a lot of the stress out of travel.  We usually don't make plans or reservations ahead of time just a general direction or destination which could change.  About mid day we decide where we want to end up for the night and use booking.com to locate a motel around that area. We have never been left without a room since we started using this method.   Previously we had been left stranded without a place to stay at night and having to drive far into the night to .find a place.  I still like to use hard maps for planning and day to day routing. 
       That's just my method, I'm sure others have their own method that works as well. 

[Lannis]

Those devices are handy for  (if needed) calling in a strike. But for general use I prefer to use my wits and a compass/map...no batteries needed.

I'm sort of the same way at the moment, although Chuck has a point too.  I don't have another $100 a month in my budget at the moment anyway.

When Pete and Jude came out to Colorado, since we were going to be out late, I went ahead and booked a room in the same hotel they were in.   I went up to the desk - Pete took a seat in the lobby and got his device out.  I booked straight at the desk and it was $109.   Pete booked on the device and walked up to the desk with his registration number and it was $89.   

I was a bit peeved, since he wasn't using some midget-porn or goat-keeper discount that I couldn't get.   So I told the lady I wanted the same deal, and she gave it to me.   Otherwise I wouldn't have known ...

Another example of "Retail is changing".   If you're just some unconnected fool who walks up to the desk, you'll get it rough with no lube.   But if you're in the "club" ... "Sure, pal, how much you want off of the bill ....?"

Lannis

[twowheeladdict]

I have explored the lower 48 and some of Canada. 

What I do is several months of research leading up to each trip.  You don't have that kind of time, so I would start with googling the top 100 motorcycle roads in the states and see if any of them are somewhat between you and home.  String a few together.

I avoid interstates and make my routes as far away from cities as I can.  I also try to cross busy interstates where there are not on/off ramps because those roads don't build up with businesses and traffic like roads with on/off ramps do.

I talk with locals when I stop for lunch when I can especially if they are riding.

I build custom routes in my GPS so that it is taking me on the roads I planned to take instead of just getting me there.

For a while I was using a website that told you where all the historic markers are located and would string a bunch of them together to make an interesting ride.

I have also used motorcycleroads.us to find some interesting local roads in the area I am visiting. 

Also, look up what national parks might be near your route, or other things that interest you.  Motorcycle museums, etc.

You could ride the Great River Road if you head west before heading south. 

So many choices.

Have fun.

[Huzo]

What I really meant was, for the sort of touring you do (and I follow your treks in some detail) do you use a GPS or Smart Phone or something to plan ahead for the day, or just take it as it comes ...?

I've never used one on a trip, and don't have any sort of schedule to meet, but ....

Lannis

Yeah to be dead serious I do.
Although in a loose manner. As an example, when I left Nordkapp. I entered Sicily which represents days of riding. I deviate regularly from the designated route and let it re calculate.

[Huzo]

It's been said somewhere else here already, but I do like to be able to bring up overnight accommodation options on the fly and say yes with a button push.
It has saved a massive amount of grief over the years. If you are on the entry roads to Paris , Berlin, Rome etc.... there's a lot of concentration you don't need to devote to keeping mental track of where you are. At night in Paris on the roads it is not easy and frustration for me is a bigger crash trigger than fatigue. I can dominate fatigue, but not frustration.
In addition, I've come to think that on the major toll roads you see not much of a hell of a lot, and on the small roads it's a hell of a lot of not much... The Tom Tom is great 'cos you can hop from one to the other, and I don't buy the argument completely that smashing out 1000 k's in a day @ cruising speeds of 150 (ish), has no particular merit. You know you're starting to absorb it all, when you feel more comfortable on the bike than off..
Dunno for sure, could be wrong.

[Cam3512]

Humm, 10 year old bike with 3K miles.  I'd take a close look at the tires, probably rock hard from age.  Otherwise that looks like a screaming good deal!

Good point.  Get the dealer to put on some new skins as part of the deal.

[Chuck in Indiana]

You know you're starting to absorb it all, when you feel more comfortable on the bike than off..

I wondered if anyone else felt that? 

[Lannis]

I wondered if anyone else felt that? 

Can't say that I ever absorb the "total experience", but after a couple thousand miles on a particular bike, I'm five times as easy and confident and "skillful" with it than I am when I get on one of many bikes at first ...

It's why I should have just one bike, really.

Lannis

[oldbike54]

 I am curious , how many of you GPS addicts can no longer rely on instinct to identify compass points?

 Dusty

[twowheeladdict]

I am curious , how many of you GPS addicts can no longer rely on instinct to identify compass points?

 Dusty

I don't believe compass points have ever been considered instinctive.  It is a learned skill that comes from observing your surroundings. You have to know the time of day and time of year to use the sun.  If cloudy, landmarks like rivers, etc. But knowledge of a map is necessary for landmarks to work.  Many other examples of learned behaviors regarding direction.

[Lannis]

I too have always subscribed to the single bike idea. They (like aircraft or horse)  become an extension of "you", an old friend that your comfortable with.

Yes, just the way I feel.   My "reflexes" or "muscle memory" seem to take a LOT longer than most people's to get used to another system.   Makes it especially bad because I own four different shift patterns and I really have to think about it for a long time (days or weeks) before it becomes reflex.

So I have a good traveler (rockster), a good classic(CX) and a good track day machine (VFR). In Europe I have gone to a big? dual sport (R80GS). Any one could be changed but its seems to be enough (the # of machines).

I SHOULD do that but I never do.   Always afraid I'll regret getting rid of one, but can't just let it set and rust away or it worries me.   "Shackled" to "things", I suppose; the right thing would be simply to have one two-up bike for me and Fay and one sporty roadster (I guess that's where the term Sportster came from now that I've written it) ...

Lannis

[Sasquatch Jim]

  Most important for beginners is, do not wheelie on ice unless you are equipt with spike studded tires.

[oldbike54]

I don't believe compass points have ever been considered instinctive.  It is a learned skill that comes from observing your surroundings. You have to know the time of day and time of year to use the sun.  If cloudy, landmarks like rivers, etc. But knowledge of a map is necessary for landmarks to work.  Many other examples of learned behaviors regarding direction.

 All mammals are born with an innate sense of direction . It deteriorates rapidly with non-use , or is improved with practice . Have you ever asked for directions in a large city where most folks don't drive ? The locals usually have almost no sense of NSEW , they can however tell you which bus , subway route , or trolley will take you to a destination .

 Dusty

[oldbike54]

Herds of animals such as cattle horses etc. w/ little wind or other wx reasons will very often align themselves on one to the 4 cardinal  compass points.

Really.

 Yep .

 Dusty

[Gliderjohn]

I have always been directionally challenged. In unfamiliar surroundings and especially indoors I have little to know sense of direction. My first wife could find NWES much better than me but I knew left and right much better than her, she really had to think about left and right.
GliderJohn

[Huzo]

I wondered if anyone else felt that? 

If they were on a Norge they bloody well would!

[Huzo]

I am curious , how many of you GPS addicts can no longer rely on instinct to identify compass points?

 Dusty

Being a qualified pilot helps a bit, but I'm useless in the Northern hemisphere.
Not quite so bad on a totally overcast day, but over here, if I'm riding @ midday and the sun is behind me....I still FEEL,  like I'm riding South even though I KNOW, I'm riding North.

[Testarossa]

My dad, according to my mom, "had a gyroscope in his belly," and never got lost. I can get disoriented in old-country cities where the streets follow old cow paths, but after decades of sailing, flying and backcountry skiing I have pretty good directional sense unless it's really foggy -- even down under. It does weird me out a bit to see the half-moon divided horizontally (near the equator).

[Huzo]

Hint
The vast majority of TV sat. dishes point to the equator.

I'll be the my flat tappets Kirby, that you've done hundreds of nav's where you plotted your course, put it your expected drift, did you ETA, then your revised ETA and crossed overhead your destination strip at the time you planned. But did you always "feel" you were right or sometimes just "believe" you were?
I've never been lost on a Nav, but have been "temporarily unsure of my position".
Like someone said, direction is not instinctive to us (opinion only), it's learning to rely on successful conditioned behavioural  responses.

[jdgretz]

On long care-free multi-day rides, I have a general direction I'm heading, sort of a goal for the daily end-point and then dig out the physical maps to see what looks like a good way to get there.  Sometimes the end point is based on the local (think West Texas as opposed to Louisiana), other times it's an interesting sounding town or area.  Central and East Texas had a bunch of fun little towns with great roads and nice folks.  Same with Arizona.  Lots of history around there.

On my last NorCal trip, I came across several places I need to revisit as I was on a time schedule that didn't allow for as much back road exploration as I would have preferred.  I did find some interesting restaurants and great little towns I hadn't visited before, so it was all good.

Enjoy the trip and find the fun roads.  Those all seem to lead to fun places.

jdg

[Huzo]

On long care-free multi-day rides, I have a general direction I'm heading, sort of a goal for the daily end-point and then dig out the physical maps to see what looks like a good way to get there.  Sometimes the end point is based on the local (think West Texas as opposed to Louisiana), other times it's an interesting sounding town or area.  Central and East Texas had a bunch of fun little towns with great roads and nice folks.  Same with Arizona.  Lots of history around there.

On my last NorCal trip, I came across several places I need to revisit as I was on a time schedule that didn't allow for as much back road exploration as I would have preferred.  I did find some interesting restaurants and great little towns I hadn't visited before, so it was all good.

Enjoy the trip and find the fun roads.  Those all seem to lead to fun places.

jdg

Is that red Norge below your donor history like yours ?

[oldbike54]

 Of course the best advice is to actually stop and smell the roses , and the bakeries , and the hay fields , the bean fields , the locals , and maybe a few fellow Guzzisti along the way .

 Dusty

[Huzo]

Ok fair enough mate.
I guess the threads been hijacked a bit too.
I don't have many "tips".
Seriously, don't ride after you're tired/bored and try to stay comfortable.
Buy the best gear you can afford first time, so you don't end up with 10 pairs of boots you don't wear etc.
Do whatever you enjoy, 'cos these bastards aren't cheap to own or run, so you may as well enjoy it!!
Share whatever you think is valuable with Guzzi Gal. She may not ( or may) be across this thread...

[Huzo]

I'm a big fan of Daniel Kalal's posts.  Mostly because he takes the time to explore the area he is traveling thru.  Not just getting somewhere as fast as he can.  (A bad habit of mine.)

I'm doing a fly and ride next week.  Picking up a bike in Chicago and riding it to my home in Arizona.  I've blocked out a week to do it rather than my usual 3-4 days.  I want to take my time and explore the countryside I'm riding thru.

I could use some pointers from those of you who prefer the "stop and smell the roses" approach to touring.  For instance

1. How many miles a day do you plan for?
2. How do you decide where to stop?
3. How do you select your roads, restaurants and motels?

Just some general thoughts on enjoying the ride.  Not just getting to the destination asap.

Mike

Just a quiet question... What's the bike ?

[Travlr]

Just a quiet question... What's the bike ?

Here you go.  1200 Sport.

Mike

http://www.motoworkschicago.com/default.asp?page=xPreOwnedInventoryDetail&id=3756695&p=1&make=moto%20guzzi&s=Year&d=D&t=preowned&fr=xPreOwnedInventory

[charlie b]

I am good with directions, it is those stupid intersections on some towns.  Like the map saying you go straight but there are two turns you have to make in town and signs aren't clear as to which street you turn on.  Or the highway number changes in town as different roads merge and split.

Planning trips?  It depends.  If I am stopping early (and it is off season) I will just stop someplace to see if they have a room.  But, I have been caught off guard doing this as well, making me drive an extra hour or two to get a room.  Usually I will take time each morning to figure out where I want to go and book a room before I take off.

If I travel with the wife the planning is on another level.  Layout each day and book rooms ahead of time.

The cell phones help a lot in some instances.  Watch weather radar and see a big winter storm cutting across your route.  Call hotels in front of storm and book room.  In the old days got caught a few times and faced the dreaded 'no vacancy' signs at every hotel in town.

[Travlr]

Humm, 10 year old bike with 3K miles.  I'd take a close look at the tires, probably rock hard from age.  Otherwise that looks like a screaming good deal!

Thanks for the safety reminder.  I double checked with the dealer.  They changed the oil, did a safety
inspection and put new tires on the bike before putting it up for sale.

Mike