First long trip, little freaked out... could use some advice(help)!! - Page 4

fnjeep314 · 10-02-2012, 12:08 AM

I honestly can not thank everyone enough for all the advice that has come pouring in. I am back now and am working on compiling the pics and thought together for a ride report. I didnt get in as many pics as I would have liked, or see as much as I wanted to either, but one of the purposes of the trip was to get me out of my own head and to go explore(to the extent I could, time allotting) a part of the country that I have never been to. It was a great trip. I used alot of the advice posted on here like, taking Advil with breakfast and dinner, OH MAN huge help!! Today(monday oct 1st) was my first day back and I was totally wiped out today and sore. My hands and body feel stiff. I am sure it will go away in a few more days.

@jkdwings,
The book was No Easy Day. I have not read The Heart and the Fist. I will have to look into it. As far as Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, well I have been reading that on and off for a while now. In fact I was thinking and analyzing how everything works and is inter-related just as Robert Pirsig talks about during my ride, sort of like how he talks about on the trip with his son. I too know just about every nut and bolt on my bike so it gave the ride sort of a more intimate feel knowing that my machine and I had been through a lot of man hours and new parts which culminated in this trip, a first of many together. In total I rode 2,571 miles. That was a good bit on 'bonding' time together!

I can honestly say that I feel different(better) and much more seasoned(as a rider) with everything that my trip offered up. Truely life changing. I loved it.

Stay tuned to the ride report. I will post a link to it on this thread once I am done! Thank you again to everyone, you helped to make my journey great and something that I will never forget!

AteamNM · 10-02-2012, 09:57 PM

Wow, good on you.

Quote:

In fact I was thinking and analyzing how everything works and is inter-related just as Robert Pirsig talks about during my ride, sort of like how he talks about on the trip with his son. I too know just about every nut and bolt on my bike so it gave the ride sort of a more intimate feel knowing that my machine and I had been through a lot of man hours and new parts which culminated in this trip, a first of many together. In total I rode 2,571 miles. That was a good bit on 'bonding' time together!

Pre subscribed. Looking forward to the read and pictaaaaars. Also getting pumped up for a flight on the 17th.

Mr_Gone · 10-04-2012, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fnjeep314

I can honestly say that I feel different(better) and much more seasoned(as a rider) with everything that my trip offered up. Truely life changing. I loved it.

Good for you!!! I felt the same sense of accomplishment after my first long trip. I felt... "different." And much more seasoned. Congratulations and I'm looking forward to a ride report.

kniepm · 10-04-2012, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fnjeep314

I can honestly say that I feel different(better) and much more seasoned(as a rider) with everything that my trip offered up. Truely life changing. I loved it.

You're already planning your next trip, aren't you?

No matter what comes after, you'll remember your first long trip forever.

manfromthestix · 10-04-2012, 04:57 PM

Welcome home! I've read through the thread and am glad you got a lot of good suggestions that helped on your trip. It's not so hard, is it? I've done a lot of solo long-distance rides and it can be a little lonely, a little intimidating, but a whole lot of FREEDOM! No logistics to deal with over every decision, just do whatever the hell you want to do, whenever you want to do it. I love riding with small groups, don't get me wrong, but solo is a blast in its own way.

I had one piece of advice that I don't think anyone else picked up on - DON'T ride in those steel toed boots!

If it's cold at all that steel toe will hold it and freeze your toes. I lived in Wyoming for many years and for Winter we had saftey boots with fiberglass toes that didn't hold the cold. I'm glad you got the AlpineStars, great boots!

Pre subscribed. Looking forward to the read and pictaaaaars. Also getting pumped up for a flight on the 17th.

+1, I'm ready for the ride report! I've ridden in the PNW a few times and it's always fun to see the places I've been through someone else's lens!

Hey, AteamNM, I grew up in New Mexico, learned to ride there, competed in trials with NMTA and rode motocross for a bunch of years, all from home base in Santa Fe! Glorious riding country, amazing deserts and gorgeous mountains, learned to LOVE skiing at Santa Fe Basin, Taos, Sandia, etc. My family moved to Wyoming from NM and I lived there for 34 years before moving to Lexington, Virginia about 5 years ago. It's a whole different world out here, too ferking many people (traffic hell on the main roads), but the riding is very very good. I think you'll have fun on your KLR, sounds like a great trip! PM me for ride suggestions if you are interested - I'm ~160 miles from Richmond and only 20 miles off the Blue Ridge Parkway. Sounds like a great ride!

Doug

AteamNM · 10-05-2012, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manfromthestix

Hey, AteamNM, I grew up in New Mexico, learned to ride there, competed in trials with NMTA and rode motocross for a bunch of years, all from home base in Santa Fe! Glorious riding country, amazing deserts and gorgeous mountains, learned to LOVE skiing at Santa Fe Basin, Taos, Sandia, etc. My family moved to Wyoming from NM and I lived there for 34 years before moving to Lexington, Virginia about 5 years ago. It's a whole different world out here, too ferking many people (traffic hell on the main roads), but the riding is very very good. I think you'll have fun on your KLR, sounds like a great trip! PM me for ride suggestions if you are interested - I'm ~160 miles from Richmond and only 20 miles off the Blue Ridge Parkway. Sounds like a great ride!

Doug

I plan to head west-NW out the Waynesboro - Charlottesville area and take highway 33 or 39 across the Blue Ridge mountains. I will ultimately head toward the Greenbank, Snowshoe and New River Bridge area and then make my way across to the KY/WVA/Ohio area. Thinking of camping up in the mountainslike Bull Pasture, elevations in the +3K range. But then it could be raining, cold and miserable? So the no plan plan may be best. Camping on or very near the WVA side or not. Not sure how late of a start I will get out of Waynesboro. Would like to have some good camping options, scenic and should not be crowded on a Wednesday evening. No after dark riding the first day. I keep telling myself that you don't know what you are doing.

So how long ago was it that rode trials in NM? I have been a NMTA member for 15 years. We have a 2 day event in Roswell this weekend but I have to work.

Witold · 10-05-2012, 06:45 PM

Money, GPS and AAA membership.

You don't even need the latter 2, but they help quite a bit in giving you a peace of mind.

If you don't do any longer rides, I would also recommend Advil.

AnyDay · 10-05-2012, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Witold

Money, GPS and AAA membership.

You don't even need the latter 2, but they help quite a bit in giving you a peace of mind.

Note, on the East Coast AAA won't take a motorcycle call. Need to have AMA membership for roadside assistance.

Twilight Error · 10-09-2012, 02:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnyDay

Note, on the East Coast AAA won't take a motorcycle call. Need to have AMA membership for roadside assistance.

They will take the call if you've got the "gold" membership - it covers RVs and motorcycles as well as cars/trucks.

Two Wheeled 'Tard · 10-12-2012, 12:47 PM

Maybe this isn't the most productive advice, but what I can emphatically say is that you need to stop thinking so much. Just get on your bike, and ride. If you get tired? Stop for a while. Start going again when you feel like it.

Don't try and stick to too close of a schedule, or route, or waypoints, but most importantly just don't worry about anything. Figure it out on the road :)

(I will also say that AAA WILL help you on a motorcycle, as long as you have their +RV membership, for $87/year. They've towed me three times on my bike so far.)

10-04-2012, 04:57 PM	#50
manfromthestix Lost in Space Joined: Dec 2004 Location: Lexington, Virginia Oddometer: 1,824	Welcome home! I've read through the thread and am glad you got a lot of good suggestions that helped on your trip. It's not so hard, is it? I've done a lot of solo long-distance rides and it can be a little lonely, a little intimidating, but a whole lot of FREEDOM! No logistics to deal with over every decision, just do whatever the hell you want to do, whenever you want to do it. I love riding with small groups, don't get me wrong, but solo is a blast in its own way. I had one piece of advice that I don't think anyone else picked up on - DON'T ride in those steel toed boots! If it's cold at all that steel toe will hold it and freeze your toes. I lived in Wyoming for many years and for Winter we had saftey boots with fiberglass toes that didn't hold the cold. I'm glad you got the AlpineStars, great boots! Pre subscribed. Looking forward to the read and pictaaaaars. Also getting pumped up for a flight on the 17th. +1, I'm ready for the ride report! I've ridden in the PNW a few times and it's always fun to see the places I've been through someone else's lens! Hey, AteamNM, I grew up in New Mexico, learned to ride there, competed in trials with NMTA and rode motocross for a bunch of years, all from home base in Santa Fe! Glorious riding country, amazing deserts and gorgeous mountains, learned to LOVE skiing at Santa Fe Basin, Taos, Sandia, etc. My family moved to Wyoming from NM and I lived there for 34 years before moving to Lexington, Virginia about 5 years ago. It's a whole different world out here, too ferking many people (traffic hell on the main roads), but the riding is very very good. I think you'll have fun on your KLR, sounds like a great trip! PM me for ride suggestions if you are interested - I'm ~160 miles from Richmond and only 20 miles off the Blue Ridge Parkway. Sounds like a great ride! Doug __________________ "If it doesn't blow smoke and make noise, it isn't a sport!" - radio ad for shop in Bozeman, MT

10-05-2012, 06:45 PM	#52
Witold Studly Adventurer Joined: Jul 2004 Oddometer: 567	Money, GPS and AAA membership. You don't even need the latter 2, but they help quite a bit in giving you a peace of mind. If you don't do any longer rides, I would also recommend Advil. __________________ Himalayas\|Africa\|Bogota,Colombia\|Niagara Falls\|Skydive&Ride\|Thailand\|Nova Scotia\|5 Days,5 States

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10-02-2012, 12:08 AM	#46
fnjeep314 ^OP Its a Tigger Joined: Jan 2011 Location: A-Town Down Oddometer: 114	I honestly can not thank everyone enough for all the advice that has come pouring in. I am back now and am working on compiling the pics and thought together for a ride report. I didnt get in as many pics as I would have liked, or see as much as I wanted to either, but one of the purposes of the trip was to get me out of my own head and to go explore(to the extent I could, time allotting) a part of the country that I have never been to. It was a great trip. I used alot of the advice posted on here like, taking Advil with breakfast and dinner, OH MAN huge help!! Today(monday oct 1st) was my first day back and I was totally wiped out today and sore. My hands and body feel stiff. I am sure it will go away in a few more days. @jkdwings, The book was No Easy Day. I have not read The Heart and the Fist. I will have to look into it. As far as Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, well I have been reading that on and off for a while now. In fact I was thinking and analyzing how everything works and is inter-related just as Robert Pirsig talks about during my ride, sort of like how he talks about on the trip with his son. I too know just about every nut and bolt on my bike so it gave the ride sort of a more intimate feel knowing that my machine and I had been through a lot of man hours and new parts which culminated in this trip, a first of many together. In total I rode 2,571 miles. That was a good bit on 'bonding' time together! I can honestly say that I feel different(better) and much more seasoned(as a rider) with everything that my trip offered up. Truely life changing. I loved it. Stay tuned to the ride report. I will post a link to it on this thread once I am done! Thank you again to everyone, you helped to make my journey great and something that I will never forget!

10-12-2012, 12:47 PM	#55
Two Wheeled 'Tard Who . . . wha? Me? Joined: Jul 2011 Location: Chicago (sort of) Oddometer: 169	Maybe this isn't the most productive advice, but what I can emphatically say is that you need to stop thinking so much. Just get on your bike, and ride. If you get tired? Stop for a while. Start going again when you feel like it. Don't try and stick to too close of a schedule, or route, or waypoints, but most importantly just don't worry about anything. Figure it out on the road :) (I will also say that AAA WILL help you on a motorcycle, as long as you have their +RV membership, for $87/year. They've towed me three times on my bike so far.)