Trip to the states summer/fall 2009

If you start from Thompson Falls MT and ride west up into the mountains, you can avoid pavement all the way to Athol, Idaho. There is a maze of logging roads and trails so thick you can pick all kinds of off-road riding, but you'll need extended gas capacity.

You might want to add the Rapid City, SD area to your travel, to see one of the large remaining bison herds and imagine what this country looked like 200 years ago. Custer State park has approximately 1,400 head.

Whatever you do, definitely ride the same motorcycle. It saves all kinds of arguments about routes and speeds and miles per day when you share the same limitations of seat, gearing, power, and vibration.

Possibly the biggest shortcoming of the DRZ for your trip is the seat. A Corbin might suit Camilla. I'd probably want a Renazco, but your schedule now is pretty tight for their lead time. Anybody on the board willing to recommend or sell an aftermarket DRZ seat for these two that they could pick up in Minnesota in a month?

I posted my seat response here in the Drz thread. My wife and I have been riding our DRZ's (hers lowered) across the states in 2-week sections, sort of following the TAT (trans-america trail).

The areas you have tentatively routed in the Great Basin (NV/UT), are some of the most rugged and remote areas of the continental U.S.

Be prepared.

Check out the tent-space thread on ADV for places to stay, good food, friendly faces, and moral (and other as needed) support.

Do you know Annette Birkman? (Serendip on ADV?) If so, tell her "hi" when you see her, if not, she's a moto-Dane you should meet.

GS Diablo is good people. I hope things work out with you guys.

If you ride through Madison I can offer you a place to stay. Madison is in Wisconsin.

In early August a bunch of us lunatics are getting together for a little rally in Colorado. You'd be welcome there.

If you don't get bikes from Greg, I'd second the idea of getting 650s. The wee strom is pretty capable of hauling the miles you're talking about. Also the KLR or the BMW 650 GS.

You can also legally register motorcycles in Wisconsin even if you're from Denmark. I'll even let you use my address.

Have fun!

Esben and Camilla, on behalf of the good people of California I would like to say, Welcome and I hope you enjoy your time here with us.

Sometimes on a trip like this mechanical breakdowns can't be avoided. So I would like to extend to you an invetation to bring your bikes to my shop if you find you need some mechanical assistance. I also have a complete machine shop so I can deal with just about anything that could go wrong with your Suzukis. It would be my pleasure to donate my time should you need a hand while you're here. I live in Los Gatos which is about 50 miles south of San Francisco so it looks like you'll be heading this way. PM me if you need an oil change or anything else, it's on the house.

They are determined to ride 400cc's around the states and we get the pleasure of tagging along (virtually) Ah to be young . Us oldtimers are scrathing our heads but hey, its a free country (well sort of). (I'll work on getting them to think about the mountains in August )

I know that its insane to ride on just 400cc bikes. But when you meet my girl, you will know why...
She even looks small on her own DRZ, and its a "lowrider model" :huh


but its OK... we have lots of time, and have the highway anyway! Much more fun to drive on the backroads..

hey there, that looks like an awesome trip. I live in California and am planning the same trip starting in the summer of 2010, no end date yet. Anyways i will keep this thread bookmarked. Please let me know of the cool things you come upon that I can add to my list of places to visit. I plan on visiting all 48 continental states on my Honda XR 650L.

O also whenever you get to Southern California specifically Orange County (that is if you go there) let me know and i can show you around. Unfortunately i live with my mom and sister and cant offer a room, but id be glad to ride with you or grab a bite to eat.

So we just got our Visa today.. so now where almost ready..

Was really bored out of my mind today.. was supposed to study for my exam.. but just couldnt do it.. So played a little in photoshop:



Do we look cute????

congrats on taking on a tour like this, there is alot to see and never enough time to see it all. when you find your way to Yellowstone N.P. feel free to give a shout, I am about 20km south of the west entrence of the park and am a local flyfishing guide and know the back country very well. There is a particular place in the park that is very nice (due to lack of people) and "well" off the beaten path and not very well known. I'll be more then happy to link up and do a day ride or longer (giving my schedule permits it) to show you some of the back country. If you so, consider a reroute through Jackson Hole Wy. there is some views worth the reroute/side route. feel free to IM or email direct.

Cheers..


R1100GS 95'
KLR650 08'

So I just made i whole lot of waypoints in my mapsource..
I hope this will be a easy way to locate if there is something in the area thats worth while visiting..
So NO route specific for us..! The would proberly only last an hour anyway... until we saw som nice gravel road we just have to try

wow , looks like you got things covered

Looking at your map, it looks like you're planning to visit Winnipeg. Unless you want the experience of seeing VERY flat land (which is an experience unto itself - you'll see similar in the Dakotas & Montana), I would suggest you travel in the U.S. until Calgary. The real Canadian west coast tourist highlights begin there. Drumheller just east of Calgary is special with its dinosaur bones. (Check the dates on the Calgary Stampede too.) The trip really gets interesting just west of Calgary, and Banff National Park is beautiful. You can ride the Icefields Parkway up to Jasper, then back down the Fraser Valley to Vancouver. A trip to Vancouver Island and Tofino on the west coast is a must-see. Really big, ancient trees. California redwoods are taller, but Douglas firs are wider.

Before heading north from the U.S., I would suggest going west from Mineapolis and visiting the badlands of South Dakota. Keystone, Deadwood, and of course Sturgiss, along with Devil's Tower and Mount Rushmore. You can always enter Yellowstone from the eastern Wyoming side too.

Enjoy your trip. You can always hit the East Coast some other time. Niagara will still be there...

Stephen

If you come through Texas, and you should, you are welcome at our house along the Brazos River. We are located outside a very cool Texas town called Granbury. It is about 30 miles SW of Fort Worth, Texas.

Areas of Texas you would like to ride:
Texas Hill Country
Big Bend National Park
East Texas
Gulf Coast

I can provide real Tx. BBQ, Tx. Beer and most important-real Texas Hospitality. Good friends with large ranches to wander around on also. Just come in Fall, because you will not enjoy our summers-it gets VERY Hot from June through late September. Leave that to us locals.

And yes ,real Cowboys are a fact of life around here. No Hollywood wannabe cowboys, but the real thing. Yee-Hawwww..

I know.. there is many more things to see.. many more than we have time for.. so we will follow your advice on the way..
Love to visit as many of you advriders as possible on the way.. I think thats the best way to experience the local area.. and get directions to the nexr great destination..!

ohh and by the way.. if we get near, we would love an all texan BBQ

We both passed our exam today!! Just cant wait now

Moose,

Good luck on your travels.

Other than some of my recent RRs (One you replied to) I can't give you many suggestions for off road riding. But here is my list of places I have visited and would consider at the top of my North American "must see" list.

Icefields Parkway, Alberta, Canada
West Coast, Washington, Oregon, California
Mt Rainier NP
Mt Evans, Colorado (Highest Motorable Road in North America)
Death Valley, California (Lowest Point in Western Hemisphere)
Sequoia NP, California
Lassen Volcanic NP, California
Zion NP, Utah
Bryce Canyon NP, Utah
Burr Trail, Utah (Capitol Reef NP)
Utah Highway 12
Valley of the Gods Road, Utah
Grand Canyon North Rim, Arizona (you have my tracks)
Yellowstone NP, Wyoming
Grand Tetons NP, Wyoming
Glacier NP, Montana

Anything around Moab, Utah (White Rim Trail, Arches NP, Canyonlands NP, etc.)

If you find yourself around Phoenix, Arizona I'd be happy to help you guys with anything you need.

Have a safe and FUN journey!

Every Thursday all summer we have a local bike meet in town.. nothing fancy,, just startet out with a few guys that liked that the local icecream shop made some huge icecreams.. and I do mean HUGE...

This is my friend George... by the way.. He NEVER eat it all.. CISSY

But now after meeting for about 5 years its getting bigger and bigger.
On a good day there can be up to 500 bikes.. No Financial crisis in here.... atleast not on thursdays

People are just walking around looking at bikes and swapping stories for a few hours. Really cozy actually.!



Now goodnight... I have a BIG day tomorrow.. going to se ACDC.. :slurp

just stumbled upon this thread
let me give you a thumbs up on the 400cc
no reason you should expect any more or less problems, other than butt pain,
than you would on a 650
did my share of crazy - stupid??? - trips on XL250S and TT350, no problems
and I did a trip similar to yours back in the 90's only I was alone, flew into SeaTac bought a bike headed north and ended up in Key West

if you need more input or a dry, warm place with a garage near Atlanta
just give me a buzz
fiep