Planning a Long Trip - Need Advice

Ok so I've recently started a new job and I'll have some vacation accruing soon. I'm thinking of using 1 of my 2 weeks to take a really long ride somewhere. The problem is, I've only ever traveled long distances in a plane and when much younger, a car.

So I'm not really sure what to expect, where I'm going to go, what I need to plan for nor even IF I want to do this thing. I mean....it sounds kinda cool and all but honestly, I'm afraid I'll get bored riding. I get bored in my car so I can't imagine how bored I'd be on a bike with no music to keep me company. :)

I took one 5 hour non-stop ride one summer. 2.5 hours one way, fill up, turn around and go home. That's the only stop I made....for gas at the 1/2 way point. It was awful....when I got home, I didn't even want to see my bike for a week. I was in pain, grumpy, tired and in a right foul mood....and that was only a 5 hour ride. I can't even imagine a trip to the coast which could easily take 25-30 hours in a car.

So any advice for a local rider like me that urns to breath free and set out on a long, long ride??

I'm going to move this over to Touring for you. You will get a lot more feedback from the folks that hang out there.

Enjoy your trip... :)

Cool....thanks.

Just a fwiw and an observation; it sounds like you may not really be a long distance rider (which is fine). If you get bored while riding perhaps the wind on your face, sound of the exhaust and feel of the bike just don't give you that blissful relaxed feeling that some riders like myself experience. Or maybe you're just not riding on the right roads? Maybe a more challenging bike would liven things up for you?

I would get bored if the route was on main roads and highways, and I'd be grumpy if there was a lot of traffic. I'm making what should be a 6 hour round trip to the Leesburg bikefest this weekend and what I did to plan the route was to use google earth and just pick roads that look appealing and not very well travelled whenever possible. If I took the interstate the trip would take half the time, but it would be boring for sure.

Also, I think that stopping at scenic areas or even remote quiet areas to just take in the tranquilty would be better than just motoring on as if the goal was to actually arrive somewhere. I, in the past and now upon my return to riding just set out with no destination and no specific return time. Maybe stop at a roadside diner, or watering hole and chat with the locals a bit. To me the whole point of the ride is just the freedom from the daily grind, that wind in the face feeling really clears the mind for me.

If you do decide to make the trip I would suggest using a gps with food/gas/hotel search software to explore without worrying about where the heck you end up and where the next gas station is.

Good luck with whatever you decide, not sure if my response will be helpful, it's just my .02 that you can have for free due to inflation:D

I have to agree 100% with TMM. The long rides just may not be for you. I can sit on the bike and cruise all day long, just looking around, feeling the air, listening to the rumble of the exhaust and just clear my head!! It's just the feeling of freedom that just luls the time by for me. I can't drive as far as you on one tank of gas, so I must stop more often and maybe that breaks it up for me, but anywhere I go, I get there way toooo soon. I want to just keep going. If you want a radio just hook yourself up on an MP3 player or somthing. Will your butt get tired, probably so, stop a bit more often for gas or drink, and in my case pee! I'm getting old so that happens more often than I'd like too!!!! :D None of this has probably helped you but maybe you've learned something about yourself in the process. Hard to say. Ride where you want and how you want, don't ride how you think others do or how others think you should.

Good luck with whatever you decide, not sure if my response will be helpful, it's just my .02 that you can have for free due to inflation:D
Sure it was helpful....thanks!

I'm not sure if I'm a long distance rider or not. I mean I like the idea of touring the country on 2 wheels but perhaps it's just that, I like the idea more than the reality.

One of my issues is that I like to ride with a full face helmet but I have a big head and had to search long and hard before I found one that fit, it's still really tight and they only have 1 size larger. So the very tips of my ears get pinched between my head and helmet. I don't notice it until late into the rides, like 4 hours. By this time, I want that damned helmet off my head no matter what and I even had so much sensitivity that it was difficult to fall asleep later that night. So first I'd have to buy the bigger helmet.

The other thing is, my boredom comes from the fact that I like interaction. I love the radio, CDs and even cell phones when I'm on a long drive. They all help pass the hours as the miles click by. I've heard of people moding their helmets to install ear buds or headphones but I'm not sure about doing that. It would certainly help but I'm worried it may weaken the helmet too much.

So I don't know....perhaps I never will know unless I just go and see what happens.

I have to agree 100% with TMM. The long rides just may not be for you. I can sit on the bike and cruise all day long, just looking around, feeling the air, listening to the rumble of the exhaust and just clear my head!! It's just the feeling of freedom that just luls the time by for me. I can't drive as far as you on one tank of gas, so I must stop more often and maybe that breaks it up for me, but anywhere I go, I get there way toooo soon. I want to just keep going. If you want a radio just hook yourself up on an MP3 player or somthing. Will your butt get tired, probably so, stop a bit more often for gas or drink, and in my case pee! I'm getting old so that happens more often than I'd like too!!!! :D None of this has probably helped you but maybe you've learned something about yourself in the process. Hard to say. Ride where you want and how you want, don't ride how you think others do or how others think you should.
Actually it does help because it's nice to know that there are others out there like me....that have to stop more often to pee. :)

It's also nice to hear what others feel about their long rides.

I do love riding long distances (but long is relative). So a 2.5 hour non-stop stretch of riding is very, very enjoyable to me and I try to get out to enjoy these types of rides as much as possible. I do have issues such as butt sores, knee fatigue (because I can't stretch out my legs comfortably...but I'm working on a solution for that) and my ear issue (described in my previous post). Perhaps once I solve some of these other issues, I'll be more inclined to go for long distances.

Part of my concern also has to do with only being 5 years into my riding and never having any family members that ride/rode much. I've never been around people that ride often or for long distances.

If you ride flat lands that go on forever you will get bored. I do and i love to tour. You need things to peak your interest. Things like trees, streams, eagles, deer, etc. Come on over to Colorado and ride the mountains and see if you don`t change your mind.

If you ride flat lands that go on forever you will get bored. I do and i love to tour. You need things to peak your interest. Things like trees, streams, eagles, deer, etc. Come on over to Colorado and ride the mountains and see if you don`t change your mind.
My sis used to live in Castle Rock and I was going to ride my bike up to see her....then I found out it was 12 - 13 hour trip from OKC so I drove it instead. With my current riding limit at 5 hours (and I'm hurting after that), it would have taken me 3 days to get there.....lol.

Well I just got back from a longer ride, my first this season and I learned a couple of things. A) scenery does in fact relieve my boredom B) my knee hurting issue is caused because I'm standing to avoid hard bumps and I'm overweight and out of shape C) I LOVE riding!!

What a fun ride. I'm tired but it was great fun. 2 hours one way and I just got off my bike about 5 mins ago. My butt hurts, I'm hungry and dehydrated but I'm sitting here thinking, damn that was fun!! :)

Wife and i try to keep it to 500 miles a day and some times we ride 750. After about 150 mile we like to take a break and grab a snack and something to drink. Usually carry peanuts and gatoraid with us but stopping to stretch the legs helps. Better seat, hi-way pegs and back rest also help on long trips.