Trip through western half of USA

[tntherapy]

My son and I are competing to see which one of us can visit the most states. I ride a 2008 GS Spyder, thus I'm
here for advice. I'm 67 and need to do this while I physically can. I've visited all states, north to south, as far west as South Dakota. I'm at the very early stage of this but would like some suggestions.

I will be traveling alone, planning on 3-4 weeks. I'll be leaving Nashville on/near June 1st and plan on heading west, on I40, for New Mexico and Arizona. I will average about 300 miles per day and will have a "rough" route within 2 weeks.

I'll share the route so that others can share part of the ride. I plan to ride 2-3 days and then rest for 1 day, spending every other night in a cheap hotel/motel.

Thank you for listening. I'll try to keep up with replies. Any ideas or suggestions will be appreciated.

tntherapy (Richard Beistel)

[ARtraveler]

Sounds like a great adventure ahead. Please keep us posted and take a bunch of pictures along the way. Will be looking forward to hearing and seeing more.

[UtahPete]

My son and I are competing to see which one of us can visit the most states. I ride a 2008 GS Spyder, thus I'm
here for advice. Any ideas or suggestions will be appreciated. tntherapy (Richard Beistel)

What kind of advice are you looking for? Destinations? Routes? What to pack? Freeways or strictly scenic backroads?

[Yazz]

My son and I are competing to see which one of us can visit the most states. I ride a 2008 GS Spyder, thus I'm
here for advice. I'm 67 and need to do this while I physically can. I've visited all states, north to south, as far west as South Dakota. I'm at the very early stage of this but would like some suggestions.

I will be traveling alone, planning on 3-4 weeks. I'll be leaving Nashville on/near June 1st and plan on heading west, on I40, for New Mexico and Arizona. I will average about 300 miles per day and will have a "rough" route within 2 weeks.

I'll share the route so that others can share part of the ride. I plan to ride 2-3 days and then rest for 1 day, spending every other night in a cheap hotel/motel.

Thank you for listening. I'll try to keep up with replies. Any ideas or suggestions will be appreciated.

tntherapy (Richard Beistel)

Like UtahPete said, depends how you want to ride, enjoy the roses, or most strategic route in the most efficient time.

For most strategic route to cover the most states, I'd do 40 W through Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.

Going back catch 15 E through Nevada and Utah, get on 70 E to hit Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, and however far east you want to go, then head home.

Or... ride down to I-10 W, go through Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas (It will take a few days to get across it, it's a long ride...), Arizona and California.

Just depends what you want to do...

[canamjhb]

Without knowing anything about your trip, my suggestion is to plan on riding New Mexico and Arizona very early in the morning. June riding can be well over 100 degrees even in early afternoon. I have ridden the entire west coast over the last 35+ years and will be happy to provide suggestions as you set your plans. Good luck and have fun

[asp125]

Sounds like an adventure. Unless you're the ultra competitive type, I caution pushing yourself too much out west. Here there are often long distances between towns, and some places that are devoid of cell reception.. so getting stranded or low on fuel is a possibility without good planning.

I suggest a south to north route if traveling in winter/spring, and a north to south route if traveling in summer/fall. Winter stays late in the Rockies and summer heat comes early in the desert, so timing is everything.

[foxtail1]

By car and motorcycle, I've taken I-40 west from Tennessee. I tend to stay on the interstate until Texas or New Mexico. After that, I avoid interstates as much as possible. There are so many excellent secondary roads, with amazing vistas and little traffic. Of course, there are some areas that interstate is almost inevitable (Las Vegas to LA, for example), but the rest of the time, being on smaller roads is so much nicer!

I agree that you could run into weather issues, especially that early in the summer. At the end of June I hit sleet, snow drifts, and cold at Crater Lake. Some of the passes in Montana and Wyoming can be closed in June.

Once you have a rough route planned, post it here and I'm sure lots of us will have specific suggestions for places to visit, roads to try (I love mountain passes), and places to stay.

[SpyderAnn01]

Are you planning on camping? That sucks if you have to setup and tear down camp daily. I’d stay in hotels and then camp on your rest days when you’ll be at the same location for two nights.

[AY4B]

Make sure you have a paper map, GPS is supposed to be down for awhile in the Western states.

[asp125]

Make sure you have a paper map, GPS is supposed to be down for awhile in the Western states.

Only between Jan 26 and Feb 16 for operation Red Flag.

[Chupaca]

Looks like you have your travel plan set and a good one. If you get as far as San Diego let me know you have a place here...post your route when it's set so we can follow along...

[PrairieSpyder]

Are you planning on camping? That sucks if you have to setup and tear down camp daily. I’d stay in hotels and then camp on your rest days when you’ll be at the same location for two nights.

If you've been to all the states as far west as SD, I assume you've been to all the Great Plaines states from SD to TX. So you need to hit the mountain states and west.

You can save time by ryding in northern New Mexico and hitting the four corners area. You can get NM, CO, UT and AZ all in one day. Then across AZ to southeastern Calif, turn north to Vegas. Then head north to Oregon and Washington, turn east for Idaho, Montana, and then Wyoming on your way southeast toward home.

I'll let others tell about the climate conditions in June. But you may hit some really hot days in the deserts, but cold at altitude.

I'd also recommend reservations if you plan to go anywhere near any of the national parks, especially in Utah.

[asp125]

The only problem with hitting the 4 corners area... you miss the best riding in each state.

[UtahPete]

The only problem with hitting the 4 corners area... you miss the best riding in each state.

I think he's talking about where four states (Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico) meet. Is that what you meant?

[F650624]

Charles Kuralt: "Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to cross the country from coast to coast without seeing anything." No Interstates, no chain motels, no chain restaurants. 300 miles per day on secondary roads is an easy day. Yes, the real roads do take a little longer to put miles on, but it is more relaxing, and much more interesting. Texas: The Twisted Sisters Roads, The Lone Star Motorcycle Museum, Big Bend National Park. Kansas: The Kansas Motorcycle Museum, The US Cavalry Museum. Arizona: The Skywalk Bridge, Cliff Dwellings at Sedona (sorry, I did AZ by car). Colorado: The Grand Canyon Railroad, Pikes Peak. This list could be endless.

[asp125]

I think he's talking about where four states (Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico) meet. Is that what you meant?

Yes, btdt it's in the middle of nowhere surrounded by desert.

[PrairieSpyder]

Yes, btdt it's in the middle of nowhere surrounded by desert.

That's true of the 4 corners monument tourist attraction. But there are paved highways between Shipwreck, NM, Cortez, Co, Blanding, UT and Teec Nos Pasos, AZ. Look at a map and use your imagination.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I'd also recommend reservations if you plan to go anywhere near any of the national parks, especially in Utah.

You better start making reservations now if you're going to be going anywhere near the national parks and monuments from Grand Canyon to Yellowstone in June & July. The Oregon coast will be jam packed also. Bend, OR is crammed full of people in the summer. The Colorado mountain towns are busy. I made a ride into Telluride in Sept, 2016. Made a loop around town and left. People everywhere like ants on an anthill that's been kicked!

[Highwayman2013]

I found a good app for my smart phone last summer on my trip from Las Vegas to Lake George, NY. It's called "Agoda". You can search the town you will be staying at for the best room deal and book it or cancel it ahead of time. Worked great for me.

[Little Blue]

MAN, Sounds Like a Great Trip. Not Sure My Body Could take the Pain. Good Luck and KEEP Us POSTED.

[BUZZARD II]

Hey I was in Telluride Sept. '16 too. We even found a parking spot for a Can Am, Harley and a Wing. That was only because of dumb luck.

But back to the OP. I'm a bit older than you, my riding partner is way older than me and I think competing with your son for the most states is a bad idea. 300 miles per day getting out west is OK. But you get a lot more out of the ride if you detail tour just one or two areas. In my Sept/Oct 2016 tour we spent a week just in Colorado. I could have spent two, or more.

If heading to AZ, NM, and Utah I would leave in early May, then work my way into the mountains in early June. Beat the crowds.

My last three trips out west involved riding Rt. 50 instead of the interstate. It takes a day longer but much easier because cars and trucks are not endlessly trying to kill you. Rt. 64 across TN. is fast and worry free.

I spend a lot of time going over an atlas highlighting back roads and interesting stops. I never carry a map of where I plan to go. I carry an atlas for where I might end up. You never know when you can be detoured by bad roads or weather and end up heading for a different state. That's when it's nice to have that highlighted page just full of plan B's and C's.

I much prefer spring for my western trips. But I really want to make that Labor day burro biscuit tossing contest in Oatman, AZ. someday.

[Highwayman2013]

To help with road planning check out Butler Maps, they show the best motorcycle roads. http://www.butlermaps.com/

[MR. H1956]

That sounds great. You have the right idea for the trip not to over do your self. Just wish I could go with you. Sounds like a great trip. Love going out west. Lots of stuff to look at. Enjoy the ride. Happy trails. Keep us posted on how it's going.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I found a good app for my smart phone last summer on my trip from Las Vegas to Lake George, NY. It's called "Agoda". You can search the town you will be staying at for the best room deal and book it or cancel it ahead of time. Worked great for me.

Did you ever compare what Agoda found for you, deal wise, with booking on the hotel's own web site? When I've done a comparison with booking sites I've found hotel web sites give the better deal.

[Willt]

Don't forget to drink!

You dehydrate fast in the southwest especially out in the wind. Carry some water with you and make a point to drink even if you aren't thirsty.

If you don't have one already, invest in a little 1gal gas can. They pack small and can save your butt on some of these longer stretches of middle of nowhere desert.