Sgt Bilco`s USA Adventure Summer 2010

Enjoy the trip guys did the same two years ago and can only repeat what been said, Yosemite, book WELL in advance if you want to stop in the park otherwise there is a great Days Inn on the way to Fresno just outside the park. JD no go on Sundays, still dry! Don't forget the Painted Desert. Petrified Forrest or Meteorite Crater, forget route 66 its tat and run down. Blueridge Parkway is brill as are some of the roads in Arkansas on the way to Hot Springs. Its worth carrying on up into Canada for Niagra Falls and then through New York State, why not contact OCC for a visit? Two years ago it took us five weeks and just over £6000 for everything, flights fuel insurance and accommodation. ( for two of us) We stayed in the main with the Days Inn chain and joined the loyalty scheme which gave us every sixth night as a freeby. Not top of the range but good enough always clean and comfortable and breakfast included. Enjoy the trip. Oh and don't forget the time zones as we did! Enough said.:beer:
 
Chris..... For Gods' sake.....take the tour through South Dakota in August......

At least - try to let everyone see Sturgis and the spectacle there!!!!

2003, there were approx 375,000 bikes and around 600,000 people and EVERY town and hamlet around Sturgis is overflowing with bikes and humanity.

Look at www.sturgis.com if you don't believe me...... and you are near Mt Rushmore, the Badlands, Snake River Canyon etc etc etc
 
Any Spaces left?

Hello, just wondered if there were any spaces left for this trip?

Will also drop a PM..

Thanks,
Rob
 
Chris..... For Gods' sake.....take the tour through South Dakota in August......

At least - try to let everyone see Sturgis and the spectacle there!!!!

2003, there were approx 375,000 bikes and around 600,000 people and EVERY town and hamlet around Sturgis is overflowing with bikes and humanity.

Look at www.sturgis.com if you don't believe me...... and you are near Mt Rushmore, the Badlands, Snake River Canyon etc etc etc

Rob, you hav a pm.

Colin, I thought about the Rushmore area but we just don't have time. was there in 05 and the Badlands are fantastic but we can only be in one place at one time:thumb

Anyway, not sute too many tossers on hear want to be seen with all those HD's in Sturgis :augie
 
SWMBO has said she'd pay for me!!
Now this either says I need a lawyer or that I've got the best wife ever?
Am I too late to declare an interest?
 
chris is out of the country at the moment but im sure you could be put on the reserve list as somebody might drop out
 
Sgt Bilco`s USA Adventure Summer 2010

I will be bringing my 1100 back from the US in the summer of 2010 and will be travelling cross country from San Francisco across to Baltimore for shipping home.

So, my thoughts are to organise a proper tour with a bunch of you tossers. I’m more than happy to arrange shipping/insurance etc and put the trip together if there is enough interest. I`ll also act as a tour guide and lead the tour. It could well be the opportunity you`ve been waiting for to take that trip of a lifetime in the US:D.

My initial thoughts for the trip would be for a duration of 4 weeks and the following basic itinery:

San Francisco CA to Yosemite National Park
Yosemite to Las Vegas NV via Sequoia National Park and Death Valley.
Las Vegas to Monument Valley via Zion and Bryce Canyon’s, Northern Rim of the Grand Canyon. I have friends who are Navajo Indian so will arrange proper local guides for this area.
Monument Valley to Albuquerque NM via Canyon de Chelley.
Albuquerque NM to Denver CO up through the Rockies and some very high mountain passes.
Denver CO across the central plains to Tulsa OK.
Tulsa OK to Memphis TN via the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas
Memphis TN to Nashville TN via the Jack Daniels Distillery.:beer:
Nashville to Knoxville TN and Deals Gap which is one of the most famous roads in the US (318 curves in 11 miles).
Knoxville to the East Coast via the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Smokie Mountains.
Dip your toe in the Atlantic at the outer banks and up the East coast to Baltimore.


This route takes in all the famous landmarks and the big “must see” canyons, roads, passes and mountain ranges. This route is all road but can organise some light trails if anyone wants to.

I’ll design it so anyone on any bike will get a lot out of it. It will suit experienced and beginners alike but you must have a sense of humour and be able to do basic repairs to you bike as there will be no back up truck.

I have ridden most if not all of these roads and done many miles in the US. It’s neither a difficult or scary place to ride and is a lot cheaper than Europe by and large.

Accommodation will be motels unless anyone really feels the need to sleep under the stars. Bear in mind I’m looking to do this in the summer and it gets very hot and won’t probably dip much below 85 degrees anywhere and will get to 110 degrees plus in Death Valley and Las Vegas. No fun in a Tesco tent.;)

The big costs will be the Shipping and I would suggest the bikes are flown out and shipped back which will be the cheaper option but I will investigate all options. Dedicated US insurance is essential and I’m estimating this to be around £1500 all in. Other costs will be motels, fuel, food and cold beer. My estimate for the whole thing will be around £3000 minimum so it’s not cheap but it could be the trip of a lifetime and gives you plenty of time to organise a pass out from SHMBO and to fill the piggybank.:augie

Total mileage will be around 5500 mile but it won’t be an Iron Butt rally and the longest days would be in the region of 400 miles with a few rest days. All bikes will be made welcome but would like to keep it to a maximum of 8 bikes.

Please let me know if anyone has any interest and I’ll start planning proper.:beerjug:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_Route_36

Would suggest route 36 so you can get a photo of this (sign):
 

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Not a bad road that one but a little too north. There will plenty of others though:thumb

Almost there with the costings guys and hoping to finalise everything by the end of this month jut before I head to Alaska. Well, someone has to do it:augie



good stuff.....:clap:clap:clap
 
Another one wanting to join the July trip. :thumb2

Appreciate all your time and effort. I've sent you a pm.

Bob
 
Just to let you know the Sgt is away playing in Alaska, back in a couple of weeks.

Got to get me a job like his :augie
 
Here is an option if you guys don't want to ship plug in your dates and see the prices.
http://www.eaglerider.com/Home.aspx

This changes every month but the prices are good if anyone wants to test out the route.
http://www.eaglerider.com/Hot-Deals/One-Way-Specials.aspx

They charge a $750 return fee to the full price renter then advertise the good rate for someone who can one way it back to the origination shop.

Factor in the savings of a set of tires. Your personal bikes will probably need new rubber when you get them home.

4 of us went on a trip in Sept to CO, WY, Yellowstone, Rapid City then back to Atlanta. Hotels were about $80-90 per two people.
 
Here is an option if you guys don't want to ship plug in your dates and see the prices.
http://www.eaglerider.com/Home.aspx

This changes every month but the prices are good if anyone wants to test out the route.
http://www.eaglerider.com/Hot-Deals/One-Way-Specials.aspx

They charge a $750 return fee to the full price renter then advertise the good rate for someone who can one way it back to the origination shop.

Factor in the savings of a set of tires. Your personal bikes will probably need new rubber when you get them home.

4 of us went on a trip in Sept to CO, WY, Yellowstone, Rapid City then back to Atlanta. Hotels were about $80-90 per two people.

Thanks for the info but the point of this trip is to ride our own bikes across the USA. Anyone can rent a HD and chug around for a few weeks but that is not the point here. Tyre wear and getting new tyres at home is just a small factor in the whole trip.

Although I know Eaglerider do have a few GS's, this is not a HD trip and all the guys will be on big dual sports.

Hope you enjoyed Yellowstone......awesome place but no somewhee we can get to on this trip infortunately. Still, Zion and Bryce will make up for this:thumb
 
I knew the HDs would spoil the link. Was just thinking if shipping got screwed up or a last minute need arose it was an option at about the cost of shipping.


The ranger said this guy goes after motorcycles first if he thinks you are after his bitches.
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Local recce party...

:topic:
Hey Sgt Bilco,

I'm a British squaddie serving here in Washington D.C. would you mind if I tagged on your little trip as it goes through the BRP up to Baltimore? Would be good to here some stories :beerjug: in a decent accent as I wont be getting back to the UK for a while :blast and I may be able to recommend a few stops or sights along the way. lemme know what you think. Not looking to hijack just tag along and help out.
 


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