Sgt Bilco 2019 USA Anniversary trips

Sgt Bilco

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::.Edit.::: Please see post 19 before reading any further.


2019 is a big old year for me as bizarrely I'm going to be 60. Quite how this has happened so fast is beyond me but there we go. It also coincides with the 10th year of me taking people over to the USA on these brilliant trips.

I will keep on doing these as long as people want to go but I'm going to slow it down a touch as it take a lot of time so I've decided next year will probably be the last time I join two trips together. Going forward, it will be one trip per year. I get a lot of people who can take the time off for a 7/8 weeks away and many on here have done this. It's not possible for everyone but having all that time out there really can be thought of as a "trip of a lifetime". That term gets bandied round too much in my opinion but these trips really do change the way you think about the world.

I've had a good old think about which of five regular trips I do which would work well together and show everyone as much as possible if they wanted to do them together so here in brief is what I will do:

Trip 1: Coast to Coast. A 3 week road trip starting in Norfolk Virginia and finishing in Santa Rosa California. It's a brilliant ride with highlights including The Smokey Mountains, Deals Gap, Jack Daniels Distillery, Pikes Peak, high passes through Colorado, Monument Valley, Canyonlands, Bryce, Zion, Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas, Death Valley, Bodie, Yosemite, Sequoia, Monterey, PCH and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Approx 5500 glorious miles which would start on Saturday 22nd June 2019 in Norfolk VA and get into Santa Rosa CA on Friday 12th July 2019.

Last trip report here: http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showth...t-to-Coast-2017?highlight=Coast+to+Coast+2017

Trip 2: Pacific North West. A 3 week road trip starting and finishing in Santa Rosa California. Highlights are PCH, Mt St Helens, Seattle, Vancouver, Sea to Sky Hwy to Whistler, Mt Robson, Icefields Parkway, Waterton, Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Beartooth Pass, Chief Joseph Highway, Cody, Jackson Hole, Sawtooth Mountains, Crater Lake and Lassen National Park.

Approx 5500 miles which would start on Sunday 21st July 2019 in Santa Rosa and get back on Saturday 17th August 2019.


2014 Trip report here: http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showth...e-September-2014?highlight=Pacific+North+West

Either of these trips on their own are fantastic but if you join them together, you will see just about everything on your bucket list and ride some superb roads with nothing overlapping. The trips are road so any bike will be fine and we've had everything from Transalps to Gold Wings so it's whatever you are comfy on. I'll probably take the RT on these. As well as those highlights, we visit all sorts of interesting little places which I've found over the years.

They are also perfect to pillions and fairly new riders. You don't have to be a gnarly old ADV rider for these as the mileages etc are sensible. They may challenge you at times but there is nothing wrong with that.

When you see the routes, you will note we pass fairly close to a number of cities but we tend to avoid going into them as the point of these trips is to see the real America. It really is a superb place to visit and our American cousins make you feel very welcome wherever you go. The riding is magnificent, the roads are pothole free, virtually empty and contrary to popular belief, nice a twisty. There are some long straight bits but even these can be realy interesting.

You will notice a week between the trips so if you were to do both, it would be a good opportunity to spend time in a great location and maybe spend a bit of time in San Francisco. I will be loading and unloading containers so no peace for the wicked.

At the end of the first trip, the bikes will be loaded on Monday 15th July. I will then unload the second trip bikes on Wednesday 17th July so they are ready for the start. At the end of the second trip, I will load the bikes on Monday 19th August for home. If you are doing both trips, your bike goes out on one and comes back on two if that makes sense.

The bikes will be shipped with all your gear in containers there and back so allow four weeks either end of your trip for bike transport. You can travel with hand luggage only and both ends of the trip have great connections to the airports.

I also book all the motels along the way, sort insurance etc etc so you basically fly in and off we go. At the end of the trip, drop your bike off and I do the rest.

It may seem a long way off but time will fly by so anyone interested, please PM me your email address and I'll get details to you.

These shipping dates are ideal for anyone who is riding the TAT so I can ship your bike there and back. Also, I can ship bikes in these containers if you want to do your own thing and happy to help with routes etc.
 
How much would a trip like this cost as a ball park figure all in, trip 1 for example?
 
A couple of pics from the 2014 trip to Yellowstone to wet the appetite ......

Man sized Montana Steaks...

<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Old-PNW-pics/i-jm4T5Nd/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Old-PNW-pics/i-jm4T5Nd/0/b712fc82/L/BBQ3-L.jpg" alt=""></a>

Mark and Jo enjoying the ride....

<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Old-PNW-pics/i-6hGZsk9/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Old-PNW-pics/i-6hGZsk9/0/54e57a15/L/Mark%20and%20jo-L.jpg" alt=""></a>

A little bimble on the PCH.....

<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Old-PNW-pics/i-K4LNX9W/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Old-PNW-pics/i-K4LNX9W/0/60d00d19/L/PCH%20from%20bike2-L.jpg" alt=""></a>

A Canadian Lake log jam..........

<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Old-PNW-pics/i-KcszqXz/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Old-PNW-pics/i-KcszqXz/0/a0b0ba75/L/R99%20logs-L.jpg" alt=""></a>

The gorgeous Mt St Helens....

<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Old-PNW-pics/i-tZp5Cq7/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Old-PNW-pics/i-tZp5Cq7/0/b37e9fbe/L/Mt%20Robson2-L.jpg" alt=""></a>

Glacial river at Athabasca falls on the Icefields Parkway

<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Old-PNW-pics/i-tZp5Cq7/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Old-PNW-pics/i-tZp5Cq7/0/b37e9fbe/L/Mt%20Robson2-L.jpg" alt=""></a>

PMvern enjoying life...

<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Old-PNW-pics/i-tZp5Cq7/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Old-PNW-pics/i-tZp5Cq7/0/b37e9fbe/L/Mt%20Robson2-L.jpg" alt=""></a>

Glacier National Park.....

<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Old-PNW-pics/i-5nkWvQH/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Old-PNW-pics/i-5nkWvQH/0/db889da1/L/Glacier2-L.jpg" alt=""></a>

Beartooth Pass

<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Old-PNW-pics/i-6998nvT/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Old-PNW-pics/i-6998nvT/0/4d8404a1/L/Beartooth-L.jpg" alt=""></a>

Chief Joseph Highway. Possibly the most scenic road on the planet......

<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Old-PNW-pics/i-824DDxv/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Old-PNW-pics/i-824DDxv/0/7c0ae406/L/Chief%20Joseph%20Hwy-L.jpg" alt=""></a>

Old cowboy town near Cody....

<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Old-PNW-pics/i-fNXFThM/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Old-PNW-pics/i-fNXFThM/0/ac5ba139/L/Cody%20old%20town%205-L.jpg" alt=""></a>

A waterfall in Yellowstone.

<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Old-PNW-pics/i-JTsHkbc/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Old-PNW-pics/i-JTsHkbc/0/8f3403de/L/Yellowstone%20lake%20waterfall-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
 
I was thinking about putting my name down, but those photos have put me right off!
Poor views, poor weather, whats to see?
Pm sent.
 
All

I'll have an informal presentation up at Adventure Bike Warehouse in Manchester on Saturday 23rd June from 1pm.

We'll discuss these trip and also I'll have some details of next years South America trip.

Skygod will lay on his usual array of fine food and copious amounts of tea and coffee so have a ride over and see what's happening.
 
I'd absolutely love to do a trip like this - sadly getting even a week away from work is hard going never-mind 8.

Please do take a shed load of pix and post ride reports.

One day:augie
 
I turn 50 in 2020 and really hope these trips are still running Sgt Bilco. Doubt I will be able to manage time away for the 7 week trip but the 3 weeks coast to coast would be perfect
 
PM sent


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
All, due to the ongoing issues about getting motorcycle insurance for the United States and Canada, I'm going to put a hold on these trips for the time being. I've been told by the previous suppliers that they will not be doing it again and no one else has so far stepped into the breach. Third party only is available from a Mexican company but I certainly wouldn't advise using that for your pride and joy in the most litigious country on the planet. I'm sure all this will change but I'm not getting any positive signals that it will be any time soon.

Given these trips take an immense amount of planning and preparation, it seems a bit pointless if we can't get the insurance we need. Also, I hate to let people down and after we had to cancel the Alaska trip this year due to this issue raising it's head, it's weighed a bit heavily on me that a few people had their dream trip cancelled at the last minute due to no fault of ours.

Obviously, if this changes in the next couple of months, I'll let everyone know.

However, I'm working on a couple of ideas which involve rental which isn't what I normally do it does work well. Took a few guys around Alaska this year using this and it worked really well so keep your eyes peeled for this.

Apologies for those who have already expressed interest in these great trips for next year and I'll send you messages expaining all this.
 
I'm very sorry to hear this, I know you put a lot of effort into these trips and one has been on my radar since I joined the forum, although that turned into a C2C trip on a hired Harley! - but given your reputation on here I'd have rather spend my hard earned cash with yourself, so I'll keep an eye out for what you put on in place, although it would probably be 2020 for me now as I'm booked for this year and next.

Keep up the good work and don't think it goes unoticed;)

James
 


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