2.5 Bikes, 2 Riders, 9 wheels

Ok, so you have seen the back story (http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=379050), 6 years on and a lot of support from people across the USA and the world and so soon hopefully we might get a chance to share a meal with a few of you over a beer or 2, or maybe get the chance to ride shoulder to shoulder as we cross the great land.

We have been talking and dreaming about achieving this for some time now, and it's time to either bite the bullet and try it, or regret it forever.

Is it stupidity to think a couple (one a paraplegic) could cross the USA on 2 & a half bikes? Well we are planning to find out. The plan is to take 10 weeks to criss cross and zig zag our way from LA to NY, to see the sights and enjoy the freedom and those unique views and sensations that only a motorcyclist understands.

So a bit about the bikes and riders, well I can confirm one starter will be the heavily modded KTM 690 SMR, prep'd with wheel chair rack, also fitted with one paraplegic wife pilot. Wild, reckless, noisey and stunningly beautiful.




Second bike will be a DL650 piloted by yours truly.

The whole idea of the trip is see the main sights and attractions and but also to experience and see the many wonderful natural settings. For the most part I assume, with a wheelchair in tow, the views you get from the roads surpass where I can get her in a chair. Hopefully mix all that in with meeting a lot of friends from international forums and getting a chance share stories and experiences on an amazing trip.

Here is a rough map basically outlining our planned route.

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We are flying into LA on the 14th of June. Mostly you will note it tries to incorporate the sights as well as some of your most amazing riding roads, but please feel free to add input to the route as local knowledge is always a bonus. We are semi flexiable on the route and can adjust to the left or right if you're maybe located to either side of the squiggly line and would be keen to met us and it ties in with an end of day stops, we would love to meet you too and will do our best to try and make it happen where possible. We do have certain places were we would like to spend a few days/nights and in other parts it will just be an overnight stop. We are slowly starting to work out these parts so again some knowledge on approx times to ride some passes would be great.

To try and keep the cost down we are looking at varous options from carrying camping gear with us to couch hopping (in lenna's case couch rolling, haha) as well as mixing that in with the hotel accommodation

Anyway, we look forward to your input and please post up your approx area if you're keen to try and catch up with us as we pass through on what should hopefully be an epic ride.



Will be putting up our day schedule aswell so if you wanna catchup as we pass through please shout out. With my wife a paraplegic we have had to plan some nights (and distance on certain days to reflect delay times we might encounter.

Anyway more detailed maps to follow, and hopefully see a few of you on the road (I know some here think adventure riding is off road, but try riding a bike when you can't walk, to us that adventurous enough, for the time being anyway)

oh yes you might of seen it on a few other usa forums aswell, will try and update them all as we go.

Outstanding guys, wishing you the best from ya Kiwi brothers!

Awesome! S'scribed & Following. There's good riding here in San Diego if you're so inclined. I'm certain you'd like to get a Palomar Mtn. ride in. Let me know, Wife & I have extra space in the house & the garage also.

AWESOME! I'll be following along too. When you get up towards Idaho pop me a PM, would love to chit-chat maybe a ride.

Wonderfull! Have fun!

Nice bike! Have a great trip. Looks like an excellent route.

When you get towards PA, send out an email. Would love to meet up. If possible. Kinda looks like you are heading up through the middle of the state. I live in the eastern part but hey, any excuse to ride!!!

Neat bike! I look forward to reading this adventure!

Very cool! I'm in, looking forward to seeing this adventure unfold!!

Sounds great, route looks awesome. What I am really interested in is the KTM! That thing is awesome, I would love to have one! Custom made or a kit? It does lean while turning, right?

Oh yeah, I travel the South West a few times and would suggest, Zion National Park, Grand Canyon, Bryce National Park, Moab, Canyonlands, Arches National park.......But they are mostly located in Utah.

Subscribed.

I love getting in at the beggining of these big reports!
I'm also curious about the bike & why that instead of a Spyder or Ural or the other various options.

Come on June 14th!!

Epic ride for the two of you, pre-congratulations.

You need to include Utah, as rico pointed out. Zion & Bryce as a minimum, should not be missed. An easy reroute back to the west across Nevada and through Yosemite will be quite simple.

You'll be hitting the Mojave desert and it is heating up a bit. The key is to keep skin exposure is a minimum. If you don't always wear a riding jacket, at least put on long sleeve shirts through the desert's.

Welcome to the U.S.!

Looks like a great plan!
If you are open to suggestions, I'd like to suggest heading slightly north from your planned Mississippi River crossing to Dorena, Missouri where you can for $5 per bike cross the Big Muddy by ferry to Hickman, Kentucky.
Maybe not a big deal in the overall scope of you trip, but a nice little look back to the time before steel bridges crossed the waters.
In Hickman , find the Kentucky Kernal to try some wild shelled pecans. The wild ones are much smaller, more delicate and more flavorful than the commercial varyities.
Anyway this reroute doesn't take you far off your original plan,but , it does get you into the great state of Kentucky.

Oh, the ferry is closed right now due to high water on the Mississippi , but it won't stay high forever.

Have a great time you two! As others have said, Utah is beautiful and Moab will make you say "WOW"!

Hey there peeps... Here are a few maps showing large sections of the route we have planned. The map is just a picture, but the links underneath the dates will take you to a live google map page where you can zoom right in or alter the route if you have an alternative route to recommend. Each green dot is a destination where we will spend a night. I think we cross about 25 states - do we cross yours? It'd be great to catch up with some fellow riders along the way, catch up for a beer, maybe you could show us through some of your best local roads? I can't believe we're going to be there on Friday!


Los Angeles to Baker City






Date: Depart: Arrive:
June 14 Melbourne Australia Los Angeles (4 days here)
18 Los Angeles Las Vegas (3 days here)
21 Las Vegas Bishop
22 Bishop Twainharte
23 Twainharte Sutter Creek
24 Sutter Creek San Francisco (4 days here)
28 San Francisco Casper
29 Casper Mad River
30 Mad River Medford
JULY 1 Medford Bend
2 Bend Clyde Holliday State Park
3 Clyde Holliday State Park Baker City


Los Angeles to Baker City For detailed map.








Baker City to Cheyenne





Date: Depart: Arrive:
JULY 4 Baker City Boise/Weiser
5 Boise/Weiser Idaho Falls
6 Idaho Falls West Yellowstone
7 West Yellowstone Red Lodge
8 Red Lodge Buffalo Bill State Park
9 Buffalo Bill State Park Gillette
10 Gillette Deadwood
11 Deadwood Sage Creek Campgrounds
12 Sage Creek Campgrounds Horse Thief Lake
13 Horse Thief Lake Cheyenne


Baker City to Cheyenne For detailed map.










Cheyenne to Amarillo





Date: Depart: Arrive:
JULY 14 Cheyenne Shadow Mountain Lake
15 Shadow Mountain Lake Left Hand Canyon
16 Left Hand Canyon Denver
17 Denver Colorado Springs
18 Colorado Springs Colorado Springs (day trip up Pikes Peak)
19 Colorado Springs Curecanti National Recreation Area
20 Curecanti National Rec. Area Durango
21 Durango Holbrook
22 Holbrook Albuquerque
23 Albuquerque Amarillo


Cheyenne to Amarillo For detailed map.








Amarillo to Deals Gap





Date: Depart: Arrive:
JULY 24 Amarillo Oklahoma City
25 Oklahoma City Hot Springs
26 Hot Springs Harrison
27 Harrison Mammoth Springs
28 Mammoth Springs Memphis (5 Days here)
AUG 1 Memphis Birmingham
2 Birmingham Dahlonega
3 Dahlonega Deals Gap


Amarillo to Deals Gap For detailed map.








Deals Gap to Mountain City





Date: Depart: Arrive:
AUG 4 Deals Gap Walhalla
5 Walhalla Pigeon Forge
6 Pigeon Forge Mountain City


Deals Gap to Mountain City For detailed map.








Mountain City to Philadelphia





Date: Depart: Arrive:
AUG 7 Mountain City Paint Bank
8 Paint Bank McDowell
9 McDowell Davis
10 Davis Washington (5 days here)
14 Washington Philadelphia


Mountain City to Philadelphia For detailed map.








Philadelphia to New York


Haven't looked into this last one properly yet.





Philadelphia to New York For detailed map.

Not sure, how strange!

Btw, that is a BITCHIN' KTM!

so fricking subscribed to this one! You guys are the shiznit. When you get to BRP area you must allow me to meet and buy a round for you! Looks like it might be a while, but I will be looking for you!

KTMs are cool. That KTM is sub-zero.

damn and DAMN! I just read the whole back story. That chick is fricking BAD. ASS. Seriously, you guys are awesome. Both of you. Thats some real

I think this is so great