Question for all you hardcore road runners out there.

[jimboreeno]

If you come up this way...you have a bed and a meal! and a riding partner for a few miles more than likely!
(looks like we're only 11 hours apart!)

[planedick]

KOA

If you're a AMA member the KOA will give you a discount.

[DiverRay]

The KOA's I've been to are MONEY!. The one near Yosemite was more money per night than a motel near by, and that was for the ground and walk to the shower! Go with some of the local campgrounds, such as county or state parks. They are usually in the $8 to $15 dollar a night range, and have HOT showers available.
I stayed with quite a few of the people from this site on my 7,200 mile trip last summer. Great way to meet some of the folks, and always fun. If you or anyone else ride out to this coast, feel free to send me a PM, and stop over. I do have a single hide-a-bed, so I can sleep one off the floor.

[prometheus578]

"Hey, knock it off!"

What's with you people and cemetaries?
You guys are nuts!
When I was stationed at Ft. Benning, we were out on an exercise and "dug in" a perimeter around an old cemetary. All night long, every time my leg would brush against an exposed root in my foxhole, I knew it was some dead guy's skeletal hands reaching out fer me!
Want freaky...?
Try gazing at a graveyard all night with night vision goggles on. Man... there's things moving around in there all over the place!
I kid you not!
Switched to infra-red, and the place really started hopping!
Hobbyman, don't do it.
There's a reason there's fences around those places... and it's not to keep the living out of them, either.
Don't you watch George Romero movies? They might as well be documentaries!
"They're coming to get you, Barbara."
Go ahead, HobbyMan... you be a "Tough Guy".
I camped once in the ghost town of Sego, Utah. Worst night I ever had.
Five miles along a wagon trail road to get there, draggin' my feet all the way so I wouldn't dump my bike. Crossed three streams, too. (do that on an XS with 200 extra pounds of gear strapped on!)
Got there around 10:00pm, so didn't have time to scope the place out. Parked next to an old miner's cabin or something.

All night long... everytime a leaf hit the ground, I was on my feet!:
3:00AM.. and someone starts screaming! I tried to convince myself it was a bobcat killin' something or other....
Spent the night sitting up in my sleeping bag, back propped against the bike, pistol in hand....
Yeah, a miner's cabin, and across the road... a graveyard.

I figgered that these were the last people that camped out there!

I'd rather spend the night at TRBIG's... or Jimboreeno's. They may not look like the most life-like people, but they're not the undead, either


Heed my warning... lest evil befall you.

[trbig]

On the other hand... could you imagine if some of today's finest youths headed out to the cemetary for a late night visit to test their nerves... only to have Andrew in a still groggy state rise up from behind a row of markers?? Hee hee...

Man, Pro must REALLY hate graveyards if he would rather sleep at my place than there! lol. He obviously hasn't seen me getting up at 5am before coffee if he says I'm not the undead....

Tod

[jimboreeno]

Thanks Prom,
Just keep sending people my way....

MMMMUUWWWAAAAAHHAAAAHHHAAAA

[Pain]

Well, if you are looking to travel on the cheap, and don't mind some primitive camping, you can get these;

Free Campgrounds

Aerostich has everything. You might also be able to find a copy in you local libray, but these sort of books generally walk.

When I did a similer trip in the early 90s i also got a YMCA "Away" membership, which allowed me to use Y facilites accross the country. I think that is a lot more, now, and truck stop showers would be cheaper in the long run.

I managed 18 months, on $20 a day, including food and gas, but that was on a smaller bike, with cheaper gas prices. I also forgot about things like tires, oil and chains (The bike was a chain drive), just so you can benefit from my whoops.

[rockjok]

Looking back, I first started motorcycle "stealth" camping 29 years ago. In all my trips I've only stayed in a motel for TWO nights.

My minimum gear was always a tarp large enough to go over a picnic table, some bungee cords, and a sleeping bag.

The most welcome "campsite" I've come across was in Prince Rupert, British Columbia. I'd ridden 1500 miles in one shot in order to make my reservation on an Alaska bound ferry boat. (Turns out motorcycles don't need reservations) The last 300 miles were in pouring rain after melting a couple of large holes in my riding jacket after hanging it off my mirror at a gas stop. Miserable doesn't begin to describe my condition. Needless to say I missed the ferry by 20 minutes and had a day to wait in the rain for the next.

I putted out of town checking all the turnoffs for a place to hang a tarp up. I found a shooting range for a GUN CLUB (In Canada!!!). Their clubhouse had a porch large enough for my bike with plenty of room left over for sleeping.

These days I usually have a tent etc since I'm hauling my dogs with me in the sidecar. Gotta try and get myself back to minimums tho'. I was shocked last summer when I checked my rigs weight at a truck scale and was just shy of 1600 lbs.

Rob

[trbig]

I checked my rigs weight at a truck scale and was just shy of 1600 lbs

I think that's about the minimum weight Skippy loads his bike up to when he makes these Texas rallies. One never knows when they may need a kitchen sink out there!

Tod

[Dennyz]

Hobbyman,

If you find yourself way up here in the NW corner, you are welcome here.

[HobbyMan]

cool. Same goes for anyone cooming down here.

[motoman]

Welcome to stay at my home(two extra bedrooms) if your journey or any other on two wheels comes through here, which is very likely as I-70 passes through here and some of the most scenic mountain passes are south of here.

[HobbyMan]

The only problem is that I don't have a set route. The ideas emanating from this thread are intriguing. He Pro, the graveyard idea sounds like fun. (no, not the other kind of fun) I will just make sure to keep some Holy water nearby and a good wooden stake. I think I have the shower thing down. All I have to do is look for a "MEGA church" ( you know the ones where the web address painted on the building is larger than the cross.) because they always have showers. ( no disrespect. What are they there for?) I only need to shower once a week. Right? I have never gone on a "long" trip on a bike before but I can eat up miles in a car no problem. How many miles should I expect to ride every day to not fatigue myself? Keep in mind that I usually cruise 75 - 80 weather and traffic permitting. (yes there are places with an 80mph limit) With all of these tips, this trip is materializing really fast. Thanks for all of the offers and suggestions. Everyone on this site is awesome. (Of course Pro, you are the best) -wink

[prometheus578]

(Of course Pro, you are the best) -wink

The last guy that winked at me got himself pretty well beaten up.
If you enjoy winking at men, pull into a truckstop late at night and ask about using their shower.
Make sure you take plenty of rest stops... just to stretch your legs and get things moving again. Fatique comes quickly, and the constant drone of the same RPM can drain your alertness. Drink plenty of water, too.
Search back for the thread when DiverRay made his trip. Lot's of good tips there.
Yes, we're all cheap, but one never really gets rested sleeping alongside the road. Get a room somewhere and recouperate properly.
Riding at night one can cover a lot of miles quickly, but you'll miss the views, the danger from animals increases, and you'll always be out-driving the range of your headlights. Fuel resupply also becomes a big issue after 10:00PM.
Get a spare key made and strap it to your wiring harness with electrical tape... somewhere where you'll have access to it without too much hassle.
Don't eat pancakes for breakfast... too much air, not enough substance... hungry again in an hour.
NO DRINKING! (You're loopy enough)
Don't talk to harley riders at rest areas. After riding a "Vibrator" for hundreds of miles, they're not really in the mood for conversation.
You can wink at them, though, if you'd like.

[thewiz]

desert stop-over

Well there, H-man, If ya' don't mind some drinkin', smokin' and the wild women and other irreverent types and XSers (you know who you are) who frequent this batchelor pad, I always have extra room somewhere here at my ranch near Temecula, CA for XSers. We feed ya' too, don't we, Planedick? Right off I-15. Never mind the bikes, Benzs, and bugs. I let a king snake hang out for rat and rattler control .... it's kinda' cute when it's drinkin' outa' the drippin' hose bib .... nonetheless, I'd be proud to have you tarry here should you come this way.

Prometheus, you are too funny ... demented, but nonetheless very, very funny