Brit looking for advice on a trip across US

[webco2]

Take Interstate 8 off west coast untill it turns into Interstate 10. Stay on Interstate 10 all the way to the east coast. You will avoid most all of the ice and snow that way. Side trips south will give you lots to see and still be ice free. I would suggest that you have a GPS unit and a up to date Rand McNally road atlas . The road atlas has lots of points of interest in the back pages of the book along with address and phone numbers .

Two weeks is not near enough time to see Texas much less the whole south of the U.S. .

[ultra103]

Thrust,

I can tell you that conditions can change a lot faster here than in the U.K. We were riding through Arizona a couple of years back and it was hot during the day, then at night we were higher in elevation and it was snowing.
May be better off to ride back after Daytona.

[FXDRYDR]

Sounds like a great adventure and I hoipe you go for it!

A bunch of Brits cruising across America in February would get some attention and you'd likely make a lot of friends.

Heated gear is always nice, but batwing baggers cover your hands and the lowers do a good job. I think you'll be fine except for the worst of what you could hit. I'd allow for extra time to "hole up" if you really need to and at the very least, allow for a slower pace in general just to allow for potentially slower speeds or the need to stop more often.

Your route sounds right - keeping south and hitting the "fun" and scenic/interesting places is a good plan. I'd be thinking no less than 2 days in New Orleans if indeed you make it there for Mardi Gras - and I certainly would!

Something else - there's a group you might check out - google "doofclenas." They're a riding group and a fun bunch hailing from all over, but mostly in the U.S. They do a lot of runs and you could glean a lot of good input for the kind of ride you're thinking of. Good luck!

[Thundermug]

Originally Posted by JayFL459

Unless have plans for New Orleans I would bypass it and Catch I-12 at Baton Rouge and it runs back into I-10 at the Mississippi Border .. Would stay on I-10 until got past Pensacola then take the Coastal Hwy 98 along the Gulf Beaches of FL Stopping where you wish here and there along the way .. When Hwy 98 runs into Hwy 19 at Perry, FL Would Take 19 South a ways and check the map where might want to cross over to Orlando Hwy 40 would a good way to do it, but are many options where to cross over ..

Originally Posted by JayFL459

Is always hard to say, but we are talking a 5 day run here, at least 4 anyway if a true iron Butt Somewhere along the way will catch some nasty weather and some sub freezing temps .. Don't underestimate FL true down towards Miami stays fairly warm but up towards the North End where I live see below 30 F several times during the winter .. I made a Run from FL to AZ Mostly I-10 in Early April and had to wear Long Johns a couple of times even then ..

Originally Posted by FXDRYDR

Sounds like a great adventure and I hoipe you go for it!......Something else - there's a group you might check out - google "doofclenas." They're a riding group and a fun bunch hailing from all over, but mostly in the U.S. They do a lot of runs and you could glean a lot of good input for the kind of ride you're thinking of. Good luck!

Trust what JayFL459 says, he rides ALOT...you can also google "florida crew" Lots of great guys and a couple of lousy ones...OK, 4 or 5 lousy ones (I'm one of the lousy) they ride ALOT...400 miles +/- a day for a good cheeseburger or steak, and maybe 350 miles+/- a day for a lousy cheeseburger...

And yes it does get cold in the northern parts of Florida...especially when it is 99% humidity

[JayFL459]

Hope to see ya when close to Daytona time Thundermug ..

[WEINERDOGBONE]

I don't think you want to be near the Grand Canyon in Feb. I was there in March a few years ago and Flagstaff was snowed under.

I live in a semi-frigid area and I am used to riding with temps in the 40's. Much colder than that, it takes the fun our of the ride for me. I don't really have an idea of the climate in GB. If you don't mind the cold weather, you could probably have an enjoyable ride on a southerly route.

That really is your only alternative. You can't ride in the Northern Plains in Feb. You will die. Like actually die I would think.

[RANGER73]

There probably isn't much to see that would hold any significance or meaning to you.
I was fascinated with Arizona, growing up on western movies. There's alot of American history for Americans to explore.
Just Say'in

[Thundermug]

Originally Posted by JayFL459

Hope to see ya when close to Daytona time Thundermug ..

Sure Jay. The big D should be over by then, and I will be a much happier and nicer person by then...

[Michael Psycle]

Anything is possible but you will likely be ok if you stay south, along I10 most of the way. You and your buddies are in for quite an adventure. And if you can't be in New Orleans for Mardi Gras but can be there anytime in February before that, go for it. Reservations for New Orleans for Mardi Gras time might be difficult now. The entire state of Louisiana and a lot of Mississippi celebrate Mardi Gras in a big way. So if you are anywhere in the area, you'll likely be able to join the celebration.

And I can't speak highly enough about New Orleans even after Mardi Gras. Two words, food and music. It is the birthplace of the only completely made in America art form, jazz.

You are even allowed to walk around the streets with a drink in your hand. Every bar has plastic "go cups" at the door so you can pour the rest of our drink into a cup and walk around. I don't know if it is still true but years ago it was not illegal to be drinking and driving in Louisiana, only illegal to be driving drunk. So an awful lot of people had their first drink of the day on the drive home from work. That tells you something about the culture and values of Louisiana.

[coastie56]

First of all, the essence of American Bikerism, may well be the seminal works of the rebel biker movies, the Wild Ones and Easyrider combined with the early works contained in Easyriders magazine. These art works should be Googled and studied extensively before attempting a trip through the deep South in search of the spirit of the American Biker. A thorough understanding of Miraculus Mutha, David Mann, Spider, Rip, and Kieth Ball are a necessity as well as the copius ingesting of certain hallucinagens as portrayed in Red Ryder and The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers. In addition the sexual techniques of Dr Twatburger should be practiced at great length before arrival in this country as the sexual expectations and standards have indeed been raised among American Biker Womendom. Recently the exact route that Hopper, Fonda And Nicholson traversed in Easyriders was rediscovered and exposed in a thread on this forum celebrating the 40th anniversaryof the epic. It was in fact the almost exact route you will be taking and it should be memorialized in pictures posted on this thread. You may in fact consider contacting our twisted tech advisors Road King Cole, Scrubs, TigerBikerBill, and underground cave dweller Ahar. M Psycle Esq. could add local color and intelligent perspective from the rest of us neanderthals! PM can be your friend! By the By, investing in a heated jacket liner can be a Savior, right RKCole?

[coastie56]

NIC, NIC, NIC, INJUNS! Doing my best to further American Kulture. You're welcome.

[Chief Davis57]

I certainly agree with the above dialogue regarding the pics. Long after you get back to the UK you will be showing off your photos (and hopefully posting them here). Have a great time, respect the law especially in Texas (although they're pretty easy on high speed travelling). Too bad your trip wasn't during the nicer months. I would be recommending a more northerly route from Northern California lots of great places and scenic rides along that latitude. Be careful, either way you go you will certainly have a great experience...

[FXDRYDR]

Re Texas, was watching the Lonesome Dove series again and I'm pretty sure they still hang horse thieves down there. Maybe bike thieves too and probably Brits for the hell of it.

But the beer is cold, Tex Mex is great and Texas women are damn good-looking. I think I'd risk a hanging.

[FXDRYDR]

Originally Posted by coastie56

First of all, the essence of American Bikerism, may well be the seminal works of the rebel biker movies, the Wild Ones and Easyrider combined with the early works contained in Easyriders magazine. These art works should be Googled and studied extensively before attempting a trip through the deep South in search of the spirit of the American Biker. A thorough understanding of Miraculus Mutha, David Mann, Spider, Rip, and Kieth Ball are a necessity as well as the copius ingesting of certain hallucinagens as portrayed in Red Ryder and The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers. In addition the sexual techniques of Dr Twatburger should be practiced at great length before arrival in this country as the sexual expectations and standards have indeed been raised among American Biker Womendom. Recently the exact route that Hopper, Fonda And Nicholson traversed in Easyriders was rediscovered and exposed in a thread on this forum celebrating the 40th anniversaryof the epic. It was in fact the almost exact route you will be taking and it should be memorialized in pictures posted on this thread. You may in fact consider contacting our twisted tech advisors Road King Cole, Scrubs, TigerBikerBill, and underground cave dweller Ahar. M Psycle Esq. could add local color and intelligent perspective from the rest of us neanderthals! PM can be your friend! By the By, investing in a heated jacket liner can be a Savior, right RKCole?

Dammit Coastie, white space is your friend.

[Chief Davis57]

Originally Posted by FXDRYDR

Re Texas, was watching the Lonesome Dove series again and I'm pretty sure they still hang horse thieves down there. Maybe bike thieves too and probably Brits for the hell of it.

But the beer is cold, Tex Mex is great and Texas women are damn good-looking. I think I'd risk a hanging.

Right on. I think though the law will tolerate these UK guys as long as they speak slowly and clearly, haha. Who doesn't get along with the English? I had a great time in England back in '85 and overall they love us "Yanks". I watched Lonesome Dove a couple of months ago for the first time. Sad ending to a long saga...