Need Trip Help

[chrisschwa]

Hey Folks,

I'm taking an "educational" trip this summer that's going to take me 11 days. I am interested in any suggestions you all have for the trip. Here is the itinerary:\

Leg 1: Houston, TX to Birmingham, AL
Leg 2: Birmingham, AL to Wilmington, KY
Leg 3: Wilmington, KY to Chicago, IL
Leg 4: Chicago, IL to St. Paul, MN
Leg 5: St. Paul, MN to Tulsa, OK
Leg 6: Tulsa, Ok to Houston, TX

I will have a day of rest between each

[rgvilla]

don't forget your anonymous book, cell phone, credit card. before you leave fill the gas tank, check the oil, make sure you have good rubber properly inflated and are ATGATT. Have a fun safe ride!

[Ted]

I will have a day of rest between each

I've found that riding half the distance, every day, is twice the fun :) Seriously, not touching a single interstate and keeping the camera and notepad handy (so you can write this up!) are a great start.

[PAULBACH]

Check out from your local library any of a series of books called Off the Beaten Path. The series of books is published by the Globe Pequot Press in Guilford, Connecticut.

I have also bought many of the series from www.half.com for as little as 75 cents.

Their website is www.globe-pequot.com. Do a search there or just click on this link. (http://www.globepequot.com/globepequot/index.cfm)

There are also Off the Beaten Path books for individual cities.

Good luck on your adventure.

[chrisschwa]

What is ATGATT?

[rgvilla]

All The Gear All The Time, for me this means, full face helmet, Icon back and chest armor, leather or cordura jacket with shoulder and elbow armor, leather or cordura riding pants and riding boots with good gloves. I also wear Bohn armored underwear and icon knee and shin armor.

The most important piece of gear is your riding attitude, You have to ride like you're invisible and every car out there is out to hit you. I started riding at 12 and am still at it at 57. One year off for a volunteer vacation in SEA. Over and over again I have had the point driven home that I can prevent an accident. Ride like your life depends on it! Because it does. Practice emergency stops, evasive manuevers etc. I don't know your riding history but if you haven't taken any riding courses take them. Take a track day to learn your and your bikes limits. Take the MSF first.

Ride safe and have a great time!

[njnear]

Ride the Natchez Trace from Natchez, MS as far as you can/want (it goes to Nashville, TN. It's not the Blue Ridge, but it's not superslab either!

Haven't been there, but a friend says the Barber motorcycle museum in Birmingham is nice. http://www.barbermuseum.org/

Huntsville, AL has NASA stuff if you haven't had enuff in Houston.

Avoid I-80 in and around the Indiana, Illinois border at all cost. Major traffic, congestion and construction.

Route from MN to TX should take you through Missouri and Arkansas if you're not planning on heading out through the plains. Ozarks of MO and AR are excellent riding. Branson, MO is a tourist trap, but they have some excellent shows. I recommend Jim Stafford if you stay there.