How to fund my trip

[drswift]

I'm planning a two month trip around the country this summer, camping along the way and crashing at friend's when possible. Even so, this is turning into an expensive proposition.

So, I'm looking for suggestions on how to help fund the trip (other than standing by my bike with a sign that says "Will work for tires."):scratch

Do you think they would let me post an online Bake Sale?

[BONEY]

I'll take two chocolate cupcakes with white frosting and sprinkles, please.

Where do I send the money?

[drswift]

Paypal.

How does $10 a dozen sound?

[jdmetzger]

Paypal.

How does $10 a dozen sound?

Sounds like you are going to need to make a LOT of cupcakes. I question if you could make them and mail them for that price.

[drswift]

Maybe I can make it up on volume. :dance Or just charge $19.95 for S&H.

[chasman]

I'm thinking a portable lemonade stand. Everytime you stop for fuel you sell a few glasses of lemonade to cover the cost. A large Camelback to carry the juice and a couple of free glasses of ice at the Quik Stop Station and you're in business.

[AKBeemer]

Apply for stimulus funds or do it through deficit spending; seems to be the plan for many other activities. ;)

[BluegrassPicker]

I'm planning a two month trip around the country this summer, camping along the way and crashing at friend's when possible. Even so, this is turning into an expensive proposition.

So, I'm looking for suggestions on how to help fund the trip (other than standing by my bike with a sign that says "Will work for tires."):scratch

Do you think they would let me post an online Bake Sale?

Do you play banjo or guitar ?
My brother and I hitchhiked around the eastern US that way many years ago.
:violin

[kgadley01]

Have your check direct deposited into your bank account. Then take your debit card and hit the road. I do it all the time.:lurk

[toddlamp]

I am going on a one month long trip in September 2010 and have just started saving money for my trip. I'm putting $75/month plus i'll be dumping more in when I can.

I'm sorry that that doesn't help you at all. But do you know how much you're going to need? I figure that i'll need a minimum of ~$1500 for 30 days of riding. That is for gas, campgrounds, and food.

[pffog]

I knew a guy that once went across the country back in the 70's with very little $$ in his pocket. For gas he would stop at a gas station/repair shop and offer to clean the bathrooms for a tank of fuel. Said almost never got refused. They could make more money doing fan belts and oil changes if they didn't have to clean, so it was a bargain for both parties.

You might be able to still do it sometimes, but don't think it would be as successful.

[Brettendress]

Jet boil, small cans of white meat chicken, and minute rice Dinner for about $2.50 a day instead of $20 at a restaurant

Brett Endress
Altoona PA

[toddlamp]

I knew a guy that once went across the country back in the 70's with very little $$ in his pocket. For gas he would stop at a gas station/repair shop and offer to clean the bathrooms for a tank of fuel. Said almost never got refused. They could make more money doing fan belts and oil changes if they didn't have to clean, so it was a bargain for both parties.

You might be able to still do it sometimes, but don't think it would be as successful.

I might just try that, haha. But yeah, I think the 70's was just a completely different time.

[Montana]

Have a garage sale. Right now is the perfect time, it's a seasonal event and this is start-up. You won't believe the stuff that sells and how much you can make. I'm not a hoarder and have very little excess "stuff." However, I had old strips of vinyl flooring left over from a project or two, two foot wide max and about 6 ft long; a box of camping kitchen gear, in really bad shape, left over from the sale of a really old camper; old work lights that had been replaced by newer work lights; old coffee table being used in a closet; those ugly plastic stacking chairs that were replaced with nice deck chairs; etc. 9am-1pm, over $400 and the stuff that didn't sell was the "good" stuff, all the "trash" sold!

[AKBeemer]

+1 on the garage sale, it is amazing what people will buy. Ask family and friends to donate some of their old junk to the sale. Quite possibly they will be thankful just to be able to get rid of it. Alternatively, you can take items on consignment from family and friends and take commission for the items you sell. You'll be staying in a Holiday Inn Express before you know it. :p

[PGlaves]

I knew a guy that once went across the country back in the 70's with very little $$ in his pocket. For gas he would stop at a gas station/repair shop and offer to clean the bathrooms for a tank of fuel. Said almost never got refused. They could make more money doing fan belts and oil changes if they didn't have to clean, so it was a bargain for both parties.

You might be able to still do it sometimes, but don't think it would be as successful.

Yeah - try this at todays StopNRobs and the clerk behind the counter probably couldn't find the bathroom, let alone fan belts or oil.

[drswift]

Great ideas all around. I'm not opposed to cleaning toilets, but not sure about the delays in schedule. The garage sale has good potential.

FYI- I budgeted everything out for the entire two months, including one set of tires along the way, not counting any major mechanical problems. I came up with $3,250 for gas, food, and lodging.

I'm spending a week in Nashville and plan on checking Craigslist before I go to look for any carpentry/painting/handyman opportunities. You never know.

[robsryder]

...I'm looking for suggestions on how to help fund the trip...

Last year on AdvRider one of the inmates that goes by Mr. Cob took a journey all around the USA on a new Ural (including the sidecar). Mr. Cob is pretty well known on ADV for his ride reports with his Ural. He was able to get the folks at Ural North America to provide the bike. Most (but not all) dealerships agreed to help out with servicing and tires.

Mr. Cob provided very frequent postings to his trip thread on ADV. He posted his desired route in advance and many folks volunteered to host him for a night or two.

I, for one, really enjoyed reading about his trip. I believe that it was very effective advertising for Ural.

For your trip - are you willing to do a similar on-line travellogue? If so, perhaps you can find a sponsor.

Here is a link to Mr. Cob's tour of 2008 - Warning this is entertaining and could cause you to miss dinner / work while reading the thread. :)
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=354338

[drswift]

For your trip - are you willing to do a similar on-line travellogue? If so, perhaps you can find a sponsor.


I'm definitely planning to do a journal. I'm in the process of learning how to post pictures and copy easily. As far as getting a sponsor, I don't think my tour will give anybody's product much exposure. For the most part I'm avoiding major metro areas.

I will be posting my route, and have already picked up several offers from folks I contacted about local roads and places to visit.

I'm also thinking of using motorcycle-travel.net B&B hospitality exchange for five of my "pit stops." The service is quite reasonable and it is a fun way to meet other motorcycle enthusiasts.

[kgadley01]

what about your anomonous (sp) book? your lodging cost could be close to Zero.

[drswift]

what about your anomonous (sp) book? your lodging cost could be close to Zero.

I've been working that too, but so far no camping contacts in the towns I'm stopping in based on my route. At some point I'm going to put up my itinerary and see if I get anybody else.

[R184]

You could sell blood at the local blood banks. Research what major cities you'll be passing near and have blood banks that pay. And if you are in a real fix, you could always sell a kidney, lung or something. Might even help on your gas milage, since you'll be getting lighter as the trip progressed. :laugh

Seriously, lots of people travel cross country by bicycle, using very little $$$ and camping along the way. Check some of their web sites for camping tips & sites, what food they carry and other tips. And you can camp for 2-4 days, then a small mid price hotel to shower, wash your clothes, maintain the bike and recharge yourself for the day.

[drswift]

All of your suggestions (well maybe most of them - selling body parts is a little too much) have given me a lot of ideas. More than anything, just the general sense of support I get from the group is very rewarding. :thumb

[Montana]

You don't have to pay for a motel room just to shower. All of the large truck stops have them. In Utah the state parks have them. I know - I'm cheap.

[jdmetzger]

You could sell blood at the local blood banks. Research what major cities you'll be passing near and have blood banks that pay. And if you are in a real fix, you could always sell a kidney, lung or something. Might even help on your gas milage, since you'll be getting lighter as the trip progressed. :laugh

Seriously, lots of people travel cross country by bicycle, using very little $$$ and camping along the way. Check some of their web sites for camping tips & sites, what food they carry and other tips. And you can camp for 2-4 days, then a small mid price hotel to shower, wash your clothes, maintain the bike and recharge yourself for the day.

Selling a kidney or lung would easily cover a cross-country trip and he could stay in some of the best hotels along the way. :)

For cheap/FREE camping, there are campgrounds created by the Corp of Engineers. You can search for sites on Recreation.gov (http://www.recreation.gov/campgroundSearchResult.do?topTabIndex=CampingSpot) , and there is also a book (http://www.amazon.com/Camping-Corps-Engineers-Complete-Campgrounds/dp/0937877506) with the same info (only $11!).

[BeemoKat]

what about your anomonous (sp) book? your lodging cost could be close to Zero.

Don't do that, that's really an abuse of a great resource.

[Rod Sheridan]

Gail had a blog about her trip, and was asking for people to buy her a tank of gas.

If I remember correctly I sent her $20.

You could try that, just take interesting photo's and provide an interesting blog..............Rod.

P.S. I agree about not abusing the Anon book, however you could post your trip route on the forum and ask if people could supply camping/sleeping bag space.

[SIBUD]

Gail had a blog about her trip, and was asking for people to buy her a tank of gas.

If I remember correctly I sent her $20.

You could try that, just take interesting photo's and provide an interesting blog..............Rod.

P.S. I agree about not abusing the Anon book, however you could post your trip route on the forum and ask if people could supply camping/sleeping bag space.

+1

I'm sure that there are a lot of folks who would enjoy an evening of your company and stories from the road. Always a spare room available in S. IL. :wave

[Voni]

Or, you could join ADV:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=149585&highlight=tent+space

Currently 594 locations, 48 states plus D.C., 8 Canadian Provinces, 18 countries . . .

Voni
sMiling

[toddlamp]

Or, you could join ADV:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=149585&highlight=tent+space

Currently 594 locations, 48 states plus D.C., 8 Canadian Provinces, 18 countries . . .

Voni
sMiling



Agreed. The ADV guys are a great, albeit crazy, bunch.

[UncleHowie]

For cheap/FREE camping, there are campgrounds created by the Corp of Engineers. You can search for sites on Recreation.gov (http://www.recreation.gov/campgroundSearchResult.do?topTabIndex=CampingSpot) , and there is also a book (http://www.amazon.com/Camping-Corps-Engineers-Complete-Campgrounds/dp/0937877506) with the same info (only $11!).

+1 on checking out the free Corps campgrounds.

If you type "free campgrounds" into the search engine at Amazon.com, you will get results for additional books detailing free campgrounds. I'm sure there is some overlap, but it's worth a shot!

Happy travels!

[SIBUD]

Hmmmm.........


Why don't we have the same type of list here?

Lots of members are campers and most likely would have some grass on their place.

Just a thought.

[Voni]

We don't have much grass here in the desert, but we still camp ;)

Voni
sMiling

[SIBUD]

We don't have much grass here in the desert, but we still camp ;)

Voni
sMiling

Voni,

Your smile makes up for the lack of grass! :laugh

Thanks for the reminder that not everyone lives in the midwrust.

See ya :wave

[Ridealot]

I know I'm just being old fashioned here. But how about getting a job, and saving up money. :dunno

[ghostrider1964]

I have a job and have been saving money...I will be going to New Hampshire from Texas in June and have been wondering which were the best ways to save... I am ADV active and plan on using that as possible rooms along the way...I know hotels in the east tend to be very high compared to around here... Anybody got room for a mildly crazy redneck GSA rider going east???:usa

[GlobalRider]

I'm looking for suggestions on how to help fund the trip.

Charge everything on your credit card...and go into debt. Isn't that what the vast majority do?

I hate banking institutions, so I save up and then go.

[drswift]

Agreed. The ADV guys are a great, albeit crazy, bunch.

Crazy can be fun. I'll check this out.

[drswift]

I know I'm just being old fashioned here. But how about getting a job, and saving up money. :dunno

This is the conundrum: I have time for the trip because I have no work (self employed remodeling contractor in a small town). If I had enough work I couldn't afford the time.

Putting it on a credit card and paying it off with inflated dollars is my fallback plan. So far I have gotten a few more B&B offers from the board.

[bterhune]

http://www.motorcycle-travel.net/

to be a member you have to have the same... a room for the other traveler doing the same as you... $20 fee...includes lodging for the night and one meal,, you can stay one night only..

[mitchell0481]

How far east are you going?