Ride across the USA

[Django]

The Idea

Well, next year (2019) I become 60 years old, time to check off an item
from my bucket list: Ride across the USA. So I worked hard talking to my
wife, my employer and my dog and yes indeed, I've got the permission to
block 6 weeks next year from April 27 to June 8 to make that trip.

The Route

First thought came to my mind: Start northeast and go southwest, like
the pioneers did. That's the way to go, when you come from Europe. But
then, second thought: Hm, it may be cold and nasty in the NE when you
start at the end of April and hot and nasty when you arrive at the
beginning of June in the SW.

So I am thinking more or less about: Start in San Francisco or LA, then
ride somehow California, Arizona/Nevada/Utah/Colorado,
Arkansas/Missouri/Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia and depart home from
Washington,DC.

I'm not really decided yet. I have to visit the list of the most famous
motorcycle tours, ride reports and maps, to get a better idea of the
route. Also, it would be great, if I could visit the western and/or
eastern CB1100 rally 2019. Or may be, I visit just the forum member's
map and ask those riders for local riding hints.

Anyway I would like to really ride the country, thus avoiding motorway,
just taking small roads and enjoy landscape, impressions, nature.

The Ride

How to ride across the USA? Indeed, I need a motorcycle.

First idea: send my own bike to the USA and back home. Well, some
research gave me numbers of about 3,500 - 4,000 Euro cost, plus lot of
effort to get that managed (bureaucracy). Sigh. Somehow I really would
like to put those miles on my own ride, but that may be too expensive
and cumbersome.

Second idea: rent a bike for 6 weeks. I once rented a ride in San Diego,
that was about 60 USD a day, if I recall right. Would be quite expensive for 6
weeks.

Third idea: Buy a CB1100 at start and sell it at the end. That sounds
indeed like the way to do it. But then, how to buy, how to get a license,
how to get an insurance...

Well, I'm still not settled about how to get a ride.

Yeah, I wanted to let you know in advance about my plans. I really would enjoy, if I could meet some of you guys and we may ride some miles together.

May be, I could use this thread as a planning thread and get some hints and ideas from my
friends here at this really awesome forum. There is still some time to go and a winter between
now and the planned start of the ride. But, time goes by...

Looking forward!