03-07-2025, 02:24 AM
(11-16-2024, 03:56 AM)pdedse_imp Wrote: I'm in the initial stages of planning a cross country trip from Oregon to "back east" for next summer. Even though I'm leaning towards using my Kawasaki W800 instead of the CB1100 (yet that could change to the CB), I'm reaching out to CB1100 owners because I "know" folks here, and I'd love to meet a few, several, of you on the way there or back. This could be for lunch, then escort me for an hour or two along a local favorite route.
Or, if anyone's willing to offer up a tent space or couch for a night, that would be cool. I love solitude, but I've also done a number of long distance trips and it's great to meet people along the way.
I've always wanted to do an west-east-west trip across the U.S. and the logistics are lining up:
1. I have the time
2. My son's GF, likely future daughter-in-law's parents have invited my wife and me to to visit over July 4, and they live somewhere around Syracuse, NY
3. My sister lives in Cape Cod and wants me to visit as well
4. My soon to be 100 year old mom says don't forget about her (Illinois)
My route east is generally northern U.S. Idaho, MT, ND, Minn, Iowa, Illinois where I visit Mom if she's still with us. Then I'd like to scoot back north and ride left side of Lake Michigan and then back south on the right. Then Ohio, Penn, and NY. Alternatively, I could go OR, ID, UT, CO and then KS where I have a couple brothers, then up to Illinois to visit mom, then the lake thing.
Sometime after the 4th, head for Canada to visit New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. After, back to U.S. to visit my sister in Cape Cod.
And this is likely where I'll take a break. Sister says I can leave the bike there and I fly back to Oregon. Then after Labor Day, I fly back to Cape Cod and continue the trip. Generally, I ride to Misourri and Kansas area to visit family (again?) there. But depending on how I feel and time, I may swing south to the Virginias and Carolinas. After the midwest, NM, Utah, NV and then home.
OR: I may leave the bike with a brother in Kansas. He loves the W800 and I might just park it with him because he has a huge barn, and he's helped me lots mechanically with cars/motorycles over the years. He would love to enjoy the bike for awhile. In this case, I leave the bike with him kinda "permanently" so that as I slip into retirement I have a bike there that I can use when I visit family. That way, I also reduce the "fleet on hand" to just two bikes as my wife and I downsize to smaller house with likely less garage space.
Anyway, that's the look of things. I'd welcome ideas on routes, "don't miss" places. And I have great flexibility with the route. If you're interested in meeting up, let me know. What might be difficult is to make a definitive plan with someone and say in early spring "I'm gonna meet with you on X date" because things can change en route, but if one's got some flexibility, let's talk.
I'm hopeful of the idea. I feel like I can still do something like this. If I wait another 5 years, who knows. I'm not too concerned about riding "the best bike" for this trip. I more like the idea of using what I got, adapting to the bike's limitations and making it work. The CB1100 is a better long distance traveler for me than the W, but the idea that I could leave the W with my brother who would really appreciate it is a fun thought. But I'm going to do some over night trips on the W in the spring to see what it feels like to ride 10 hours on it 2, 3 days in a row. Maybe that makes me reconsider and with the CB...we'll see!
Let me know what you think. And...if anyone ever visits Oregon and would like to meet up or even needs an overnighter...just let me know. My cat don't bite.
I can vouch for Pdedse as a mighty fine house guest! I like the idea of adapting what you’ve got. I’m going through that with my commute right now.