Post Trip Review 1: The Benifit of Hindsight.

It's been over a week since I completed my trip along Route 66 and the PCH, and I'm back home now, and back at work. It seems so long since I was riding into Santa Monica, and then on to San Francisco, but it was only a short time ago. It's  really hard to believe.

I thought that it would be a good idea, now that the trip is over, the dust has settled, and normality has resumed in my life (kinda), to look back and review what went well, and what I would do differently, if I were ever given the chance to do it all over again.

First of all, I've got so say that there was the potential for the trip to go badly wrong: bike breakdowns, or an accident; meeting the "wrong" kind of people; or meeting no people at all! etc. etc. Thankfully, nothing like that happened. I believe that was down to a mixture of good planning, having my wits about me most of the time, and of course, a bit of good luck too.

So this is the first of a few articles that I'll post to look at various aspects of the trip and how it worked out. Hopefully this might give an insight for others planning a similar trip. I'll cover things like riding gear, accommodation, how the planning worked, and the various bits of gadgetry that I took with me. For this post though, I'll concentrate on:

The Bike:
"Black Beauty", my brand spanking new Harley Davidson ElegctraGlide Classic, was perfect for the job of transporting me and 3 weeks worth of supplies over most of the 3600+ miles that we travelled together.

The panniers and tourpack fitted everything with ease, and the purpose made bags that fit inside really helped there. The seat was so comfy that I was never troubled with numb-bum syndrome nor back ache. If I were doing this trip two-up then I would recommend going for the ElectraGlide Ultra, which has a few extra amenities and home comforts for a pillion passenger, plus additional luggage capacity in the form of a rack on top of the tourpack, which would likely be needed. But as a single rider, the Classic was perfectly suitable.

The bike is big, long and heavy, with a big lazy engine - just right for highway riding, long fast sweeping curves, and OK for puttering about town. The only time that it struggled was when negotiating the more twisty roads, like the Oatman Highway. Then it's size and weight acted against it. Wrestling it around the bends became tiring, and the gear box, which has a decidedly agricultural feel to it, was very heavy to operate. One redeeming feature though is the 96 cubic inch (1584cc)  v-twin engine. This cannot be called a responsive motor by any stretch of the imagination, but has so much low-down torque that if you do find yourself mid-bend in too high a gear, it is very forgiving and will haul you round and out of trouble at very low revs.

That big, air-cooled engine also generates a lot of heat between your legs. This is most welcome when the weather is on the cooler side, but when sitting at lights when the temperature has climbed into the 90s or more, it can get very uncomfortable, until you get moving again!

I spent more on fuel than I had anticipated for a number of reasons: Firstly, I did more miles than I had planned. Secondly, due to riding into a strong headwind for much of the way, the Harley's fuel consumption was higher that I had thought it would be. And lastly, fuel prices (whilst still half what we pay here in the UK) had increased. Those three factors together meant that for the whole trip I got through about 91 US gallons (346 litres) of unleaded, costing $366. Remarkably, as the whole trip was 3661 miles, so this works out at exactly 10c per mile on gas!

In conclusion then, there is no such thing as a perfect bike for all occasions and conditions, but the Harley came close for most of the riding I did on this trip, and being classic American iron, I can think of no other bike that I'd rather have riden.

Would I rent one in America again? Yes.
Would I buy myself one? Probably not.

Day 8: Las vegas, NM to Albuquerque

First of all, a picture or two from last night. This is Nancy trying out my bike for size. She is desperately seeking a mid-life crisis of her own - we suggested a tattoo. Thanks for these Kevin.

Today has been a great motorcycling day, and I have experience all four seasons over the course of it! The wind had abated a little since yesterday, and I left Las Vegas bound for Santa Fe. The riding was great as I travelled along the Santa Fe  trail, through the Pecos national park. The roads had a mixture of long sweeping fast bends, and more technical twisty sections. The bike, despite its size, was up to the job, and once moving is well balanced, most of the weight being low down. Manoeuvring at low speed can be hard work though.

 The old Route 66 running parallel to the interstate in the distance

A gate to nowhere!

The road undulated, but overall climbed to Santa Fe, which is over 7000ft above sea level, making it the highest state capitol in the US. This would explain why it was getting colder, and by the time I got there it was snowing.

When Route 66 was first built in the late 1920s this was the route that it took - through Santa Fe. In the 30s, the Governor of New Mexico fell out with the Mayor of Santa Fe, and ordered that the route be realigned to run directly from Santa Rosa to Albuquerque, thus cutting out the Santa Fe loop, and denying the town of its passing trade. Many people travelling the route today take this more direct later alignment, but I wanted to do this loop as I'd heard (rightly, as it turns out) that the roads and scenery were very good.

Snow in Santa Fe in April.

The architecture in the town is Adobe style, and very attractive. The centre is full of art galleries and little expensive looking boutiques. I reckon that it must have the most Art Galleries per capita than any other town I've been to. There were also more homeless people begging in the street than I'd seen since Chicago - obviously there are extremes of wealth here.

I decided to wait and see if the snow would stop so had a cup of coffee and slice of the most delicious chocolate cream pie! It did stop after a while, and I was assured that Albuquerque would be a good deal warmer as it wasn't so high, so I continued my journey along the Santa Fe trail, to Madrid.

I wanted to go to Madrid as it had been featured in a number of movies, most recently Paul, but probably the biggest selling was Wild Hogs. The film takes place during the Madrid chilli festival. Up until then Madrid didn't have a chilli festival. It does now!

Talking to a few people around town there are obviously mixed feelings about this film. Some people did very well out of it - Disney built a diner movie set for the film, pictured above, and the current owner makes plenty selling Wild Hogs memorabilia and t-shirts. Others went out of business because Disney shut the town down for 3 months over the tourist season whilst making the film.
I think my favourite film that was made here though is The Man Who Fell to Earth, staring David Bowie. I must re-watch that when I get home.

Now it was more fantastic riding to Albuquerque, where I am staying tonight. I pulled over at one point to take some photos, and who should come past in the other direction - yes, the Aussies. I'm at the same hotel as them again, so I expect some more revelry in the bar tonight. In the mean time, I can't resist one more shot of the New Mexico landscape:

Today's route and more photos are here:


Today's Mileage: 149
Total Trip Mileage:1663

Day 1: Chicago to Bloomington

After I posted my entry for yesterday I ventured down to the hotel's bar for a drink and bite to eat, after all I had been given a voucher for a free beer, so it would have been rude not to. It seems slightly ironic that having travelled this far I end up in the Elephant & Castle English pub, but there you go. Sat at the bar, I got chatting to a couple of other people who were also there on their own, Ian and Susan, each on business. It turned out that Ian lives in San Francisco so we agreed to hook up when I get there.

This morning I woke up early, and peeked out of the window to be greeted with the sight of leaden skies and persistent rain :-( Not quite what I'd hoped for, but what can you do? I had a few hours before I was being picked up, so I went out for a walk, only to discover that it was bloody cold to boot! However I did manage to find the start of the route on Adams Street:

Joe, from EagleRider picked me up later and took me to their office to finally get my bike, and what a beauty! A brand spanking new, black, Harley Davidson ElectraGlide, with just 1 (yes, one!) mile on the clock!

After about half an hour of filling in paperwork, and signing countless clauses (essentially saying that if anything whatsoever happened, it isn't their fault, I won't be able to sue them, and I will have to pay for it), the keys were handed over, and she was all mine for 18 days. Up until this point the trip has all been to a timetable: Get to the airport for this time; Go to that hotel; Get the next flight then; Get picked up to collect the bike at 10. Now timing of the trip is in my own hands, and the only deadlne I have to meet is to be in San Francisco on 8th May. Freedom!

So here she is outside the Launching Pad diner in Wilmington, where I had lunch, although how I managed to cut of the 'L' of Launching I'll never know.

The weather didn't improve as I headed south, and was actually miserable all the way, with a hail storm or two thrown in for good measure. I had decided to keep the riding fairly short today, to give me a chance to get used to the bike, riding on the wrong side of the road, and get over any jet lag that I might still have, so my destination for the night was the twin towns of Bloomington-Normal. I had numerouse stops on the way as I saw things of interest, including the old, restored gas stations in Dwight and Odell, which are now gift shops. Bloomington greeted me with fog, and a thunderstorm - how nice!

The route ridden today (once I remembered to switch on the GPS tracker), and the rest of the photos can be found here:


So, in summary very good day, which could have been improved had the weather been better, but overall, enjoyable.
A slightly longer day tomorrow, so why not "Meet me in St. Louis"?

Today's mileage ridden: 134

Total mileage covered: 134

Weekly Countdown: 1 week to go!

With just 7 days till I leave for Chicago, the excitement is mounting. It's going to be a busy week this week with some 'domestic' things to do before I go, and of course, celebrating my birthday on Thurday. Then it's our wedding anniversary on Saturday - 18 years, which is porcelain I'm informed. SWMBO want's the bathroom refitted this year, so that seems appropriate.

Dave B came through with the goods this week, and has loaned me a set of H-D bags specifically designed to fit in the Harley's fitted panniers and top-box, so I know how much space I have to play with. Not much is the answer, so I am cutting down on what I will take with me. Still, it's better to know now rather than having to ditch stuff when I pick up the bike.

I ordered a small amount of US dollars - ironically the best exchange rate was from SAGA, with free next day delivery. I dare say the first of a number of transactions with them over the years to come!

I've also booked some internal flights to help me get home at the end of the trip, as the availability on the flights back from San Francisco has not improved any - these give me the option of flying back from LA, Seattle or even New York. I must remember to collect the tickets on Wednesday. It's not nice to think that a month from today I'll be back at work though.

Preparations are so well advanced in fact that last night I was even able to go through my music collection to decide what I should load up onto my iPod and take with me. How organised is that? I also realised that I'll be away on St George's day, so have got a St George's flag to fix to the bike. That should provide a talking point when I stop for gas.

Looking at my route again for the upteenth time I noticed something that I hadn't thought about before. I will be travelling through 4 time zones over the course of the trip (Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific). As I'm travelling east to west that means that I will get an extra 3 hours! What a bonus. So bike hire is actually 18 days and 3 hours. I hope they don't try to hit me with a surcharge!

Now it's just a case of waiting for Sunday. This trip has been so long in gestation, that it's hard to believe that it's now just a week away. It's also slightly scary.

Weekly Countdown: 2 weeks to go

Today, Nathan (my youngest) wasn't very well, didn't go to school, and so I stayed at home to look after him. Somehow I have managed to miss seeing Disney's "Cars" film, so this morning we both settled in to watch the DVD. It's primarily about a precocious young racing car called Lightning McQueen. However what it's really about is the effect on a bustling Route 66 town, when it was by-passed by the Interstate system. Quite poignant really, but of course it was a Disney film so there was a happy ending. I dare say that there will be many ghost towns along the route I travel, just like Radiator Springs almost became. The film's worth a watch, and spotting the Route 66 references (like the Cozey Cone Motel - an obvious reference to the Wigam Motel).

I'm told that Pixar are making a sequel at the moment and last weekend were out on the Route in Missouri and Oklahoma doing background research and making a documentary "extra" for the DVD. What with that, Billy Connolly's up coming documentary and, of course, my trip it looks like a high profile year in the offing for Rt66.

So, back to my trip. With just 14 days left top go, the planning is pretty much there, and I'm left with a feeling that I should be doing something, but not sure what! I spoke to my friend Dave only to find that he's traded his ElectraGlide in for a Kawasaki 1400 tourer. However as he often does, he's still managed to come up trumps; He still has a set of luggage designed to fit into the ElactraGlide's tourpac (or topbox as non-Harley people call them) and panniers, and he's letting me borrow them - what a top man! I'll go over and see him tomorrow and pick them up.

Days to departure: 14
Paydays to departure: 0, although there is one while I'm away.

Weekly Countdown: 3 weeks to go

SWMBO said to me the other day that I've spent more time planning this trip than I will spend actually doing it! Well, she could be right. But I find the planning and research almost as much fun as the trip itself - I think it all adds to the anticipation.

However, there's a balance to be struck here: I don't want to plan it down to a level of detail such that I know when each mile will be riden, and each rest stop taken. Equally, I don't want to turn up in Chicago, pick up the bike, and then have no idea what's out there, and ride past everything. By not booking any en-route hotels, my itinerary is still flexible, allowing some spontaneity. For example, my planning suggests that my first night stop will be after a fairly short ride to Bloomington, IL. This is so that I can get used to the bike, and over any jet lag I might suffer. However, when I eventually do roll into Bloomington I might decide that I feel OK to carry on a bit further - I have that choice. So I think my plans, although comprehensive, will strike a happy medium, but only time will tell.

Something else that a number of other people have mentioned is their surprise that I'm going on a 3 week/3000 mile journey on my own. Now, I'm a pretty sociable fellow I think, but I'm also quite happy in my own company. Other people, especially non-biking other people, don't seem to realise how many people you do meet up with and speak to when you roll up on a bike some place. And, being on your own it is even more likely that you'll strike up a conversation. No, I don't think I'll be going for 3 weeks without talking to anyone! The other advantage of being on your own is that you can do what you want, when you want, without having to consider anyone else. I guess the only slight worry is if something goes wrong, but if you let that stop you doing things, then you'll never do anything.

Now down to the practicalities. I've been wondering how much luggage space I'm going to have on the ElectraGlide, and also how I'm going to mount and wire up the Zumo GPS, so I though I'd reacquaint myself with a real live ElectraGlide in the flesh. So I trundled down to Newcastle Harley-Davidson last Friday with just that intention, and when I got there, guess what? They had no ElectraGlides! How can that be - an HD dealer that doesn't have the flagship of their range in the showroom? Also the atmosphere in the place was terrible. In the old days of Just Harleys the place was buzzing, and there was always a few gnarly old bikers there to chat to. The new dealership seemed very sterile - more like the Audi dealership over the road. What a shame. Anyhow, I think a call to my mate David is in order - I hope he's still got his ElectraGlide!

Days to departure: 21

Paydays to departure: 1

The deed is done!

There, I've gone and done it. I am now committed (and some say, should be). Today I passed a sizable amount of money to EagleRiders for the bike rental for my trip across America.

So now $3000 lighter,  a Harley Davidson Electra Glide is booked for collection at Chicago on April 19th, and together we will travel through 9 states to Santa Monica, California. Then we'll travel up the coast, and eventually will part in San Francisco 18 days later.

So, there we are. Having made the non-refundable payment, the trip is on, there's no going back now!

Days to departure: 68
Paydays to departure: 2
Funding: $$$Less than yesterday!$$$

A Harley in Summer

Re-reading my last post about renting an Electraglide reminded me that we (SWMBO & I) have rented one before.

It was a few years ago in the middle of August when we were visiting Las Vegas. We rented the Electraglide for a couple of days during a trip there, from EagleRider I think? Whatever.

Now, when riding in the UK, even on the hottest day there has ever been, you know that once you get moving, with a bit of a breeze in the face, you will be comfortably cool. That's not the case in Vegas in August.

We turned up to pick the bike up, and being ATGATT (all the gear all the time) type riders, we asked about borrowing leather jackets. Well the guy at the rental place looked at us like we were from another planet (which in a sense we were, I guess), and pointed to the rack of gear, which was so full it was clear none of his other punters that day had availed themselves of that service. He muttered something about it being far too hot for jackets, but, if we wanted.......

He was right of course. Even the obligatory crash helmets proved to be almost too much, and soon after we set off we were in t-shirts & jeans, with nothing more than sun-screen for protection. Not much good for gravel rash, I wouldn't think - thankfully we never had to find out.

So we picked up the bike, along with another guy who was from NYC, and asked about a good route that we could take. The guy in the shop advised use to travel out of Vegas, and head for the Hoover Dam, over that into Arizona, and carry on until we got to mile marker 14. "Once there, look for a small road on your right", he said. "That will take you down to the [Colorado] river. When you get there, take off you helmets, watches and shoes and jump right in."

The 3 of us set off, went over the dam, and sure enough, found this small twisty road at mile marker 14 that took us down to the river. It is technically a river at that point, but it is so wide it looks more like a lake! And we did just as he said (except I left my trainers on - you never know what's on a river bed to stick in your foot!). It was bliss. We cooled of in that river, must have been for 30 minutes, and didn't want to get out.

Eventually we decided it was time to get out, and we got back on the bike dripping wet, and set off back the way we had come. I can say, with no word of a lie, that by the time we reached the Hoover Dam again, 14 miles later, we were bone dry, it was that hot. Going over the dam, the traffic was slow, it was the middle of the day, and so, so hot. SWMBO was starting to overheat, I was scared that she was getting heat stroke (I've never seen a redder face!), so we stopped at a place called Boulder City, where the guy from NYC bought her a root beer (yuk!), and then carried on his own way. Instead we found a nice air-conditioned cafe and had a couple cold, cold Buds, before heading back to Vegas.

We went back out on the bike later that evening and cruised up and down the Strip, and went to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and posed there for a bit. But I had learnt my lesson - August is not the time to be riding through the desert on a bike - which is why I'm going in May!

Thoughts on the bike

Recently Gillian (aka SWMBO), and I were talking about the sort of bike I should use for this trip. I mentioned earlier that, ideally, I'd like to take my own over, but  it won't be cost effective for a 3 week trip. So I am going to rent.

Given the above, for this trip it seems to me that a Harley is ideally suited. I've owned a couple in the past; a 1200 Sportster, and a Dynaglide Convertable (FXDSCONV for the Harley buffs amongst you). But I'm not in the market to own another right now. However, the thought of renting one for a few weeks riding through the USA seems right to me.

So, as I was saying Gillian and I were looking at EagleRider's website the other day looking at what's available. There is plenty of choice there, and suprisingly, all of them are the same price to rent, except the 883 Sporty, so cost is not a factor.

Gillian's always liked the looks of a Heritage Softail - all leather and studs and tassles.

I agree they look good in a retro kind of way, and would be great for posing on. But am less convinced of their touring pedigree - those panniers look less than water-tight, and probably don't hold much stuff either. And as for the Softail suspension, well, I'm not convinced.

No, I'm going touring, and whatever I choose has to transport me, and whatever I decide to take with me, over 3000 miles and 3 weeks. It's got to have plenty of luggage space, provide a good comfy ride and protection from wind and rain. In the Harley range, there is only one choice as far as I can see. It's got to be an ElectraGlide.

Its fairings and screen will provide protection against the elements (well OK, not the Sun, granted). Its big comfy seat and soft suspension will give a pleasant ride, and with the large hard-shelled panniers and top-box (oops, sorry, Tourpack, in Harley speak), there should be plenty of room for everything I need to have with me. So yes, decision made, a Harley Davidson Electraglide will be the bike I take across America.