Ride to the Glaciers - July 17 thru Aug 9, 2010

This ride is scheduled for 2010. We plan to leave on July 17 (Saturday) and return August 8 (Sunday). Departure is 6:30 AM for the usual place.

I hope some of you can make the ride out. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

This is an OPEN Ride

If you have Google Earth loaded on your computer this link will work better for you. Try it anyways. It displays the ride to the Glacier Park and back.

Google Earth View

Passports are needed. I believe we'll be leaving the USA momentarily. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Here is the monster bridge we'll be crossing. The Mackinaw Bridge, MI.

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Enjoy!

I cann't wait!

Gang,

I'm getting really excited about taking this trip but, alas, I have never been on an ultra-LD ride like this before.

So, as I begin the process of preparing my bike (and myself) for this long
ride, I
am soliciting the group's advice...

What should I be doing to prepare my
bike for the ride?
What creature comforts would you recommend?
What should I pack (and
NOT pack)?
Other questions I'm too dense to even think to ask?
ETC...

Thanks,
Mike

Mike,

I've been on a few major rides and I have learned that, for me, the least I carry the more I enjoy the adventure. For instance, I carry 2 jeans, two shorts, 6 "T" s, six bloomers and 3 pair of sox. On the 5th day, I wash laundry. One convertible jacket (liner in, liner out) and full rain gear. Gloves.

I carry a tooth brush & paste, electric shaver, LARGE Gold Bond powder, mentholated and Excedrin. Nail clippers, a tiny sewing kit and my all purpose tools which includes a tire kit for 4 flats. I also carry a full first aid kit w/ snake bite and bee sting kit. Tom, who I ride most rides with, carries a compressor and jumper cables.

I also carry a pair of clear/amber shades, cell phone, GPS, Laptop (wifi) and a couple bottles of water and granola bars.

I make sure my bike has fresh oil, and fresh air in the tires. You need to make sure you have almost new tires for a trek like this. You don't want to spend one whole day in the shop, then riding like a mad man to catch up with the rest of us a whole day ahead of you.

Remind me to tell you my story of a 9K ride I did with Barry Hall. 28 days on the road with just the clothes on his back and a Pancho for a rain suit. Now that was an adventure. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Mike, Blue has it down, I only carry one pair of jeans and 4 long sleeve T sirts, there is always a bar with a T shirt I want or a Wal-Mart around the corner. flip flops are ways nice at the end of the day, all day in boots get a little rough by the third day.

I have a T bag I set on my sissy bar that I carry in the room at night and use a bike cover to keep the rain off and the saddle bags out of site.

it will be cold crossing the Canadian Rockies so be prepard,a good rain suite, you nay have to spend $100 plus. Money if you plan on $200 a day you should be safe.
it will be most excellent !

Mike....I concur with what both Blue and Greg have described, above. For my two cents, I would suggest Exofficio under shorts and t-shirts as they can be washed at night when you shower and they will be dry in the morning, or you can dry them while riding. I took two pair to my recent trip to Costa Rica and they worked great. And added benefit is they wick away moisture from you skin which can contribute to monkey butt when riding your scoot. As Blue stated, the more you carry the more trouble it becomes. Pack light! Remember, each day the people you meet have no idea you've been wearing the same clothes for two weeks in a row.

As far a preping you ride. Change the oil to synthetic if you don't already use it. This way you won't need to do an oil change on the road. I'd bring along 1 quart of the oil you use just in case you can't find something compatible if you have to top off the crank case. I, too, carry tire plugs and a 12-volt pump, mc jumper cables and medical supplies. If you have tube tires on your ride, bring a long a can of fix-a-flat. You are not going to be able to patch a tube flat on the side of the road. Also, if you have tubed tires, bring along an extra tube and rim strip. Any MC shop along the way can change a tube or replace a tire, but they most likely will not have a tube or rim strip to fit your wheels. Also, bring along any part for your bike that you think might possibly break so you can fix it yourself or at least have it available for a mechanic to use. These items might include: throttle/clutch cables; drive belts; toe shifters; head light bulbs, clutch and brake levers; oil filter if you expect to change your oil on the road, etc.

Roadside Assistance: I have complete roadside assistance plans throught Harley-Davidson and the American Motorcycle Association. AAA also has such a plan if you also have their basic plan. You can add the recreational addendum to cover motorcycles. I've used these plans before and have certainly got my money's worth out of them.

Try to bring clothes that have dual functions. Convertable jackets that be used for warmth when in the mountains and on the plains when it's 100 degrees, for example. If there is any significant wear on your current tires, put new ones on. This will be a 6K plus mile ride over varrying road conditions (maybe including some dirt and gravel ones). Good tires are a mandatory requirement. Of course, cell phone (mandatory) and GPS unit with up todate mapping software. A loptop is nice but not necessary if your cell phone is email capable plus most decent hotels have internet access for free in their lobbies.

Be prepared to put regular gas in your tank. A lot of gas stations out west only carry regular. NEVER pass up a gas station if you know you are down to 1/2 a tank. Some times you may find yourself having to travel more than a 100 miles between gas stations.

Bring sun block! As you rise up in altitude, the sun becomes more intense and you have a much greater chance of getting sunburned. It's not much fun to have your arms and face looking like you just got out of a blast furnace.

Bring tools that can be use to make repairs on the road, if necessary. Of course, not your whole garage, but tools, bits, wrenches, etc., that will fit all those things on a bike that can become loose and need to be secured.

Maps: bring good maps so you know where you are and where you are going.

Bring ample cash: some places where we stop may not take credit cards. Be prepared for that.

Bring an ATM/debit card so you can get cash a long the way and not have to carry all your cash with you.

Rain gear; water proof boots; shoes to walk around it; flip flops....

Helmet with face shield: when it rains out west, it can also hail and hail can be painfull with out a face shield. The wind screen on your bike is no good for rotecting your face from hail.

I'm sure there's something we forgot to tell you, but I'm sure that will be brought up well before we take off in July.

mike

Mike - not much more to say than what Blue, Jabbers, and Sister Mary have already stated...except

DO NOT FORGET

bungee cords - they can be a life saver [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

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Thanks to everyone for their input -- VERY HELPFUL!

Blue, is the Gold Bond powder used as anti-monkey butt powder??

aviaator wrote:Thanks to everyone for their input -- VERY HELPFUL!

Blue, is the Gold Bond powder used as anti-monkey butt powder??

Here is what I'm talkin' about!

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Blue, you crack me up!

PS nice bike in the vid

If y'all are interested, another VA to MT ride report from advrider.com:

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Thanks for the info. I'm always interested in reading other riders adventures. I can' wait to get going.

just can not wait guys !!!

Another tidbit: read on another forum that we should get on the "Going to the Sun" hiway early in the AM or else we'll get stuck behind an endless line of cages, tour buses and RVs. Maybe spend the night just outside the park entrance and go early AM....

I don't think I'll sleep the week before the trip. I'm excited!!

Blue, sent you a PM. Let me know if you didn't get it.