Thursday, December 23, 2010

The Road



This is a route I could take if I get up the nerve to take a long trip on the old GS this spring. Starting in Madison, following the river for awhile to visit relatives who live in Ozark back country, then on to Tuscaloosa to hang out with a drunken poet, then meandering home. I'd probably not stick quite as tight to the interstate as this map suggests. I keep running it through my head and chickening out and then hardening the fuck back up. 1800 miles and I figure I can get 9 days off work, so that's only 20 miles a day, right? Wait...carry the 2...oh hell

8 comments:

tom said...

you can do it. cue the banjos.
This was my crappy attempt at documenting a trip four + years ago...

http://www.forumforfree.com/viewtopic.php?t=107&mforum=badmoto

tom said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dave-O said...

I thought we were going to NYC?

Dave-O said...

Oh, and its good to go back and read about your trip Tommy...

Ben said...

Thanks for the link Tom, I'll check it out.

Dave, the impression I got from that event page on MyFace was that the trip was too long for the time you and Tom could commit. If you are still interested in NYC I'll still consider it, but I have to say that the pull of the South in springtime is pretty strong! That and I've been to NYC before but not Alabama. And you are welcome to join me on this trip too.

aaron said...

You'll get used to spending time on the bike, and even if you keep it easy and fun, 400 miles a day will be no problem, and may even give you more free time than you really want when you stop for the night in an uninteresting place. Even with long and frequent gas stops. Plan on averaging about 50 mph with gas/whatever stops included. Very do-able with 9 days.
There's never a guarantee that any bike won't break down, but generally if you have a bike that everything is working on, and all you do is run it on the highway, it will keep running. Unless it's british, then it's the opposite--beat it all you want but don't try to get it to run more than 1000 miles in a row.
If you really don't trust the GS, just loan it to me and I'll take the trip for you. GS's love me. I'll take lots of pictures and say hi to whoever you want me to.

aaron said...

Wow Tom. I forgot how entertaining that was. HOG clowns are hilarious.

Ben said...

Great story, Tom! And Aaron, you're right I should trust the GS. It's never left me stranded. It's left me push starting, lightless, numb-nutted and covered in various types of oil, but never stranded.