I am planing a long motorcycling trip this summer and while cruising the Adventure Riders site I found this site called "Couch Surfing". How it works is that you join the free site and register. In doing so you are agreeing to do one or all of the following things: let someone sleep on your couch, have coffee or a drink with them, or, show them around your town. You have the right to decline any requests that you don't want to meet.
Other than possible security issues this sounds like a pretty inexpensive way to travel. Here is the site:
> I am planing a long motorcycling trip this summer ...
So, what's the itinerary that you have in mind?
Kent
I am still working on the whole thing. My original plan was to solo tour Canada all the way out to BC and then return along the northern U.S. States, but I am flexible. I sold my BMW F800ST to a very interesting Chinese guy who invited me to accompany him on his tour starting from NYC, and going to New Orleans, Roswell, New Mexico, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, South Dakota, and back to NYC.
He plans to do all that in three weeks because of his employment, but I think that pace is just too fast for me. I may do a "shake down tour" of the easterly half of Canada as a test of my endurance and my ability to sleep overnight in a backpacking tent on the ground and get up the next day and ride for 400-600 miles without killing myself, before I make any final plans for the trip.
USA-Canada-Mexico
Sounds okay to me but you could probably find just as many across the country on this board that would be glad to put you up for a night, let you do some laundry, check the air in the tires and such.I had a dozen or so this year at my house and I stayed at a lot more on my trips.
I suggest you drop in a Harley dealership and pick up their RIDE ATLAS of North America. It has a wealth of information for biking across the entire USA-Canada and Mexico including information on state parks and other camping sites along the way.
The guide is about $40 and has all the Harley dealerships, which you will not need but it has some excellent planning maps and suggested routes. I got mine wining the worse hand in a poker run but I would have forked out the cash if I hadn't.
I took some really long trips this year and I found that I could do a marathon day, then a short day and just keep mixing those up. 300 miles was easy and 500 was pretty tough but I just let my body tell when it was time to toss out the bag and kick back. Usually in some very scenic spot where I could walk around, explore and take some photo's.
All this on the Sporty this past summer. No windshield, little rain gear and just a passion to be on the road to see America.
Have fun Merlin. Black side down, shiny side up and watch out for the cagers.
I will be picking up a new soft tail in the next few weeks so I will have a windshield and a lot more storage room for the colder trips. The little bag I have now can only hold so many rolled up shirts and cans of monkey pricks. 🙂
Couch Surfing+SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT IDEAR-
Death of a Salesman - Steve Goodman
A traveling salesman stopped for gas, as it was getting late.
He sure was getting tired, and it was snowing on the Interstate.
He says, "Will you fill her up, my friend, and see if my oil's alright,
And do you know a place where a tired-out traveling man might spend the night?"
The attendant winked at him and says, "I'll bet you've been around.
Well the man who puts up lodgers here is known as Farmer Brown.
You'll find him in that old stone house that's just at the edge of town,
And he has a fifteen-year-old daughter who likes to fool around."
The salesman winked right back at him and a smile came to his lips.
He paid for the gas and the oil and then he gave that man a tip.
He started out and pushed that old gas pedal down to the floor.
He was off like a bat and in nothing flat he was at the farmer's door.
The door opened up and a beautiful girl says, "Won't you come on it?"
That traveling salesman's tongue was hanging out like Rin-Tin-Tin.
"That old gas station attendant said I would find you here,
And do you have a suitable room you could rent to me, my dear?"
"Alas, kind sir, I'm sorry but the last one's gone, you see.
So if you want to spend the night, you'll have to sleep with me."
He says, "How fortuitous, my pretty little miss!"
And he throws his arms around her and he gives that girl a kiss.
Now her warm and tender ruby lips he scarcely could believe,
And he never saw the hammer she had hidden up her sleeve.
She said, "I'm geting sleepy. It's time to go to bed."
And as they turned to climb the stairs she whupped him on the head.
The very next day, the salesman's car, with brand new license plates
Was sitting at Farmer Brown's Gas Station out on the Interstate.
So all you traveling salesmen who might be passing through,
Better watch your step or the traveling salesman joke will be on you!
Rankin
At least he died with a grin on his face.;-)
USA-Canada-Mexico
Thanks Deral for the info. Where was that pic taken?
Merlin
Judging by the topography and if my memory still serves me well, that photo is atop Mount Scott... about 25 miles west from Deral's abode in Oklahoma.
I'm sure he'll verify this shortly.
Kent
Mike: I had no idea OKLA had topography like that. Shows what I know.
