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Aussies 2017 Ride

38K views 394 replies 32 participants last post by  MnShadowgal 
#1 ·
Well we are at it again. - you just think 2017 is a long way away!:wink2: We have to get ready to be able to make reservations mid year so we are busy making plans.
We hope to arrive in the USA on August 4th, 2017 - beginning our ride on Monday 7th, exiting the USA about September 8th/9th

We have had two ideas or sets of where we would like to go - In the end we have decided to 'see/ride' the New England, area this time. The following ride, 2019/20, and possibly the last 'big' ride, will see us be in the USA for several months and will see us re-ride US HWY 101, parts of California, Nevada and on down to the southern states to make our way over to Florida, up to GA, SC, NC then back to our exit point. With this plan we should be able to tick off all the US states except Alaska, and technically Hawaii (we have been there but not on the bike)

We have spent the last couple of days planning a route - again not yet set in stone as we have to check accommodation options for where we hope to overnight and this will be the thing to do over the next couple of days.

We needed to do a bit of a fill in at the beginning of the ride to get over to the NE on a weekend - so some of the start is 'new' scenery and a small portion is a re-ride.

We will start at Washington state, head into BC Canada for a couple of days to see the area, some of you are visiting in 2016. Then into Montana, Kalispell to re ride the Going to the Sun road (Eric's grin and eyes got wide at that idea) into Browning and we will largely ride Hwy 2 across to PA. We are going to spend a day on the Michigan Peninsula to ride the 'Tree Tunnel'.
We are going to skip the Niagara Falls.
Overnight at Watkins Glen State Park to see a plate collision zone that Bill told me about a couple of years ago.
Into Pennsylvania before heading over to the New England area for about 7-ish days. We had to shorten our time spent here to have enough time to ride back to our exit destination. Highlights will be the Arcadia NP and Hopewell Rocks in the Bay of Fundy - love that name :smile2: Maybe an overnight in a train carriage with info courtesy of the Fossil's trip planning for 2016 (thanks guys)
Also time spent in the Adirondack and Green Mtns areas.
We are going to make time to ride a couple of the 2015 motorcycle top rides - the Shelburne Falls Loop in Massachusetts, and a second one - the Catskill Preserve in New York state. From there we will begin the ride back to the NW. On the ride back over to the NW we are going to ride to cross off a couple of more states, and it will be just to ride through and skim them really - Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska, scootin' through Wyoming, into Montana, Idaho and into back Washington with a couple of days spare before catching our flight back home. Some of these we do not have specific things to see but that is okay as we will see whatever is on each side of the road. We mostly use a AAA map book, which has the 'scenic' roads highlighted so we hope it will be beautiful. We also use Google maps to help us plan the miles to ride each day and to consider time spent riding but also factor time for comfort stops, food etc.
As time goes by we will continue to give you all more info. Wanted to give you the earliest info as we had been planning a very different ride - but typically we have changed our minds. Have a great day all V and Eric
 
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#138 ·
I are going to give Y'all a short update.
It was a fun day spent riding with friends. Who would have thought that 7 years ago that the Aussie would be over here riding with a group of friends. Well we are.
With a 7 45 am KSU at spokane we left with 6 bikes to then meet up with one more bike 30 mins down the track. We spent a fair amount of time on the slab. Ron had a couple of secret byroads for us. Now I can't tell you where they are because they are secret.
Well I can tell you that it was a 700 photo day. There would have been more if there was not so much smoke around. But every day on a trip is what it is. Mark can't be everywhere putting out all of the fires so we can get good photos.
Well we will be getting ready to lead our friends astray. Eric
Heard through V's earpiece early in the day - "It is such a pleasure to ride with people who know how to ride - not like the Aussie's who ride like Brown's cows and go like a cut snake". I just burst out laughing and said "this has to go on GWOF - no-one would understand what you just said". and if you need translation it will have to wait, KSU is 7am - headed for Columbus for Breakfast - headed to Powell WY tonight and I need to add heat and water to get things moving. :smile2: Have a great day Y'all! V
 
#144 ·
Who would have thought that 7 years ago that the Aussie would be over here riding with a group of friends. Well we are.

And there are a bunch of us just waiting our turn.

Well I can tell you that it was a 700 photo day. There would have been more if there was not so much smoke around. But every day on a trip is what it is. Mark can't be everywhere putting out all of the fires so we can get good photos.

Well, I told them they are on their own this year. I have a ride planned.

Heard through V's earpiece early in the day - "It is such a pleasure to ride with people who know how to ride - not like the Aussie's who ride like Brown's cows and go like a cut snake". I just burst out laughing and said "this has to go on GWOF - no-one would understand what you just said". and if you need translation it will have to wait, V
Bring that translation to Coudersport.

Mark, Ingrid said she can handle it. Like Mom, she said so.
I'll keep that handy, thanks. Never know when I might do something stupid.
 
#141 ·
I'm still in Missouri by myself at the moment and have thought of every excuse I can think of to go back to Texas by way of PA, but Carol just ain't gona have any of it. You guys ride safe. I'm sure going to miss not meeting you this trip.
 
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#143 ·
I went as far as Belgrade, MT with the group. Had a wonderful time visiting with everybody. Rode home this morning, started out at 46* and got home to 95*. Just a little over 800 miles, a big trip for me! ;)
 
#145 ·
A great ride over the Beartooth today and across Chief Joseph SBWY. I snowed on us all of 90 seconds at the top of the world. That is all I have to say tonight the internet is intermittent but we arrived safely at Powell, WY. Tomorrow sightseeing in Cody, Thursday a ride around Big Horn Mountains. V
 
#149 ·
Today was a quiet day in Cody. The guys went to the Museum while we wandered up and down to stores. Tomorrow a ride aroud the Bighorn Mtns if the weather stays good. Finally have our internet and phone working properly. The phone number is 360 318 4769. Pack up tomorrow afternoon ready for an early start Friday for South Dakota.
 
#156 ·
Great ride around Bighorn Mtns this morning. We did get some text messages this morning - thankyou. "Jeff" from Sumas, a member here who hasn't been all that active is about to be moreso I think, (waving..... Hi Jeff!) well he has loaned us his SPOT so I will try to cut and paste the link tomorrow so you can watch us ride.....

We met a Floridian today in Powell, a member of GWOF, who's GWOF name is escaping me at the moment.- it was awesome that he and his wife made their way to our hotel so the group could meet them and chat awhile. Thanks for that! Will pass the 'puter to Eric now. V
 
#157 ·
Today began with a high of "yay< we are on schedule!",only for V to lock her helmet in the room. Our 6:30am start was delayed until about 8am as we had to wait for staff to come on duty to open it up for us but then we did get to have a quick breakfast with the others before they left on their return westward.
Today was a ride of just over 500m, we rode from Powell to Cody, Thermopolis, Shoshoni, Casper, Lusk, then into Nebraska, all on Hwy 18/20 E until Merriman where we turned left onto NE 61 to arrive at our hotel in Martin SD just on 7pm. It rained for the last 5mins - wouldn't you believe - so only a little damp & not saturated. A quick dinner at a "Bar"! V in a "bar"? no-one would believe it :surprise:
The winds were quite strong after Casper WY until Hay Springs NE, that was a relief for them to reduce the head yanks on the helmet.
I have to say NE Nebraska was a surprise - I was expecting a flat dry area but it was anything but. Quite a green pretty area. So we get to colour in another state.
Tomorrow onto Austin MInnesota and dinner with Darren and Sue. THe Aussies are on their way! V
 
#160 · (Edited)
Today began with a high of "yay< we are on schedule!",only for V to lock her helmet in the room. Our 6:30am start was delayed until about 8am as we had to wait for staff to come on duty to open it up for us
Better to lock a helmet in a room than a Hoon in a bathroom without a toothbrush. Mate, I've got another prank up my sleeve for you. >:)
 
#159 ·
I rode some of that stretch in Nebraska, from Gordon to Crawford, on my way home from Cody last time. Very pretty area, glad you enjoyed it.
 
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#162 ·
This morning we left Martin SD at 7am with a plan to breakfast at Mission, however on arrival, having gassed the bike we were told no diners in town but there are 2 in Winner, 40 miles away so off we rode - couldn't find anything so we asked a local and he gave us directions to Shirley's Diner. we were so starving by then, we appreciated a great breakfast.
The wind from then on was horrid and we seemed to be getting nowhere fast. Eventually we came to a crossroad where our GPS told us if we headed 22miles North we would get on the I-90E so we did. The immediate rest for my head was welcome. We expected the strong winds to return once we turned East but we found it did not so even the higher speed was tolerable. We arrived in Worthington on the I-90 at 3pm ish for a late lunch at the Perkins there and where we met Darren back in 2012 for the ride back to Austin. We checked into our hotel in Austin just before 6pm and met Darren and Sue for dinner and a wonderful 4 hours of conversation.
Tomorrow we are changing our itinerary. We will start a lttle later to arrive at Harmony, MN at about 10am as a store will open for V to spend an hour or so feeding a passion of hers. We have decided we need a short day and so are going to skip some sightseeing and head straight for our hotel in Spring Valley, Wisconsin from Harmony so only 4 or so hours on the road - but we are told Spring Valley is a lovely and interesting town so we will do a wander and some washing and be set to ride on to Illinois on Monday to meet with Bob and Kathi - Coudersport gets closer and closer :smile2:
I meant to tell you about this sweet couple we met in Hay Springs Nebraska, because we told them they would go into the Aussie's story of 2017. Their names were MariON and Howard, 83 & 84. She saw our motorbike and she was in love. Apparently she rode an Indian back in her 20's and was a "biker before there were bikers". They were the sweetest couple, asked our names and asked if they could give us a hug and wished us safe travels. MariON (my name is not Marianne! :smile2:) said she would have loved to go for a ride but her eyesight and her joints made that a bit scary now. It is encounters like these that gives us huge smiles as we travel and precious memories.
There was another elderly gentleman and his dog who were at a rest stop on their way to Lusk for a Wyoming State Trappers gathering, who talked to us as we removed our wet weather gear - he just seemed to want to talk to someone and it was our pleasure to listen to him and talk to him about Australia. We eventually said g'bye and continued onto Lusk, where we noted signs up all over welcoming "the Trappers". He would have mates to talk with soon enough. He talked to us about growing up around Thermopolis and working as a cowboy around Casper.
Around Lusk there were plenty of bikers and in light of Sturgis ending, zillions of them on the road - towns had the "welcome bikers" signs out everywhere - although we noted there were likely as many bikes on trailers as there were riders LOL! - Even horror of horrors a GOLDWING on a TRAILER! enough for now need to set the alarm for the morning and get some sleep. take care all. V
 
#165 ·
Me too. It's hard to live vicariously through others without pictures, but following along on the atlas helps.
:motorbike2:
 
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#166 ·
I know right? the no pictures thing! must ba an age thing... we find we are so tired at the end of the day there is no concentration for photo posting and in the more rural areas the internet is a fickle thing - dropping out constantly! and this is America! LOL!
 
#168 ·
Just got a text from Vanessa, they have arrived at their destination this evening around 5 with very little internet service.

Spring Valley, Wisconsin
 
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#169 ·
One of my biggest pet peeves during my trip was the lack of service for the web. Yeah, all the places I stayed said "free wifi" but half of them were bummers.
 
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#170 ·
One of my biggest pet peeves during my trip was the lack of service for the web. Yeah, all the places I stayed said "free wifi" but half of them were bummers.

That's why it's free. :laugh2:
 
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