I'm retiring in July and planning a solo trip from Atlanta to Jackson, WY(about 2000 miles) to visit my brother. I've never done anything like this before - furthest is a weekend trip with the Mrs.6 hours away. I'll have plenty of time on my hands so I plan on taking a conservative approach 300 - 400 miles per day. Mrs. stays home as she won'tretire until next year(sorry).

I've got the packing, tool kit and trip prep down with all the reading I have done on this forum. I do have a GPS. One concern is what do most of you experienced riders due to anticipate and or avoid bad weather. I do have a laptop I can take - do you look at weather maps in the evening at the motel and recalculate your route, wait out the big storms by extending your stay or suit up and ride it out. I've only been riding about 6 years so I'm not very experienced and frankly the weather worries me at times. I not real keen on riding hours through heavy thunderstorms and I don't want to get holed up in a motel room for an extra couple of days. I'm not looking for the perfect ride, just trying to narrow my opportunities to screw up.

Your advice would be appreciated.


2007 RG

 

First don't make it a 'monster', a little wind, a little rain.... I've always found the Weather Channel to be very helpful for pretty accurate info on what's happening where, depending on the variables you can skirt some or all of the big stuff if that's the case. I'd say it's a safe bet that covering a few thousand mile, you'll hit some rain. Make sure you have some decent rain gear and enjoy the ride, you're gonna love it. You'll do fine

 

I have found on long trips that rain is usually a moment rather than a day long affair. Thunderstorms generally happen in the mid afternoon, while weather fronts can be all day stuff. In July, check MSN.com Weather for rain and temperature averages for cities along your route. Good rain gear will help make the trip more doable, but in warm weather you may get wet, but then you'll dry out pretty quick too. Some guys will hole up until the rain passes.

I've ridden through afternoon thunderstorms a lot, and they usually are here and gone in 15-20 minutes. Watch out for hail though. It looks more green where you can see rain. don't even try to ride through hail.[8D]Just have fun. You're taking your time, so you'll do great.

 

You are retired, so you are in no hurry.
If weather is bad, wait it out.
I look at rain as God telling me to chill out in front of the fireplace.

 

When you hit the rain just keep in mind that millions of other people have gone through it too and no big deal. Stay calm and just enjoy the ride. You'll see it on the horizon ahead of you and on the excess headlights heading your way. That's your clue to pull off and suit up. DO NOT follow the big trucks. They'll make it less than enjoyable. DO NOT slow down to a crawl, that will get you rear ended by a young punk pissed off the rain is going to make him late for his next appointment he left 15 minutes late for to begin with. If you find yourself spooked, wait for the next exit and go to a gas station and wait it out, DO NOT park on the side of the highway or under a bridge. Your good tires will handle the wet roads just fine so you can trust them. Avoid the far right lanes as the trucks run there and create dips in the road that hold water in puddles. If you are forced to stay there, keep to the left of the center line in the lane. Roads are graded to run water off to the sides.
I always travel in shirts with pockets. They are a great place to put small towels to wipe the glasses. Remember to drink water while driving, the sun pulls a bit of moisture out of ya. Real men DOwear sunscreen and chap stick too! I store a stick next to the filler cap and re-apply at every fill-up. Nothing like getting to your destinantion and keeping quiet because it hurts too much to talk!
Have fun and enjoy the ride!

 

I have ridden in sunshine, rain, hail and snow all in one july day in the Rocky Mts.
Just take your time and enjoy

 

I actually kinda like riding in the rain... I like the feeling of drops hitting your helmet and rain suit. The bike handles great in the wet because you don't have to deal with hydroplaning as much as in a car.
Have fun on your ride and let us all know how it goes.
I have a very detailed packing list that I created for our upcoming ride to Alaska that I would be happy to send you if you want to crosscheck against someone else's list.

 

I have done a few cros country putts in my day... Only thing to remember is water (drink a bunch)... Sun Screen (use it).. Take your time (as you said you're in NO Rush...)

And the most imporant thing - WHAT YOU FORGET THERE IS A WAL-MART ALONG THE WAY...

Have a GREAT RIDE!

 

Rain gear made for motorcycle riding will take care of you in the rain. You should also take gloves, boots, and a biker leather jacket. I have been cold in WY in July. I carry chaps also but some on here seem not sure enough of their manhood to wear chaps.

Don't get too uptight about the weather because it always seems more threatening before the ride than once you are en-route.

 

Scorpio, what a great opportunity! I rode 900 miles back from the Florida Keys to south Atlanta last February in almost constant rain and cold, and became an unwilling "expert" in wet weather. The trip was fantastic despite the rain, and really developed my attitude about weather.

Riding in the rain is fun for the first 20 miles, and then gets to be a bit of a chore. A good rainsuit, gore-tex gloves and boots, and a full-face helmet makes a lot of difference, because you can stay dry - and that's the key to comfort.

I do my best to avoid the interstates when its raining; the mist coming up from cars and trucks around you make the rain seem much worse than it really is - the back roads and two-lane highways make even day-long storms much more comfortable.

Summer thunderstorms are unpredictable, but don't usually last very long. Last weekend, riding in 85 degree temperatures, we welcomed the cloud cover and cooler temperatures that a thunderstorm brought. The rain lasted only about 10 minutes and really cooled us off. We didn't even stop to put on our rain gear, and were dry within another ten minutes. I saw the storm on my iPhone weather radar during a pit stop, and diverted my route slightly to miss it. Still got a little wet, but the radar information helped us avoid a major group of red/yellow cells right in the middle of our intended route. For a cross-country trip like you are planning, you might consider an iPhone, Blackberry, or other device that will let you get internet radar updates conveniently. I find them to be invaluable.

If you have the flexibility, waiting out a day-long storm seems like a good idea if you can find a place that will capture your interest for a day or use the time to catch up on your email, internet, and reading. "Stopping to smell the roses" and all that really help the trip to become something other than a mileage fest.

Have an excellent trip! Don't be intimidated by the weather - and post lots of pics and a description of your trip! Jackson and the surrounding area are incredible, and you will have memories that will last your entire life!