So the next question I have is about how much you spend on a touring trip. I am unemployed and have been for the last year due to my brain injury, and am alittle low on greens. However I would like to take some 2 or 3 day touring trips midweek by myself. What is the average expense of a trip like this, and is there a big difference financially between hotels and camping? D'oh I must be getting senile, of course there is a big price difference between hotels and camping. Also, how do you plan what backroads to take? What atlas, or website, etc? Thanks for your responses.

 

I always consult Pashnit.com for riding as well as of course asking around.
Sometimes I'll find a rider at a food or gas stop and ask about roads in the area I'm in. Most people are only too happy to talk about their local roads.

After my last trip, I have decided no more hotels if possible. At least not planned. I found myself skipping a road I wanted to take, or riding far beyond exhaustion because of the lack of a place to sleep being in the middle of nowhere and all.

I understand you can get a national parks camping permit for not too much but I'm not sure where. I tried searching on the parks site, but didn't find much.
Are you medically disabled at this point? You get a huge discount at the parks if you are. I have seen many non-state campgrounds for less than $15.

Cheap motels still seem to cost too much anymore. It cost me $70/night even in the middle of nowhere. I don't think I've seen a motel cheaper than aout $40 in a long time.

Don't forget ~$15 every 140 miles or so for gas. It starts to add up once you cross the 1k mark on the trip

Down your way, death valley is supposed to be unbelievable and with the mountains, you can escape the heat for a break throughout the day. Superstition mountains in AZ are great as well.

 

At 50,000+ miles a year I'm not even going to add up how much it costs me!

My tire bill every year scares me enough as it is!

 

I think you already answered yourself about camping vs motels. Personally, I prefer motels as I tend to take longer trips and have not figured out how to carry all the gear needed for comfortable camping. Besides, at my age I feel I have earned the right to a good night's sleep. The HOG atlas is good with scenic roads highlighted but, except for the larger size, I prefer the Rand McNalley Road Atlas. It has many more back roads than the HOG book and does an excellent job of marking the really interesting and scenic roads.
Ride Free/Ride Safe

 

We figure $300 a day for a reasonably nice road trip. Hamptons/Hiltons, local eats, gas for about 400 a day, and some entertainment.

 

As long as your riding, who cares what the cost is? I hotel and camp, not because of cost, but do to available accomodations where I'm riding!

 

A great option (budget) for lodging on the road are KOA sites! Accomodations vary from location to location, but that are almost always more economical than motels. They all have showers & laundry facilities too....

They are really cheap and surprisingly, they are in or near most cities.

We've used them and been very satisfied!!!

 

The KOA camp's sometime's has old camper's you can rent really cheap, if you dont have a tent.
I rented an old Cabover one in Colarado for $12 a day.

 

Camp grounds, cheap three man tent (perfect for one), thermarest under the sleeping bag, carry a few cans of tuna & some tortillas (last forever)...and gives you plenty of flexibility...gee got here late, what am I gonna eat. A few bottles of water, a sawed-off, old, cheap 12 gauge, single shot by your side (check with feds for legal length of two pieces, packs easy) just in case someone wants to take your scoot, or your ****. And, my favorite, a multi-fuel, one burner stove that will burn anything....gas, diesel, kerosene, etc.

Now hit the campground in your own timetable (never found a no vacancy sign for a tent) put your gear up, eat out or eat in, quick hot shower, maybe run into the local town, get back, secure the scoot....snooze with ole 'betsy' by your side. Rise when you want, do the doo-doo thing, fire up the little stove to get the coffee going, pack up your **** (while having some coffee), and hit the road at your leisure.

Next day same thing, and so on. When the weather gets shitty, hit the motel...you deserve it.

 

500 mile days, motel nights, fast food, for me only: about $90-100/day. Last trip I shared motel expenses with another rider so cost dropped to about $75-80/day. Nine days: $780.00.
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