Plus one on the Backroads, I much prefer them over the Interstates... more local food and local color.... Had a great time in Santee.Marion state park with folks from all around the country, shared there food and stories.

That "Spot" that was mentioned... I'm gonna order one right now.

 

I have a Spot I use on long rides so my wife can track me and for ride records. She knows if she ever sees me stopped for any length of time without calling her or sending a message it wont be good.

You can find a used Spot on craigslist for $40-45. Make sure you get the EIN number and call it in to make sure they have unregistered it before you pay for it.

A new unit will cost $150 but there are some $50 rebates out there. The annual service fee is $150.

As far as carrying a gun. I like guns and have a safe full. When I am in the car travelling with family I have one in the car. On a bike never. I'm with Twisted on this topic. I've been all over the country on a bike. Good places, and not so good places. I don't fear where I travel and if I did, I would leave. That includes a bar where they actually asked me if I was a cop when I got my first beer. I'm not, and it became one of my favorite spots. Carrying a gun on a bike says more about the guy carrying than the places he travels to.

 

It's been many years since The Trip (I still think of it that way!), but I spent just over two weeks riding solo from Nebraska up to Minnesota and down to Arkansas ... I spent two nights in motels.

The rest of the time I would stop at a mom-and-pop shop or (even better) bait shop and ask if they knew somewhere I could pitch a tent and have a small fire. Several nights I wash able to fish for my dinner... other days I'd stop at a supermarket and get something that could be campfire-cooked.

That was long ago. These days, I'd probably look for cheap motels...

 

Thanks for the compliment, but I've had to learn my limitations the hard way unfortunately. So maybe not so smart - just "educated".

Based on the above - my guess is the OP has the gun thing figured out.

I don't carry because I don't want to deal with cross-state hassles, firearms prohibited zones like many restaurants, malls, hospitals, parks, campgrounds, hotels, etc. (permits don't help there) Plus mainly, I feel that I would relax my "awareness" levels. Situational awareness is my primary defense. A gun would throw that off in my case.

 

Smart man , why nobody else can catch that simple thought scares me sometimes in here .

 

Thats my view. My first long trip was a few months ago. Atlanta area to Fayetteville AR, 750 miles........never an interstate, all back roads and small towns. Those small town people were always eager to talk to me..........nicest people ever. Some of the best sights, never any traffic. That trip took me 3 days to give you an idea of what kind of pace I was taking

 

One big step down from that is a Google Latitude app for your smart phone, if you have one. Does the same thing basically except it is a phone. So, provided you have signal, you have the 911 option. If, you have signal. It's a cheap alternative, but not perfect.

The Spot tracker works pretty much everywhere. I can tell you, I know more than one rider that has had to push that button. It can be a life saver.

Did you hit the General Store in Oark off 215? Great food on a great road.

 

Took my first " road trip " at 17 on a yamaha 250 2 stroke in 1971 , maybe 400 miles round trip those days not many super slabs around yet . Got hooked spent a week spare changing the boardwalk in Atlantic City by day and banging all the tourists daughters in the sand at night . Set a trend for the rest of my life . Small towns are the place as you found and people are bored , a new face on a bike loaded up has never failed to start conversations and the party rolling . What's not to love about it , really .

You got started late in life but good for you getting a taste of what it's really all about , most in here never will .

 

Interestingly the fact that I mentioned I can/do on occasion carry sparked a debate, and a bunch of opinions on my possible character/personality.... It's a given that you don't announce to anyone that you are armed. Had I not mentioned it... the debate would not have gone on.

Frankly, I see more Riders putting people at risk much too often by using alcohol when they ride. When a guy drinks and rides he puts people at risk..

So if a guy carries legally while he rides, drives or walks I have no problem with that, he puts no-one at risk.

 

Nope, I was north of there, Hwy 16 mostly heading west from Clinton. The riding was awesome, hilly and twisty. A lot of places like this closed gas station, ran out of gas about five miles after this pic