I know this has proballity been covered more time then you can image. I'm have to go to Gulfport, MS from Kansas City Area for work later this month and thought this would be the chance for trip a road trip on the companies dime . Have been riding for about two years but nothing longer then day trips. Would like some advice from the more seasoned rider's on tips to make the trip better or things to avoid. Or should I just fly down Not liking the sound of that. Thanks

 

Ride. Pack only what you need. Rain Gear is a must. Make sure your bike is in good riding order, tires, oil change, etc. I pack a small air compressor and tire plug kit. I have tools. After you pack everything in/on the bike go for a ride before hand to make sure any bags or things strapped down will stay put. If you don't know the area you are in and can't afford to get lost time wise stay on major highways. If you can get lost do it, the places I find when i'm lost are usually better than my intended destinations. How much time do you have to get there?

 

Warm clothes and a rainsuit no matter how nice the weather forecast is a must.

All the real road trips I have ever taken have been work related. I never seem to find the time to do them without a money making excuse.

The only real problem I ever had was I did run into an unexpected storm once. Time was an issue, but I had no choice but to hole up in a Waffle House for a few hours and watch a tornado touch down less than a mile from me.

I was lucky that the worst part of the storm passed very quickly and I only lost a few hours. If the weather had stayed like that the whole day, I would've lost more money on that trip from not being where I was supposed to be than what fun I had.

All that being said, I am making the same trip again next month and have done it every year since the bad one, even when the weather forecast is questionable. I will have my first real rainsuit with me this time. Do it if you can or you will always wish you would've.


Dennis

 

Brockstwrt,
I have two days to go about 780 miles.

Dennis,
I think you are right in if I don't do it I will wish I had and regret it. Thanks to both and ride safe.
Anthony

 

If you can swing it, go for it. I just passed on an opportunity earlier this week and am kicking myself. Get back from two days and it starts raining and cools off... Make sure there is good security for your scoot where you're headed and study your route prior to leaving so you have it down. Bring a small map with printed directions in case you get spun around. If you know where you're headeed, all the better.
Have Fun and Good Luck~!

 

By all means RIDE! Some top notch advice has already been given so no need to rehash those elements.

You might consider "front loading" your trip. That is, make the most miles the first day... that way you can loaf longer if you want to on the second day. I cage (on business) from SE OK to KC at least once a year (winter). For my biking tastes, KC to around Carthage is a bit bland... so I would tend to pass through it ASAP and get to the good stuff and then ease up and enjoy.

What route are you planning on taking?

 

Without repeating all the good advice above, I'll just add if your breaking for the night in a big town, make sure you drive thru to the other edge, that way you aren't waiting in rush hour traffic the next morning. Extra 20 min at night or an hour of stop and go traffic in the morning.

 

LAMing,
Right now I'm planning on taking Rt 13 south to springfield, MO and then heading east to Rt 63 then south until i get to I-55 outside of Memphis then Interstate the rest of the way to Gulfport, MS. I will leave home Sunday have to be there by Tuesday and then leave Thursday afternoon to head to Shreveport, LA as I have work to do there over the weekend then leave for home Monday getting back on Tuesday/Wednesday when I get back. I have not planned a route yet to Shreveport or to home yet. More and likely from Gulfport to Shreveport will be all interstate since I have to leave Gulfport Thursday afternoon and be in Shreveport first thing Friday morning.

 

Have fun and ride safe.

 

arross:

I'm sure you'll see some nice country with your proposed route.

IF you would like to see some really nice scenery and ride some fantastic roads, another option would be head south out of Springfield on US 65 to Harrison, AR, then at Harrison pick up Arkansas Hiway 7 and run that south to Russellville. There you can hit I-40 and run it to Memphis to continue your way.

Hwy 7 is regarded as one of the best rides in Arkansas, and will take you by the "Grand Canyon Of The Ozarks", as well as lots of other superb scenes. The mountain town of Jasper, AR has some great "Ma & Pa" type places to eat, also.

You're going to have a ball no matter what you do... but thought I'd share with you some of my many decades of familiarity with the Ozarks of Arkansas in case you weren't aware of that area.

FWIW: Here's a Mapquest link that may/or may not work to illustrate the route:

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?1c=Kans...en_US:M:/bl:/e

Whatever you decide ride safe and have fun!