there's a lot to be said here:

"it's not about the destination, it's about the journey"

 

If you do decide to ride Texas this time of year, watch out for deer as the RUT may be starting and the bucks go crazy.
Lone Star rally starts on 11/6

 

So as the day gets closer the plan refines itself. As a newbie to this thing, I would've just packed my crap and twisted the throttle for 4 days until I got to Corpus Christi. I would've got off the bike, bitched about my back and butt and then told everybody I saw how cool I was that I rode all the way to Corpus. All while in the back of my mind thinking..."Great, now I have to ride the thing back."

You guys helped point me in the right direction. Some of the issues brought up with crossing Texas had me thinking I didn't really want to do that without being able to take my time. That loop down around south texas would be bitchin'. But I just don't have the time to do it. So, I decided to cut the ride short by mileage...considerably. After much planning, I've decided to fly from Phoenix to Corpus Christi (actually takes two flights to do it, but since I'm in the airline industry I can hop on whatever flight has seats).

So it will take me just a little over 3 days to get to Phoenix from Clovis, CA. Pish Posh you say? Yup, I'm gonna overnight in Ridgecrest (God forsaken place on the east side of Sierras) My brother in law works for the China Lake weapons station there. Gonna Catch Monday Night Football with him. Then, strike out Tuesday morning for St. George Utah. My company HQ is there. So, I'll meet with some peeps I normally just get to talk on the phone, go out to dinner and then set out Wednesday morning for Flagstaff, transitioning through Zion National Park, the north rim of the Grand Canyon and then south to Flagstaff. Thursday morning, I'll wake up early and have the sun rise over me as I transition through Sedona. I'll pull up into the Phoenix Airport, rested and ready for the plane ride to Corpus. Then on the following monday I'll fly back and reverse course or take the south route through Los Angeles.

I'm thinking I'll need to clear my iPhone of all my current pictures to be able to take all the pictures I want on this ride....AND THATS WHAT I BOUGHT THIS BIKE FOR.

So, again...Thanks for helping me get focused on what was important.

I'll post pics here when I get back.

Mike

 

Sounds like a great plan - and you've figured out why people tour on bikes, not just make miles like in a car.

 

Here's a pic indicating that no matter how much planning you do, you'll always run into adversity.



Ended up being about 3 miles of gravel.

 

Have fun, while riding my MC home from work today I considered riding to shamrock Texas to visit a former coworker and have breakfast/ dinner. Then head home, this weekend, 2800 miles round trip. 1 day there, one day visiting and 1 day back. I have a 4 day weekend coming up so I may just go ahead and do it. Just for fun and show up unannounced.

 

Small town, not talking about Kyle are you? I try to stop in and visit whenever I pass through the area... good friend.



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For fun and adventurous trip. Leave cell phone at home. From your location, figure out which way is east and head that way trying to avoid the interstates. Strap sleeping bag to handlebars. Take only enough cash to get you have way. When additional gas money is needed, stop at a local watering hole and hustle people at a game of pool. If weather cools off, stop along road and pick up hot chick hitch hiking along the way, you know like the ones we see in commercials and movies. Carry only a change of underware. But for God sakes, make sure you have plenty of Marlboro cigarettes.

Enjoy!