April Trip - TX to CA

So my friends dad's 70th birthday is on April 19. He's in SoCal, I'm in CenTex. I'm contemplating on how to get there. I already have the vacation time set, April 15-25. Been looking at maps online and figuring distances, where to make fill ups and where to stay overnight.

I've done the drive several times, it's roughly 1,300 miles each way the most direct route. If I ride I'll be laboring through west Texas until I cut north towards Carlsbad, NM, and start taking a more scenic route. The route goes through several National Forests in NM and AZ and by the time I get to San Diego it'll be around 1,600 miles. I'll have to make at least two overnight stays somewhere either at a motel or a campground I s'pose. In Artesia there's an RV park that has tent camping for $15/night for instance. Once I get to SW Arizona and have to drive through the desert into CA... until I get to San Diego County it's pretty boring and monotonous. Not sure I can handle that on a motorcycle without cruise control and by myself...

So the dilemma is: take my truck with bike in back and go direct or take the bike and the scenic route. Would anyone be available to ride with me at least part of the way? Suggest routes? I'm not looking for an Iron Butt award as my back and this bike don't quite like each other for long distances. Any input would be appreciated. I think I'm leaning towards taking the truck.

Dave

P.S. The last time I drove out I went from Elgin, TX to Willcox, AZ in a day (about 840 miles) and could've made Tucson easy but had reservations in Willcox. I can go much farther in a day in a cage than on a bike.

Get a Throttlemeister, it's a great throttle lock that will give your right hand a great rest. Remember, out west, if you take the Interstate, you can eat up a lot of miles quickly because the posted speed limit in most part of Texas and Arizona and NM is 75 and 80 mph.

Ride the bike, If you really don't want to ride it back to Texas, there are plenty of forum members who will garage the bike for you and you can fly home. Come back and get the bike another time or I'll ride it back myself.

Good idea on the Throttlemeister though I do have Renthal bars so I'd have to get them to ship me the right size to fit.

I really don't want to pass up the opportunity to ride through the national parks. Might even detour to hit 4 Corners, Monument Valley and maybe something else. The ride back I'd have a little more time.

Yes, Interstate 10 west of Junction through to about El Paso is 80mph except going through some towns. I've made that drive half a dozen times (TX to CA and back). Been snowed on in El Paso once.

I also learned that New Mexico's "Safety Corridor" is really a high fatality area and not a safe freeway at all. They want you to be safety conscious. I guess it's easy to click along at 110mph since it's so wide open, then people crash. I got delayed the last time out in NM because a big rig crashed and shut down I-10 near Lordsburg.

Got this from wristtwisters.com:

"Contacted Throttlemeister and Fred is the man to speak with. He told me that none of their product would work on the Renthals as the bars have to have at least a 16mm inner diameter. As the Renthals have a 14mm they would not work with out drilling the end of the bar bigger."

Apparently Kaoko cruise control from twistedthrottle.com is a fit for Renthal bars. I'll have to give them a call.

Kaoko is a no-go for the 14mm ID Renthal bars. Dangit. I'll have to figure something else out.

Also the average temps for the mountain areas of NM and AZ are 30's and 60's in April. That's a bit chilly to be riding in for 500 or so mile days. As the time nears I'll be getting closer to figuring out what to do. I might just load the bike up in the truck and drive out. It'll cost double on gas but will take only a day and a half to get out there.

I'd love to make a trip coast to coast to coast (FL to CA to FL).

Probably I might have to be retired in order to have the free days available needed to do it !!!!!!



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AngelFZ said:

I'd love to make a trip coast to coast to coast (FL to CA to FL).

Probably I might have to be retired in order to have the free days available needed to do it !!!!!!

Click to expand...

For reals! I had thought about riding to Florida too. I've been to Tallahassee, through Jacksonville and to Daytona on a business trip. Would love to ride the gulf coast from Pensacola down to ?.

I found a cheap little helper, the Go Cruise throttle control. Maybe that will come in handy on the longer, boring highway rides.