Trip Plans, FAQ, Route Map, Equipment and Preparations

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Trip Plans

The basic trip details are as follows; I will be riding my motorcycle from Los Angeles, CA (leaving 6/7/16) to Morgantown, WV (arriving 6/13/16) for a motorcycle gathering with about 350 other motorcyclists. This gathering, called INZANE will last for about 5 days. Then I will be heading south to Baton Rouge, LA (arriving 6/17/16) for a few days to see old friends before heading home. Sounds simple, right? Well, as anyone who has ridden a motorcycle long distances knows all to well, it's not simple at all. Road conditions, weather, potential mechanical issues and a myriad of other factors make this a serious undertaking.

So, why am I doing it? That's the question that I get most often from friends, family and co-workers. The short answer is "Because I need to." The longer answer is far more complex. When you're riding, everything that is important comes into sharp focus and everything that isn't important falls away. It's a renewal, a purging, a hard disk cleanup for the mind and soul. Three weeks utterly alone on the bike is about as close to true meditation as someone like me will ever get. Non riders rarely understand either answer.

FAQ's

1. "Don't you know that motorcycles are dangerous?" I have been riding for a long time, I've crashed badly before and I'm a former EMT. I am well aware of the dangers.

2. "What happens if the bike breaks down?" I'll fix it. I'm good at that sort of thing.

3. "Are you riding with a group?" No, I ride alone. This allows me to ride my own ride my own way and not be beholden to anyone else.

4. "Are you a member of a motorcycle club (MC), gang, etc?" No, nor have I ever been. I am an independent rider. Weirdly, I get this a lot. People watched too much Sons of Anarchy, I guess.

5. "Why are you called the Alien?" Because my bike is called the Mothership.

6. "Why is your bike called the Mothership?" Because I'm called the Alien.

7. "Why are you going to ride all the way across the country to hang out with a bunch of bikers?" I heard there might be pie.



Route Map

My route map is below. You can click on it and zoom in.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1fCcbE61WoOGUHeHglWUqgezjP3E

<iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1fCcbE61WoOGUHeHglWUqgezjP3E" width="640" height="480"></iframe>



Equipment


The Bike

The Mothership is a 1998 Honda Valkyrie Standard, upgraded to Tourer spec. The Valkyrie is a 6 cylinder "power cruiser" based on a hot-rodded version of the Goldwing engine. It is a huge motorcycle, weighing in at over 800lbs empty and close to 1200lbs with myself and all of my gear onboard. In order to make these kind of trips easier and more comfortable, I have fitted a large windshield, saddlebags, two piece tailbag, throttle lock, Corbin seat with rider back rest, handlebar bag (for snacks), footboards to replace the pegs, crashbar mounted highway pegs, two 25 ounce insulated bicycle water bottles mounted to the windshield bracket and an Airhawk seat cushion. I've also installed a 12 volt socket inside of one of the saddlebags to charge my phone and power a small compressor. She rolls on Avon Cobra tires.

Here's what she looks like loaded for a trip.





Water Bottles







Other Equipment

I will be using an HJC modular helmet with a Sena 10 Bluetooth communicator installed. (Gotta have some music.) I'll be wearing the same boots, gloves and armored leather jacket that I've been using for the last 10 years. They have served me well. I will be updating this blog on a Microsoft Surface 2 tablet. Pictures and video will come from my Motorola Droid Turbo 2 and a Go Pro Hero 2 mounted on the bike. I will be carrying a first aid kit, a small Coleman 12 volt compressor, a tire repair kit, a selection of tools, some spare parts, some cleaning supplies, a frying pan, a Coleman 1 burner propane stove, a Coleman 16 quart ice chest, a one man dome tent a Walmart sleeping bag and a Coleman single air mattress.

Preparations

Trip planning began in January, but with my work schedule, a lot has been put off for the last minute. I have gone over the bike with a fine tooth comb, checking for loose fasteners, leaks and performing routine maintenance and lubrication. I have not made arrangements for nightly stops along my route as I don't want to have to reach a certain destination on any given day. I will ride as far as I want to and stop when I feel like it. Google Maps, AAA Trip-Tik, and Gas Buddy are the tools that I've used to plan my route and calculate costs.

More to come...

Ride Safe,

Alien

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Comments

[nancy]

hello
Safe travels friend...looks like fun and peace of mind to get out there...keep us meir mortals in costume posted

[Jim Rinehardt]

Scott, your dad told me about your trip yesterday. Wow what an adventure. Enjoy yourself and stay safe.