Trip Out West - September 4 - 13, 2009

[Casper]

Ohio Riders Trip West 2009

4,000 miles in 10 days

Colorado, Utah, Missouri, Kansas, etc

Total trip cost between $900 and $1500 per person depending on how thrifty you want to be and how many people you share a hotel room with.

Friday - Kansas City

Hotel: Holiday Inn Express – 19901 Easy Valley View Parkway, Independence, MO 64057 Located at Exit #17/ Little Blue Parkway off of I-70

Miles: 650 miles

Saturday - Black Hawk (2 nights)

Hotel: AmeriStar or Isle of Capri

Miles: 638 miles

Website:

Rates: $130 per room

Monday – Ouray

Hotel: Ouray Chalet Inn

Miles: 377 miles

Website: http://www.ouraychaletinn.com/

Rates: $77 per room

Tuesday – Gateway

Hotel: Gateway Motor Inn

Miles: 200 +/-

Website: http://www.gatewaycanyons.com/

Rates: $265-315

Wednesday - Moab (2 nights)

Hotel: Kokopelli Lodge

Miles: 200 +/-

Website: http://www.kokopellilodge.com/

Rates: $72 per room

Friday - Dodge City

Hotel: Dodge House

Website: http://www.dodgehousehotel.com/

Miles: 670 miles

Rates: $75 per room

Saturday - Somewhere in Missouri

Hotel: Hampton Inn – Columbia or St. Louis

Miles: 593 (to St. Louis)

Sunday – home

Miles: 417+

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UPDATE 11/21/2008: Date has been set. September 4 - 13

UPDATE 01/07/2009: Rough itinerary has been made. Click for map. Mileage is rough estimate. Nothing is set into stone yet. Earache scoped out the roads in New Mexico and they're shit. We decided to use those three days for more mountain riding.

UPDATE 06/02/2009: Updated the itinerary. Attached is a zip file containing all of the MS Streets and Trips map files thanks to Earache.

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List of who's probably going: (help me keep this updated)

Earache

Casper

wolfman

zerocrash

Dweezel

Shittygsxr

Outlawz69

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[wolfman]

Count me in for this...sounds like a good time.

[Earache]

Earache, do you still have those maps you made up?

Ya mean this one? Just an outline of a trip I've done many times before....

[Casper]

Ya mean this one? Just an outline of a trip I've done many times before....

How many miles is that trip?

I know we'd talked about just riding and spending a few days in Colorado and New Mexico then riding back. I'm game for whatever. I'm doing this trip.

[Earache]

The one above is a 6-7,000 miler round trip. We could do a shorter version - forgot we discussed that. I'll see if I can find another saved map.

Edited November 17, 2008 by Earache

[Disclaimer]

You guys are sissies. Real iron-butts ride this ride.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=AK-1&daddr=62.186014,-145.50293+to:Key+West,+FL&hl=en&geocode=FRrOpQMdLjMR9w%3B%3B&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=6&via=1&sll=61.804284,-146.074219&sspn=7.717582,19.775391&ie=UTF8&ll=51.399206,-110.566406&spn=82.287121,158.203125&z=3

[Dweezel]

You should drag that little line further south through Nevada... anyone got an extimated cost on this trip?

[Earache]

The abbreviated one week off from work trip. 2,000 miles each way and easily done in 9 days, (one 5 day work week off and a weekend on each end of it). Takes in Colorado, Rocky Mtn Nat'l Park, Mt. Evans, Aspen, Ouray, Gateway with a side trip into Moab, Utah.....

Close up of the Colorado and Utah portions....

[Earache]

You should drag that little line further south through Nevada... anyone got an extimated cost on this trip?

Nevada in the summer is no fun at all. Utah is bad enough!

Bedrock, Colorado locate don the Utah / CO border. Nothing but an old store...

Mount Evans, highest road in the USA...

[Earache]

Route 50 in Bumfuck, Nevada....

Sweating in Eureka, NV - one of the two gas stops across the state...

[Earache]

... anyone got an extimated cost on this trip?

8 nights in hotel @ $100 each divided by two people = $400 lodging

4,200 miles @ 40 mpg = 105 gallons at $2.00 each = $210 fuel

9 days X $35 for food = $315

Total = $925

Add more if you like to drink and eat a lot, gambling money in casinos, etc. But I'd plan on at least $1,500 cash.

Plus, you'll need a set of brand new tires and a set of brand new brake pads, fresh oil change and a good chain. So factor that in as well. But that can be taken care of ahead of time.

Edited November 17, 2008 by Earache

[Dweezel]

I was thinkin Las Vegas Nevada, Just a litle further south

I may be able to do this, 1500 isn't too bad and I've always wanted to do this. Put me in the 'definite maybe' catagory

[Earache]

Ouray, CO....

Same shot in the winter. No bike this time though...

Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park...

Various Colorado pics...

Edited November 23, 2008 by Earache

[Earache]

And if we head to Santa Fe instead of Utah, expect this....

[Earache]

Santa Fe is very cool if you're into eating and drinking. Fantastic restaurants and bars in town. We stay at the Hilton Santa Fe - right in the middle of it all...

Canyon near Taos....

[cmoosego]

dang that looks sweet as hell..... if I can swing the cost by then I'm in!! and could save some money by staying with my Mom in denver..... give me an excuse to visit....

[Mandova]

My dream ride would be New Mexico and Arizona....heck anywhere out that direction would be amazingly fun!

I went to Yellowstone a few years back and it's so pretty out west. The country looks so big out there.

[Casper]

Santa Fe looks awesome. That has my vote.

[Earache]

Santa Fe looks awesome. That has my vote.

I'm going there for Christmas next month. Looking forward to it!

[jermattak]

i have always wanted to do this, but my bike wouldnt be able to make it

[Earache]

i have always wanted to do this, but my bike wouldnt be able to make it

Why not? My bud Joe rode his '02 R1 to California and back with me last year. And his bike had 60,000+ miles. My other bud Dave, who also did Cali last year with me, rode his '99 R6 to Cali and back with me in '05. Bike had around 40,000 miles on it. Joe is 45 years old and Dave is 43 or so. If the old farts can do it, so can you. Even though we're all old, we don't really baby our bikes much and ride at a decent pace.

If you have a Japanese bike with less than 35,000 miles on the clock, I'd say it's good to go. Bikes with more mileage than that should probably be gone over by a competent mechanic beforehand, but should still be able to make it.

I'll be riding my '02 ST1100 with 80,000+ miles on it ......again.

Edited November 18, 2008 by Earache

[Earache]

So Ben, what day are we going? Setting a firm date now might help others plan.

July and August are out. We'll sweat our nuts off in New Mexico and southern Colorado during that time of year. Mid June would be best as far as weather goes. Say June 12 - 21, 2009?

The first day we should try to make it to Columbia, MO. Roughly 530 miles from Columbus and 750 miles from Denver. If you were able to leave a bit early from work - say 3:00 PM or so on Friday - we'd be there in time for late dinner at the Hooter's conveniently located next to the hotel that I always stay at in Columbia. The next day's ride to Denver is then a piece of cake.

What sez you?

[Cdubyah]

Those pics are phenomenal!! This sounds like something I would like to do.

Maybe later on down the road in my cycling career. Don't think I am quite ready for that ride on my 2nd season.

[kawi kid]

Those pics are phenomenal!! This sounds like something I would like to do.

Maybe later on down the road in my cycling career. Don't think I am quite ready for that ride on my 2nd season.

but when ever you are you know who to call

[Earache]

Those pics are phenomenal!! This sounds like something I would like to do.

Maybe later on down the road in my cycling career. Don't think I am quite ready for that ride on my 2nd season.

2nd season, 42nd season - makes no difference. You could easily do this ride with 2 years expereince. My bud's girlfriend did it last year in her 3rd year of riding on her R6.

It's not a race, lots of stopping to take pictures, breaks, etc. It's not as hard to do as you might think.

Edited November 21, 2008 by Earache