6400 miles, 14 states, 21 days. (LONG)

[christopher robbins]

On August 11th, 2007, after 6 months of plotting and planning, i hit the road on my Suzuki Burgman 400. The plan was to cover almost 7000 miles in 29 days, visiting National Parks and camping out most nights. I hit the road around 1pm, and had a pretty uneventful first day's ride. I took the superslab in order to get as many miles in as possible the first day. My first night was spent at a pretty mediocre state park in Iowa (Palisades-Kepler SP) near Cedar Rapids. After setting up camp, i opened the bottle of Basil-Hayden bourbon I'd brought along. This was the life.

Day 2 brought on my longest day in the saddle up to that point in my life. I again stuck to the superslab most of the day, riding I-90 West into South Dakota. I must have passed thousands of Sturgis folk heading home. I hit some pretty harsh crosswinds at times, and after 550 miles i reached my destination for the night. What a sight it was, pulling into the Platte Creek Recreation Area alongside the Missouri River. I set up my tent and was promptly assaulted by a horde of mosquitoes. After a liberal application of Maxi-Deet and a few glasses of bourbon, I was ready for the sun to set and the light show to begin. That night was the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. I managed to stay up until about 2am, and saw quite a few "shooting stars" before passing out.

Day 3 was scheduled to be a pretty light riding day. My how plans change. I arrived at Badlands National Park shortly after 1pm, and the temperature was well over 100 degrees. With nary a tree in sight, I decided this was not the time to camp in the Badlands. I hung out in the air-conditioned atmosphere of a nearby bar and chatted with a few Sturgis stragglers, who'd just begun making their way home. After about an hour of soaking up the cool air, I again hit the road in search of a more comfortable place to crash for the night. I finally ended up at the Devil's Tower National Monument, and opted to stay at the KOA there in order to take a hot shower. I met a pair of French guys on holiday in the states, and watched Close Encounters of the Third Kind as a thunderstorm brewed overhead (the KOA shows the film every night).

Day 4 began with a short run up to the Devil's Tower Monument, and a 30 minute hike around the base. DT was quite a sight, but I had to hit the road. After a stretch of superslab, I turned off on to US 14 for a fantastic ride through the Big Horn National Forest. The scenery here was amazing. I continued through Wyoming, stopping for the night in Cody. Again, i opted for the KOA--this time for the simple fact that it was the cheapest lodging in town. I hit the downtown area for a couple beers and some dinner, then back to camp for a good night's rest.

Day 5 was to be one of the best riding days I'd ever experienced. I left Cody via the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, one of the premier motorcycling roads in the country. It was a beautiful and exhilarating ride, full of twists, turns, switchbacks, and amazing scenery. The smell of pine was thick, as i reached the end of the Chief Joseph, and turned right to ride the Beartooth Pass highway. Another great motorcycling road, the Beartooth took me up to a summit at just over 10,800 feet. I stopped to put on a sweatshirt (kinda cool at 10,000 ft!) and to take in the view. At the summit, I turned around and backtracked my way into Yellowstone National Park's northeast entrance. Almost immediately upon entering the park, i spot a herd of Bison grazing in the field to my left. I stopped at a picnic table for a snack and to figure out where I was going to camp. For those who've never been, Yellowstone is enormous--3,472 square miles to be exact. With all the RV traffic and 45 mph speed limits, it would take hours to get around the park. I stopped at a few scenic overlooks, including the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and Yellowstone Lake (which is also huge). I decided there were too many tourists for my taste, and decided to make my way to Grand Teton National Park to camp. I found a great site in Colter Bay, on Jackson Lake for only 5 bucks a night.

Day 6 was spent hiking around GTNP, and taking a scenic boat cruise around Jackson Lake. I spotted a Bald Eagle nesting in a burned out tree, and some amazing views of the Grand Teton Mountain range. I rode to Jenny Lake and hiked around its edge and up to Inspiration Point, a nice vista at 7,200 ft with views of most of the park. I returned to my campsite to discover that a large Black Bear had torn up a man's tent only 100 yards from my own. I'd been hoping to see a bear, but that was a little scary. After a lengthy conversation over drinks and a campfire with a rider from Wisconsin, I retired for the evening, just as the storms rolled in.

The morning of Day 7 brought more of the same rain that had fallen all night. My tent had leaked a little and my sleeping bag was wet. With no time or way to dry things out, I packed up the bike in the rain and headed south. I spotted a few Elk on the side of the road, and the rain petered out to a light drizzle as I arrived in Jackson, WY. I had been carrying a tripod with me, and since I'd yet to find a need for it I stopped into the Post Office and mailed it home. I rode west towards Idaho. My original plan was to ride through central Idaho on 2 lane roads, but with everything wet, and the skies darkening again, I opted for the superslab. I arrived in Twin Falls, ID and picked out a Motel 6. The motel gave me a chance to dry everything out, as well as enjoy a hot shower and some television.

By Day 8 I was noticing that my bike wasn't sounding normal. It was much louder than usual, and I discovered that a nut was missing on one of 2 bolts holding the exhaust on to the header. After an unsuccessful search at the hardware stores, I continued on to Boise--where i found a Suzuki service shop. They had me in and out within 10 minutes, and didn't charge me for the fix. Oregon, here I come! Much to my dismay, the eastern half of Oregon was quite boring. Flat, hot, and economically depressed. I was planning on camping near Hines, OR but arrived so early in the afternoon that I decided to motor on towards Bend. I reached Bend, and took a wrong turn. After a 20 mile detour, I found my way southbound--hoping to find a campsite. The maps showed several, but for miles I couldn't find one. The sun had set and I was anxious and tired. I found a state park, and after the 5 mile entrance road I discovered the campground was full. Great. Another 25 minutes on the bike and I found a National Forest Campground near Lapine, OR. I set up my tent in the dark and immediately fell asleep.

Day 9 brought more rain. I stopped for fuel and breakfast in Lapine, and tried to wait out the rain. After no rain in 3 months, the people of Oregon were happy to see some precipitation, but I was less than enthused. The temperature was in the 50's, making for a cold, wet ride. After an hour of waiting, it was apparent that the skies wouldn't be letting me off the hook anytime soon. I motored on to Crater Lake National Park. By the time I arrived, my gloves had become saturated, and the temperature dropped with every elevation gain. At the top of the rim of Crater Lake, the temperature was only in the mid 40's. Fog had reduced visibility to less than 50 feet, and the wind and rain were getting worse. The roads around the rim were crumbling away at the edges, most of which had no guardrails and the ground dropped hundreds of feet just inches from the road. No question this was the worst riding experience of my life. After what seemed like forever, I reached the campground in the Mazama village. I shivered uncontrollably for about 45 minutes, set up my tent, and rested for a while. The rain wouldn't let up until early the next morning, so I spent most of the night making a fire and trying to get my stove working. It seems a compression fitting on my dual fuel Coleman was leaking fuel. Unable to fix it, I tossed it in the trash. A bottle of wine later and still unable to get a cell phone signal, I'd decided to go home the next day. I was tired of the rain, tired of not being able to reach my loved ones, my stove had died, and my dog was sick at home. Maybe the road had defeated me.

Day 10 brought clearer skies, although it was still pretty cold. The temps had dropped to 32 overnight, and the day's high was only fore-casted at 55. I rode back up to the rim to get some photos of the lake, as i couldn't even see it through the fog the day before. Crater Lake is quite a sight, and being a relatively small park enabled me to drive all the way around it in a short amount of time. I hiked the only trail down to the lake's surface, a switchback trail that drops 700 feet in only a mile. The view was stunning, but the hike back up was torture. A severe elevation gain at that altitude had me fully winded by the time I reached the top. On the way up I met a couple from Tahoe on vacation. Friendly people, but didn't think much about it at the time. I'd see them again.

After an uneventful night, I woke on Day 11 to--you guessed it--more rain. I packed up and hit the road. I'd decided to at least get to the coast before turning around and heading home. Somehow, it seemed that the instant i crossed the California State Line, the clouds parted and the sun came out in full force. I took the 199 through the Siskiyou National Forest, and hit the 101 near Crescent City, CA. The ride down the coast was spectacular, with lots of curves, and beautiful ocean views. I reached the road to my intended campground shortly after 3pm. Unfortunately I was unaware of the torture my bike would take trying to reach the campground. After 6 miles of up and down twists and turns over a washboard dirt road, I was informed that there "might" be one camp site left. I was to ride 2 more miles down this "world's worst road--EVER" and try to find a spot. After seeing nothing but full sites, I turned around and took the 8 mile hell ride back to the 101. 20 miles later I happened upon Patrick's Point State Park, just north of Trinidad, CA. I set up camp, and walked about a mile to the ocean, where I watched Sea Lions and the sunset.

I spent Day12 hiking the length of Agate Beach, and again watching Sea Lions, whale watching, and seeing the sunset over the Pacific again. Things were looking up. While I still had no stove, my dog was apparently doing better, and I was again able to contact the outside world.

Day 13 was a great ride, taking the 101 to Leggett, and then riding the 1 down to San Francisco. While the 1 was in no way a time saver, it was one of the curviest roads I'd ever ridden. Swapping between views of the ocean and the monolithic rocks that dot the shore, and coastal redwood forests, this road had it all. I took the Avenue of the Giants detour, riding through large Redwood groves. I eventually reached Petaluma, and hopped back on the 101 toward SF, at rush hour. At about 10 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, I hit stop and go traffic. The bike began to heat up when I remembered where I was. Time to lane-split! (riding between lanes, to those unaware) Most cars were courteous and observant enough to give me room to squeeze by, and after a few minutes of this, the traffic flow picked back up and I took my place in the fast lane as we rode over the Golden Gate Bridge into SF, where I'd meet up with my friend and stay with him for a few nights.

Day 14 was spent hanging out in SF, enjoying beers and stinky tofu.
Day 15 my friend and I rode north out of SF, and into the Point Reyes National Seashore. We stopped at the lighthouse for a few pictures, and then had lunch before heading back to town.

I woke up later than planned on Day 16, and was concerned that I might not find a camp site in Yosemite by the time I arrived. I took the quickest route I could find, and arrived mid-afternoon. Fortunately, sites were abundant. I took my spot in the White Wolf area, on the Tioga road. I did a short (5 mile round trip) hike to Lukens Lake, and headed to my tent to get some sleep.

I backtracked a bit on Day 17, and rode back down to Yosemite Valley. Got some good photos of El Capitan and Half Dome, then headed back up to the Tioga Road. Heading east, I stopped for a snack in Tuolomne Meadows, and continued through Tioga Pass (el. 9943ft) to Mono Lake. I turned south and followed the 395 down to Independence, CA. 14 miles west of town is Onion Valley, a national forest campground in the eastern Sierras. The ride from Independence to Onion Valley was great--huge elevation gain with lots of curves. I set up camp and decided to do some hiking. I found a trail that led to Robinson Lake. It was a strenuous hike, from 9200 feet up to 10,500 feet. The lake was beautiful and serene, and I spent a while just taking it all in. After the rapid descent back to camp, I was ready for a good night's sleep.

Day 18 would be one of the hottest I'd ever experienced. I took the 395 to Lone Pine, then headed east on the 190 through Death Valley National Park. The high temperature at Stovepipe Wells was 117 degrees. The landscape in Death Valley is amazing, and quite the change from the Sierras, which are less than 100 miles away. I rode the 95 through Las Vegas, NV, and then up the 15 to Mesquite, NV. With temperatures still above 100 degrees, I opted for a hotel. While the bargain rate of 34 bucks was great, I still managed to lose about 100 bucks in the casino playing in a Hold-em tournament.

Day 19 saw more heat, as I rode into Utah and then back down to Arizona. The heat continued until I reached Freedonia, AZ, where the road began to pick up elevation on its way to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The Kaibab Plateu sits at 9000 feet above sea level, and the meadows and pine forests seem out of place for Arizona. The sights and cooler temperatures were certainly welcome, though. I hiked a few miles around the North Rim of the Canyon and spent a while in the visitor's center and the Lodge, which was built in the 1930's. I headed back to my tent, and fell asleep as the sun set.

By Day 20 I was running low on funds, and feeling pretty homesick, so I decided to scrap the rest of my trip plans and take the fastest route home. There are so many National Parks in southern Utah that I wouldn't have been able to see them all anyway, so I'd just have to come back someday. I followed US 89 north until I reached I-70, and full throttled my way east. I managed to pound out a personal record 620 miles and found a motel room in Dillon, CO. After two beers at the Dillon Dam Brewery I was ready for sleep.

Day 21 was uneventful, save for the brutal crosswinds between Denver and Salina, KS. I managed over 600 miles again, and spent the night in a terribly smelly hotel room in Topeka, KS.

Day 22: after a sleepless night (did I mention how smelly the room was?) I saddled up later than planned, and high-tailed it home. 550 miles for this day, and I arrived back home.

It's been a few days since I got home, and the enormity of the trip hasn't really sunk in yet. This country is so vast, I am fortunate to have seen so much in 3 weeks. I'm already dreaming up the next big trip, though I will probably not do anymore major trips solo. While the ability to stop whenever and wherever and for however long I liked was a major benefit to riding solo, it would've been nice to have someone with whom I could share in the beautiful, amazing, the serene, the miserable, and the troublesome moments on the road. Time for me to get back to real life for a while.

PS, Photos of this trip can be viewed here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7946926@N0 ... 836784904/

[Jim]

Quite the trip

Waiting for the next installment.

[Buffnbou]

Thanks for the trip report and the great photos! Amazing trip!

[Drew]

Thanks for sharing your trip with us.
I enjoyed the pics too.

[Colchicine]

I also enjoyed the narrative and pictures. My favorite is in the beginning with all of the bug splatter on the windshield! Did you start out with a new back tire, cuz I'm sure you'd need one by the time you got back! And with all that talk of drinking bourbon, I figured you were another retiree. But I'm guessing you are teacher with the summer off. Please let us know about your next trip, I'm insanely jealous!

[Maxfun]

great write up and great pics..thanks for sharing

[christopher robbins]

I also enjoyed the narrative and pictures. My favorite is in the beginning with all of the bug splatter on the windshield! Did you start out with a new back tire, cuz I'm sure you'd need one by the time you got back! And with all that talk of drinking bourbon, I figured you were another retiree. But I'm guessing you are teacher with the summer off. Please let us know about your next trip, I'm insanely jealous!

started out with new front and rear tires, and neither retired nor a teacher. i just quit my job, and am going to try self-employment now.

[armdillo]

I for one am jealous, what an adventure. I want to party and travel with you. Great Story and fun to share with us. Lets get together sometime in October. I am in Terre Haute, Mike

[Pete]

That was one helluva ride Chris - and my hat is off to you!

Thanks for the journal entry and the excellent pics. You got the right stuff man.

Welcome back.

Me

[djb383]

Awesome, just awesome.

[djb383]

Gotta ?, did you have to add/change oil on your b400? Thanks.

[christopher robbins]

probably should've changed it mid trip, but i decided to just wait till i got home. I had to add a small amount after the 4th day, maybe 1/3 of a quart, but after that the level never dropped enough to worry.

[djb383]

Thanks, that's great to know.

[glazier2000]

Amazing story and pics.
6400 miles on a Burgman 400 !!
Congratulations.....

A tip of the helmet !

[fuzzyquilter]

Awesome story. I admire you for your endurance. I would have stopped after the mosqitoes.

[Lapine Rider]

My big trip this summer (1900 miles) on my 400 was _nothing_ compared to this. Wow! And they say you need a 650 for long road trips...

[christopher robbins]

My big trip this summer (1900 miles) on my 400 was _nothing_ compared to this. Wow! And they say you need a 650 for long road trips...

yeah. 400 was enough. the only time a 650 would've been nice was going up grades steeper than 6%. on those few occasions, i could only maintain my speed, unable to gain speed. wasn't really an issue though.

[Eltee]

christopher, that was a mighty good trip report and pics of your travels on your Burgman. Thanks much for sharing. Neal

[Blackbeard]

Christopher!

TRULY Amazing!

Very Well done, young lad!

Cheers!

BB

[Chiefmas]

Your the Man, Christopher!! Great write up!!

[Steve1948]

Wow! Now that sounds like fun. Great read.
Thanks

[Toymeister]

Where did you see the couple from day 10 again? Did I miss it?

[degreentx]

I enjoyed this road trip report, especially since I had visited a few of those places myself in July on a family vacation, such as Crater Lake NP and Patrick's Point State Park. We drove a new Ford Edge SUV down Hwy 101 and it was a lot of work compared to Texas driving.

What happened to that couple on Day 10? Did you see them again?

[christopher robbins]

Where did you see the couple from day 10 again? Did I miss it?

odd that this popped back up after 4 months.
and yes, apparently i forgot to get back to that. i ran into them at Patrick's Point State Park, sitting on the rocks watching the sun set. they had their tent set up about 20 yards from mine. we hung out and drank wine and traded stories. nothing crazy, but it was weird to see them again.

[degreentx]

Not so strange for my wife and I. We've had this happen to us several times . . . continuously running into other vacationers on similar iternaries.