4000 miles in 18 days across 14 states two up on one bike!
Starting on Thursday, August 5, 2010, my wife and I will be riding my 2001 SV650 from the beginning of the Mississippi River to the end at the Gulf (or as close as the oil spill lets us get) by following the “Great River Road”. We have followed the northern part of this route a couple times now, and are excited to see the rest. The plan is then to ride north east through the Appalachians and then back up to Minnesota. The map above reminds me of a deformed Africa.
We plan on riding through the following fourteen states roughly in this order:
Minnesota
Iowa
Illinois
Missouri
Kentucky
Tennessee
Arkansas
Mississippi
Louisiana
Mississippi
Alabama
Georgia
South Carolina
North Carolina
Virginia
West Virginia
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Wisconsin
Minnesota
I will attempt to blog each day. Thanks to my new netbook, I should be able to post pictures and maybe even videos. Many of the pictures will be sent as they happen from my phone directly to flickr. I am also going to attempt to use a GPS tracker, so you can follow along as we go. If it works, the widget will be here on the blog.
The SV650 in two up touring mode:
We have nearly everything ready for the trip. Our trip to Bayfield a few weeks ago was the perfect shake down ride. The brown Santa aka UPS delivered my new tires last night, so I just need to get those put on, and we’ll be ready to go.
We’re very excited!
Related Posts:
- Great River Ride – The Plan
- Great River Ride – The Bike Prep
- Great River Ride – Day 1 – To Park Rapids, MN
- Great River Ride – Day 2 – The Mississippi Headwaters
- Great River Ride – Day 3 – Leaving Minnesota
- Great River Ride – Day 4 – Iowa
- Great River Ride – Day 5 – Into Missouri
- Great River Ride – Day 6 – Five States in One Day
- Great River Ride – Day 7 – Memphis and Mississippi
- Great River Ride – Day 8 – Louisiana
- Great River Ride – Day 9 – Rain and the Gulf
- Great River Ride – Day 10 – Mobile & Pensacola
- Great River Ride – Day 11 – To Birmingham
- Great River Ride – Day 12 – Sweet Tea and Sweetwater
- Great River Ride – Day 13 – Cherohala Dragons
- Great River Ride – Day 14 – In Threes
- Great River Ride – Day 15 – OH-555 and AMA Museum
- Great River Ride – Day 16 – US-30
- Great River Ride – Day 17 – Leaving Indiana
- Great River Ride – Day 18 – Chicago and Sojourner
- Great River Ride – Day 19 – Madison to Minneapolis
- Great River Ride – Reflections
Looking forward to the postings...have a safe ride!
ReplyDeleteCharlie6: Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHow exciting for you! This is adventure on its grandest scale. Could you do me a favor? Could you photograph the source of the Mississippi River for me? I have crossed this river by car four times, and it always takes my breath away. I would love to see where it starts.
ReplyDeleteFondest regards,
Jack • reep • Toad
Twisted Roads
Jack: I was planning on taking a picture of the lake, but now that you've asked I don't know if I will be able to! haha! :) I will most definitely take a few photos. Hopefully, I will also be able to walk across the river. When I was a young child I visited the source and walked across the Mississippi. I remember it being only a few feet wide and less than a foot deep.
ReplyDeletei hope you plan on going up the Natchez trace and riding the Blue Ridge Parkway, some of the best riding roads in the US
ReplyDeleteWow! Sounds like a great trip...will enjoy watching you along the way. Hubby and I hope to ride all of Route 66 next spring.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous: We do hope to get to the blue ridge parkway and related roads!
ReplyDeleteDonna: Thanks! It should be fun. Finally finished all the bike maintenance. Now, just need to finish packing.
Wow leaving TODAY!! You'll be very close to me when you get to Alabama!! I think I'm looking forward to your trip! What a beautiful ride it will be!
ReplyDeleteRide Safe!
Eve: Welcome! Yes, leaving today after work!! Nearly finished packing last night before we collapsed. Can't wait to start, so we can get some sleep! LOL.
ReplyDeleteI'm so totally excited and now much catch up so that I'm riding "vicariously" with you.
ReplyDeleteAre you using the "SPOT"? I'll have to wait and see.
Sharon: I'm glad you are feeling better and can catchup on posts! Nope, not using SPOT. You'll see in a future post... :)
ReplyDelete