[watercooled]

My vacation is again upon me! I'm headinto to the southwest this time. No destination in mind just a direction so I really have no clue where I'll end up. Any suggestions on what to see or places I should visit?
Also are there places I need to avoid out there? Things I should know about?
I've read about guys using touring tanks, I don't really need one do I? Not planning on much if any interstate travel but I'm not going totally off the beaten path either.

I've heard no one minds about roadside camping, this true?

 

[DaveCarlson]

When my scoot starts to babble and it's time to switch to reserve, I use it as an excuse to pull off, fuel up, have a beverage, and get some feeling back in my rear end.

 

[Lakota]

Got nothing concrete to say at the moment, but I heartily thank you for the half-hour daydream you just gave me. It was awesome.

If I were going alone, I think I'd plan on motels--they're cheap and safe.
I'd probably head for Los Alamos, New Mexico and see where I ended up.
I'd pack a friend, like a Sig P226 to keep me company.
A medical emergency pack that's a little better than the one I've got.
If I were planning to camp, I'd want a buddy camping with me.
I don't know the plants and animals well; I'd like a friend around if I'm sleeping outside.
I'd want a sat phone and a better GPS.
I'd stay away from places that the government says are restricted; they really mean it out there--I was chased away twice.
If it looks like rain, I'd take it real serious; hard rain can appear quickly.
But then I'm not going--but thanks for giving me a dream for a while.

 

[Eldorado]

Just plan on gas/pit stops between 100/125 miles, if you think you might have to stretch a gas stop, go to the hardware store and buy one of those small 1 gal containers, one of these fits in my saddlebag and still leaves room for "stuff", yea, motels are nice, Motel 6 or Super 8, get off the road by 4/5pm, nice to get a shower, go eat, get up early and hit the road and eat breakfast, if going SW then Taos and Santa Fe are neat places, nice riding from Taos to Pagosa Springs, Colo.

 

[watercooled]

bump this up, see what other info I can fish out.

 

[Lakota]

My earlier post needs an explanation: a buddy of mine went riding with a group in Baja. Out of range with a cellphone and had an emergency; that's why I'm hung up on sat phones if I'm out where no one else is and I'm on a bike. Just something to keep in mind. I don't know where the towers are in the southwest.

 

[Honda Davidson]

Northern AZ has some good riding and views. Keep track of distance between towns and cities if you get off the main freeways. Some places here in the SW are well over 100 miles between stops. Monsoons can sneak up on you quickly, forcing you to have stop until it clears.

Plan accordingly and you should have a great road trip!

 

[sanoke]

I'd find a way to pack some gas. It's not unusual to go 150 miles between gas stations if you get off the interstate. Nevada, Utah and parts of Colorado are particularly bad that way. If you happen to make it to Utah, don't pass up the canyon lands in the south and central part of the state. Not much like it anywhere else.

Happy Trails!
sanoke

 

[mallege]

+1 on some reserve gas packed away.

 

[LEONARD gRIFFISS]

When my scoot starts to babble and it's time to switch to reserve, I use it as an excuse to pull off, fuel up, have a beverage, and get some feeling back in my rear end.

Same with me ,,got to get off and let the feeling back in the old butt ..

 

[Johnmiii]

I love the SW. My only two concerns with the SW are: It can be dangerous, lots of smuggling operations, lots of crazy people out in the middle of absolute nowhere. If you trust your gut on that one and just avoid anything that looks, smells, or feels wrong you'll be all right. The second concern when wandering the wonderful SW is like sanoke says, you can end up hundreds of miles from a gas station.

I never stuck to the Interstates travelling out there, lots of highways and and back roads, some real beautiful stuff to see.

Places I am going to take my family to when the kids are older (wife's never seen them)

-Arches National Park
-Meteor Crater
-Grand Canyon (of course)
-Four Corners (everyone needs to do the hokey sit in 4 states thing)

There's a lot of places out there where you can pull off the road on the crest of a hill and see for miles and miles in every direction and not see a sign of another human being.

The Southern Rockies are incredibly beautiful too. Definitely gotta catch that.



My wife would kill me, but I'd love to go on a rideabout right now. I think here to Maine, across to WA, down to LA, across to FL and back up, maybe some time in the Rockies... *sigh*

 

[Lakota]

. . . .
There's a lot of places out there where you can pull off the road on the crest of a hill and see for miles and miles in every direction and not see a sign of another human being. . . .
QUOTE]
Aw, man, got me dreaming again. The skies out there are this just incredible shade of blue. Like no place else. And at night . . .

 

[watercooled]

I never even thought about smuggling ops out there. ****,,Thanks for reminding me about those John.

 

[Johnmiii]

I never even thought about smuggling ops out there. ****,,Thanks for reminding me about those John.

Eh, it's one of those things where they want nothing to do with you, as long as you stay away and don't get in the way nothing bad will happen.


My experience anyway, YMMV

 

[highcountry]

If you are planning on making it to Colorado, hit the SW corner of the state. That includes Telluride, Ouray, Silverton, Durango, and Mesa Verde. Those are the finest areas that our state has to offer.

Enjoy your trip!