US tour, got any tips?

[Waylander]

but you might come back

Heh, Not fucking likely.
Work my ass off for a year for a whole 54 cent pay rise fuck that shit. Send me home where they actually appreciate hard workers.

[kiwifruit]

Heh, Not fucking likely.
Work my ass off for a year for a whole 54 cent pay rise fuck that shit. Send me home where they actually appreciate hard workers.

SEEYA

[Macktheknife]

Really appreciate the tips and idea's guys'n'gals, keep them coming.

[Swoop]

Is there any particular "interest" that you have that will be worth a side trip or a dedicated destination along the way?
A particular museum? That sort of thing.

[ManDownUnder]

Really appreciate the tips and idea's guys'n'gals, keep them coming.

Avoid Disneyland. Waste of time and money.

If you're near Vegas DO go out of your way to see the Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon. I haven't seen either of them despite being right there a couple of times... and I have been roundly abused by everyone else telling me what an idiot I am.

[ManDownUnder]

Heh, Not fucking likely.
Work my ass off for a year for a whole 54 cent pay rise fuck that shit. Send me home where they actually appreciate hard workers.

LOL yeah - the whole of NZ is like that (NOT)

Change jobs dude... not country.

[Waylander]

Avoid Disneyland. Waste of time and money.

If you're near Vegas DO go out of your way to see the Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon. I haven't seen either of them despite being right there a couple of times... and I have been roundly abused by everyone else telling me what an idiot I am.

Definitely a must see.

[ratast]

Hi, In morning after consulting map and likely looking locals would put directions on mirror with marker pen for example, 15 S, 345 W, 25 S When I wanted to check route and turnoff points didn;t need to pullover,take off gloves and go looking for map. Also safer than trying to make sense out of a vibrating taped down map on your tank whilst steadily cruising at 120 watching out for deer and cops. Next morning supping a coffee in car park would put rag in tank and wipe off yesterdays ink pen. Thinking about it, could probaly have dipped rag in coffee.
When coming south from Seattle if you going down 101 a great ride is from Cloverdale on 22 to Salem and on out to Bend via Sisters. From Bend back to 101 via 97 and Crater Lake National Park. Amazing sight.Cheers Ratast

[PaintedLadyBiker]

So I am off to the States this March for a bit of a ride, and I know many of you have done similar things, so hearing some of your experiences and advice could be really helpful.

The trip will begin and end in Seattle, a friend and I will be riding south to meet up with another mate in San Francisco, then on to Las Vegas and Death Valley then on to Texas and across the southern states to Miami, then up the coast to New York. From there I hope to carry on to the great lakes and down as far as Colorado and follow the Rockies up to Seattle and fly home again.

If any of you have any relevant points of interest or hints and tips then I would really welcome it.
I am especially interested in insurance info or specific routes to take (or avoid). I will try to post a map of the proposed route for interests sake later.
Cheers all,
Mack

As you are going to be up in Seattle I would suggest adding Mount Shasta in California to your tour. I did a tour of California last July/August as well as popping by Las Vegas for the fourth time and had a fantastic trip. In Southern California I like the Lake Elsinore area and the drive from there over the Ortega Highway to Dana Point and Alissa (may be spelt Alyssa) beach. There is a fantastic skydive centre at Lake Elsinore, called Skydive Elsinore (http://www.skydiveelsinore.com) where I have done two tandems and my hubby jumps every year. I'm not a beach person but that beach is much nicer than Laguna. Sacramento is a nice town for a half-day trip. There are some cool roads between Arizona and the border with California and southern Nevada.

If you want details of specific roads please feel free to PM me and I'll look them up for you

[Bikernereid]

Knew you would give awesome tips. Although Vegas should be carpet bombed!!

As you are going to be up in Seattle I would suggest adding Mount Shasta in California to your tour. I did a tour of California last July/August as well as popping by Las Vegas for the fourth time and had a fantastic trip. In Southern California I like the Lake Elsinore area and the drive from there over the Ortega Highway to Dana Point and Alissa (may be spelt Alyssa) beach. There is a fantastic skydive centre at Lake Elsinore, called Skydive Elsinore (http://www.skydiveelsinore.com) where I have done two tandems and my hubby jumps every year. I'm not a beach person but that beach is much nicer than Laguna. Sacramento is a nice town for a half-day trip. There are some cool roads between Arizona and the border with California and southern Nevada.

If you want details of specific roads please feel free to PM me and I'll look them up for you

[Hitcher]

Apart from riding on the wrong side of the road, my biggest fear about travelling in the US is the quaint and arcane practice of tipping.

[Keith the Pom]

Yeah Right!

+15% minimum always; +20% if the service was actually good - which I have to say it invariably is, especially compared to UK/European AND Kiwi service standards.

Unlike in England where you generally only tip cab drivers, your barber, plus maybe a waiter/waitress for serving-up a good meal; in the States, no matter what the actual type of service - even goods - that you've received or acquired has been, the golden rule & bottom line always is: if in doubt - well, tip anyway!

[Bikernereid]

+1

I have even had friends who were chased by a disgruntled waitress for not tipping. They thought the service was crap so didn't bother. US bar staff/ waitresses' salaries are quite low so they make up the rest in tips so they are a little funny about non tippers.

Yeah Right!

+15% minimum always; +20% if the service was actually good - which I have to say it invariably is, especially compared to UK/European AND Kiwi service standards.

Unlike in England where you generally only tip cab drivers, your barber, plus maybe a waiter/waitress for serving-up a good meal; in the States, no matter what the actual type of service - even goods - that you've received or acquired has been, the golden rule & bottom line always is: if in doubt - well, tip anyway!

[T.I.E]

im jealous, just been through the whole thread. sounds like a plan too me.
take care with that road kill, keep riight. but buggered if id know what ya do at intersections. give way to who?
have a safe one sir.

so how long to go now?

[Waylander]

+1

I have even had friends who were chased by a disgruntled waitress for not tipping. They thought the service was crap so didn't bother. US bar staff/ waitresses' salaries are quite low so they make up the rest in tips so they are a little funny about non tippers.

Watch a movie called Waiting.