Vacation Time Approved... Now What?

[DENC700X]

So I'm looking for a little advice on a 10-day summer expedition.

My vacation time got approved this morning so I'll be off July 2-12. My plan is to do some national park hopping across southern CO, UT, AZ, and NM before heading back to Denver. I've done a slightly similar loop but on 4 wheels so I need some seasoned sage advice on travel planning.

Here's what the breakdown looks like in my head:

Day 1: Denver to Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP (camp in the park)
Day 2: to Canyonlands and Arches (camp along the CO river just east of Arches)
Day 3: to Capitol Reef and Bryce (camp in Bryce)
Day 4: to Zion and then N Rim of the Grand Canyon (camp outside of GCNP)
Day 5: to Petrified Forest NP (probably find a hotel, I'll be due for a shower)
Day 6: to 4-corners and then Mesa Verde (camp in Mesa Verde)
Day 7: to Sand Dunes (camp in SDNP)
Day 8: back to Denver

Most days are about 250 miles, one is 300 and my short one is 175.


Is that sort of mileage doable? It seems fine on my weekend runs but I imagine I will get a little tired day-after-day on the bike.
For you road-warriors out there, side cases and a top case? Just a top? Just side? Givi, Honda?
I don't want to come back to Denver any earlier than absolutely necessary. I have two more days to blow, where should I go?

 

[670cc]

Allow time for sight seeing. For example if you go to Mesa Verde and spend a half day looking around in the park, do you still have time to ride 300 miles? I think if you just head those general directions and keep a loose schedule, allowing time to look around or change plans, you will enjoy yourself more. Don't make a rigorous, tight schedule. You may decide to skip some destinations in favor of having a more relaxing trip.

Top boxes add weight in a less than ideal location. Side bags kill your fuel economy. Honda bags lock you into one model where as Givi or SW-Motech hardware gives you many more options. Lots of pros and cons there, and probably a topic for another thread.

 

[DanH]

I think 250-300 miles a day is very do-able and probably pretty comfortable if you are happy with your seat. Especially if you are on and off the bike all day sight seeing and what not. It sounds like a really great trip.

As 670cc mentioned - the whole top case, side case discussion is all over this board. There are threads dedicated to pictures of options and more opinions than you'd care to count.

That said - Honda OEM is pretty pricey and there are lots of cheaper alternatives that are of equal or better quality.

 

[Bug Dr.]

My suggestion would be to throw that list of locations away and pick a direction instead. Southern UT will be hot and miserable in July.

Some people are planners and have every stop for meals and hotels booked well in advance. I say SCREW that. The best trips I've ever taken on a bike had the LEAST amount of planning. There are things to discover everywhere and it is quite a surprise if you don't do too much research (i.e. Douglas Pass in CO- had no idea it was even there).

If I were leaving CO on a trip my suggestion would be Idaho and Washington. Those are my favorite states to ride in hands down. Eastern Oregon is interesting too.

Have fun what ever you decide to do. Campgrounds are much more social than motels. I've met some interesting folks when travelling by motorcycle. It seems everyone is interested in you travels when on a bike. Nobody cares where you're going in a automobile.

I'm leaving on a trip to Tellico Plains, TN on April 25 and don't have any plans really until I get to FL on the 29th. I hope I get lost along the way
Mike

 

[670cc]

Agree with BugDR. When a friend and I used to take annual motorcycle trips to go "somewhere", we would just decide if we were going east, north, west, southwest, or whatever. Sometimes a look at the weather radar the day we left was the deciding factor.

I find anything over 80*F to be miserable on a bike, but I recognize that others enjoy heat.

 

[DENC700X]

My suggestion would be to throw that list of locations away and pick a direction instead. Southern UT will be hot and miserable in July.

Some people are planners and have every stop for meals and hotels booked well in advance. I say SCREW that.

My adventuresome side is slowly coming out. I've always been the guy who has to have an itinerary so I need to find some balance between having plans and not. I'm getting overly excited for the trip and since it's not until July so I have time to gradually wad my plan up and toss it in the trash can before leaving. Hopefully I'll be at the "screw it" point by mid-June.

 

[Bug Dr.]

My adventuresome side is slowly coming out. I've always been the guy who has to have an itinerary so I need to find some balance between having plans and not. I'm getting overly excited for the trip and since it's not until July so I have time to gradually wad my plan up and toss it in the trash can before leaving. Hopefully I'll be at the "screw it" point by mid-June.

That's the spirit. I used to be a neat freak until I had two boys. I've learned to live with a little disarray in my life.....some of which has carried over to my trip planning.

I had an event in Spearfish, SD on my last trip out west. When I was in California I was asked by a lady where I was from and where I was going. I told her I was from Arkansas and heading to South Dakota. She asked me if I was lost. I told her "I can't be lost because I don't know where I'm going". It was at that moment that I understood the proper way for me to travel. I was having a blast and truly didn't know where I would end up tomorrow. It was the first time I had ever done something like that and it has changed the way I look at travelling. I can't recommend it enough......just pack the bike and go. There's nothing a phone and a credit card can't fix.
Mike

 

[DanH]

If I were leaving CO on a trip my suggestion would be Idaho and Washington. Those are my favorite states to ride in hands down. Eastern Oregon is interesting too.

This^^^ We have been truly blessed by the motorcycle gods in this area of the country. I can rack up 600 miles in a day on a summer ride and be disappointed to find myself in my driveway.

 

[drdubb]

Gear...are you camping?

If not, just get a roll top dry bag, strap it on the back and go. I carry one or two extra pair of socks, flip flops, an extra shirt, pair of convertible pants, couple of changes of underwear..toiletries...maybe some walking/hiking shoes, stay in cheap motels. If you want to camp, throw in an air mattress, tarp and sleeping bag. Use a shower curtain for a ground cloth or get a military poncho. Does double duty.

 

[DENC700X]

Gear...are you camping?

Yeah, the plan is to camp 90% of the time and only hotel it if I can't stand the smell of myself and need a shower to freshen up. I'm combining my favorite past time of camping (the reason I live in CO) with my second favorite, being on the bike. Gear is pretty well spoken for; I'm a lightweight minimalist.

 

[Bug Dr.]

Lot's of free camping all along the Salmon river in Idaho........just saying

Now, I've been thinking about going west again.
Mike

 

[DENC700X]

Lot's of free camping all along the Salmon river in Idaho........just saying

Now, I've been thinking about going west again.
Mike

Go West Young Man!

Since I booked a campsite already at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP, I'll stay there but for the rest of the trip I'm going to wing it. Someone dropped this URL in a post before and I'm going to leverage it (freecampsites.net)

 

[draco_1967]

I have a top box and a dry bag on the back seat when I go on multi day camp trips.
your itinerary sounds great! There are lots of places to camp along the way. Another good place to find camping spots is www.uscampgrounds.info

 

[Old Can Ride]

Camping on this motorcycle trip locations in the middle of summer is just too HOT ! For camping that time of year go north - Canada or Alaska.