HartClimbs
Well-known member
I'd taken week-long rides on the Roadking before, but typically topped out at 400 miles/day. When I picked up the FJR this year, I knew I'd want to see how riding a thousand miles in a single day felt.
Well - it felt GREAT! I'd planned the ride over the last couple months and had a route picked out with segments neatly laid out. Having read all the great advice on the forums (here and over at Sporttouring.net) - I setup the FJR with a GPS and an Escort 9500i.... and just waited for the stars to align.
Tuesday looked like it was going to be perfect weather-wise and things were relatively quiet at work - so I let folks know I'd be unreachable and had the bike all set. Sleep didn't come easy Monday night and I was still on the fence. I had planned an early morning start, but woke up at 2:30am (with no alarm) and figured the time was right for a ride.
Gassed up - and was on the road just shy of 3am. It was peaceful riding in the dark for a couple hours - nobody much on the road but truckers. Enjoyed the peaceful riding (I'd ridden this section of RT78 many times before) and had my first stop 170 miles later in Carlisle, PA. Not much going on in Carlisle in the early am, but chugged down a bottle of Gatorade - filled the tank and enjoyed watching the sky lighten while I cruised down the road. The radar detector chirped every time I hit a construction zone (they seem to stick those radar signs in every zone - just to slow down traffic!). Stopped for a photo-op as I hit the Maryland border, then continued down 68 until I hit WV (that part of Maryland is just beautiful!). Stopped for another picture at the "Welcome to West Virginia" sign, then rolled into Morgantown for my second gas stop. Another full tank, another Gatorade, some cashews - and I was headed off to Charleston. The next couple of hours was some gorgeous riding on Rt79. I'd never ridden in this area before and I'm looking forward to coming back when I'm not pressed for time and enjoying some of the more twisty side roads through the mountains, but even the slab was an enjoyable ride. Stopped in Charleston for some rehydration and some snacks and headed up north toward Ohio.
Amazing how having the interstate speed limit at 70 in Wv (instead of 65 here in NJ) just makes riding more enjoyable. I could cruise along at 75-80 and enjoy the sights without having to worry as much. I really noticed it when I hit Ohio that we were back to a 65 limit (really makes me look forward to riding out west with those higher limits!). Stopped in Morristown OH (I'm from around Morristown NJ and had been to Morristown TN on the BlueRidge ride a couple years ago). A couple hours up Rt77 then heading back East through Wheeling and across Pennsylvania back to NJ. I'd ridden along the PA turnpike before and enjoy the tunnels and rolling hills. Surprisingly - it was 800+ miles before I even started feeling a little uncomfortable on the seat - I think the beaded cover made it much more comfy over the long haul. Got home almost 18 hours after I'd left to find a bunch of bikes parked in the driveway. A few buddies had stopped over to congratulate me and we enjoyed some scotch and cigars on the back porch. I definitely didn't feel as wiped out as I expected after almost 1,100 miles.
I don't think it would have been as good an experience had I not read all the good advice from the LD riders on this forum - so thank you! The beaded seat cover (Wally-world $8 car version cut down to fit) was a godsend and the Escort and GPS worked like a champ. I didn't have highway pegs but did put my feet up on the sliders for a few miles along the way (not super-comfy but was definitely workable). Gatorade was definitely the beverage of choice on the road (although the Scotch at the end of the ride was pretty damn good too). As had been suggested, light snacking along the way was definitely the way to go.
I slept last night like a baby and definitely didn't feel the miles at all today. Copied the receipts and the log sheet and sent 'em off to IBA. I'm hooked - and already looking forward to my next long distance sojourne. Slab riding isn't my favorite type of ride, but these were pretty nice highways to do a thousand mile day on. I'll definitely be back in Wv to explore some slower and twistier paths.
Thanks again for all the great advice shared here!
p.s. The MAXSPEED on the GPS is obviously a malfunction (honest - I wasn't going THAT fast officer!)
Well - it felt GREAT! I'd planned the ride over the last couple months and had a route picked out with segments neatly laid out. Having read all the great advice on the forums (here and over at Sporttouring.net) - I setup the FJR with a GPS and an Escort 9500i.... and just waited for the stars to align.
Tuesday looked like it was going to be perfect weather-wise and things were relatively quiet at work - so I let folks know I'd be unreachable and had the bike all set. Sleep didn't come easy Monday night and I was still on the fence. I had planned an early morning start, but woke up at 2:30am (with no alarm) and figured the time was right for a ride.
Gassed up - and was on the road just shy of 3am. It was peaceful riding in the dark for a couple hours - nobody much on the road but truckers. Enjoyed the peaceful riding (I'd ridden this section of RT78 many times before) and had my first stop 170 miles later in Carlisle, PA. Not much going on in Carlisle in the early am, but chugged down a bottle of Gatorade - filled the tank and enjoyed watching the sky lighten while I cruised down the road. The radar detector chirped every time I hit a construction zone (they seem to stick those radar signs in every zone - just to slow down traffic!). Stopped for a photo-op as I hit the Maryland border, then continued down 68 until I hit WV (that part of Maryland is just beautiful!). Stopped for another picture at the "Welcome to West Virginia" sign, then rolled into Morgantown for my second gas stop. Another full tank, another Gatorade, some cashews - and I was headed off to Charleston. The next couple of hours was some gorgeous riding on Rt79. I'd never ridden in this area before and I'm looking forward to coming back when I'm not pressed for time and enjoying some of the more twisty side roads through the mountains, but even the slab was an enjoyable ride. Stopped in Charleston for some rehydration and some snacks and headed up north toward Ohio.
Amazing how having the interstate speed limit at 70 in Wv (instead of 65 here in NJ) just makes riding more enjoyable. I could cruise along at 75-80 and enjoy the sights without having to worry as much. I really noticed it when I hit Ohio that we were back to a 65 limit (really makes me look forward to riding out west with those higher limits!). Stopped in Morristown OH (I'm from around Morristown NJ and had been to Morristown TN on the BlueRidge ride a couple years ago). A couple hours up Rt77 then heading back East through Wheeling and across Pennsylvania back to NJ. I'd ridden along the PA turnpike before and enjoy the tunnels and rolling hills. Surprisingly - it was 800+ miles before I even started feeling a little uncomfortable on the seat - I think the beaded cover made it much more comfy over the long haul. Got home almost 18 hours after I'd left to find a bunch of bikes parked in the driveway. A few buddies had stopped over to congratulate me and we enjoyed some scotch and cigars on the back porch. I definitely didn't feel as wiped out as I expected after almost 1,100 miles.
I don't think it would have been as good an experience had I not read all the good advice from the LD riders on this forum - so thank you! The beaded seat cover (Wally-world $8 car version cut down to fit) was a godsend and the Escort and GPS worked like a champ. I didn't have highway pegs but did put my feet up on the sliders for a few miles along the way (not super-comfy but was definitely workable). Gatorade was definitely the beverage of choice on the road (although the Scotch at the end of the ride was pretty damn good too). As had been suggested, light snacking along the way was definitely the way to go.
I slept last night like a baby and definitely didn't feel the miles at all today. Copied the receipts and the log sheet and sent 'em off to IBA. I'm hooked - and already looking forward to my next long distance sojourne. Slab riding isn't my favorite type of ride, but these were pretty nice highways to do a thousand mile day on. I'll definitely be back in Wv to explore some slower and twistier paths.
Thanks again for all the great advice shared here!
p.s. The MAXSPEED on the GPS is obviously a malfunction (honest - I wasn't going THAT fast officer!)
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