Planning a long ride with the wife and need your help...

I am planning my first long ride with my wife and I wanted some suggestions from the locals on where to go and what to do and see while we are on the road. Here are the places we are thinking about staying. San Francisco or further north our first night. Portland, Oregon our second night, Coeur D'alene, ID on the third night. Banff, Alberta, Canada our forth night and 5th night, Idaho Falls on our 6th and 7th night (friend), St George our 8th night and home on our 9th night.

[SIZE=18pt]Alright, I just got my SPOT GPS personal tracking device up and running! Some of you have asked if I could post a link to the SPOT Tracking page via Google maps page so you can follow along on our ride? CLICK HERE The ride will start tomorrow at 4am PST and we will be back in 10 days time.[/SIZE]

Here is a link to our trip and I would love any feedback and especially from those of you who ride 2-up. On a solo trip you can do 1000 mile days but when you have your loved one on the back 643 miles on the first day is about 100-200 miles more than I wanted but it left us with more time in Portland, OR.

Day 1 Irvine - Mt Shasta 643 miles 9 hours 41 mins

Day 2 Mt Shasta - Portland 359 miles 5 hours 42 mins

Day 3 Portland - Coeur D'Alene 384 miles 6 hours 8 mins

Day 4 Coeur D'Alene - Banff, AB Canada 332 miles 6 hours 58 mins

Day 5 Enjoy Lake Louise in Banff, AB (Rest) 0 Miles

Day 6 Banff, AB Canada - Kalispell, MT 338 miles 6 hours 36 mins

Day 7 Kalispell, MT - Idaho Falls 418 miles 6 hours 20 mins

Day 8 Idaho Falls - St George, UT 513 miles 7 hours 15 mins

Day 9 St George, UT - Irvine 384 miles 5 hours 48 mins

I have done many miles riding 2-up but nothing this long with my wife. I tend to leave very early 5 am and no later than 6 am so we can arrive and rest before we get out and enjoy the city. I had a trip like this about 6 weeks ago with 10 guys but I think this is going to be much more fun.



I just bought a SPOT GPS tracker in the event of an accident where no one can see us. This will allow me to to send a link to friends and family so they can watch us on Google maps each day to see where we are and if we are OK. At the end of each day you push a button that sends an email to your friends that says your OK. In the event of an accident you can press the help button and they will dispatch emergency services. I also changed the light over to a Xenon for better night driving since we could be leaving very searly some mornings on the longer days.

The ride is the trip so as long as we have a little bit of time in the afternoon and night each day we both agree it will be perfect. Does anyone have any favorite places to stay or any suggestions for any of the places we will be stopping in?

hhmmm, the '1st long trip with your wife' aspect.

can't really advise you on what to do 'cuz you haven't said whether you're hikers, birders, orchestra buffs, wine lovers or peg draggers.

but one observation ... in utah st george is warmest city in state, i'd stop an hr earlier at cedar city, higher, bit cooler, better incoming route & side trip options imho, including those to the sw utah parks

$.02

enjoy, what month for the trip?

For a 1st long ride it sounds pretty ambitious for some of those distances you want to cover - espicially the first day. Do the math - on that target you are AVERAGING 66 mph for almost 10 hours. I would have to be really pushing solo to be able to do that.

Just my .02 if it were me & my wife I would want to make it as enjoyable as possible for her so there MIGHT be a 2nd trip.

btw you don't mention anything north of Lake Louise - Icefields Parkway is an awesome ride!

Photos from Icefields Parkway

ctfjr said:

For a 1st long ride it sounds pretty ambitious for some of those distances you want to cover - espicially the first day. Do the math - on that target you are AVERAGING 66 mph for almost 10 hours. I would have to be really pushing solo to be able to do that.
Just my .02 if it were me & my wife I would want to make it as enjoyable as possible for her so there MIGHT be a 2nd trip.

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This was my reaction too.... either your wife is an incredibly good sport and wants to go so badly that she'll sit through an extensive forced march, or your making sure that the next trip will be sans wife.

If I were taking my wife on a ride, I would be limiting it to 300 mile days with lots of time for freshening up and relaxing. I would plan to stop for a break no less frequently than every 2 hours.

But then, you know your wife better than we do. She might be up to it. I've known women who would be.

El Toro said:

ctfjr said:

For a 1st long ride it sounds pretty ambitious for some of those distances you want to cover - espicially the first day. Do the math - on that target you are AVERAGING 66 mph for almost 10 hours. I would have to be really pushing solo to be able to do that.
Just my .02 if it were me & my wife I would want to make it as enjoyable as possible for her so there MIGHT be a 2nd trip.

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This was my reaction too.... either your wife is an incredibly good sport and wants to go so badly that she'll sit through an extensive forced march, or your making sure that the next trip will be sans wife.

If I were taking my wife on a ride, I would be limiting it to 300 mile days with lots of time for freshening up and relaxing. I would plan to stop for a break no less frequently than every 2 hours.

But then, you know your wife better than we do. She might be up to it. I've known women who would be.

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What he said..

Maybe squeeze in a 400mi day here or there if you really need to get some place. Remember, the pillion is sitting on an FJR back there, not a Goldwing.

On one trip it was hot as heck and on day 2 or 3 out, after about 190mi on that day (halfway through what I had planned), she said "I am burning up and worn out, can we stop and just veg the rest of the day?". No problem, however, the whole remaining trip required major adjustments. The trick is to keep things the schedule loose and plan for a complete overhaul of things if required.

I agree with most of what I've read so far, but I think it's great that you are even planning such a ride. Be prepared to deviate from the "schedule"... One or both of you might need to just stop and recharge. You as the driver especially. You are the only thing between her and roadrash/other, and you need to be able to accept that it might be aluminum-butt, not iron-butt time. Make it safe, make it fun, and for sure let me know if you come thru Salt Lake City and want to stretch out on my lawn/refresh the bike, and collect your wits.

Chris

I planned a trip like that once many years ago. 1st day out was 550 miles in 95 degree heat with 90% humidity. There almost wasn't a day 2...!!! After that we limited things to not more than 400 miles a day. Now we are down to 250 to 300, but, hey, we're nearing 60 and not in nearly as big a hurry anymore. Day 1 & day 8 are some pretty ambitious miles and times you've planned. Just stay flexible and be ready to adjust if it turns out to be more than both of you are comfortable with.... It's more than just a comfort thing -- the safety issue creeps up on you before you realize it... Take care and have fun...!!!

UHOH said:

hhmmm, the '1st long trip with your wife' aspect. can't really advise you on what to do 'cuz you haven't said whether you're hikers, birders, orchestra buffs, wine lovers or peg draggers.

but one observation ... in utah st george is warmest city in state, i'd stop an hr earlier at cedar city, higher, bit cooler, better incoming route & side trip options imho, including those to the sw utah parks

$.02

enjoy, what month for the trip?

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My wife and I like to ride hard and she is excited about everyday but day one so I will be flexable. We are going to hit the road at 4am so we can get through some of the heat in the early morning. My wife is 29 and works and goes to school and told me she needs to get away from everything for a week or so. I think staying in Cedar City is a good idea and I love the roads in that area.

Be prepared to deviate from the "schedule"... One or both of you might need to just stop and recharge. You as the driver especially. You are the only thing between her and roadrash/other, and you need to be able to accept that it might be aluminum-butt, not iron-butt time. Make it safe, make it fun, and for sure let me know if you come thru Salt Lake City and want to stretch out on my lawn/refresh the bike, and collect your wits.
Chris

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Thanks Chris. We are ready and willing to stop anywhere and change the trip at a moments notice if needed. We will not be booking room until we know for sure we will be there and then we will book it on the laptop the night before and likely only the 2-nights in Banff. These longre rides are going to be on the highway and I tend to make very good time on open roads.

Maybe squeeze in a 400mi day here or there if you really need to get some place. Remember, the pillion is sitting on an FJR back there, not a Goldwing.

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We bought a Bill Mayer seat a few months back and are ready to test out it's comfort. She had a 6 hour day and wanted more so I think we are going to be alright.

enjoy, what month for the trip?

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We are leaving Aug 9th and returning on Aug 17th.

I used to work for a company based in Kalispell. Coming in from Canada you could stop for dinner in Whitefish, there are several restaurants and bars on Central Ave. Or you could take Hwy 2 to Columbia Falls and have some really good BBQ at The Nite Owl, the restaurant is in the back and called The Back Room.

I don't what your plans for lodging are but The Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish is a pretty place in the Mountains, probably get a decent deal since it isn't ski season.

I was usually working when I was up there so I don't know of too many scenic rides in the area, sorry.

My only suggestion would be to leave a little bit more flexibility in your scheduling because it seems you guys are doing ALOT of riding everyday which doesn't leave a whole lot of time to smell the roses. My first long ride with my SO was done on a fairly flexible schedule and our mileages were pretty similar to yours and by the time we were done with the trip she told me she enjoyed it but didn't want to do that kind of mileage daily again..... A couple of torrential rain storms and some seriously hot days kind of turned her against it.

QUOTE (Brian B @ Jul 24 2008, 11:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Or you could take Hwy 2 to Columbia Falls and have some really good BBQ at The Nite Owl, the restaurant is in the back and called The Back Room.
+1 Been there a couple of times - terrific food & atmosphere!

fwiw I stayed in Canmore a couple of times - Its just south of Banff & much less $$$

Sounds like a wonderful trip. In the Banff area I would also look for somewhere to stay in Canmore which is just south. If you are into historic type sites I would book a night at the Banff Springs Hotel in Banff if you can get in. The Banff Springs Hotel is a huge castle like hotel in a terrific setting. It might provide something different from the normal motels for the wife to enjoy. Ride safe.

Uhhh.... yeah.... HOW MANY days has she ridden in a row for how many hours?

It can get kinda boring back there even if she's into taking pics.... even with a comfy seat.

Why not do about half of the trip now at a relaxed pace... meaning if either of you see something, you have time to stop, and the rest another time.

That will leave her wanting to go more with you, hey, it's supposed to be fun, not a race!

Oh yeah, just riding with minimum stops will take you three times as long as when you're by yourself when you get to day three and beyond...

And maybe if you take things a bit slower, she might think about getting her own bike.

Every single ride report I've ever read on any forum said:

1. they didn't take enuf pics

2. They wished they'd taken the time to stop and see more stuff along the way.

If there's no real reason to do that many miles, just take your time and enjoy the ride AND the scenery.

But... that's JMHO!

Have fun,

Mary

UHOH said:

hhmmm, the '1st long trip with your wife' aspect. can't really advise you on what to do 'cuz you haven't said whether you're hikers, birders, orchestra buffs, wine lovers or peg draggers.

but one observation ... in utah st george is warmest city in state, i'd stop an hr earlier at cedar city, higher, bit cooler, better incoming route & side trip options imho, including those to the sw utah parks

$.02

enjoy, what month for the trip?

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I have to agree with this one. I was born and raised in St. George and though it's a wonderful place, now is not the time to be staying here. It's extremely hot this time of year. Stop 50 miles before in Cedar City and it will be 10-20degrees cooler. Cedar City has come a long way and now offers alot of amenities. If you are real ambitious you can ride up Cedar Canyon for a quick trip. Good luck.

I would think Day 6 would be the best day to ride off with out her. There really aren't that many airports up there and it would give you a good head start on her. If you feel you must keep her along for the ride stopping in Cedar City is a good bet but will make that next day a bit longer. St George is only 120 miles from Vegas so you will get the heat. You are going to ride through it anyway so maybe stopping there and hitting the road earlier to get through Vegas before noon would be better. You can't really ride all that way and not slow down and enjoy the Virgin River Canyon.

Good day and have a safe trip.

Rob said:

I would think Day 6 would be the best day to ride off with out her. There really aren't that many airports up there and it would give you a good head start on her. If you feel you must keep her along for the ride stopping in Cedar City is a good bet but will make that next day a bit longer. St George is only 120 miles from Vegas so you will get the heat. You are going to ride through it anyway so maybe stopping there and hitting the road earlier to get through Vegas before noon would be better. You can't really ride all that way and not slow down and enjoy the Virgin River Canyon.Good day and have a safe trip.

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Thanks Rob. We are going to leave VERY early to get through Vegas way before noon and more like 8am and before it really starts getting too hot. I am putting Xenon lights on my bike tomorrow so I can ride in the dark before it gets light in the morning to stay cool and get many of the miles out of the way.

2006FJR said:

Rob said:

I would think Day 6 would be the best day to ride off with out her. There really aren't that many airports up there and it would give you a good head start on her. If you feel you must keep her along for the ride stopping in Cedar City is a good bet but will make that next day a bit longer. St George is only 120 miles from Vegas so you will get the heat. You are going to ride through it anyway so maybe stopping there and hitting the road earlier to get through Vegas before noon would be better. You can't really ride all that way and not slow down and enjoy the Virgin River Canyon.Good day and have a safe trip.

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Thanks Rob. We are going to leave VERY early to get through Vegas way before noon and more like 8am and before it really starts getting too hot. I am putting Xenon lights on my bike tomorrow so I can ride in the dark before it gets light in the morning to stay cool and get many of the miles out of the way.

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Like I said you don't want to miss the Gurge there. St G is 2 hrs from here. Honk as you go through.

Rob said:

2006FJR said:

Rob said:

I would think Day 6 would be the best day to ride off with out her. There really aren't that many airports up there and it would give you a good head start on her. If you feel you must keep her along for the ride stopping in Cedar City is a good bet but will make that next day a bit longer. St George is only 120 miles from Vegas so you will get the heat. You are going to ride through it anyway so maybe stopping there and hitting the road earlier to get through Vegas before noon would be better. You can't really ride all that way and not slow down and enjoy the Virgin River Canyon.Good day and have a safe trip.

Click to expand...

Thanks Rob. We are going to leave VERY early to get through Vegas way before noon and more like 8am and before it really starts getting too hot. I am putting Xenon lights on my bike tomorrow so I can ride in the dark before it gets light in the morning to stay cool and get many of the miles out of the way.

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Like I said you don't want to miss the Gurge there. St G is 2 hrs from here. Honk as you go through.

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Rob what is the temp in mid August at around 8am in Vegas? Do you ride at all that time of year?

Hey Trent you're not going to have room for the extra gas and it was nine other guys.