Final Road Trip

[ISP-FL]

It was 1972 and we were over 9,500 miles from home. Being typical 18 year olds we made plans for meeting up back in the world. We would each buy a Harley and spend a year traveling the country. Lost track of each other of course. We all got busy with careers and family in our different parts of the country after the war. Two got cancers related to Agent Orange, one died last summer and one is still fighting. The jury is still out on me.

Put the house on the market and sold it in 10 days. When we close next month we will set ourselves up in an RV and start traveling the country full time. We will be towing the Trike. Don't know if we can do it for 2 years, or 10 years, but my goal is to explore each and every State and log at least 1,000 miles in all of them.

 

[rhino 2]

It was 1972 and we were over 9,500 miles from home. Being typical 18 year olds we made plans for meeting up back in the world. We would each buy a Harley and spend a year traveling the country. Lost track of each other of course. We all got busy with careers and family in our different parts of the country after the war. Two got cancers related to Agent Orange, one died last summer and one is still fighting. The jury is still out on me.

Put the house on the market and sold it in 10 days. When we close next month we will set ourselves up in an RV and start traveling the country full time. We will be towing the Trike. Don't know if we can do it for 2 years, or 10 years, but my goal is to explore each and every State and log at least 1,000 miles in all of them.

Hope you find your dream.....When i got out in 67 i had the same dreams, But somehow life had a way of throwing a monkey wrench into the best laid plans...

Keep us posted on your travels.....ThumbUp

 

[desertclassic]

Life has a way of taking us places we never knew we would be. My belief is, where you are right now is where you are supposed to be.

When you are in NM or west TX, you have to let me know and we will log a few miles and tell a few war stories.

Be safe. Jim

 

[ISP-FL]

Jim, bought my first motorcycle when I was 20 years old and living on base at WSMR right next door to you. We have been back to that area a couple times since, once by RV and once on our Ultra Classic. We certainly will be back in the next 12 to 18 months and I will give you a shout.

 

[ISP-FL]

Moving the last of our personal belongings into a storage locker today. The young couple buying our house ended up buying our furniture also so that worked out great!

Tomorrow morning we close on the house then Saturday morning we take delivery of the motorhome. Had my new 24' enclosed car hauler delivered yesterday so I can tow our car and the Harley.

Got a long pull through site in a nice North Ft. Myers campground for the winter and then off we go.

 

[TGCarol]

Wow! Sounds like an EPIC adventure . Can't wait to hear some stories :clapping:

 

[Zammy]

Joe, I wish you the best in this next stage of life, we will definitely need some pictures when you get a chance.

 

[ISP-FL]

Gary, I'll get a pic of the new motorhome and trailer parked on this site together and try to figure out how to post in a few days. My wife is a little apprehensive cause the total combined length will be around 68 to 70 feet. I keep telling her it will work out great because people will get out of our way when they see us coming!

 

[consitter]

Gary, I'll get a pic of the new motorhome and trailer parked on this site together and try to figure out how to post in a few days. My wife is a little apprehensive cause the total combined length will be around 68 to 70 feet. I keep telling her it will work out great because people will get out of our way when they see us coming!

Yeah, just don't tell her the truth--that people are stupid no matter how big you are. I pull a 35 foot camper with a Ford F-250, and people will scoot over right in front of me to test my brakes. Makes me so mad I want to shoot them!!

 

[desertclassic]

Joe keep us updated on what you are doing. I know it is time to buy a new rig, just haven't settled on anything yet. I am planning on the quartzite rv show in jan, the largest of the year. Surely I will be able to find something. Jim

 

[ISP-FL]

That would certainly be a good place to look. There are two big RV dealers close to me down here so I was lucky as far as inventory goes. Starting in December and building through January in their busy season and they sell a ton of new and used ones here. I wanted a rig that we could boondock if we wanted and not always pay campground fees. Good luck with your search Jim!

 

[1dn5up]

Yeah, just don't tell her the truth--that people are stupid no matter how big you are. I pull a 35 foot camper with a Ford F-250, and people will scoot over right in front of me to test my brakes. Makes me so mad I want to shoot them!!

That’s from not being able to see in front of you. Rather than do 5-10 over the limit behind ya, they gota pass you then you pass them and the passing game begins .

I just recently passed the same car 3 times before he exited the big road.

 

[ISP-FL]

Wow! Sounds like an EPIC adventure . Can't wait to hear some stories :clapping:

The first part for the winter may not be too EPIC or exciting. We have a nice site in North Ft Myers and will stay here for most of the winter. I don't do cold no more. During the winter we will dry camp in a couple different locations for a night or two just to check out all the systems. Then in the spring it will be Tennessee for a couple weeks to ride with a couple buddies with TG's, then north to visit grandkids, up around Lake Michigan, out to the east coast, and end up back in SW Florida by sometime in November. Then the next year we want to get back to NM and some other places out west.

 

[Burnerboy]

Wow, you must be in my dreams..LOL

I always wanted to put my bike behind a 18 wheeler, and ride x country with the driver, and then ride motorcycle back to Massachusetts...zig zagging through out the country with no plans, and just see the rest of the world on a two/or now a three wheeler motorcycle.......well, never got a chance on a motorcycle, but I have been snow skiing through out the United States, as well as Europe, and Canada.................If yea don't do it now, believe me you'll never do it....Congrats! :clapping::clapping:DO IT NOW BEFORE YOU GET TOO OLD!!

Ronnie

 

[87Trike1200]

God Bless You on your dream trip.

Don't let the size/lenght lulll you into a feeling of safety. If anything, be EXTRA careful. I drive a "mere" 45 foot long, VanHool tour bus. You wouldn't believe what people do cutting in and out, passing, riding next to you instead of passing or falling back, inadequate following distances, etc, etc.

Keep us posted on your trip - BE SAFE!

 

[hogcowboy]

[rant] I did my RV'ing about 15 years ago but was unable to haul my bike. I got the cross-country bug like that killed but still want to do the same on bike/trike. But something I've noticed recently and getting worse is what I've coined "block parties" by 18 wheelers. It seems a few(and growing) like to pretend they are trying to pass another 18 wheeler every time they come to an uphill. Never do it on the flat or downhill. They just want to block everyone. A Block Party. It get's frustrating and I think that's the goal for them. So don't play their game. 18 wheel drivers aren't what they used to be. I guess they finally graduated a bunch of professional drivers because they are some of the worst now. I do see the occasional courteous driver so don't think I believe they are all bad. They aren't. They are just few and far between. I'll give a wave of Thank You to everyone that pulls back over when they see me. Point is, don't get pulled down to their level. I hate these Block Parties. I wonder if that's what they call them? No CB's now to ask or I would but most are busy on their phones now. [/rant]

 

[ISP-FL]

I know exactly what you are talking about. Hope I don't offend anyone, but we noticed that many FedX drivers are the worse. I don't know if their trucks are underpowered or some of them are just stupid, but they like the left lane and taking the lead in a block party. A few years ago we were stopped for an accident early in the morning, complete standstill for 30 minutes. When traffic started moving the Fedx driver next to us was laying over the wheel, we assumed asleep. For as long as I could see in my mirrors he didn't move and everyone in that lane had to go around him. Then we got worried the poor guy had died! About 45 minutes later he came around me just in time to start up a hill and block everything...... stupid #%@, he was alive and well rested!:laugh:

 

[1dn5up]

Many fedx / UPS haulers here are doubles. While coming up on one, I notice if he’s swaying or stable b4 passing. A swaying double ain’t good :skull:

 

[rhino 2]

[rant] I did my RV'ing about 15 years ago but was unable to haul my bike. I got the cross-country bug like that killed but still want to do the same on bike/trike. But something I've noticed recently and getting worse is what I've coined "block parties" by 18 wheelers. It seems a few(and growing) like to pretend they are trying to pass another 18 wheeler every time they come to an uphill. Never do it on the flat or downhill. They just want to block everyone. A Block Party. It get's frustrating and I think that's the goal for them. So don't play their game. 18 wheel drivers aren't what they used to be. I guess they finally graduated a bunch of professional drivers because they are some of the worst now. I do see the occasional courteous driver so don't think I believe they are all bad. They aren't. They are just few and far between. I'll give a wave of Thank You to everyone that pulls back over when they see me. Point is, don't get pulled down to their level. I hate these Block Parties. I wonder if that's what they call them? No CB's now to ask or I would but most are busy on their phones now. [/rant]

Out there it's called Sandbagin Do they do it on purpose probably not it's just that they don't give a sh*t !

 

[hogcowboy]

Out there it's called Sandbagin Do they do it on purpose probably not it's just that they don't give a sh*t !

Well I'll continue to call it a block party. Keeps me from getting ticked off. It's more fun to join in on a party than to sandbag. Sandbagging is work. My own mental game to put up with these worthless jerks.