So... 1 week from today my Dad and I depart for our annual trip. (Google Maps link below) I started getting my bike ready yesterday for touring putting the saddle bags on, getting my USB ports and iPod/GPS mount installed. I did all the maintenance stuff last week. (Plugs, air filter, oil, coolant, etc...) Today my Dad and I did the fluids and plugs and everything on his bike. Now we're just chomping at the bit to get going. 
Last year was a little bit of a disappointment. We went to Vegas for Bikefest for a couple of days. That was pretty cool but nowhere near as big as it was hyped up to be. Then we rode to Zion National Park. Unfortunately it was in the middle of the government shut down and the park was closed. So we were allowed to ride through the park and that was it. Couldn't even legally stop on the side of the road to take a picture, (we did a few times under the pretense of my neck hurting and needing to stop ) let alone go exploring a little off the road. So we decided this year, we'd do Utah again.
So this time it's going to be:
Day 1 to Vegas
Day 2 to Zion
Day 3 to Capitol Reef
Day 4 to Arches
Day 5 to Bryce Canyon
Day 6 to Vegas
Day 7 back home
1670 miles total in 7 days.
The few days after Vegas are only about 160 miles each day so only a few hours in the morning to get from park to park and have plenty of time to spend in the parks each day. Obviously only a half day in each park isn't enough to cover everything we want to see. But we'll at least be able to see some of the main things and enjoy the beautiful roads without feeling like we're rushing. When we get to Moab we're actually staying at this really cool campsite about halfway between town and the Arches park entrance called Moab Under Canvas. Pretty much a tent with a couple of cots all set up for you. Just show up, camp, and leave. I'd love to do a real camping trip, but that's going to have to wait for another trip.
I'm bringing my good Canon DSLR with me and my GoPro again. I think we're going to have wifi at most of the places we're stopping so I'll post up pics as we go. If anyone knows these parks well and have any suggestions on things we shouldn't miss, please post them up and we'll see if we can check them out. Here's the route we're planning. Basically an out and back.
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Lakeside,+CA/Four+Queens+Hotel+&+Casino/Terrace+Brook+Lodge/Affordable+Inn+of+Capitol+Reef/Arches+National+Park+Entrance+Station,+Arches+Entrance+Rd/Americas+Best+Value+Inn/New+York-New+York+Hotel+&+Casino/Lakeside,+CA/@35.8405219,-117.9504951,1273540m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m70!4m69!1m5!1m1!1s0x80d958a39ef6648f:0xf47e2b6bbf978cd9!2m2!1d-116.9222488!2d32.8572718!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c8c39f88786a61:0x6481aefe18be0621!2m2!1d-115.143425!2d36.16985!1m15!1m1!1s0x80cac2a80095f5f5:0xeb6fb1e2b9ff60a3!2m2!1d-113.001248!2d37.18781!3m4!1m2!1d-112.6316435!2d37.2761031!3s0x80cacd39c7ec80e7:0xf120e85a35fdcf38!3m4!1m2!1d-111.6656433!2d37.7693583!3s0x8735855512e0932f:0x1de9458c674469c5!1m5!1m1!1s0x874a3e05d07c1c3f:0xc60e90ed56ed1126!2m2!1d-111.387173!2d38.313903!1m10!1m1!1s0x87480ad875990867:0x1f7df21863142c9f!2m2!1d-109.6163418!2d38.6165441!3m4!1m2!1d-111.0150082!2d38.3338832!3s0x8749f4875e30e3bd:0x4455a57a134b4900!1m10!1m1!1s0x873565092d26338d:0x2a0da37e09e29235!2m2!1d-112.082361!2d37.626694!3m4!1m2!1d-112.7370077!2d37.2334942!3s0x80cace1e355f32b9:0xdd4ae1c9645f338c!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c8c5ccc25c8967:0xedac8aad053f7cee!2m2!1d-115.174556!2d36.102372!1m5!1m1!1s0x80d958a39ef6648f:0xf47e2b6bbf978cd9!2m2!1d-116.9222488!2d32.8572718!3e0
Last year was a little bit of a disappointment. We went to Vegas for Bikefest for a couple of days. That was pretty cool but nowhere near as big as it was hyped up to be. Then we rode to Zion National Park. Unfortunately it was in the middle of the government shut down and the park was closed. So we were allowed to ride through the park and that was it. Couldn't even legally stop on the side of the road to take a picture, (we did a few times under the pretense of my neck hurting and needing to stop
) let alone go exploring a little off the road. So we decided this year, we'd do Utah again.So this time it's going to be:
Day 1 to Vegas
Day 2 to Zion
Day 3 to Capitol Reef
Day 4 to Arches
Day 5 to Bryce Canyon
Day 6 to Vegas
Day 7 back home
1670 miles total in 7 days.
The few days after Vegas are only about 160 miles each day so only a few hours in the morning to get from park to park and have plenty of time to spend in the parks each day. Obviously only a half day in each park isn't enough to cover everything we want to see. But we'll at least be able to see some of the main things and enjoy the beautiful roads without feeling like we're rushing. When we get to Moab we're actually staying at this really cool campsite about halfway between town and the Arches park entrance called Moab Under Canvas. Pretty much a tent with a couple of cots all set up for you. Just show up, camp, and leave. I'd love to do a real camping trip, but that's going to have to wait for another trip.
I'm bringing my good Canon DSLR with me and my GoPro again. I think we're going to have wifi at most of the places we're stopping so I'll post up pics as we go. If anyone knows these parks well and have any suggestions on things we shouldn't miss, please post them up and we'll see if we can check them out. Here's the route we're planning. Basically an out and back.
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Lakeside,+CA/Four+Queens+Hotel+&+Casino/Terrace+Brook+Lodge/Affordable+Inn+of+Capitol+Reef/Arches+National+Park+Entrance+Station,+Arches+Entrance+Rd/Americas+Best+Value+Inn/New+York-New+York+Hotel+&+Casino/Lakeside,+CA/@35.8405219,-117.9504951,1273540m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m70!4m69!1m5!1m1!1s0x80d958a39ef6648f:0xf47e2b6bbf978cd9!2m2!1d-116.9222488!2d32.8572718!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c8c39f88786a61:0x6481aefe18be0621!2m2!1d-115.143425!2d36.16985!1m15!1m1!1s0x80cac2a80095f5f5:0xeb6fb1e2b9ff60a3!2m2!1d-113.001248!2d37.18781!3m4!1m2!1d-112.6316435!2d37.2761031!3s0x80cacd39c7ec80e7:0xf120e85a35fdcf38!3m4!1m2!1d-111.6656433!2d37.7693583!3s0x8735855512e0932f:0x1de9458c674469c5!1m5!1m1!1s0x874a3e05d07c1c3f:0xc60e90ed56ed1126!2m2!1d-111.387173!2d38.313903!1m10!1m1!1s0x87480ad875990867:0x1f7df21863142c9f!2m2!1d-109.6163418!2d38.6165441!3m4!1m2!1d-111.0150082!2d38.3338832!3s0x8749f4875e30e3bd:0x4455a57a134b4900!1m10!1m1!1s0x873565092d26338d:0x2a0da37e09e29235!2m2!1d-112.082361!2d37.626694!3m4!1m2!1d-112.7370077!2d37.2334942!3s0x80cace1e355f32b9:0xdd4ae1c9645f338c!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c8c5ccc25c8967:0xedac8aad053f7cee!2m2!1d-115.174556!2d36.102372!1m5!1m1!1s0x80d958a39ef6648f:0xf47e2b6bbf978cd9!2m2!1d-116.9222488!2d32.8572718!3e0
