Needing ideas for first trip on my ST

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I have about 9 days off the end of September. I live a little south of Kansas City. It will be my first trip on my 04 ST1300. I will be going by myself, I guess, because my riding buddy has sorta lost interest. Kinda was thinking about going to North Dakota, never been there. I don't know...just don't want to go East of KC...to much traffic..I'd appreciate any ideas...thanks
 

Duporth

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I am heading off next Monday on my first ST trip also, just for the week. 5 days on the road, day after day, a real treat.

The mighty ST is ready to go, all up to spec, new PR4GT tyres, fully serviced, and even, at the last moment (um ah um ah, yes) a new battery.
I am also a solo traveller. My previous mate has given up, and sold his R1200R. I will be looking in my mirrors for that single headlight out of habit, but alas...

In my travelling I have found that time for planning and preparation has made a better trip (fun too). I can relax then and enjoy the scenery. I do understand that spontaneous can be good too, but on a longer trip that is not my way.

I will probably cover just under 2000km in total and each day is a comfortable distance (~400km). This allows me to start at gentleman's hour and be parked and finished by 3- 4:00pm. I'm not sure my theory is sound but I think this allows the morning Kangaroos to be off the road and the evening ones yet to appear. Certainly I need to vigilant on my chosen route.

I can't offer any tips apart from the preparing well (if you are like me), planning achievable and comfortable distances, and enjoying the experience.

All the best.
D
 
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Kinda was thinking about going to North Dakota, never been there.
A client of mine ( "rides" a Can Am Spyder) just returned from there, and loved it. He took two trips to Mt. Rushmore, and DID ride through Sturgis, although said he'd not bother with Sturgis again. ( He trailered the Spyder up) . I am considering this as a "fly and ride" destination in the future.

Have a good time- I am all kinds of jealous!
 

Uncle Phil

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....and be sure to watch out for kangaroos....:)

Seriously though, nearly every state & province has good tourist guides and "things to do & see" pamphlets. I'd simply go to the ND website and check for their suggestions.

When I was a kid in the late 60s, we travelled and camped all through there and at the time, the old historic drug store in the town of Wall ND (or was it SD??) was interesting to see. For miles along the highway, they had placed signs: the first read "WALL" and 50 feet later "DRUG" - so at 55 mph, you were brainwashed with the thought of visiting WALL DRUG, WALL DRUG, WALL DRUG...... After all that marketing, you simply HAD to go see it.

Wherever you go, have fun and safe travels!
 
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It all depends on how much riding you want to do and how much sightseeing you want to do. Last year I did a run through SD, WY, ID, MT ND and I live in MN. It was 5200 miles. It was a great trip but next time I will do fewer miles and see more things of intrest!
 

the Ferret

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Badlands Natl park loop in SD, Rushmore if you havent seen it, and there are some great roads near Sturgis, then shoot north to Theodore Roosevelt Natl Park in ND is a trip I'm planning as SD and ND are 2 of the 6 states I havent ridden in. THe other 4 are on the east coast. That will be another trip.

Good luck with your planning and your trip. Have fun, ride safe.
 

Uncle Phil

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....and be sure to watch out for kangaroos....:)

the old historic drug store in the town of Wall ND (or was it SD??) was interesting to see. For miles along the highway, they had placed signs: the first read "WALL" and 50 feet later "DRUG" - so at 55 mph, you were brainwashed with the thought of visiting WALL DRUG, WALL DRUG, WALL DRUG...... After all that marketing, you simply HAD to go see it.
You mean this one in SD? :D

http://www.unclephil.us/Canada2013Day16.htm
 
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Mellow

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I have about 9 days off the end of September. I live a little south of Kansas City. It will be my first trip on my 04 ST1300. I will be going by myself, I guess, because my riding buddy has sorta lost interest. Kinda was thinking about going to North Dakota, never been there. I don't know...just don't want to go East of KC...to much traffic..I'd appreciate any ideas...thanks
End of Sept... ah... hello!
https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?157029-TentSTOC-IX-Kodachrome-Basin-SP-UT-Sep-28-30-2017

9 days is a lot, you could hit some great areas just getting to TentSTOC and some great ones on the way back.
 
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I'd aim my 'sights' a little 'lower' and do Beartooth Pass, Chief Joseph Highway and as much of the road through Lolo Pass as you can get to. Maybe dip your toe into YellowStone.

http://www.unclephil.us/West2009Day04.htm
http://www.unclephil.us/West2009Day05.htm
http://www.unclephil.us/West2009Day06.htm

Or maybe Glacier National Park -

http://www.unclephil.us/West2002Day05.htm
PHIL ITS A COLD TRIP> 40'S AT NIGHT< NOT MUCH TO SEE IN NORTH DAKOTA. UTAH AND CAMPSTOC VERY SCIENIC AND A GOOD BASE CAMP. I WAS IN WYOMING IN EARLY SEPTEMBER BEAR TOOTH WAS CLOSED A FEW DAYS BEFORE IT WAS REOPENED BUT 40MPH WINDS AND ONLY GOT UP TO 45 DEGREES.AT YELLOWSTONE HALF OF THE CAMPGROUNDS ARE CLOSED IN MID SEPTEMBER,IT GETS BELOW 40 AT NIGHT, GLACIER SHOULD BE EVEN COLDER. 5 NATIONAL PARKS IN UTAH PLUS COLORADO OR NEW MEXICO TO GET THERE IS A GREAT RIDE ALSO
 

BakerBoy

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Good suggestions.

And another approach to consider: pick a theme and plan the ride for that theme. An example for me was to ride to see every county seat in Colorado. It allowed me to come/go from home for many of the rides.

Or you could find and move Tags in any number of states. Or you could plan to go see the 3 largest balls of twine west of the Mississippi. Or go diagonally across the country staying off interstates. Or write your name across America via your GPS trackpoints (or SPOT or other). Or many other ideas.

Peruse this website for other 'theme' ideas: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/

:)
 

Uncle Phil

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PHIL ITS A COLD TRIP> 40'S AT NIGHT< NOT MUCH TO SEE IN NORTH DAKOTA.
That's why I always carry my heated gear with me! :D Talking about this in Utah? ;-)

http://www.unclephil.us/West2009Day13.htm
http://www.unclephil.us/West2009Day14.htm
http://www.unclephil.us/West2009Day15.htm
http://www.unclephil.us/West2009Day16.htm

We did this trip at the beginning of September. My favorite road out there is still Highway 12 - Lolo Pass, with BearTooth and Chief Joseph coming in close behind. With altitude out there, the weather is always a factor you just have to watch.
 
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Uncle Phil's route is my favorite area to ride. Bear Tooth Pass is unbelievable and indescribable. Lolo Pass, though not as spectacular is truly beautiful.

However, you have an interest in ND / SD. Here I can only endorse Ferret's suggestion. BTDT many times. A great ride. With time available perhaps add the Turtle Mountain along the Canadian Border in ND. It's a short enough ride to loop it one day out of Minot, or Bismarck. FYI Highway US-2 (East/West) has become very busy with heavy truck traffic, and is rough broken concrete. I try to find state and county alternative routes.

Have a great ride wherever you choose.

PS: I also ride alone. I'm leaving end of August for the Oregon Coast on 4500 mile 12 day loop.
 
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That's why I always carry my heated gear with me! :D Talking about this in Utah? ;-)

http://www.unclephil.us/West2009Day13.htm
http://www.unclephil.us/West2009Day14.htm
http://www.unclephil.us/West2009Day15.htm
http://www.unclephil.us/West2009Day16.htm

We did this trip at the beginning of September. My favorite road out there is still Highway 12 - Lolo Pass, with BearTooth and Chief Joseph coming in close behind. With altitude out there, the weather is always a factor you just have to watch.
its his first trip , most people don't have heated gear for their first trip
 

Uncle Phil

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AL - Our trip to Beartooth ride was right at the beginning of September also and my heated gear had a short. It all depends on what temps you are used to. Best I remember, it gets pretty cold and windy around KC cause there ain't nothing to stop it all the way from the Canadian border! :D Hopefully he is reading this and heated gear will come to his mind as a good idea. If you do any altitude out West, you're gonna get cold. Pikes Peak, Monarch Pass, Sonora Pass - they all usually have snow in June and are cold. He said North Dakota, so I presume he understands the temperatures he could face. If not, hopefully he will by reading all of this and plan accordingly. ;-)
 
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AL - Our trip to Beartooth ride was right at the beginning of September also and my heated gear had a short. It all depends on what temps you are used to. Best I remember, it gets pretty cold and windy around KC cause there ain't nothing to stop it all the way from the Canadian border! :D Hopefully he is reading this and heated gear will come to his mind as a good idea. If you do any altitude out West, you're gonna get cold. Pikes Peak, Monarch Pass, Sonora Pass - they all usually have snow in June and are cold. He said North Dakota, so I presume he understands the temperatures he could face. If not, hopefully he will by reading all of this and plan accordingly. ;-)
KC is in tornado alley, heat and humidity from the gulf. anyways, If its cold all day with out heated gear you will get cold. On my way back I rode from Buffalo Wy to Rapid City. It started at 45 with rain. It didn't stop raining till Rapid City and reached a whopping 50. I survived with only heated grips. The day before they predicted 60 with a chance of a few showers. Its his first big trip he is not used to riding long hours in the cold and possible rain. I would think a better destination should have the chance of a more moderate climate. Yellowstone , Bear Tooth ( even if its open) in late September is guaranteed to be cold.
 

Uncle Phil

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Al - If I read his original post correctly, this is his first trip 'on his ST1300'. He has a riding buddy who appears to have ridden places with him before and now doesn't want to.
So it seems to me that this is not his 'first trip' ever on a motorcycle although it could be .... :D
 
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Al - If I read his original post correctly, this is his first trip 'on his ST1300'. He has a riding buddy who appears to have ridden places with him before and now doesn't want to.
So it seems to me that this is not his 'first trip' ever on a motorcycle although it could be .... :D
PHIIL, I AGREE BUT
WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING UP AT 4 IN THE MORNING ??? AL
 

Uncle Phil

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PHIIL, I AGREE BUT
WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING UP AT 4 IN THE MORNING ??? AL
AL - I usually get up around 4 to 4:30 AM so I can do my morning workout (bicycle, weight lifting, scrunches, walking, etc.) before I go to work. But then I go to bed usually around 7-8 PM. :D I still haven't found them worms that the early birds are supposed to get ... ;-)
 
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I went from Minnesota to Oregon in September, and had both great weather, and a great ride! Took the Bear tooth highway down to Yellowstone, through Idaho, Washington, then down to Portland . Spent the day with a good friend, went to Seattle, then home again. On the way home, I went through the southern portion of Yellowstone, the Big Horn mountains, and hit needles highway; the black Hills area, wall drug, then home. Over 5k miles, and I loved every second. Next time I'll do Chief Joseph highway.
 
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