Simon Says Motorcycle Trip. Crazy Idea?

[Andrew Shadow]

Remember Simon Says from your childhood? How about applying it to motorcycle riding?

Last night I was sitting out on the back patio enjoying the beautiful weather and sipping on a beer. I was thinking that I should go somewhere, but where? I have ridden all over North America but I know that there are more places that I have not been to than I have been to. I decided this is something that should be thought about while riding. Since I only had one beer, I suited up and headed out. While I was riding around with no destination in my mind I realized that I don't need a destination, I just need somewhere to ride. I thought that I should leave my trip planning to all of you. Between everyone on this forum, you know all of the best motorcycling roads in every part of North America. That thought led me to the next thought below.

I would ask for where to go from where I currently am at that moment. Someone on this forum would provide me with a location to ride to and GPX route file to get me there. I would head for that location following that person's route. Once I get there I will go to the next location that had been posted by someone else along with their route to get there. This is the Simon Says part. You tell me where to go (so to speak) and how to get there and that is what I do.

I don't know how I would manage it though, or what limits I would want to put on it.
- Do I always accept the first location/route posted?
- Do I look through everything posted and choose the next location/route that I want?
- Do I accept back-tracking? (I am not sure that I would want to spend two weeks going back and forth in the same general area.)
- Do I accept multiple locations/routes consecutively from the same person or make it like a tag game where someone else has to post first?
- Do I accept only locations/routes that I can reach within one day of riding from where I currently am? ( i.e. Do I let you guys send me all the way to New Mexico before I accept the next route to Newfoundland, then the next route to the Ozarks, etc.?)
- Do I only accept suggestions that include a route in the form of a GPX file? The reason for this is the fun factor. If I have a route that I just plug in to the GPS and follow I will never know where I am heading to next until I get there. If I have to plan out a route myself, than I will know in advance where I am going to.
- How long do I want to be gone on this adventure?
- Do I want to restrict it by either distance or region/s?

I thought this could be fun as I would be heading somewhere different everyday, I would never know where I am going to next or how I am getting there, and most likely I would always be on a good motorcycle road based on the knowledge of this forum.

This is all just a thought that I had while riding around in the dark last night. Don't know if I will ever do it or the conditions of how I will do it if I ever do.
Has anybody ever heard of such an idea?
What suggestions would you incorporate?
Is this a crazy idea?

 

[DeanR]

Pretty interesting/unique idea Andrew. Give it a shot. You could cancel at any time, but then you might find yourself way far away from home !

 

[STFlips]

Wow, very ambitious in a non ambitious way, lol. Personally I think it's a great idea, but as you indicated, if you don't make any decisions you will literally be all over the map.
So my suggestions to accomplish this would be to put a time frame on the trip, for example, how many weeks, then a daily ride length by distance or hours. Hopefully once you get about half way "there" the suggested routes sent in would gently head you back towards home.
Cheers and enjoy the ride!

 

[Weaselinsuit]

I like it.

You'd have to establish limits obviously as STFlips says but it would be unique and fun way to plot....sorry, have others, plot your route.

 

[Kevcules]

What was in the beer you were drinking? lol Sounds like a real adventure!

How much time do you have? Are you retired? How much money do you want to spend?
There are many, many places that would seem desireable but time, finances and lower back owies still dictate my plans. Not sure about yours. Some places that are cool to some might not be to others.
I could imagine you taking a very broad look at where you would like to travel, general direction, then incorporate some stops or detours along the way that were suggested on here. If my back ever gets better and I could ride for long distances, going to see some of the forum members ( in great weather countries of course ) discussing our steeds and life, would be a real treat. In fact, having a few members ride with you through their territory would be even better. I'm getting excited and can't even do this yet!
Good luck at what ever you decide and be sure to document the journey.

 

[the Ferret]

Remember Simon Says from your childhood? How about applying it to motorcycle riding?

Is this a crazy idea?

YES

(but it could be fun)

 

[Upt' North]

Northumberland's nice.
Upt.

 

[klaproth]

My sister comes down from Richmond VA, on her mega scooter ( Silver Wing 600), and we spend a whole week just riding in North Georgia. She is awed by the fact that we go different places each day, but never the same roads twice OR the same roads on the outbound leg and the inbound leg . It usually takes me a coupla hours just to plot out the routes for a weeks worth of riding.
I’d be happy to work out some routing for a leg of your trip, and buy a couple beers if you happen by!

 

[Sunday Rider]

That is a great idea! Once it sinks and you have logistics parameters, the resources from here will get you launched with confidence and a huge grin factor.

 

[Larry Fine]

My sister comes down from Richmond VA, . . .

Hey, I'm in Richmond. We have plenty of little-known byways, too, that I'd be happy to share with her.

 

[Obo]

See if this works.... BTW it has an expiration date

Aug 17-20, 2023

 

[Andrew Shadow]

You could cancel at any time, but then you might find yourself way far away from home !

That's OK with me, part of the idea behind it.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

but as you indicated, if you don't make any decisions you will literally be all over the map.

That is part of the appeal.

So my suggestions to accomplish this would be to put a time frame on the trip, for example, how many weeks, then a daily ride length by distance or hours. Hopefully once you get about half way "there" the suggested routes sent in would gently head you back towards home.

How much time do you have? Are you retired? How much money do you want to spend?

These are some of things that I would need to figure out, mostly what limitations I want to impose. Time itself is not a big concern, but the length of time away increases the cost of course, which is of concern. The daily ride length, be it in distance or hours, I don't see as an issue. Even though I would have a location and a route provided to me I would still find my way there at my own pace. If I didn't get there the same day I would just continue on the next day.

Kevin- the biggest limiting factor I see of course would be how much money I want to throw at this. I don't know. Haven't thought it through. I haven't given it any thought other than coming up with the idea actually.

What was in the beer you were drinking?

Well it was Canadian beer, not that funny US stuff.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

She is awed by the fact that we go different places each day, but never the same roads twice OR the same roads on the outbound leg and the inbound leg .

That is the way that I prefer to go as well.

It usually takes me a coupla hours just to plot out the routes for a weeks worth of riding.

Making a good route is time consuming and why I wouldn't want to be doing it in the motel room every night on a tiny little screen.

I’d be happy to work out some routing for a leg of your trip, and buy a couple beers if you happen by!

Thank you, I would appreciate and enjoy both.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

See if this works.... BTW it has an expiration date

Aug 17-20, 2023

I knew before I ever hit the post button that you would offer this up. Good on you for the marketing campaign, keep it up.
P.S. I can't open that file.

 

[Williamson]

Northumberland's nice.

Victoria (AUS) better, but we both have real beer.

 

[Obo]

I knew before I ever hit the post button that you would offer this up. Good on you for the marketing campaign, keep it up.
P.S. I can't open that file.

We've love to have you!

You can drop the file into Google Earth. The starting point and way points are "iffy" but you already know the destination, so I wasn't really following the your rules to have "no idea" where you were going.

For the rest of you, the endpoint is:

 

[cjames431]

Well, if the post doesn’t start with “Simon says…” you can ignore it.