US Cross Country Preparations

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I have exactly 1 month to go for my cross country adventure trip on my Yamaha FZ6. I plan to leave (alone) on Sept 4 from Hackensack, NJ to arrive in Los Angeles, CA on Sept 15th. A journey covering 14 states, 6 national parks, national monuments, rivers, lakes, mountains, canyons and countless roads. It has been quite some effort to finalize the route and put down the details on paper.

Attractions? Chicago, Badlands National Park (Where the Streets have no name), Mt. Rushmore (Where mountains have faces), Wind Cave National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Arches National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Las Vegas (what can I say...) and Los Angeles (where I take a pic of my butt :).

Why am I doing this? It's certainly a fair question. Honestly, I don't know for sure. To me life is about following your passions. Motorcycle riding gives me a lot of pleasure. It's almost like meditation. Along with adventure, this journey will help me figure out a lot of things in life. I am hoping it does. Sorry, enough of philosophy.



I will be completing this journey on a Yamaha FZ6 - 600 cc (not the best choice to go cross country) motorcycle. I have a nelson-rigg bags setup to fit all my stuff. 2 side bags, a bag on the passenger seat, a tank-bag and a back-pack. Stuff I plan to carry? Here is an exhaustive list.

Motorcycle maintenance:
Toolkit, Chain lube, Flat tire kit (optional).

Riding Gear:
Helmet, Riding jacket, Sun Glasses, Riding shoes, Gloves (extra pair in case it
rains), Rain suit, Scarf, Ear plugs (if you don't ride listening to music).

Personal Items:
Tooth brush, Paste, Soap, Toilet paper, Comb, Perfume, First aid kit,
Stool softener, Acidity tablets, Tylenol, Eye drops, Ear buds, Sun screen,
Chap stick, Chewing gum, Insect repellent, Cigarette lighter, Freshening tissues,
Water bottle, sports shoes, travel book.

Clothes: 1 week's supply of undergarments, T-shirts, socks. Pair of Jeans and
shorts, jacket/sweat shirt. Don't forget coins and detergent for your laundry.

Camping Gear:
Hammer, Tent, Tent light, Torch, Sleeping bag, Sleeping pad, Swiss knife.

Electronics:
Camera, Camcorder, Laptop, Cell phone, Batteries (AA/AAA), Chargers, Tripod stand,
GPS, Music player, cables to connect to the computer, Pin-adapter if you are
traveling to multiple countries.

Miscellaneous:
Garbage bags, Stamps for postcards, Harmonica (optional), max 1 novel (optional).

Finances:
ATM card, Credit cards (at least 2 - carry MasterCard and Visa), Cash (keep it in
different bags), Call credit card companies and inform them you are traveling so
that they don't suspend your account.

Documents:
Vehicle registration, insurance proof, Drivers license, 1 more proof of ID,
Printed copies of all directions, A road map book, Printed copies of all bookings.

And yes, all the above mentioned stuff *does* fit on a motorcycle. I hope this serves as a reference to anyone who is serious about doing long journeys.

I will see you on Sept 4th on the same blog. Keep checking.