It was early May, and my boyfriend and I wanted to check out the infamous Tail of the Dragon — the road with 318 curves in 11 miles — and I figured we could plan a relaxing stay in a lodge in North Carolina and really take in the beauty of the outdoors. Looking at a map, we would have to ride about 480 miles from Maryland to North Carolina, and since we’d be passing by Shenandoah National Park, I figured we should ride through that, too. I had just gotten my 1,000cc “naked” bike and really wanted to get to know her better, and my boyfriend was eager to take his sport tourer on a longer trip.
THE PLAN
- Distance: 480 miles
- Travel time: 8 hours (averaging 60 mph)
- Departure time: 10 a.m.
- Number of breaks: 4 at 30 minutes each
- ETA at lodge: 8 p.m.
WHAT TO PACK
- Two-night stay = 1 backpack of clothes
It seemed like it would work out perfectly. It did not. Here are the 5 mistakes I made as a rookie moto-traveler that threw me off course.
Range
I forgot to calculate how many miles my bike could travel before I needed fuel. I had an older motorcycle that did not show me how much fuel I had left or how much range I had. I did have a fuel light that would come on, indicating I had about 25-ish miles to go before I was out of gas. Turns out, my bike could travel about 150 miles before we had to fill up. That shouldn’t be a problem because I had planned to take four breaks, right? Well, I didn’t time my breaks with my fuel stops, so in the end, we actually took about 6 breaks. (I also didn’t know to follow a cardinal rule: Always top off if you have a chance, even if you’re not low on gas.)
TRIP TIME ADDED: 1 HOUR
Dawdling (time taken during breaks)
I didn’t pay attention to time while we took breaks. You’d be surprised at how quickly 15 minutes can blow by. Plus, I had insisted we sit down and eat once, which meant we spent about an hour on one break. And remember how I wanted to ride through Shenandoah National Park? Well, we did, and we stopped at least four times to take in the scenery, take pictures, and chitchat with other tourists, which essentially added more “breaks” into my schedule.
TRIP TIME ADDED: 2.5 HOURS
Average Speed of Travel
I estimated an average of 60 mph, but I failed to look at the speed limit in Shenandoah National Park: 35 mph
TRIP TIME ADDED:1 HOUR
Weather/Temperatures
I looked at the weather in Maryland before we left. It was May and fairly warm. But I didn’t look at the weather and temperatures in the mountains in Shenandoah and in North Carolina. I also had a “naked” bike, which meant I didn’t have fairings (plastics around the bike) to protect me from wind and cold. We had to stop twice for me to add more layers. And again, some of those breaks took longer because I was trying to warm up. As we got into the mountains in North Carolina, it was drizzling. The sun had gone down (it was about midnight then), and the temperatures were in the low 40s. I was just shivering and riding slowly at that point, as traction was reduced due to the wet, cold pavement. I remember thinking that we still had about one and a half hours to ride and I wasn’t sure if I would make it.
TRIP TIME ADDED:1 HOUR – We also took a wrong turn and briefly got lost. When you are cold and miserable, your focus declines.
Not packing enough/appropriate gear and wearing a backpack.
I wasn’t the gear aficionado then that I am now. I actually did fine in my 3-season jacket and pants, but my riding boots were not waterproof, nor were my gloves. Cold, wet hands and cold, wet feet are awful on a cold, wet ride. And I didn’t think ahead to pack an extra set of gloves. Also, because I just thought I’d need a backpack of clothes, I didn’t have much space to pack extra gear. The backpack was also the wrong choice for a long ride. I thought it wouldn’t bother me because I was sitting, but I had the backpack snug against my back so it wouldn’t flop around, and in the end, my shoulders and back were sore from the weight.
By the time we got to the lodge, it was nearly 2 a.m., and I was just thankful that someone was at the front desk so we could get a key to our room.
Since that trip, I’ve gotten much better at estimating the time needed to travel and keeping track of time taken during breaks. What I didn’t realize then was that because motorcycling is a “rider active” activity and you are more exposed to the environment, it can be more fatiguing, so giving yourself extra time for a break is necessary. You may not notice the fatigue if you go for an hour ride, but you’ll feel it after riding five or more hours.
So, a few key takeaways from my adventure:
- Know your bike’s fuel range. Calculate how far your bike can go on a tank and plan fuel stops accordingly. Always top off when you have a chance.
- Be mindful of break times. Breaks can take longer than expected. Keep track of time and avoid unnecessary delays, especially on longer trips.
- Factor in speed limits. Don’t assume an average speed without checking road conditions and speed limits. Even then, it’s wise to account for unanticipated delays.
- Prepare for varying weather. Weather rarely remains consistent across regions on long trips, especially when traveling through mountains. Check forecasts for the entire route, and pack layers that can be added or removed as needed.
- Pack smart and comfortably. Waterproof gear is essential to keep dry and warm. Avoid wearing a heavy backpack on long rides. It causes fatigue and discomfort.
One more thing I learned about motorcycle travel: There’s always something to discover. Despite it sounding like a miserable time (and I admit, at times, I was pretty miserable), it’s a trip I will always cherish. What I discovered about planning, expectations, and about myself couldn’t have been done any other way.