There are some great roads out there, and some we’ve only experienced vicariously... I know that there are a lot of countries that I’ve been to where the mental image of riding a bike there becomes a foremost thought... I must get back there with a bike sometime kinda thing. Or @Dartplayer’s and @Sandi T postings make me drool for a ride out for some local scran. I suspect this could easily become “the world” but are there specific places you’d hit up if money/health/access were no problem? I have an idea for a European “grand tour” in my retirement, but more specifically... the Norway section and the warm hillsides of Umbria in Italy are an absolute must.
Always fancied buying a Lead Wing to cruise around Spain. Certainly want to visit Norway, been toying with getting a camper van for such a trip though. Same with NC500, easier than bike, and l could take hiking and camping gear too.
Trailer up to Connecticut, then tool north through New England on coastal back roads, then take the ferry across from Maine to Nova Scotia. Couple days banging around Halifax then head back south on a westerly route. Late summer or early fall would be ideal.
My current bucket list ride is the one from the northern tip of Europe to Gibraltar, being the most southerly point. Covid and Christmas have sidelined the plans but it'll happen, perhaps next year. I don't have a route yet, but I have a map!
The "bucket list" places for Mr. Sandi and me include Spain though we'd need some advice (got any?) for the best areas to ride. We have a Spanish friend who recommends a southern route. Whatever we do it would need to include a couple of days at least--but probably not on a bike--in Barcelona. I was there for a week about a dozen years ago and loved it but Mr. Sandi hasn't ever been there. We've also talked about doing a ride somewhere in the UK. Yeah, I know, that doesn't narrow it down much. The UK got added to our bucket list about two minutes after Mr. Sandi got his ancestry.com results back and learned he's half English and half Scottish with a wee bit of Irish thrown into the mix. Again, we'd welcome recommendations for both places and times of the year. As far as bucket list rides in the U.S., we're lucky and blessed enough to have already done some of our bucket list rides through Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado. Rides still on our list include the southern national parks in Utah--Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Arches. Though it hadn't been even in my thoughts until I met Mr. Sandi, the Natchez Trace from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee has made my bucket list now, too. That's Mr. Sandi has been to areas of Alberta by car that he'd like to do on a motorcycle so there's that..... Wow, so many roads and not enough time. But we'll give it a go. Fun thread, @DCS900!
Route 66. Paid £1800 towards it and lost the lot as non-refundable. Company wouldn’t listen to any requests to re-book due to you know what. Big company too. Still going to do it though.
This is an understatement: Bummer.... Kudos to you for not being put off. I hope it all works out for you next time.
A few years ago it struck me that I've never done a camping tour of Scotland on my motorbike. I've ridden there to the home of my relatives when my Dad wasn't living in Scotland at that time. Then gone off around Scotland in other peoples cars and parked the 'bike up in the back garden. I've been many times, touring most of the country in a car even more so when my Dad moved back there. So I decided late 2019 that I was going to do that as I always headed south and over the channel for the better weather on the motorbike. Trouble is of course covid has been a thorn in the side since I decided. I'd like to go up to the north coast as I've never made it up that far and see if I can watch some whales or orcas. Also I'd like to visit the Orkneys as part of my distant family came from there. I got put off last year because of the stories of how busy the NC500 was, with campervan traffic jams etc. So I'm hoping that they will have got it out of their systems now and it might start returning back to normal. I also hate midges and as a camper I've never found a way to avoid them apart from go early or late in the year (hence the use of the car). Anyway I thought maybe putting this out there will force me to do something instead of just putting it off.....
Hope you had travel insurance….? We have a year round deal that costs us £15/ month and also includes car recovery in the UK and Europe,. I guess you should have travel insurance to do the 66 I would hope .
We did the NC 500 in a car ( convertible ) in September this year. No major queues anywhere but we had to book all our accommodation before we went and also our meal locations as there is little choice in some parts of the route. We really enjoyed it but some of the roads are not great. Don’t rush it, would be my advice and get the App. The one supported by Aston Martin. Very useful for background Info and inspiration. We were lucky and had the top off of the car nearly every day in early September and the midges were bearable most days and infuriating other days. If I were to do it again, May would be my choice of month. But a road trip is always worth the effort. It will take a lot of planning but that was part of the enjoyment…
Not an option for travel insurance I’m afraid as it was a package with the american firm and definitely no refunds. To be fair, they did move it a couple of times but no good if you can't actually get to the country... Once bitten etc....
Wow, that really sucks. I’d like to do Route 66 as well but I hear it’s actually not that great as a road trip these days. Still an iconic road, though.
Ignore southern Spain and look into Picos motorcycle routes for your research, I promise it will not disappoint it is definitely on my bucket list
I have a friend who lives in Murcia and my better half used to live in Spain, so it’s definitely on our list. Let us know if you and Mr Sandi want a tour guide.
@Sandi T got an apartment about a two hour train ride from Valencia or Barcelona, nice mountain roads inland. Three hours and a bit gets you in the Pyrenees. Ridden a fair chunk of Spain and always happy to point you in the right direction.
Rode the N260 in the Spanish Pyrenees in 2019 and I've been trying to get back there ever since. But, due to this dam covid shit I've had to cancel trips in 2020 & 2021. However, I've booked the ferry for later this year so I'm hopeful to get there this time.
Also done several tours of Bonnie Scotland over the last few years a couple of which were expertly and kindly organised by @Dougie D . A few of us are doing another Scottish trip this year, it never fails to enthrall.
