Who's in for an adventure next summer? The Space Shuttle Program is coming to an end and I'd like to see one launch before it's retired.

A couple of places I want to see on the way over are:
Meteor Crater - AZ
VLA Telescope complex - NM
New Orleans - LA

I'm guessing it will be an 11 day, Interstate intensive road trip.

 

I'd be down if I could get my bike to run just a tad cooler.

Also, I sent you a PM.

 

Hmm...has the makings of a fun trip. Depending on my funds situation I might be interested. It's a ways off, but are you going to be riding the KLR again? A cruiser/tourer sounds much more appealing.

 

well ****, if i'm still around next year and you keep up some kind of reminder for it, i would probably down. always wanted to see a space shuttle launch... i'm sad to see that they want to end the program.

 

Plan on doing a lot of camping, hotel-staying, or a mix of the two?

 

new orleans is a great town. You will have a blast there. Make sure to stay close to bourbon street and enjoy. Also my favorite thing about that place was grabbing plastic cups, a case, and sitting off the river on a levy just enjoying the day.

 

sounds like a great adventure duy.

 

Watching a shuttle launch is one of the highlights of my life...I think I have never experienced such a vulgar display of man-made power in front of me, as I saw the shuttle depart from Cape Canaveral.

Sadly, it was many, many years ago...in the mid 90's IIRC, I was a little kid.

It's so sad they are ending the program, the shuttle is the most advanced machine ever built by mankind...and to think it's like 30 years old.

 

I'm down (if I have a bike)

 

Billy - I'd probably ride the YZF since most of the route will be paved highways. Putt-putting @ 70MPH across the country won't be fun, especially on a time schedule.

Marm - Camping's how I roll Perhaps a hotel in FL once we get there to laundry etc. but camping FTW.

One thing the came to mind the other day with the recent launch is that delays seem to be the norm with these launches. I don't think we can afford to sit around for 3 days waiting for it to take off

Thoughts?

 

you can't plan for that because most of the time it's not weather based. all you can do is have alternate destination in mind in that area that can be your "on the fly" second option.

Either that or you can come up to Vandenberg to watch a Delta Launch

 

Great suggestion. I hear the gator farms are fun :D

 

Duy- One of my new roommates worked for NASA last year in Langley, VA. He might be able to call a friend when it gets closer to the launch date and see how things are going. Might be worth a try.

 

I've been route planning and know that 3-400 miles a day is my limit from my last trip. Based on that, it will take 9 days just to get to Cape Canaveral!

 

Dude... that's not going to cut it. You're going to need to Iron butt that trip and get the travel time down to 3-4 days one way max. Sounds like torture on a YZF

 

I hear ya. I may try a IBA certified run for next summer's Dallas market (Flagstaff to Dallas via I-40 / I-20).

I don't think a ride and camp campaign is going to work for us to get to FL. Short of renting a ST1300 or R1200RT, I don't think I can do 600 mile days.

 

I'll be back in cali in a few weeks... if you let me we should ride out to the grand canyon.

 

consecutive 600+ mile days blow donkey dick

400 is a nice number, if you can cruise quickly 500 is a nice number too. i wanted to do an iron butt this past summer, but the amount of paper work and bullshit they want you to go through was more than i was interested in doing. i want to ride, not get sworn affidavits or whatever from gas station attendants!

 

My *** hurts after 1 1/2 hours on a bike. You guys are nuts.

 

I didn't have much trouble with my butt hurting. I was more a shoulder problem from holding my arm still.

I hate blasting through a bunch of scenery just to get to a destination too. As it sits, I think this ride is out.

 

 

i typically get lower neck and shoulder pain combined with thigh cramps. at around 500 miles my left knee starts killing me, and at 600 miles i hate everyone and everything. stretching before and during the ride helps immensely, but as the miles stack up the joint and muscle pain becomes unavoidable. i don't know if i'll ever do an iron butt as i just don't see the enjoyment in it.

 

I think that as long as I have my Ipod playing music, I can keep raking on miles.

 

My road grumpiness gets going pretty strong around the 350 mark :D

How about Yellowstone? I've never been there and it's in the middle of the country so we can make it a National HT/26 rally

 

yellowstone would be nice. when i was there earlier this year, i didn't really get to see anything other than the geysers because we only had half a day to spend in yellowstone proper.