Hi Mark,

thank you very much for your feedback - i should have mentioned that the google maps stuff is just for me getting an rough idea of the route - i just entered some turning points and dragged the route into place somehow - so nothing accurate - only visualization

I did this because by today my focus is to align the basic route with the good riding seasons for the respective region - after that i will go into detail and include the places i want to visit - like national parks etc.

But you´re right - maybe i have to bring these two things togehter and have to be more accurate on the route itself by now already ... I´ll check out on new england and the four corners region

Thx a lot !

Cheers

Definitely second Mark's recommendation to add in some New England. The coastlines there are gorgeous, with lighthouses, lobster shacks, and beautiful scenery. Even just a week exploring places like Acadia National Park or Cape Cod would be memorable.

Also agree on shortening up the middle stretches. Have you thought about going directly from the Keys up to Tennessee/Kentucky? The folks are friendly there and you can hit places like Great Smoky Mountains NP. Then swing up to the Rockies through Missouri and Colorado - really stunning rides there.

Hey There,

Thx a lot for the recommendations - i´ll check out new england for sure ! ..... problem is there is so much to see in NA - I´m afraid seasons will get in my way if I extend my stay further than November or start it way earlier than march .... its really hard to figure out a good compromise to see the US, parts of Canada and Alaska in 9 Month - AND - combine all that in a doable route ...

thx to you all for the recommandations, really helps a lot

cheers

Yes. Just as with any other continent, in 9 months you’ll miss all sorts of great places and activities. I’ve spent a total of 18 months or so in Africa and have barely scratched the surface; about the same in Latin America and have barely begun. I’ve lived in the US and Canada my whole life and have spent more than 5 full time years wandering around by various means here. It’s not as easy to find new places as it used to be, but there’s still a lot that is fresh and interesting.

My suggestion would be to look for the places that are unique to North America, i.e., not found elsewhere. Lots of room for differing opinions about what qualifies—and for different interests—but that does tend to reduce possibilities and make planning easier. In the end, 9 months will never be enough—nor will two years, or four, so you’ll either return for more at some point or spend the rest of your life listening to people tell you about all the stuff you should have done instead.

word ...... i really belive that sums it up best....

thing is I´m not the person focused only on the typical bucket list sights ... my main intention is to have just a good time over there with my bike strolling around and get in contact with the locals and the land

so maybe i just define start/end time and place and go from there... that beeing said I still think that the rough plan - start in NewYork in march, be in prudhoe bay by august and finish in Frisco in november will be my frame for this visit....

Mark can you recommend some of those places which come to your mind when you think about places that are unique to North America, i.e., not found elsewhere ?

thx a lot

cheers
Jonas

So not riding, not scenery, not high culture, not history? “Ordinary” people? “Ordinary” sights and landscape?

I don’t really know how to answer that. You must have SOME specific interests, otherwise almost anyplace is as good as anyplace else, as long as the locals are friendly—for which I’d just try to stay where the sun is out, steer clear of high tourist seasons, and these days never ever talk politics.

But if I was answering on my own behalf—as a searcher for what is extra-ordinary, not mundanities— I’d say Yellowstone and Yosemite are unique (or very nearly so), as are the Canadian Rockies parks/Icefield Highway, along with the Coast Redwoods and Four Corners region. Alaska, too, of course, although much of it really requires getting off your bike—Denali as far west as the buses will take you, Kennicott, parts of the Kenai, the mining roads past the Stuart/Hyder and the Salmon Glacier the Haul Road. On the latter, for example, stop just past Atigun Pass, ford the river and head up the obvious valley until you run out of steam. Bears, caribou, dall sheep, moose, bears, fields full of shed antlers, eternal daylight in high summer plus fantastic fall colors for a brief moment or two before it starts snowing. Although it might do that in August, so pay attention.

Note that for the above I’d make a point of early or late season in every case except Alaska/Yukon/NW Territories/Northern BC—and that’s only because you’d probably prefer to miss any significant winter weather.

Hope that’s helpful, and hope your planning serves you well!

Mark

A couple of reactions:

1) why not zigzag through western USA and end up in Alaska and then ship from there to Australia? If you start a little earlier you can be in Alaska in September, which is still pleasant.

2) In Australia you have left out Karajini and the Gibb River Road, which are highlights in my view.

thank you very much again mark ! - I found lots of inspiration for my route following your suggesstions - and also travel reports - that was very helpful

I think I will concentrate on the west - mid-west US, canada and alaska - create like a loop tour and leave east coast and south US for next time...

greetings from germany

I know you have friends in Australia and a lot of people will disagree with what I’m going to say but, in my opinion, there is a lot of time wasting there.
There is a lot of nothing and it all looks pretty much the same ie the mountains in Victoria look the same as the mountains in NSW and Queensland. The coast is the same. You can be in a country town in WA and ride over 4K km to a country town in Queensland and the people will look, dress and sound the same. The architecture will be the same and so will the food - and that 4K km ride is a lot of nothingness on a 250 - at least I did it on a 500

I appreciate we’re spoiled in Europe and there’s no other continent with such diversity in close contact but to be in touch with locals and the land I would not choose one of the most baron, sparsely populated and richest countries in the world.

I don’t know your history, or where you’ve been already - but my choices for your kind of trip and time scale would be
Alaska to Patagonia.
Circumnavigation of Africa - perfect for a WRR
Through the Stans to Mongolia

Wishing you a great trip

Hey there

Thank you very much for contributing to the discussion.

I´m glad you brought this up because it made me reflect about the whole idea and what i want from it for myself again - and I came to the same conclusion again....

I try to explain

I read a lot - in general - and I have read like maybe 20 books which have been written by motorcyclists - went from early stuff like Ted Simon, Elspeth Beard onwards to Dan Walsh - Chris Scott of course - J Peter Thoemig .... and loads and loads of more up to date books written by German motorcycle travelers - covering multiyear RTW trips as well as multi month adventure stuff in certain regions or continents. Plus numerous blogs from all over the world documenting the travels of people just happening right now.

Yes - I also thought about the classic routes like Alaska to Patagonia, Africa or the Stans to Australia in the beginning.... but after reading all that reports it was clear to me that i want to go to the US, Canada, Alaska, and OZ because:

I will be traveling on my own - so for me it´s clear that I must speak the language of the country - why? - Because I just don´t want to end up alone in front of my tent or at the Bar, I don´t want to talk exclusively to other travelers I will meet - I want to be able to chat with the people living at the side of the road when I stop somewhere or when I need help etc. - I know you can get around the World by pointing at things you need - but that's just not the way I want to travel

.... and as English is the only language I can speak beside German - and knowing I will not be able to learn another one - up to a level where I can have real conversations - there are only English speaking country's left

Another thing I don´t want to do is a) the border dance and b) the roadside police checkpoint stuff - being at the mercy of corrupt or just mean people enjoying the power they have in the situation - with no possibility to achieve justice on my own is not a situation I want to be in during my holiday ...

Plus: I want to feel safe - I can´t imagine traveling an unstable region - knowing it can all be over because some crazy warlord went mental, or some random riot is closing borders and the whole route is not working out anymore at all.....

Some say stuff like this is part of the adventure adding some spice to the life on the road - but not for me

I am aware that for many people this will sound boring, conceited ... stuffy - But for my holiday I want to go to places where chances are high that I can have - a good time - no hassle - nice landscape - wild camping

That´s why I think the combination of the US, Canada, Alaska and OZ is just perfect - for me

Thank you very much for your wishes I will have a blog later to keep the forum updated

cheers Jonas