Hi PanEuropean, thank-you for the very detailed post! Some good things to think about in there.
The bike is an 803 Ducati Desert Sled.
Point taken on the escape valve. It is an aggressive itinerary, but I would note that 50 km/h average doesn't seem quite right to me. It's mostly secondary highway riding and I'd expect to average 70 to 80 km/h. Garmin has me at between 5 and 7 hours in the saddle most days assuming no obstructions or diversions, which I understand is an assumption indeed, but such is the nature of adventure.
I should also add that I'm not starting totally from scratch in terms of experience. I've ridden and camped plenty throughout BC, Alberta and Washington and in all sorts of conditions (I'm from Calgary); I've just never taken a trip of this length before. But camping is part of the game for me—at least in the lower elevations.
Great point on the conditions in the higher elevations and latitudes. It will definitely be a close shave at the end of May. I'll make a call in Colorado and bypass the high elevations of northwest Wyoming and western Montana to the east if need be. I have a couple buffer days on the tail end if the trip runs long.
Cheers and thank-you for the insights. Happy riding!
|