Planning a 2,400 mile round trip. Any wisdom?

First topic message reminder :

Hi folks,
I tried to plan a camping trip from my home in northwest Virginia down Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway then back on my 2006 Silverwing last fall, but for many reasons it never happened.

I again hoped to do so this fall but it looked like it wasn’t going to happen this year either.

However, I just got an invitation to visit a friend at his home in Orlando FL next month and accepted.

Then it occurred to me - I can combine the camping trip down Skyline and the Parkway with the trip to Orlando, then back up the Interstate.

In 2019 I drove by myself from Maine to Southern California and back over a ten week period in a GMC Safari van, camping the whole way out and back over 12,500 miles. So I’m no stranger to road trips.

But I’ve never undertaken a bike ride like this.

Any “words to the wise”? Or reasons to reconsider?

My 2006 Silverwing has 9,000 miles on it, only 500 miles on the new tires, battery is a year and an half old, and all fluids were replaced and front forks rebuilt when the tires were mounted last year. The only routine maintenance that was not done is spark plugs.

Excellent pictures, Brian! Stay safe!

2100 miles down, 900 to go now. (I didn’t take into consideration my drive down to the Everglades when I first figured my mileage for this trip.)

Today’s the first day I’ve had of riding in heavy rain. It ain’t fun. My “waterproof” rain gear … ain’t.

I still have 160 miles to get to my hotel in Macon. Rain is forecast the rest of the way. Ugh.

No more camping this trip, thankfully.

I stayed again last night with a Bunk-a-Biker participant who hosted me on my way down. He let me leave my trailer at his house for a week while I was in Orlando and the Everglades.  

He snapped these as I was getting ready to leave this morning:

‘I’ve had of riding in heavy rain. It ain’t fun. My “waterproof” rain gear … ain’t.’

Yup, I’ve been in that situation a few times- a wet crotch is no fun, and cold! Looks like a really nice trip though.

Personally I don't mind much riding in the rain...in summer when it is warm. In fact it can feel good BUT when the temperatures drop it is not so good!

From Macon Georgia I rode up to a friend’s in Cleveland Georgia yesterday. It was 40•, roads were dry. Beautiful, glorious day for a fall ride.

He let me stay in his guest house last night.

There were snow flurries there early this morning. When I finally pulled out on the Silverwing it was bright sunny day, not a cloud in the sky, and a balmy 39•. Highs for today’s leg of my trip were forecast in the 40s. I was fairly well prepared for cold weather riding.

I met another old friend from podiatry school and his wife in Dahlonega Georgia for lunch. We hadn’t seen each other in 30 years, so lots of catching up to do.

I finally hit the road and journeyed up to Black Mountain Georgia, just northeast of Asheville. I have my Waze gps app set to avoid freeways since I’m pulling this trailer.

As I came into Asheville this evening at dusk, it was getting pretty cold and my hands and feet were getting numb.

The next turn popped up on the Waze app - turn right onto the blue Ridge Parkway for the quickest non freeway route.

No way in hades was I going back on the Blue Ridge Parkway at dusk, after hitting a deer on the Blue Ridge Parkway at dusk, on my way south to Florida a week ago! (No damage fortunately.)

So I reprogrammed my Waze app and pulled into my hotel in Black Mountain NC at 6:15.

A quick glance at my weather app showed why it felt so cold the last hour of riding. It was 31• when I pulled in.

That’s cold to be riding for several hours on a motorcycle, even with the “proper” gear.

I have two more days of riding, then I’ll be home to Strasburg VA Thursday evening; approximately 2600 miles down, 400 to go.

It got down into the low teens last night in Black Mountain NC where I stayed. It was 16• when I got up.

After breakfast I got on my Silverwing, started it up, and it wouldn’t move! The throttle was seized up, I couldn’t budge it and didn’t have any idea why.

So I thought for minute - I rode through six hours of pouring rain on Sunday, and it got down into the low teens here last night.

The throttle cable must be froze up!

So I just let it idle and warm up for a minute, and the throttle started moving again freely.

I stopped in Hillvalle VA to meet Steve this afternoon. He has a new Facebook group called Maxi Scooters Blue Ridge Parkway and asked to meet me.

We had a nice lunch together and a great time chatting! What I thought would be a quick stop turned into three enjoyable hours. We plan on riding at least part of the Blue Ridge Parkway together this spring.

Steve took photos and video and I strung them together here:

https://youtu.be/23ofJ9rnqhk?si=DQZJVAbNeEZEol1M

I’m spending the night in Christianburg VA just off Interstate 81.

All this trip I’ve avoided towing my trailer with my Silverwing on interstates due to anxiety over interstate speeds and big trucks. All day today I was on interstates, namely 40, 77 and 81. The bike ran great and the trailer caused no problems, even at interstate speeds with passing big rigs.

I’ve ridden 2850 miles this trip, and have 180 miles to go tomorrow to be back home.

The trip has been awesome, the Honda Silverwing performed flawlessly and it was no trouble towing this trailer.

Next summer I plan to ride up to east Canada, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton and Nova Scotia.

Home again, home again, jiggity jig!

I arrived home safely at 2:45 this afternoon.

It was seventeen days on the road. I rode my Honda Silverwing 600, towing an improvised camper trailer, 3015 miles over the course of twelve days, with a five day stay with friends in Florida in between.

What an adventure!

I can’t wait to do it again!

Next major trip - Nova Scotia, Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island, Canada, September 2024.

Very nice to hear- glad it all went well. I just had mine out today- great ride, but just ~ 120 miles (and cool on the way home).

Glad you made it home safely and had a good time! I have really enjoyed my trips on my SWing, need to figure a way to do one soon Thanks for sharing your adventures with us.

I managed to travel 3,000 miles over 17 days, and other than a brush with a juvenile deer, I had no major mishaps.

I arrived home Thursday and parked my rig right where I had it for days preparing for the trip before I left.

Yesterday and last night it rained a good bit.

Apparently that softened up the dirt enough for the Silverwing’s kickstand to sink into the dirt.

This is what I woke up to this morning.


Fortunately I was able to get it upright and no damage was done.

At least I know the diy Heims swivel hitch on the trailer tongue works as designed. The trailer didn’t budge.

Geez, sorry to hear but glad for the no damage comment. That would frustrate me. I guess if it fell on asphalt, the damage would be there in the paint (on my ST, if it falls over, it lands on small plastic ‘wings’ that cover metal U braces, and it lies at a 30 or so degree to the ground, protecting the fairing and side panels of the bike). Why didn’t Honda think to put something like that on the SWing?????

Hi Brian, what rotten bad luck.
After all those recent miles of servitude.

Mine went over on my drive, thieving little bastard around here took it off the side stand and promptly dropped it, I had to reset the forks in the yokes as it had a slight twist.
Just a cautionary tales, better safe than sorry.
The damage to the tupperware will be another story.

Be safe, be seen!

(read in Sir Attenborough's voice) “After all its hard work and reliability on the journey, the scooter earns a well-deserved nap.” (Yeah, I stole this line.)