MotorCycle World

While it often may seem tempting to embark on a spur-of-the-moment vacation, it’s important to keep in mind your safety and the safety of those who you take along with you, especially when a road trip takes place on a motorcycle. Things can go wrong quickly so by staying alert and adequetly preparing for the trip, you can stay safe and have fun. By keeping just a few things in mind, you can make sure your trip turns out perfect.

A big part of planning ahead has to do with getting familiarized with the area. So if you’re planning a road-trip through British Columbia’s Skyline Highway it will be necessary for you to investigate the availability of rest stops, nearby cities, proximity to gas stations and food shops or restaurants. In addition, it would be a great idea to look up the weather patterns of the area you’re driving through.

If it happens that you’re taking a motorcycle trip through British Columbia’s Highway 99, be aware that Vancouver and the surrounding area is prone to rainstorms, even in the summer months. In addition, summer heat can also be a huge factor and can really test the limits of your motorcycle gear.

Here’s a checklist to keep in mind when organizing a motorcycle road-trip:

1.) Make sure that your gear—ranging from motorcycle helmets to visors—are in top shape.

2.) Double check the weather conditions in the area. Will it be really hot? Humid? Will there be thunderstorms in the area?

3.) Come to know the rest stops and proximity to gas stations and restaurants along the road.

4.) Look up the laws in the area. For example, if you’re planning on camping in a National Park there are specific regulations for setting up fires and containing your food and trash. Familiarize yourself with the rules to eliminate any chance of getting an unwelcome fine.

5.) Plan for the unexpected. Even the best laid plans can experience a hiccup every now and then.

Once you take the following precautions, you will be happy you did. By removing the pressure of finding a last minute place to sleep or desperately searching for a gas station, your only focus will be on the relaxing ride. It will ensure that, for the most part, your trip goes smoothly and that you and those who come along with you enjoy the trip that much better.

It’s a biker’s dream to traverse a continent on two wheels. But to do it you need to be prepared. You should be used to biking more than fifty miles a week. After you are physically fit, think about whether you are going to stay in hotels or bring a sleeping bag and camp under the stars. Will you bike back home or head south into Latin America or buy a one way return plane ticket? Whatever you choose, your bike should be equipped with saddle bags or panniers to hold your goods.

Along with basic bike repair tools, you may want to bring LED bicycle lights for when you bike along those deserted lightless roads at night. If you want to track your distance, cycling computers are a good idea and if you’re going to leave your bike tied up outside while staying in cities, you may do well to invest in an Onguard bicycle lock. After you’ve bought all your bike supplies, think about the route.

You probably want to go the southern route, especially if you’re starting from up north – the downhill ride is easier. Just joshing. But seriously, it may be flatter, although hotter. Try to see as much of the country as you can on the way. The 27 American National Parks are sprawling and beautiful. Cuyahoga in Ohio, the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, Great Basin in Nevada, Arches and Monument Valley in Utah, the Grand Canyon and Petrified Forest in Arizona and Kings Canyon in California are some of the ones you may want to visit on your grand tour of the country. Make sure to carry maps with you and plan your trip ahead of time so you can take the scenic (and flat) route. There’s nothing wrong with taking a detour or making a last-minute change to your route, but be prepared for the unexpected.

That’s not to say that you shouldn’t visit cities along the way. You can plan to visit Interbike, the country’s largest biking convention, in Las Vegas in the middle of September. And once you reach the coast you can either turn around and take a different route back, or pack up your bike and put it on a plane. Have fun and take your time. The expanse of road ahead of you, the lack of people and the big sky will make this a journey you will never forget.

Bike Ahead is your source for bike supplies and accessories, including LED bicycle lights, heart rate monitors, cycling computers, GPS units and more.

On an island as small as Britain, it’s very easy to stumble across one historic road or another whilst carrying out transport contracts. These ancient Roman roads or old trap roads intended for horse and carriage can tell us a lot about Britain’s history. Here is a selection of my favourite roads in Britain; some of them have a past so interesting that I could almost forgive them for the odd traffic jam:

Watling Street

Watling Street is the name given to the ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Britons in the Roman times. The road was built to link the modern cities of Canterbury and St Albans and now makes up the A2 from Dover to London and then the A5 from London to Wroexeter. The name Watling Street is derived from the original name, Waecelinga Straet, which means “the paved road pertaining to the people of Waecel”. It is believed that Waecel was a variation of the old English word for foreigner, a term applied to the Celtic people that inhabited Wales at the time. Although the road fell into disrepair when the Romans left Britain, parts of it still remained. Therefore, it is likely that this road was also used by Chaucer’s Pilgrims to travel from Southwark to Canterbury in Canterbury Tales. Nowadays, the road is not used so much by pilgrims, but rather hauliers carrying out transport contracts to or from London. The sections of Watling Street that pass through London are known better as Edgware Road or Maida Vale, and can get quite busy during rush hour.

Devil’s Causeway

I’ve been lucky enough to carry out a few transport contracts on the Devil’s Causeway, up in Northumberland. The 55 mile road stretches from Dere Street in Corbridge to Berwick-upon-Tweed. The old Roman fort of Onnum is less than a mile away from the start of the road and it’s believed that the road was patrolled by a Calvary unit that was based there. Interestingly, the road is also steeped in Arthurian legend. King Arthur’s first battle was at the mouth of the River Glein and, although there are two places in Britain that this could be, it is likely to be the Northumberland Glein, which was guarded by the bell-hill fort. It is therefore probable that King Arthur and his troops used this road when making the way to what would be King Arthur’s first battle.

Shooter’s Hill

The A207 leading out of Shooter’s Hill, was once a notorious haunt for Highwaymen. I travel through the route regularly on my transport contracts and luckily highwaymen are no longer an issue. In 1611, Samuel Pepys mentioned passing under the man that hangs upon Shooter’s Hill, likely serving as a warning to other highwaymen in the area. The last reported robbery by a highwayman took place in 1831 and the term was first used in 1617. Although many highwaymen used robbery with violence, they were originally admired for taking from the rich and giving to the poor. In fact, many people have already heard of the world’s most famous highwayman; Robin Hood.

Author Bio: Lyall Cresswell is the Managing Director of Haulage Exchange, the leading online trade network for the road transport industry across the UK and Europe. It provides services for transport contracts to buy and sell road transport and freight exchange in the domestic and international markets.

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• Britain’s Historical Highways | svccwa.org
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