The Big Idea

Around this time last year I took a long ride on my little 2006 Triumph Bonnevile tracing the Northern route of the Cherokee Trail of Tears from Georgia to Oklahoma. I spent a week on the road alone riding 2200 miles through Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.

While I was making that ride I decided two things. First, I wanted to make an even longer ride out west to see the Rockies and the Grand Canyon. Second, I wasn't going to do it on a small bike. Don't get me wrong, I love my Bonnevile. I ride it everywhere averaging over 600 miles a week on it, but it is not a bike to take on a long haul.

In April I bought my long haul bike. It's a 2008 Triumph Rocket III Touring model. At 2300 cc's and over 800 pounds it's one of the biggest production bikes made. It's big, comfortable, and very fast - they don't call it the Rocket for nothing. Now it's time to take it on the long ride it was made for.

My plan
I plan to ride a 4400 mile circle from my home in Ball Ground Georgia through Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexcio, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkanasas, Alabama, and back home.

I will head out early on August 22nd (Friday) and return 16 days later. I will use this blog to chronicle the ride starting this week with the detailed planning and preparation until I return on Saturday September 6th.