Prepare for a "Bucket List" Ride!

July 6, 2018

"Bucket List" - First, a definition:

A list of activities someone wants to do before he or she dies is often called a bucket list, because it is a list of things a person wants to do before they "kick the bucket" (die).

A bucket list is a guide to one's wishes and dreams in life. On average a person will have twenty items on their list to be completed throughout life.

Hmmm...I didn't know that last tidbit.

From: Wikipedia.org 'Bucket List'


"Simple" plan - see the map:

Each color is a day of riding.  There's nine different colors on the map.  I'll begin by traveling to Kingman, AZ the day before.  The very first fuel stop and the beginning of the ride is a few miles west, at the junction of Interstate 40 and AZ State Highway 95.


I did a count about a year ago when I first really started thinking about this ride, and there's been a little over 250 individuals that have completed this ride.  About a month ago, I had an opportunity to watch from the comfort of my computer, a rider do a 49 state ride in a bit less than nine days.  Yes, this person rode to a little hamlet in extreme southeastern Alaska to claim that ride.  Again, a really, really small list of riders have accomplished this.

Planning?

How d'ya actually plan a ride like this?

Get a taste of long distance motorcycle riding by reading this link:

ironbutt.com SaddleSore Rides

A thousand mile ride, even a five thousand mile ride I've blogged about already was fairly 'simple'.  "Plan the Ride, then Ride the Plan"

I've asked questions from people that have done this before.  All succeeded in simply getting 48 receipts - one from every state - to prove that I was there.

I have a spreadsheet that lists all of my fuel stops.  Each flag you see on the maps above is one of those stops.  Some states have multiple stops, most states have only one stop to accomplish the goal.

There have only been a few room reservations made; all are refundable.  I have scouted out alternate locations and have an idea of where I want each day to end.

I'll be starting in north-eastern Arizona, along I-40 north of Lake Havasu City, around 300 miles from home.  So, left side of the map, I head north.  You can see that there's no crossing of this route, it does hit every state ( a good handful of them I'm there to get my required proof that I was there and that's it - less than half an hour?) and it ends in New Mexico.  Five hundred miles from home.  My route is around 7600 miles.  The plan is scheduled for nine full days.  Many have accomplished in less time, but this isn't a race.  No bonus points for getting done quicker.

Now, while I continue to get things ready, I'm going to point you to a thread on a forum that has a quality ride report with plenty of photos from a person that's done this ride:

Rollin Ride Report 48 States in 10-Days Geography 101

I just hope I can do half as good a job of telling my version of this story once my ride is finished.

I have slightly over three weeks to get ready.  Day Zero is July 30th.

48 states, ten (?) days...

The story continues here: 48 In 10 Preparations.html

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