Cross- Country Motorcycle Road Trip: LA to NYC
by James Mills
This year all of us were hit hard by this pandemic we call COVID-19. For those of us who travel, it is especially difficult. It can be frustrating, and a feeling of helplessness engulfs us. So here I was in June of 2020, sitting in my apartment in New York City and wondering what to do with myself. Out of the blue, I called my nephew Eric in Chicago to see how he was doing, and he told me he was planning on going out to Los Angeles to pick up his motorcycle and then riding it back to Chicago. And I thought, well, I can do that with him. I asked him if he would mind the company and he said he would be glad to have me along.
Before you know it, my brother Jed and his other son, Montana were coming as well. Jed would make the trip with me to New York and Montana and Eric would go as far as Chicago. I shipped my Motorcycle to Los Angeles via truck and I landed in LA a couple of days prior to our cross-country road trip.
Disclaimer: Affiliate links are used, which means if you purchase via my link I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you! I only recommend products I use and love!
First Stop: Kingman Arizona
We all set out on July 1 and headed to our first destination, Kingman, Arizona. After a long day, we got to Kingman that evening and brother Jed told me he did not think he could make the rest of the journey. Brother Jed is 79 years old and the trip seemed too much for him. So, we said our goodbyes, and Jed headed back to Los Angeles. The next morning, Montana noticed leakage from his motorcycle and stopped at a Harley Dealership in Kingman only to discover that the leak could not be fixed. His radiator was cracked and beyond repair. So, Montana made the decision to go home. It was back to Eric and me.
Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Wyoming
We left Kingman and headed to the Grand Canyon. We made it early that evening and spent the night at the Holiday Inn close to the Grand Canyon. The next morning, we toured the Canyon in all its magnificent glory. A truly spectacular place on our planet earth.
Continuing on our cross-country road trip, we then headed to Bryce Canyon in Utah. It is significantly smaller than the Grand Canyon but uniquely beautiful. From there it was off to Jackson Hole, Wyoming where we visited Eric’s friends and they were gracious enough to let us spend the night in their lovely home. Early the next morning, we were off to the Devil’s Tower in Wyoming. Most famously, it is in the film by Steven Spielberg, Close Encounters of The Third Kind. It is the spot where the friendly aliens landed.
Wondering what to pack for a motorcycle road trip? Check it out here!
South Dakota
From there we were off to the Black Hills of South Dakota. We had a fabulous ride through backroads in Wyoming and then onto South Dakota. All in all, a magnificent day on our cross-country road trip. Just outside of the Black Hills we stopped for the night in Deadwood. Deadwood is most famous for being the place where Wild Bill Hickok was shot after he got what is famously referred to as the Dead Man’s Hand; Aces over 8’s. There was a reenactment of that event on the streets of Deadwood before sunset where they arrest the shooter. Oddly enough. one of the first things we noticed was that not a single person was wearing a mask. I guess COVID-19 is not a problem in South Dakota. Maybe. Maybe not.
We had a nice dinner and headed to the Black Hills the next morning. A beautiful place to be riding motorcycles and enjoying what mother-nature has to offer. Then we were off to the Badlands of South Dakota. When we got to the gate, the woman there told us since we were just going through and would not stay, there was no charge. We got lucky once again.
Minnesota
Eric was heading to a town called Buffalo, Minnesota to see friends and I was headed to my friend Suzanne’s in Kenosha, Wisconsin. So, after 8 days of riding together, we parted ways on the 9th morning. I knew I would miss him, but it was time for both of us to be on our own. Eric had plans and I did as well. So off we went. That day, I rode through 150 miles of rain. Fortunately, I had rain gear and put it on before the rain came. Still, it was not fun. Riding in the rain on a motorcycle is akin to having the top down on a convertible and leaving it down. Rain gear or not, it is a miserable experience.
I stopped at Suzanne’s for the night and we had a great evening. We had a wonderful dinner that Suzanne made, and we chatted about this or that. It was good to see my friend and hang with her. She is a lovely lady to be with.
Michigan
From there I made my way to Spring Lake, Michigan to see my dear friends Rose and Joel TePastte. Again, I spent the night and they took me to dinner. I felt like a king in their home. They are truly gracious people. Sara, who operates this website, came the next morning to Rose and Joel’s house and asked if I would contribute articles to it. I was happy to do whatever I could.
Pennsylvania
The next day I rode about 500 plus miles to a small town in Pennsylvania. It rained for the last twenty miles, so I got off the highway and ended up at a Roadway Inn. It was not a good night, but I made the best of it and I knew the next morning I was only about three hundred miles from home. So, I headed out to finish my cross-country road trip. It was cloudy but it did not rain. Sometime in the afternoon I got home and parked the motorcycle outside of my building and took all my luggage off the motorcycle and headed to my apartment. I finished the ride. It was good to be home.
Home Sweet Home
A couple of days later, I started to miss it. It all seemed surreal, as if I had imagined the whole trip. But I hadn’t We did it, and it was a great reminder of how fortunate I am to see the world in all of its glory. I travel, it is what I do, and to me, it is the greatest education you can ever get.
Thanks for inspiring confidence that this could be a FUN thing! My husband keeps saying he wants to buy a BMW touring bike and ride across Europe. I am not sold, but your story helps me see the upsides, thank you!
Oh that would be amazing!
Thats one heck of a road trip.
It really was!
Wow what an adventure! Sounds like a good mix of sightseeing and visiting with friends and family. Thanks for sharing.
It really was! thanks for reading!
Wow, that is quite the adventure. Being that I like to be a bit more weatherproof, I am always super impressed by people who can do this. My sister and her hubby, like you, think this is the way to travel.
It is an adventure for sure 🙂
I’ve never been on a motorcycle before but this looks like a great road trip!
It’s a fun trip for sure!
Amazing! This is one of my bucket lists, to do a huge road trip in the US! Maybe one day!
A must for sure!!
This looks like such an epic trip!! Definitely could see myself doing this as a road trip or in an RV one day! Thanks for sharing.
That sounds fun! Thanks for reading 🙂
Wow that sounds amazing! Would love to drive across more of the USA some day, once travel is permitted again!
You must do it 🙂
What an amazing trip! I would like to do a cross country road trip one day. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Thanks for reading!
This sounds like it was such an epic trip!! I did a cross-country road trip last year, but it was in my car. 😛 I’d definitely like to do more road trips sometime soon!
Sounds amazing!