LOL...
We'll be having a few meetings between now and then. For safety considerations, I do want to have one of the last 2 meetings considered "mandatory" so we're all on the same page, and it would be a BIG plus if everyone going can make at LEAST one or two of the forum rides between now and then. Obviosuly, we can make exceptions depending on people's relative comfort level with other riders they are familiar with (I've only ridden with Art once, and I wouldn't hesitate for a minute to leave tomorrow morning for a cross country ride with him).
I have ordered a 10-pack of MSF's "Guide to group riding" and plan to distribute these at the meetings... experienced group riders, not a big deal, but we always have a few who have no/limited group experience.
This is going to be a long ride... as much as 2900 miles in 6 days depending on our route home, PLUS there is usually a Saturday ride over the Beartooth Summit, so plan for at least 3k in 7-8 days on the road. I don't want anyone getting left behind, breaking down due to routine maintenance/bald tires (you guys with V2Ks might wanna install new shoes in June
), or getting dehydrated and getting hurt. It sneaks up on you, and portions of this ride are going to be HOT... evaporative cooling vests are recommended, and when you think you can't drink more, drink more. Everyone should be taking a leak no less often than every other fuel stop... preferably EVERY fuel stop.
At the meetings, we'll put together a list of the bikes, highway speed "comfort zone", and estimated highway ranges so we can plan fuel stops accordingly. It's okay if we've got one or two short range bikes.... like say someone's got a 100 mile range, but most of us can make 150, then what we'll do is stop every 75 miles, BUT, at the intermediate stops, ONLY the small bikes will fill up. If most of us can make it 120-170, then we'll just stop every 120 and everyone tops up.
30 minute fuel stops can absolutely kill travel time on a trip like this... and we're looking at 10 hours already for Wednesday, and potentially 12 on Thursday depending on speeds. Get fuel, chug a bottle of water, take care of "business", quick visual on the bike, and we're gone. Trusting that everyone will have a windshield (gonna be VERY sorry if you don't), take your smoke breaks on the road on the way out of the station and field strip the butt for later disposal.
I don't want to be an a$$... but we're going to be a long way from home and we aren't going to have a support cage backing us up. We're on our own, and each of us is primarily responsible for ourselves. We'll do what we can to look out for each other, but understand that, barring someone going to the hospital (God forbid), we've gotta' keep moving.
I encourage EVERYONE to make at LEAST one 400-600 mile single-day run between now and then, and when you get home, pay attention to your butt and your legs, and honestly ask yourself if you can repeat that EVERY DAY for the rest of the week.
This has the potential to be one of the largest groups from a single area rolling into RL, and coming from quite a distance. Let's give Montana a weekend they won't forget!!!