[stevehh]

Hi,

I'm thinking over where to tour this year in the time I have available, Whit week, and a week in Summer. I've a week in the Italian Dolomites planned for late July, ferry and trains booked, but where to go in Whit? :?

For no reason at all, New England came to mind. Flights should be easy to sort, say Boston as an entry point. I'd need to hire a bike, a google brings up http://www.moturis.com/, where I'd pick a Goldwing, as the only bike which has enough carrying capacity for my partner's clothes and stuff, so this is starting to look a possibility.

Now, this is where the questions start,

I've no idea where to go / visit , or where to stay, during this short week, so any suggestions would help.

When I tour in mainland Europe, I generally ride till 3pm or so, and then find somewhere to stay, I've never had any problems with this approach. Is this possible in New England? Or should I plan hotels in advance? Or would a 'base' be better?

Are there any suggestions for bike hire? What options should I get CDW etc? Insurance?

Can anyone recommend http://www.moturis.com/ or alternatives near an Airport?

Thanks for any help with this.

Steve

 

[stevehh]

All,

Well, UK Whit = Memorial Day USA

A Saturday flight to Boston lands at 11:00 ish. Moturis is 50 Miles from Boston Airport. Moturis shuts at 12:00 on Saturdays, is shut on Sunday, and is shut on Memorial Day. So Tuesday is the earliest I could pick up a bike. :?

Partner works in a School, so moving her time off isn't on option.

So I'll have to do New England some other time, or have a very short visit :roll:

Where else for Whit? I'll check the ferries to Spain and Norway

Steve

 

[stevehh]

Norway it is then. Sunday out from Newcastle, returning the following Saturday. New England will have to wait till next year

Steve

 

[marshman]

Good call
Keep promising ourselves we are going to take a trip to Norway one day

 

[lucsa]

You make a good choice.
I promis, you will going back over there.

 

[stevehh]

We went to Norway a couple of years back on the Bandit 1200

The roads were great , the beer and food very expensive Somewhere between 4-6 GBP a glass of beer, with a glass anywhere between 300-500 mls :? The 80 kms /hr speed limit made for gentle touring :wink: most of the time. If I remember right, there was a charge of around a fiver to cross a Fjord, which at 5-6 a day can add up.

I'm looking forward to the empty roads, friendly people and great scenery. I hope it's not changed. :roll:

Steve

 

[russell arthritic]

Well I AM going to New England this year (late september), albeit hiring a car, and would still like information on whether I need to book accomodation ahead. And can anyone tell me why bike hire is so much more expensive than car hire?

 

[Loki]

Tour New England

Bike rentals require lots of insurance, unless you can get your UK insurer to cover you while here. In the US, I have insurance which covers me no matter what I drive. HH, you could have flown in a day before your friend and picked up the bike a day early. As to booking ahead, if you are heading for the 'hot spots' like the Maine, New Hampshire or Mass coasts, especially Cape Cod in Mass, booking ahead on a weekend is required or you take a good chance of sleeping in the woods, which is frowned upon by the authorities. Mid week, unless just prior to or after a 3 day weekend, you'll probably find someplace. Boston is 120 miles from the tip of Cape Cod, less than that to the NH coast and a day's ride from almost anyplace in Maine, or 3.5 hours to central Vermont. Also a 5-6 hour run to New York City, another 2 hours to Philadelphia, etc. On a bike, you should be able to average a good 60-65 mph even in the congested New England area. Come on over.....

 

[russell arthritic]

Thanks for that. Actually I also frown on sleeping in the woods in late September (even with a tent). So I'll be searching the net for likely stopping places. Recommend anywhere? Have car. Will travel. And on that subject I can hire a small car for £250 all in for 2 weeks and on the BBC's holiday programme yesterday that famous Dakar rallyist hired what looked like a CBR600 for a week at a cost of £454. Bike insurance must REALLY be expensive!

 

[Loki]

bike hire

A small example--years ago I was hired to rent Vespa scooters on Cape Cod to tourists. While the rate was not particularly steep, the training/skill level was, for the most part, non-existant. So, almost every rider came back with dents and dings and the policy was "No fixes, everything charged out as replacement cost only". Of course, we replaced nothing, but had innumerable cans of matching spray paint a several ball peen hammers, with which we fixed everything. Tell me what you would like to see, or where you would like to go and I'll tell you what I know.