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USA Road trip
  • Barnaby Sayce
  • Barnaby Sayce

USA Road trip

A 75-day adventure by Barnaby Read more
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  • Trip start
    April 3, 2022
    Barnaby SayceUSA Road tripTraveler

    First stop - Denver

    April 4, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Arrived yesterday evening, git up today and spent the day shopping fir bits I needed, mainly camping gear!... expensive!! Just heading to the bike shop to see if they have the bike equipment I need before heading back to town for some dinner.Read more

  • Barnaby SayceUSA Road tripTraveler

    First ride on bike

    April 5, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ❄️ 1 °C

    Little ride into the foothills of the Rockies- it got cold, very very cold! It snowed, my hands froze... the bike was great though!

  • Barnaby SayceUSA Road tripTraveler

    Red rocks

    April 6, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 3 °C

    Went for a day trip out to Red Rocks, got a tad burnt, but the ride was awesome through the rocks and the views were incredible up there, followed it up with a ride further up the mountain which again, was amazing!

    After looking over the ampitheatre at Red Rocks I went for a walk up the trails... got so sweaty in all my bike gear... then stopped for a pint and sandwich for lunch. Also bumped into a woman who also rides and told me ill be fine to take the i70 across the mountains to get to utah, I'll just need to accept it be cold... so that's what I'm going to do... could be a terrible idea but I guess there's only one way to find out!    Read more

  • Barnaby SayceUSA Road tripTraveler
    2

    Ride to colerado springs

    April 7, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 3 °C

    So cold!! Took route 67 instead of i25 as the I25 was just going to be a long boring motorway... turns outs a fair chunk of 67 is dirt... but was amazing! The views were out of this world, and didn't see another car for at least an hour, maybe more.

    Stopped in woodland park for lunch. Then going to a bike shop to try and find better hand protection for the ride across the mountains tomorrow!    Read more

  • Barnaby SayceUSA Road tripTraveler

    Colorado springs to grand junction

    April 8, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    Riding 300 miles today... took the 24 from colorado springs up to the i70 then hopefully get across to grand junction.

    So much snow on the ride but perfect sunshine... bitterly cold though... I'm wearing most of my clothes. Contemplating putting the sleeping bag on as well.

    Highligh of today's ride is the road signs on the other side of the dual carriageways but facing our direction saying "wrong way"... as if the 20 tonne truck driving towards you wouldn't be enough of a reminder.

    Seen mountains, frozen lakes, deer and some big ol' birds! (Both human and animal).

    Also becoming very aware that skippy is having more photos taken of her than I am... it looks like my bike has gone on holiday without me... oh and I've called my bike skippy.    Read more

  • Barnaby SayceUSA Road tripTraveler
    21

    Moab and Green River

    April 9, 2022 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    Crazy day today, started off very normal and very pleasant. Easy ride to Moab, lunch in Moab, family zoom from a coffee shop. Did lose my beloved orange sunglasses though, by they've been replaced by some nice garish ones... because... when in Rome 😂 also met a chap on a KTM on his way to Mexico from Denver, got myself a bed for the night when I head back through Denver 😊

    The ride back from Moab to my motel in Green River is where it got silly. The last time I get on my bike without checking the weather first. 50 mile ride and at about 25 miles the wind really picked up, from mile 30 I had 50mph crosswinds, blowing debris across the dual carriageway and trying to blow me off the side of the road. It felt like I was at a 45 degree angle just to try and counter the wind and keep myself on the road.

    At one point my tank bag came lose so I pulled over to fix it and got stuck, I couldn't let go of the bike without it blowing over (with the stand down) and I couldn't life my leg back over the bike without us both blowing over... finally a drop in the wind gave me a chance to get back on my bike and get moving again, slowly and sideways, hoping nothing gets blown in front if me! Brand new tank bag with brand new glove liners, snood and ratchet straps was soon torn from the bike, knocking my arm off the throttle and thrown halfway across a field... I didn't stop to find it... mainly because leaving the bike without me holding it up would have ended up with the bike on the floor.

    Anyway finally got myself back to the motel, feeling defeated, shaken and missing a few belongings but off the bike at least!... I walked to dinner tonight!

    Lesson learned, you do not fuck around with American weather! It also means I think I have 4 days at a Motel 6 in Green River until the wind passes.    Read more

  • Barnaby SayceUSA Road tripTraveler
    21112

    Dirt bikes in Moab

    April 10, 2022 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 8 °C

    Hired a dirt bike and had a guide take me out into the endless miles of trails around Moab today.

    The views were out of this world, it felt like I was riding on the moon a lot of the time. Crashed twice, one was a low speed drop, the other more of a thrown over the handle bars at 30mph situation... thank god for deep sand... although I wouldn't have come off if the deep sand hadn't been there. I also weed myself a little riding along a terrifying dirt road on a cliff edge, sandy, gravelly, 100ft drop at the side and nothing to stop you if you get it wrong... fortunately I didn't!

    The day was made all the more hilarious by Jim my guide (or Jim Trump) as he will be known from now on. He started a lot of his sentences with "I'm not racist but..." which is obviously not going to be followed up by a statement of support for the black lives matter movement. I learnt all about his Thai mail order wife (genuinely not a joke, and ironic given his views on every minority group) who he doesn't love and she knows his rules, "it's a sex only thing" (this was half an hour after I met him) and his girlfriend in New York and his other girlfriend in Denver... he was a very popular man by the sounds of it. He also had quite strong views on gun control "they're takin' our fuckin' guns away man"... the mug he gave me my coffee in in the morning set the tone really...

    ... Oh and Jim Trump's favourite mattress is the one he found on the side of the road... yep, it's not only his favourite mattress for sleeping but also apparently very good for having sex on... (I was told this 1 hour after meeting him).

    He did take me out in his Baja rally truck though after we'd been biking... so he does win back a few points for that... oh and the truck was sponsored by discountstrippers.com... obviously. Once we'd finished for the day he offered me his trailer for the night if I didn't want to ride back to Green River which was very kind of him but... no... thanks... ill be cold for an hour riding back to the motel rather than sleeping on his stained pavement mattress.

    Other than a (hopefully not) broken finger, today has been mind blowing in so many different ways.

    #JimTrumpForPresident    Read more

  • Barnaby SayceUSA Road tripTraveler

    Green River to St George

    April 12, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 0 °C

    350 miles today after sitting around all day yesterday waiting out a sandstorm. Started in the desert at 9.30, temperature was about 4 degrees, then climbed up to about 10,000ft into the mountains where it turns out the majority of the 350 miles would be spent. Temperatures were into the minus and I basically froze my bollocks off for 8 hours.

    Did go through Zion National park through which was pretty incredible, its an hour away so I'm going to head back tomorrow when my testicles have dropped back down to take a proper look around before heading to Vegas.

    Photos from today are pretty poor due to lack off feeling in my fingers and frankly not wanting to spend 1 more minute than I had to in that cold, hoping i got some GoPro footage but unlikley as the cold killed the battery in about an hour and shortly after killed the battery on my phone... still waiting for feeling in my finger tips to return!

    The real highlight if this day looking back at photos was Utah Route 12 - known as the hogsback. A road that runs above canyons on either side. Too cold to enjoy at the time but one of the best roads of the trip looking back.    Read more

  • Barnaby SayceUSA Road tripTraveler

    Valley of Fire

    April 14, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Went for a walk around Valley of Fire on my way to Vegas, it was pretty nuts... more massive rocks!

    I was also still in my thermals and warm riding gear from utah so was sweltering walking around the desert 😂

    Otherwise, very good!    Read more

  • Barnaby SayceUSA Road tripTraveler
    2

    Vegas is fucking terrible

    April 14, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Where do all these people come from??? And why are there normal fully grown adults drinking 2ft slush puppies with neon LEDs flashing inside??

    I went into Ceasars Palace, I think I'm out but I also could just be in a recreation of the Vegas Strip, inside Ceasars Palace. So who really knows. If you don't hear from me again please just send a search party into Ceasars Palace.

    Mind blowing and terrible place, would probably be better with other people to be fair, the issue is I want to talk to 0% of the people here. Very much looking forward to tomorrow so I can leave!    Read more

  • Barnaby SayceUSA Road tripTraveler

    Death Valley camping

    April 15, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Rode up to death valley and camped at one of their free campsites. Amazing views and some serious wind... which covered everything in the tent in sand through the night... including me... much sand in my eyes.Read more

  • Barnaby SayceUSA Road tripTraveler

    Vegas attempt 2

    April 16, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    So Vegas has grown on me, I realised I just needed to do it properly!! So I booked a fancy hotel room at the Venetian, had a play on the tables and went out drinking!

    Found a fun couple at Beer Park who paid for all my drinks for the night... I insisted they shouldn't (for a minute or 2) before giving in.

    Annoyingly the wind closed the pool at my hotel and also stopped the Belagio fountain show so I guess I'll just have to come back at some point when I'm feeling rich!    Read more

  • Barnaby SayceUSA Road tripTraveler
    2

    Camping in Joshua Tree

    April 18, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    A significant downgrade on facilities in comparison to the Venetian but also significantly cheaper!

    Spent last night camping in Joshua Tree, cooked up a Japanese curry for dinner using curry cubes recommended by Zander. An awesome recommendation for easy curry without having to carry jars of sauce or hundreds of spices!

    I also stumbled across a small section of route 66 on my way here, don't see what the fuss us about, just really expensive petrol from what I saw.

    Off to go for a wonder around the park.    Read more

  • Barnaby SayceUSA Road tripTraveler

    Joshua Tree

    April 18, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Walking and scrambling in Joshua Tree, pretty awesome place... more rocks and sand 😂 but it was actually a great place to go for a walk! And climbing up the rocks... saw a lizard though and a tortoise on the road I had to remove before he got squished.

    I also saw "The Great Burrito"... that was very exciting!    Read more

  • Barnaby SayceUSA Road tripTraveler

    I'm out of the sand!!!!... for now

    April 18, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    How good does it feel to be out of the desert?!?! My whole body feels hydrated, the air has a coolness to it, the greenery has never looked greener!

    Found the most incredible road through the hills on my way to San Diego today, I think a combination of feeling so relieved to be out of desert, finally feeling like I wasn't melting, the views and the road as every corner led to an even better one... just made this the most awesome feeling. Put on "You gotta go there to come back" by Stereophonics, did a little happy dance and enjoyed the next half an hour of fun 😁 ... Also didn't take any good photos because I didn't want to stop riding to take them 😂... its all on the go pro though!Read more

  • Barnaby SayceUSA Road tripTraveler
    1

    Bloody love San Diego

    April 19, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Loved San Diego, great bars, great beaches, sunshine and lovely people! Only downside is you can't get around without driving it would seem.

    Went to La Jolla Bay and saw so many sea lions!

    Then over to Coronado Island to get a beer and sit on the beach... the sea however was freezing!

    Then bumped into 3 BA Pilots in a bar and spent the evening drinking with them, they took me to the Top Gun bar!!! Hangover hurt the day after.

    Ohhh also found an Automotive museum so had to take a look around!    Read more

  • Barnaby SayceUSA Road tripTraveler

    Skippy made it to Hollywood

    April 21, 2022 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    So LA... its an interesting one... I actually really enjoyed it, but mainly due to the hostel and the people I met. The town itself I found very average,walk of fame was so overwhelmingly underwhelming and the Hollywood sign (while better from closer) is nothing to write home about.

    Venice Beach is awesome and has a great vibe to it but is still full of homeless people which is pretty sad to see - I'm seeing this more and more, homelessness and poverty is a massive problem in the states, yes its all relative and obviously poverty here is nowhere near as bad as poverty in other countries, but given the amount of money here it really blows your mind.

    Met some awesome people at the hostel though. Mel, a freelance photographer from New Zealand (what a dude!), Christina, works at the hostel (what a dude!) And Izzy, plays a character called Liv Dingle in Emmerdale (what a dude!). All in all a bloody marvelous time in Hollywood and despite the ridiculous traffic I think skippy had a blast on all the twisties in the hills, and got a day off the big miles!... but back to work tomorrow, 270 miles up to fresno and were heading back into the cold! Yosemite in a couple of days and it's currently -3... who said the states was a good idea!    Read more

  • Barnaby SayceUSA Road tripTraveler

    Riding from LA to Fresno

    April 22, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Looooong day today, got blown about a bit by the wind but the good news is I think my neck might be twice the size after this trip due to all the straining to keep it attached to my shoulders.

    After a nice ride around the hills in LA looking at fancy houses and enjoying the roads and views I started riding up the i5 but severe wind warnings on a section put me off, I wasn't in the mood for getting blown under a truck today. So planned a little detour, not many roads in this part of california so the detour meant adding a good 70 miles onto the route and going back up into the snow (because apparently I can't get enough of the stuff). But my god was it worth it! The road I found was incredible and the views went on for miles!! I'm pretty sure I could see Wallingford at one point 😂. I also spent a good chunk of time up in the clouds which was awesome, you could see the cloud rolling up the hill over the road, very strange... the video kind of shows it but doesn't really do it justice.

    Anyway, checked into my motel, $50 booking was the cheapest I could find. Turns out there's also a non optional $10 hotel services fee (not sure what the $50 was for) plus taxes... I fucking hate taxes... and now my room is $75. So once again I will be filling my bag with everything I can steal, although I am running out of room due to the copious amounts of free shampoo building up... oh and they also take a $200 deposit, which gets refunded at check out but it still gets paid for at check in... so my $50 room has just cost me $275. If I wasn't so tired I'd politely tell them to shove their room so far up their ass they could taste it... but I'm sleepy and everything aches so I made a grumpy huff and paid. Probably even thanked them for being so helpful.    Read more

  • Barnaby SayceUSA Road tripTraveler
    1

    Yosemite National Park

    April 23, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    Wasn't going to bother with Yosemite due to it being covered in snow and you can't do everything. But after every person I spoke to put it top of their recommendations list I decided to just wrap up warm and do it, and I'm so glad I did!Read more

  • Barnaby SayceUSA Road tripTraveler
    2

    Sequoia National Park i.e massive trees

    April 24, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    Loved Sequoia, super cold up at the top but the trees were massive... like... properly huge! Have a look at the last photo and you'll see a tiny little person at the bottom of the tree! Saw the biggest tree in the world "General Sherman Tree". Not the tallest or the widest but the most amount of tree... not sure how they work that out.

    Also found what can only be the US answer to Stelvio Pass. 10 miles of chicanes and hairpins taking me down from 4500ft to 2500ft and where skippy hit 5000 miles... an emotional day.

    Also turns out Fresno and surrounding miles are just covered in pistachio farms, miles and miles of pistachio farms. Fun fact - Apparently the US grows about 40% of the world pistachios and 99% of those are grown around Fresno. However pistachios apparently come with Pistachio beetles, they hit like bullets, peppering the helmet and jacket until one catches you in the neck and hurts like a bitch!

    Driving back to last nights campsite I found a better one! Right on a lake, looking over mountains (hills) with eagles flying around.    Read more

  • Barnaby SayceUSA Road tripTraveler

    Accidently found the best mexican food

    April 25, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Rode from the middle of nowhere near Sequoia to the middle of nowhere on the coast... 3.5hr ride with pretty much nothing interesting that happened.

    Stole an orange from an orange farm for breakfast, that tasted pretty good.

    Got peppered by a few more pistachio beetles.

    Got to my motel, sorted my washing, tidied up bags etc.

    Then the highlight of the day! Went out to get some food and wondered into a run down looking Mexican place, ordered my food which arrived in a plastic box, and sat there eating it thinking it was pretty much the best meal I'd had the whole time I'd been out here. A quick look at reviews shows that I've accidently walked into the best mexican place in about 50 miles 😁    Read more

  • Barnaby SayceUSA Road tripTraveler
    2

    Big Sur

    April 26, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Very nice, very windy, kinda cold, very busy... some of it was great, some of it I would liken to the A34 but by the sea.

    Had lunch at a pretty good spot looking over the sea

    Had a great campsite though in Arreyo Seco (apparently means something like dry river) ... it was about a 50 mile detour to get there which I didn't realise but got me away from the coast and into the greenery which was pretty nice. And I nearly ran over a turkey.

    Oh I also saw elephant seals, just stopped for water and happened to stop on a beach covered in them!    Read more

  • Barnaby SayceUSA Road tripTraveler
    1

    San Fransisco

    April 28, 2022 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 11 °C

    Loved this city! New favourite US city.

    Last night was spent drinking with Dom the banker, he basically gave me a bourbon tour of the city, so today was a slow day... but I dragged myself out to see the sights. I've also decided that my new favourite hobby isn't sight seeing but sight see-er seeing. Watching people posing for the gram or walking in front of a bus to get their photo is hilarious 😂

    Walked a lot of miles (all either up or down steep hills), Got the ferry over to alcatraz, that was pretty good and importantly didn't get on the bike for a day!    Read more

  • Barnaby SayceUSA Road tripTraveler
    3

    Wine Country

    May 2, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Awesome stay in a little Airstream on a dairy farm in Wine Country!

    Found a few vineyards that do walk ins... who knew most were appointment only! Had fresh veg to pick for dinner, fresh cheese, fresh eggs for breakfast. Just what I needed after a week of burgers and burritos!

    Lots of miles to cover over the next week or so now as I'm running behind schedule!!    Read more

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